Hi I'm new to the forum.
I was diagnosed with early menopause last year, aged 36, a year after I had my first child. All the usual debilitating symptoms I'm sure you're all too familiar with. I have used Estrogel ever since - it has turned life around. However I believe Besins have recently changed the gel formula. I have contacted Besins who refute the claim that they have changed anything. With the different packaging has come a different consistency and the new gel causes a rash on my arm. Plus, original symptoms are back again. Fortunately I had a few applications of the original (cylindrical shaped) Estrogel, so if I have a big meeting I use this and it relieves my symptoms for the day.
I have contacted the private menopause clinic I initially went to and they say that a number of their other patients have reported that this 'new version' (tbc) is less effective for them.
I just wanted to see if anyone else is suddenly experiencing issues with the effectiveness of Estrogel and if they have found a workaround, beyond using more (advised by the private clinic).
Hi em cffd
Sorry to hear about all your symptoms and problems.
There has been a lot of confusion about this issue which comes up regularly. However as far as I know Besins have not changed the gel recently at all - or if they have, it will be changed for all versions of the gel in all containers as they are all the same whatever bottle they come in. The confusion lies because the same product (Besins estradiol gel) is packaged into different containers in different EU countries. This is the case with other HRT as well - it is called different things depending where it is marketed! The same thing happened not so long ago with one of the combi HRT patches.
Oestrodose is not listed on the meds in UK simply because it is not known by this name here - it's called Oestrogel. There do seem to be various different shaped bottles used for this gel. However I wrote to Besins some time ago and they assured me (and Dr Louise Newson also did the same and was also assured, because I have been in correspondence with her) that they have not recently changed their formulation. The perception that it is different could be down to all sorts of things. There is a whole massive long thread about it but it (annoyingly!) goes off on fanciful and often irrelevant tangents and what seems like conspiracy theories at times - but I reported all the correspondence from Besins on that thread. Dr Newson also said that if patients
felt that it was different then they should ask for the one that they preferred ( whether oestrodose or oestrogel) although because they are normally interchangeable I don't think there is much control over which you will get! This doesn't alter what Besins have said though.
Someone on here reported how individual allergic responses etc can change over time and that people can develop allergies to products even after years of using the same product. However if you are getting a rash due to the gel and it ONLY occurs on this batch of this particular gel and then disappears when you change to another batch, and then reappears when you use it again - then you should report this to the MHRA through their yellow card scheme here:
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ and also take a note of the batch number (and any other relevant numbers) and contact Besins again - as they would want to know if something had happened to their gel after leaving their premises although it's difficult to imagine what as it's all sealed at their factory (in an inner pouch).
I think they are now putting a oestrogel label on oestrodose. Because my oestrogel came this month in bigger box and bottle like oestrodose and I'm not so good to. I could not get on with oestrodose at all and my pharmacist found out they are different!!
Hi Donna-paul - your pharmacist is wrong. Well they are different in the sense that they are in different packages - that's the only difference. If your pharmacist contacted Besins then s/he should have been given the same information. I have it in writing that they are identical and as you probably remember I asked quite a lot of detailed questions because of all the rumours. As I said Dr Newson also was given the same response as have others who have contacted them.
em cffd - hope you get sorted soon
- so important for you to keep on with HRT and to feel as well as you can.
Hurdity x
