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[joziel]

Julia, the stopper is there for a reason - it prevents the gel evaporating. If you're not putting the stopper on, the gel which is already primed and in the pump from the previous use, can evaporate - leading to you getting a lower dose....

[MrsMitch]

I know I'm late to this thread but reading through and looking back, my symptoms started to return slightly once I got the new shaped bottles of gel too. I was worried initially as I was already of 4 pumps daily. Then I started to get spotting, followed by a full period which kicked off the recent investigations I've had at the hospital following the discovery my womb lining had thickened.  I also thought that the amount per pump was definitely less than in the old bottles.  I found I had an old bottle in the cupboard and did a pump from the old shape and then the new and yes, the new is a smaller dose.
I now wonder if this is all caused by the gel being different after reading here.  Whilst im glad my GP rushed all the tests through as urgent and once i get the results I'll know whats going on, but if everything is ok health wise, I'll talk to the GP and see if she gas had similar reporrs from others.
Just thought I'd add this in case the info is of any help to you.

[Julia Dizzy]

Ok I understand Joziel, but how come the old style bottles with the green top didn't have stoppers? Surely that would be the same in theory that it evaporates?

[joziel]

The bottles work in different ways. The pump priming thing is different in the 2 designs. If you take them apart (as some truly committed people investigating all this shebang have) you can see it.

I'm not saying that's the cause for you, but it's just one thing which might not be helping.

I'm using 6 pumps of this stuff. I might try Sandrena at some point because it's a lotta stuff to be putting on every day and a step in the whole morning routine I could do without(!). It takes ages to dry on my butt cheeks (!) - maybe because they are colder - and I end up not being able to get dressed because my gel isn't dry yet 

I also save the bottles when I finish them because they usually have some amount left (like half a pump) and I use this on my face every day. Estrogen is great for the face.... But I get some extra that way too...

[chopsuey]

 Hi Sue

Have you heard any more from Besins about this? I have just emailed their complaints department, as suggested by Louise Newson. I have also weighed the two types of Oestrogel on digital scales after having a return to symptoms and there is definitely a smaller amount from the white cap at times. I am relieved in one way that it is not only me that is noticing this difference but it is very frustrating when you hear that Besins are insisting that the two products are the same.

I also had problems with the new shaped bottles.

I posted on this forum a few months ago about all my symptoms returning and that once I was given the old shaped bottle again I felt so much better.

I reported this on the yellow card scheme and I have received an e-mail from Bessins today asking for permission to contact my doctor

We take the safety and quality of our products seriously. As part of a pharmaceutical company’s statutory requirement imposed by the regulatory authorities, Besins Healthcare is required to follow up on any suspected adverse events that we become aware of concerning our medicines. This helps us to monitor the safety profile of our medicines.
 
For this reason, it would be useful for Besins Healthcare UK to contact your doctor or another healthcare professional regarding this report.

Hopefully the more of us who report this closer we may get to having an answer as to why our symptoms came back on the new shaped bottles🤞

Hi Sue1972,

As a matter of interest, did the Yellow Card Scheme contact you first to ask if they could pass your details onto Besins? I just wondered. 

Hi Jenna,

I don't think they did but the whole reason I reported it was because I wanted Bessins to investigate this, so I have no problem with them contacting me. I am just pleased to know they are looking into it. x

[Sue1972]

Hi chopsuey,

I have not heard anything else from Bessins. I have swaped to Sandrena gel and I am doing much better on that. I was fed up of the constant uncertainty with the Oestrogel.

x

[chopsuey]

Thanks Sue, that's interesting to hear. I may have to do the same if this continues to be an issue. x

[Gnatty]

Joziel, I'm interested to know about oestrogen being great for the face. Do you mean it's good for wrinkles? Is it ok in the sun?

[Penguin]

Joziel, I'm interested to know about oestrogen being great for the face. Do you mean it's good for wrinkles? Is it ok in the sun?

I'd assume it would be given we apply to our bodies and then put sun screen on in the sun.

Joziel does it make a noticeable difference to skin / wrinkles? I dp find my skim more plumped up and less dry with systemic hrt so I'd be interested in giving this a go.

[joziel]

It's hard for me to tell what's doing what to my skin at the moment as I'm doing All The Things...

