Hi ladies
I am going to try the gel supplying the estrogen instead of the patches. I've noticed other ladies here and on another forum have switched and said it gives better absorption. It's worth a try. I'll keep you all posted 😊
Michelle,
Just curious? What problems were you having with the patches? Did you get any bad side effects from them? I ask, because I did! I'd love to hear from other women who had bad side effects from patches.
Gailanni
Oh no I was just about to ask to try patches as the pills give me headaches
I'm now undecided
What side effects have people got x
Hi Michelle,
I've never had any problems with the Gel. It works well and I feel much better on it.
This means of delivery is also good in so far as adjusting dose. Eg. I think the patches are 25 or 50 so with oestrogel you could easily be on a dose halfway between that as 2 pumps equals a 25 patch and 4 would be equivalent of a 50.
So if you used 3 pumps that would equate to 37 1/2 or 1 and a half patches.
You can also tinker a bit further by discarding half the pump if necessary.
I have read of women who find a 25 patch not enough and a 50 too much.
It would therefore also be good for women who are sensitive to estrogen and in that case they could use one pump which would be equivalent to half a 25 patch.
The only thing I've found that can be a little annoying is that if you are standing in the chilly bathroom with the gel on waiting around 5 minutes or so before you can get dressed waiting for it to dry. But it's a very small price to pay.
Ah thankyou. I did up the patch to 75 this week but hasn't improved things. I am so nervy and anxious about everything. My heart is racing etc. Am going to the doctors today and see what she says. Even though she is not helpful xx
Hi there
Well I went on the patches 4 months ago. The hot sweats stopped but I think the anxiety is worse than before. I am anxious all day and everyday which I wasn't before. When I am going anywhere I am so anxious I feel physically ill-lightheaded, palps,overwhelmed and pressure in my head or temples is so bad. I am going to try the gel. Zigangies advice looked good. What are your symptoms?
Hi Michelle. good luck to you with that. do read the leaflet 1st about application. its important not to get it near genitals or breasts. i like to wear body lotion & perfume on my arms (my perfume is a big comfort to me!!) so i apply mine to my mid inner thighs at night. pump it on to the end of your fingertips & gently rub in until you dont have any globs of it left on your fingertips. i usually tuck my dress into my bra for 3 or 4mins, apply it & then make my hubbys packed lunch while its drying!!!(it doesnt take long to dry) with the kitchen blind closed of course!! lol. & thats it. at the same time i take my utrogestan capsules when cycled to do so on my calendar. I hope you get on better with it than the patches. let me know how you get on. xxx
Maybe you need less? Have you looked at side effects of having too much (I know one is headache).
Unlike looloo I put mine on outer upper arms from my wrist to shoulder. I was rotating it at first inner thigh one night outer arm the next and was having hot days occasionally, read that estrogen loves fat and is therefore better absorbed by your body on the arms as there is less fat there.
I usually put mine on after my bath and while I'm cleaning the bath and brushing my teeth it is dry.
You have to keep the area of application away from other's for an hour or so so I moved my bath time to a few hours before bed so that I can get my cuddles etc. from my husband and I do it at night to keep it away from any perfume sun cream lotion etc that I use.
If you read extensively about it you are also advised not to use soap shower gels or bubble baths containing sodium laureth sulphate in before you use it as the gel can take it into your skin so I've also been using a natural soap.
thats interesting zigangie about the fat , as most ladies have more fat on their thighs than arms. initially i was using it on arms but removing any body lotion/perfume from day with a sulphate free baby wipe, but to save a little faffing, i started doing it on my thighs. do you think it would be better if i reverted to doing it on my arms again?
I don't know really, I did some reading and some women feel their arms are a bit close to their breasts so are happy to use it on their legs. Their argument was the patches are only to be used below the waist.
I just thought well it kind of makes sense that you would get more into your system as fat is quite dense also it is licenced for use on the arms.
I rarely put it on my thighs if for example we've been out for the evening and I want to get straight in bed I use it there because it's less likely to get wiped off on the sheets if I lay on my back until it is dry.
When I went up to double the dose I put one pump on each arm and one on each thigh I didn't feel any different on twice the dose so I've gone back to 2 pumps.
Thanks for your reply. i think i'll stick to thighs as i dont put any lotions on that area & my thighs are a little plumper than average, but not huge! i didn't notice any difference when i switched from arms to thighs either. i usually apply it about 11pm when i have a "house" dress on in the evening & as i said let it dry uncovered while i do hubbys packed lunch for next day. my thighs then have nothing in between them until i go to bed at about 12.30am ish (that sounds so awful lol!!!) i mean no pyjamas !!!! The leaflet says its ok to do thighs too, but interesting you found this out....thanks again xx
btw i only do 1 pump at present as that & the utrogestan seem to help my symptoms enough ( i have only started peri stage this year) so it gives me leeway for increase in dose in the future when/if my symptoms worsed further into peri/meno. xx
That's good, I wish I'd been offered it whilst still in peri, it would have saved several years of misery.
The reason I only use two pumps is because 4 didn't make any real difference and from what I've read some women get a return of symptoms after a while and need to increase. Eventually ending up on the full dose.
So this way if I do get symptoms coming back I will be on a smaller dose already.
LOLOLOL. That was funny wording and with making lunch on top of it.
Yes, that's same logic as me & my doc. she says best to use the lowest dose that makes symptoms manageable, so as you get further on you may need higher doses, plus it keeps the small risks with hrt as low as poss.
now that's multitasking eh?!!!!
Hi
I've started the gel last night. One pump on each arm. Now I have to wait and see. I've been away in my mum and dads caravan since late Friday. I was so anxious about going you wouldn't believe it. All the time I was there I was soo anxious in everything I did. It seemed to be with me always and with 3 hours sleep in 3 nights 😔 At least I went. I'm telling myself to not be stupid xx
Good for you Michelle that you managed to go away, hope you enjoyed it even a little.
Good luck with the gel x
Thanks Maisie
How are you? X
Hi Michelle. when i started the gel & then the utrogestan capsules on day 15, I personally started to notice improvement in my mental symptoms & headaches around weeks 2-3 just for info - everybody is different though. I sincerely hope it helps you hun', you deserve some happier times. I'm sorry you felt so anxious when you went away - perhaps it was the unfamiliar surroundings that heightened anxiety thats already there. are you not finding the propranolol much help with the anxiety? xxx