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[Jasmine20]

ElleAurora - I don't get a rush of estrogen when I first put the patch on but I think I feel most well on Day 2.

Oestrogel did give me an uncomfortable rush and I was relieved to switch to a patch as it felt less of a hormone rollercoaster. I've not tried the Lenzetto spray.

Sometimes I wonder how long this HRT malarkey will last.......God I envy the women who breeze through menopause.

[racjen]

I'm on Evorel patches and I haven't noticed any fluctuation in my response to them which coincides with patch change times. I have however been finding that the hot weather has an enormous effect on how much I absorb, maybe because they don't stick so well or maybe because of the phenomenon I read of somewhere of 'estrogen dumping', where extreme heats makes the patch release loads of estrogen at once and then the level dips prematurely, with resultant ill effects. I've been upping my dose while the weathers hot and it's made a huge difference. I also find I always have to increase my dose gradually in the progesterone phase, and then rebalance it when I come off P. It's a constant balancing act!

[donnacrichton]

I am so glad I saw this post as for years I have had the same problem with gel and patches. I change patch every three days but still feel fluctuations. Everyone I have spoke to says this shouldn’t happen. I am now going to try a smaller dose every two days. I had my levels checked only a month  ago and they are 400 so should be feeling ok. I’m so glad I’m not going mad 😡

[Wrensong]

Yes racjen, oestrogen dumping on super-heating of patches is the reason I was given for being asked to remove mine (on my derriere) prior to MRI of head & neck.  I queried it as I'm not so short my head is anywhere near my butt, but apparently MRI can cause patches to overheat regardless, resulting in oestrogen dumping.

[EllaAurora]

I am so glad I saw this post as for years I have had the same problem with gel and patches. I change patch every three days but still feel fluctuations. Everyone I have spoke to says this shouldn’t happen. I am now going to try a smaller dose every two days. I had my levels checked only a month  ago and they are 400 so should be feeling ok. I’m so glad I’m not going mad 😡

Hi Donna, very interesting to hear that someone else is having the same problem -though of course sorry to hear you also struggle. I wonder what is causing it, haven't seen any studies on this topic. Let us know how you get on with smaller dose and changing every two days! That's probably the route for me too if I still continue with patches. My gynae was thinking already last week that she may need to move me to tablets unless I stabilise within the next weeks, but I'm concerned as the risks are then higher in terms of blood clots. I so much hope I'd still find a solution with the patch!

Take care and hope you'll get on well with the patch solution! xx

[donnacrichton]

Hi I have dropped to 75mcg and going to do every two days. I always feel it wearing off on day three and have done since I’ve been on them no matter what dose I’m on. I was up to 125mcg but anxiety was a nightmare at this level. The only issue with a lower dose for me is I get a lot of joint pain. I am willing to trade that for no anxiety so fingers crossed x

[EllaAurora]

Hi Donna, good luck for adjusting the regime, hope it'll work for you better!

I went back to my symptom diary and have paid more attention to this during recent days. I've figured that for me the fluctuations may be happening even faster. My own sense is that I get a steep peak during the first 12hours or so (when I feel the 'rush', which has actually got even stronger during the past weeks). Then, almost instantly, it feels that levels are starting to come down from the peak and I feel just awful during the downward phase. Basically, it feels there's like a few hours during the duration of the patch when I'm feeling ok'ish, after the uncomfortable rush but before the decline. Also my patch might be too high dose, but at the moment I feel reluctant to even try lower dose, as I've felt really bad during the last days.

All of this is making me to come to conclusion that I will again need to look for another solution. Perhaps it will be then the tablets that work for me (though I'm not yet comfortable with the risks of oral treatment), or I may need to try again another type of gel or spray. Thankfully I have an appointment coming up again soon with gynae to review the regime again.

Hope you all feel as good as possible, take care! xx

[Nas]

Salad, do you use lenzetto in addition to your patches twice weekly, as a top up Oestrogen ? How do you find the lenzetto spray? 😀

[donnacrichton]

Well been on a lower dose for a couple of weeks and changing every two days. I have had days when I have woke up in a good mood and that hasn’t happened in a long time. I was feeling slightly hopeful and managed a weekend away without too much anxiety. Unfortunately caught covid and now feeling really awful. No idea if anything is hormonal or covid but going to stick with it until I speak to my specialist mid October. Hope everyone is well and keep us updated. I gain more information from this sight than anywhere else 🤗

[Wrensong]

Oh donna, what bad luck.  I am sorry.  Your plan to stick with it in the circs as you had begun to feel better pre-COVID sounds sensible.  Hope it's as mild as poss for you & soon over.  Rest if you can & take care of yourself.
Wx

[donnacrichton]

Thank you ❤️

[Wrensong]

Donna, I should have said when I posted earlier that if you're having to change patches every 2 days to begin to feel well I wonder  whether another method might suit you better?  A patch at right dose designed to last 3-4 days should surely be adequate changed at most every 3 days with good absorption?  I see you had similar issues with feeling fluctuations on gel though.  Sorry, don't know any more of your HRT history so this may be irrelevant & please don't worry about it (or replying) as you have enough on your plate just now, but I would raise it with your specialist.
Wx

[Peri2022]

Hello,

Does anyone know, if the patch is always releasing the same amount of oestrogen (irrespective of the person), or if there are individual variation in how much oestrogen the patch gives per hour? I'm asking as I feel with 50mcg patch that at the beginning I may be getting too much from it, and towards the end at day 3, it feels the dose is wearing off.

I know there is small gradual decrease over the 3.5 days but my question is if its possible that the variation is greater for some people? I had to move away from gel to patch exactly for the reason that I was absorbing gel too quickly and getting huge fluctuations. So now I'm wondering if the same can happen with patch, or if its not possible due to patch design releasing only certain maximum amount in a given time.

Thanks for support and hope you are keeping well! xxx

Hi Elle, I know this is an old thread but I’m so glad I found it. I’ve been on the patch for three weeks and having exactly the same issues you described here - a huge anxious high on day 1 as my body seems to hoover up too much of the patch. Did you ever find a good solution? Hope you’re feeling better now and would love to hear how things are going.

[Pippa52]

Sadly patches really did not suit me.  I tried Evorel first (due to shortages of my normal HRT) which gave me the most horrendous migraines I had ever had every day - swopped to Estradot which made me feel like I had drunk about 10 cans of Red Bull I was so wired and then the third day seemed to run out completely.  Also my blood level of oestrogen dropped to 69 which the Meno consultant told me was about the level I would be if I were not on HRT at all.  Thankfully Oestogel came back available and I have now been back on it for 9 weeks and am hugely improved already.  It is so true what suits one person may well not suit another and patches certainly did not suit me although I know they are brilliant for loads of women.  Horses for courses  

[Dandelion]

Hi.
Yes, am on Evorel 25 at the moment, but feeling it's not enough. Am very post-meno and have an Estring and Vagifem. I'm just starting out on returning to systemic hrt at the age of 69, so am looking forward to my first quarterly review soon.
There are some VERY knowledgeable people on here, so, 🤞!

Hi
What does "not enough oestrogen" feel like?
Without my doctor's consent I am experimenting with 37.5 instead of 25, I still get night sweats on 37.5. They need 50mcg but I bleed on that.