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[Michelle46]

If you use oestriogel and you still don't feel right ie racing heart,internal jitters,dry nose,hands etc and osteoarthritis coming can you feel a sudden difference if you up the gel a bit. I'm on 2 pumps. Also if you went off it for a trial and started it again how long would the gel take to start working again?

[Dancinggirl]

Nope. I would stick with 2 pups per day fro at least 3-6 months before increasing anything.  Chopping a changing doses can bring side effects which you don't want.  If flushes are under control then stick with current dose. 
 The benefits of the Oestrogel will be gradual in relation to dryness, racing heart, aches and pains etc.. The first symptoms to reduce on HRT should be the flushes and night sweats. After about 6 months then other things should show some improvement generally.  Of course it depends on how low your oestrogen levels were when you started HRT and some see improvements quicker that others.  The ligaments, muscles etc. should also improve over time and this really helps if you have arthritis. You do need to look at diet as well though - Omega 3, Vitamin D, magnesium etc are all vital for helping bones, heart etc. Of course keeping to a sensible weight is also vital. If you can take brisk walks every day this would be great - reduces palpitations and can relieve aches and pains.  DG x

[Michelle46]

Thankyou Dancinggirl
I have been using the gel for 4 months and 3 months before that I used the patches. Your right I will give it longer. I take Vitamin D and I take a good fish oil. I also take magnesium but I'm sure it upsets my stomach. Is there one that doesn't upset the stomach? I use magnesium citrate x

[Annie0710]

Michelle read up on the different magnesiums avaiable and each ones benefits

Other ways for magnesium is a spray or Epsom salt baths X

[Michelle46]

Thanks Annie for the advice

[Dawncam]

Hi Michelle - I found this post on searching for something else. Just wanted to let you know my experience with oestrogel. I was prescribed 3 pumps and blob of testim (testosterone) utrogestan 7 days every 4 weeks, last August 2015. Great results for 2-3 months then.... night sweats/insomnia/mild day sweats/very painful joints/fatigue/brain fog/low moods started creeping in. It wasn't overwhelming and rather intermittent i.e. Some days better than others. I'm 54, size 10, perfect BMI, don't smoke, like red wine, incredibly good diet, work on my feet all day, walk the dog twice a day x 30 mins. In short, I'm doing all the right things. The problem was, I didn't absorb the gel properly. Not one medic picked up on this. I closed my small beauty business as my hands/neck/back were too painful to continue and I'm NOT a quitter. My point is, if your symptoms are getting worse, you're not getting enough oestrogen absorption. I've recently switched to patches and can't believe the difference. I hope you find your balance soon.

Good luck

Dxx

[Michelle46]

Hi Dawncam
Can i ask you when you changed from gel to patches did you have to wait a few days for it to take effect?

[Dawncam]

Hi Michelle - around 8/9 days ago. I can feel the difference within 24 hours and the great thing about patches is, if you feel it's too high (I'm very aware of every side effect now!) you just remove it and the dose is removed and will start to drop.

My problem with gel was I seemed to absorb it very quickly initially and got a 'hit' or rush within 3/4 hours then a sharp decline. I tried every way of applying during 24 hour dosing and every recommended part of the body. I really wanted it to work but had to throw the towel in when symptoms like mild day sweats and night sweats started returning. The patch really does seem to deliver a gradual dose over 24 hours.

I just applied my patch instead of the gel i.e. If you used gel today, don't use it tomorrow and apply patch instead. What dose are you on?

Dxx

[Dawncam]

Ps Hurdity is the woman to ask as she knows all the ins and outs of patches.

Dxx

[Keepgoing]

I am on the gel and at my 3 month review I told my doc I had upped it to 3 pumps the week before as I didn't feel 2 was enough and she said this was fine. I have been on 3 pumps for about 6 months now and feel better on this than the 2 pumps. If you did try the 3 pumps you would know in about a week if it's too much or feel better if it's what you need. This is why I like the gel it's easier to try more or less when you think you need to xx

[Dawncam]

Hi keepgoing - I agree, it's prob easier to increase the regime you currently use. I was just pointing out that I have done that in the past and had less than satisfying results as absorption was my problem. Patches are a good alternative if the gel doesn't work properly.

Dxx

[Peacegirl]

Hi Michelle - I found this post on searching for something else. Just wanted to let you know my experience with oestrogel. I was prescribed 3 pumps and blob of testim (testosterone) utrogestan 7 days every 4 weeks, last August 2015. Great results for 2-3 months then.... night sweats/insomnia/mild day sweats/very painful joints/fatigue/brain fog/low moods started creeping in. It wasn't overwhelming and rather intermittent i.e. Some days better than others. I'm 54, size 10, perfect BMI, don't smoke, like red wine, incredibly good diet, work on my feet all day, walk the dog twice a day x 30 mins. In short, I'm doing all the right things. The problem was, I didn't absorb the gel properly. Not one medic picked up on this. I closed my small beauty business as my hands/neck/back were too painful to continue and I'm NOT a quitter. My point is, if your symptoms are getting worse, you're not getting enough oestrogen absorption. I've recently switched to patches and can't believe the difference. I hope you find your balance soon.

Good luck

Dxx

Thank you for posting this, I'm newish on here and learning so much. I would never have believed there could be so much variation between delivery methods and responses. I'm so glad the patches helped and you are getting some relief as it was sad to read that you'd had to change your life because of this (I had to do the same) and hope things are getting better again.

[Hurdity]

Thanks Dawncam but I don't think I can help any more than anyone else on this! I've used them for years so have forgotten what it's like to start them and what it feels like! I was late peri-menopause and did notice the benefit within a few days (of starting 50 mcg patches) - but that was from a state of not having HRT at all and having very bad flushes and sweats. I have never ever had a problem with them or my dose. The only time symptoms have come back is when I stopped for 3 months - 5 years ago, and when I went back on them doc suggested 25 mcg patches - which worked for a bit and then didn't so went back up to 50 mcg. Again when I reduced to 37.5 mcg 3 years ago the flushes came back so 50 mcg has always been fine ( just increased a little due to also taking testosterone but not because the patches didn't work).

As has been said frequently on here - and reported in the scientific literature there is incredibly wide variation between different women in how much is absorbed from a given dose, and also between delivery methods for the same woman. There are quite a few women who have changed from one method to the other (patches to gel and vice-versa) and their experiences will also often be different from each other!

Hope everyone is managing to get relief from the best treatment that works for them

Hurdity x