I use a Ziip daily, I have an Omnilux Contour LED mask I use daily, a NIRA laser. I have prescription treinoin from Dermatica (highly recommend) and their vitamin C as well, then niacinamide, EGF (epidermal growth factors), peptides (Matrixyl 3000 and copper peptides from the Ordinary) and tons of Korean moisturing toners and moisturisers (Korean skincare is so cheap if you buy from stylevana.com and their moisturising toners and thick moisturisers are great for using with tretinoin). The thing which has made the most difference is hands-down the tretinoin (only been using it since August) and I highly recommend Dermatica for that. Then there are some great FB groups for tret use which cover the moisturising and breakouts which can happen at first.

Which is all to say - the Oestrogel I put on my face is just part of all this. I just save the bottles when there is partial pumps left and I put a tiny blob (about the same as Testogel size) on my face. It is quite drying because it has alcohol in it so keep it away from the eye area. I leave it on a couple of hours and then wash it off. Because I have about 650000 products to put on my face.

Obs when I'm busy all day I can't use all this, but when I'm working from home I can easily wash my face and apply a new thing whenever I have a wee or make a cup of tea...

[Penguin]

It's hard for me to tell what's doing what to my skin at the moment as I'm doing All The Things...

I use a Ziip daily, I have an Omnilux Contour LED mask I use daily, a NIRA laser. I have prescription treinoin from Dermatica (highly recommend) and their vitamin C as well, then niacinamide, EGF (epidermal growth factors), peptides (Matrixyl 3000 and copper peptides from the Ordinary) and tons of Korean moisturing toners and moisturisers (Korean skincare is so cheap if you buy from stylevana.com and their moisturising toners and thick moisturisers are great for using with tretinoin). The thing which has made the most difference is hands-down the tretinoin (only been using it since August) and I highly recommend Dermatica for that. Then there are some great FB groups for tret use which cover the moisturising and breakouts which can happen at first.

Which is all to say - the Oestrogel I put on my face is just part of all this. I just save the bottles when there is partial pumps left and I put a tiny blob (about the same as Testogel size) on my face. It is quite drying because it has alcohol in it so keep it away from the eye area. I leave it on a couple of hours and then wash it off. Because I have about 650000 products to put on my face.

Obs when I'm busy all day I can't use all this, but when I'm working from home I can easily wash my face and apply a new thing whenever I have a wee or make a cup of tea...

Oh wow thats a lot! Well done on your commitment, I clearly need to up my game 😊. Will defo give it a try, I was wondering if it would help my hands actually, my skin is a bit crepes there, have you ever tried hands?

[joziel]

No, I'm totally obsessed with trying to get rid of nasolabial folds (or at least make them not look like my face is melting off) without using fillers!! So far I've improved everything else but not seen much improvement in those 

By the way, on the subject of Oestrogel... I just got back my results of a test yesterday - on day 6 of my cycle.

On SIX pumps of Oestrogel my grand total of estrogen is...... (drum roll) 334pmol 

What is this stuff, is it water?? On 4 pumps I was 283pmol. So a whole extra 2 pumps and that's all I've got to show for myself.... I think I might have to switch to Sandrena now, although I'm doing a lot with thyroid meds at the moment and I don't want to change too much all at once... Even if my symptoms aren't estrogen related, I'm not sure I can smother myself in 6 pumps of this forevermore just to achieve that level of estrogen.

[Banjo1973]

Hi Joziel,

I went on to 7 pumps, speading with a plastic knife to not 'waste' any on my hands.

I did not want to give up on Oestrogel, it had been very good to me. I didn't want to ditch it for Sandrena... but boy was I glad I did. Only regret was that I didn't do it sooner x

[joziel]

Thanks Banjo, yes spreading with a silicone spatula here as well 

Do you know what your levels are on Sandrena?

[Banjo1973]

Hi Joziel,

Sorry, I have never had my levels tested so j have no idea re. numbers.

However, I have a weird symptom of low oestrogen which is hot feet at night. (After than anxiety, tiredness and brain fog). But hot feet is so distinctive and something I've never had before I now know that is a very clear indicator for me.

On 'good' oestrogel I was on 3 pumps, I started on 1.5mg of Sandrena but got occasional hot feet so am now on 2 sachets and very happy.

I've no idea if that's of any help to you!!