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[EllaAurora]

Hello ladies,
I'm again seeking your experiences. Some of you may remember my journey, which has been quite a roller coaster over the past 5 months.
During this time had really bad worsening of meno symptoms in March, then tried to increase gel with bad results (absorbing too quickly and had a constant daily roller coaster). Then moved to patch, which did not work for me at all and was feeling even worse, so moved back to gel 2.5 weeks ago. Now somehow managing and feeling slightly better, but still.. think I'm absorbing gel too quickly even though I'm trying to apply to a really large area using the whole thigh and applying smaller amount twice a day. Despite all this, I just don't seem to get it right So agreed with gynae that if within couple of weeks this doesn't settle, I will move to 2mg estradiol tablets.

Frankly, this also scares me as I know with oral there can be different side effects (blood clots etc) and also 2mg sounds like a high dose. Thinking back, should have asked gynae to prescribe first 1mg, but just didn't think about it while speaking with her.

So I'm looking for some reassurance and experiences. Has anyone moved from transdermal to oral and how did it go for you?
And do you know if estrogen tablets can be halved, in case I'd want to try with smaller dose first?

Thanks again and take care all! xxx

[Floo36]

I’m on transdermal and tablets.  Tablets carry more risk but if you are not overweight, don’t smoke etc then the risk is still low, this is what I was told by my specialist.  It’s about getting well and some of us don’t absorb much at all so you have to try whatever to get the Estrogen in to get well.  It’s low dose and if you are peri may need a lot more than that but it may also be enough, you won’t know unless you try it, a lot gets lost with oral. 

[EllaAurora]

Hi Floo36,
thanks for your reply, appreciate it! It's true, the risk with oral is still low, and if things don't improve for me I'm ready to give it a try.
I'm still thinking if to try Lenzetto first, though, as I'm reading many good experiences from other ladies. Of course we're all individual so it might not work for me either.
Its so tiring that this takes so long. Now I'm back on gel for 2.5 weeks, after trialling with patch which didn't work at all. I'm trying to persevere and give gel a couple more weeks to see if I get on a more even keel and then if not, need to try something else again..

[EllaAurora]

Hello ladies,
I'm bumping this thread up as the topic is starting to become very real for me now and I'm hoping to get your advice.

I've been on gel for the second time (after unsuccessful trial with patch) since 5 weeks and although I thought last week I'm moving finally to a better direction, this week again it seems I'm back to square one with symptoms again returning. So I'm starting to think I will just not find the balance with EstroGel no matter how much I try.  I know we should wait for 3 months to see the full impact, but I would assume after 5 week I'd start to see some consistent improvement, if this were to ever work for me.

I have prescription already for oral 2mg estradiol, which we agreed with gynae I can start if I don't get on with EstroGel. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask how to make the switch. Can I just switch on the go, or should I wait for the next period or have some kind of washout in between? I will speak to gynae next week so I am trying to wait until that before switch, but just now feeling so frustrated and low that I may consider changing even before.

Thanks in advice for support! xxx

[sheila99]

I haven't changed to oral but when I changed from patch to gel I was told to take the patch off and start straight away. Changing from gel to oral I'd assume you take the pill when you're due the next dose of gel. I hope it works for you.

[Floo36]

You take the tablet instead of using the gel.  I’m not sure how many gels you were on but you may be on a lower dose with the tablet.  I’m not sure how many pumps of gel you tried before deciding to change to the tablet. 

[EllaAurora]

You take the tablet instead of using the gel.  I’m not sure how many gels you were on but you may be on a lower dose with the tablet.  I’m not sure how many pumps of gel you tried before deciding to change to the tablet.

Thanks Floo36! I'm currently on 2 pumps of gel, have tried earlier to go up to 3, but it felt too much. 2 pumps is quite a low dose, though, so probably I could try a marginal increase to go to 2.5 and see if that would settle things before again changing. Its just that I'm worried if I ever get to a balance with transdermal, as I don't feel I am building a steady state with it. It feels more like I take the dose, it helps for half a day but then symptoms return already before the next dose. As said, increasing didn't really help, just made the roller coaster more steep, so it must have something to do with how I'm absorbing. Strangely I also had this with patch, which I guess usually is the most stable form. I got a 'rush' after applying new patch and the first day had a feeling of really high oestrogen, after which it started declining and the downward spiral made me feel absolutely horrible. So had to stop and return to gel, with which I'm now managing but not feeling good.
So I'm pondering if to take the risk and switch to tablets, or hang on with gel a little longer trying to tweak the dose -or try Lenzetto before giving up on transdermal.
So difficult to know what to do... 

[EllaAurora]

I haven't changed to oral but when I changed from patch to gel I was told to take the patch off and start straight away. Changing from gel to oral I'd assume you take the pill when you're due the next dose of gel. I hope it works for you.

Thanks Sheila! I'm really struggling to decide what to do. Frankly I'm scared to change again, and with tablets there's also the risk of blood clots. On the other hand, staying like this doesn't make any sense either. So I'd need to decide if I want to continue trying to get to balance with gel, or just take the risk and move to tablets. There's of course also Lenzetto that I haven't tried yet.. So difficult to know what to do! 

[Floo36]

Why don’t you try that slow increase you’ve got nothing to lose and it may work. You could take it 3 x a day although I know it’s a pain but if it works.  I take mine morning afternoon and night to try and maximise the dose, it’s finding what works for you and your body. You may need double or more of what you are on it’s very individual. 

[EllaAurora]

Why don’t you try that slow increase you’ve got nothing to lose and it may work. You could take it 3 x a day although I know it’s a pain but if it works.  I take mine morning afternoon and night to try and maximise the dose, it’s finding what works for you and your body. You may need double or more of what you are on it’s very individual.

You're right Floo36. I probably should try still with EstroGel before jumping to switch -as there's obviously no guarantee it would be any better with tablets. I'll maybe try to increase first the evening dose and try to get to 2.5 pumps. For some reason, splitting the dose did not really work for me. I tried that previously and felt that morning dose somehow 'boosted' me and not in a good way. Had fast heart rate and anxious feeling after the dose, I'm thinking it has something to do with morning also being the time when cortisol is high.. perhaps too much stimulation at the same time.

May I ask, how did you figure out how much estrogen you actually need? I am asking as I have a feeling that I am better with less, but very stable dose. I'm concluding this as every time I've had higher levels in blood test, I've not been feeling well and also because I've not felt good at the time of ovulation when estrogen is the highest. But in the end this is just guessing of course.

[Floo36]

it has been a long 2 1/2 years of trying to figure it out and I kept blaming the HRT for how I was feeling.  I did the blood tests to prove that my estrogen was infact low and the high readings were fluctuations and it proved along with the severe symptoms that I didn't absorb much if at all from transdermal.  It is trial and error.  You may have read about my bloods on another post. 

You have to do what's best for you and listen to your body, it can take time to fathom out. 

We all need different amounts of estrogen to feel well, it is very individual.