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[honeybun]

And a few flushes during the day.

Not at all sure why though. I'm nearly 55 and have been on a half patch for over a year now and ticking over not too bad.

The night sweats are pretty bad, absolutely soaking and they are lasting for much longer than before. The flushes in the day are not going far enough to make me sweat but I'm having that horrid feeling....slightly lightheaded and shaky just before.

I really really don't want to increase my patch as it's taken me so long to get down to a half patch.
Maybe there is an absorption issue.....all I know is a feel a bit rubbish.

Been going through a bit of a stressful time recently....could it be that.

Any advice welcomed.


Honeyb
X

[Joyce]

Sympathies HB! Stuck between a rock & a hard place. My sweats are during the day, but not every day. Flushes are most days, sometimes loads & sometimes just one.  GP did tell me to increase HRT, but like you I've taken a long time to get down to as small a dose as possible.

Could maybe be stress or your body may not be absorbing as well as it used to. I had that problem after being on oestrogel for a long time, hence changing to patches.

[Dancinggirl]

I'm finding it really hot and humid at the moment so it could simply be down to the weather - the nights have been particularly bad.  If you have some stress that really won't be helping. Keep hydrated - that light headedness could be lack of fluids - it's so easy to forget to simply drink a glass of water. Summer will be over all too soon - I bet you'll feel better once the cooler nights come around.
I forget what HRT you are using but you could try Oestrogel - I used this for years as I like that fact you can adjust the dose to your needs. I've got myself down to one pump per day and this is probably less than half the usual patch.  DG x

[honeybun]

I'm on Evorel Conti at the moment.

It's certainly not the weather as being in Scotland we haven't had any warm weather.

These kind of patches have suited really well up until now but if this continues I'm going to have to have a rethink.
Blast.....I really didn't want to mess with the kind of nor amount of HRT that I'm using.


Honeyb
X

[Limpy]

That's a such a shame HB.
Perhaps up the patch size a bit, say to 2/3 or 3/4.
You could do this just once a week, then go back to using your normal 1/2 patch on the other patch change day.

[honeybun]

Good idea Limpy.

I guess that will tell me if it's a not enough problem or an absorption issue.


Honeyb
X

[CLKD]

I would suggest upping the dose for 2-3 months.  Maybe your hormones are having a party and over-ruling the patch? 

[honeybun]

I think my hormones have left the party CLKD.

Just feeling really off today...maybe something else is going on 


Honeyb
X

[CLKD]

But the patch is probably not enough to maintain the status quo  …….

Or if you have used up a lot of energy in the last 12 months with the stressors you've been through, it may be that the body is absorbing the HRT quicker than it's designed for?  It really is a thin line between feeling well and suddenly feeling ill.  How's your diet  and IBS in general?

[Hurdity]

I'm not sure why you wanted to reduce your oestrogen dose at your age, being only 55 - many of us had barely started HRT at this point?

I can see why you wouldn't want to be on continuous norethisterone but a medium dose of oestrogen of 50 mcg is not going to do you any harm. Personally I see no reason to suffer and if your symptoms were controlled at the normal dose I would go back to that - or perhpas as Limpy suggested increase it a little - so only cut a quarter of the patch off - so giving you 37.5 mcg oestrogen - which might just do the trick.

Hurdity x

[Night_Owl]

HB, I wonder if the body just gets used to a certain level of HRT over a period of time and then it becomes less effective - just as some other meds do.

What is difficult to work out is if the body is going through yet more change - don't they say it's every 7 years the body changes:  0-7, 7-14, 14-21, 21-28, 28-35, 35-42, 42-49, 49-56, 56-63, 63-70, 70-77, 77-84.    [42-49, wouldn't want to go through that time again ...]

and the HRT that is/was 'okay' for X amount of years, doesn't cut it anymore.

It is a bummer when you've been on settled regime and then this happens.  I hope it stabilises for you or a slight increase remedies things.


Night_Owl
x

[Mary G]

Why not try the Estrogel, this is very easily absorbed into the skin and I found it worked much better than the patches.  You could start on two measures per day and see if that works.  I really think you will be impressed with it.  Good luck.

[Limpy]

I've had an idea HB.
Are your patches within their use by date?
Given you've been using 1/2 a patch, perhaps the box has lasted longer than might otherwise have been the case. Just a thought........

[honeybun]

I have put on 3/4 of a patch......they are within date Limpy.

You may be right Hurdity, I really just thought that the least amount I could get away with would be the best way to go but I'm fed up being sopping wet at night and the horrible feeling that goes along with it....oh and the tiredness the next day.
My life is not exactly stress free at times so maybe I need to up my dose to see if it will help.

Mary , I would try Estrogel but I need a progesterone and I've tried Urtogestan and it didn't suit me. I really wish it had as the progesterone in my current patch makes me feel very flat.

Sometimes you just can't win.


Honeyb
X

[Taz2]

Hi Honeyb. What a nuisance. I would think though at the age of 55 your levels have now dropped further and you do need the full patch. I tried to reduce mine at 57 but the flushes etc. crept back after six months or so and the menopause clinic said that I was still too young for half patch to be enough. Makes me laugh really as two years later I was too old to have any!!

I would definitely think that you need the full dose for a few  more years if you want to keep the symptoms at bay.

Taz x