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[Postmeno3]

Hi ladies,
This topic may have been covered before, but I haven't the capacity to go trawling through. Has anyone direct experience of differing brands producing differing outcomes or professional knowledge as to why this might be the case? Estradot is not agreeing with me, even at 37.5 level. I am very sensitive to medication. I started on Evorel25 and had no reaction one way or another. So, I'm really curious to know what's going on!!!!! I'd love your thoughts.
😊

[Perinowpost]

Evorel is far better x

[juliemargaret]

Why is everol far better perimeno? Curious

[juliemargaret]

*perinowpost

[Perinowpost]

Type it into the search box, one is from yam and the other one from the silver birch family. I tried estrodot but had a reaction to it, my body loves evorel, there is a reason behind it x

[Postmeno3]

Can you say more about the Estradot reaction you had, Perinowpost? How it manifested? Thanks!

[Perinowpost]

Hi Postmeno3 soz typing late at night 😂. I felt awful on it, like I had been poisoned. I posted at the time on the forum and that’s when someone advised they were made from different sources. I came off it, stuck another evorel patch on and was right as rain, hope that helps x

[Postmeno3]

Thanks. There's very little indeed on it on existing threads, presumably most people are on Evorel, but this whole side of things is getting really interesting so I hope more come forward with their experience/knowledge. Thanks again.

[Nas]

Estradot doesn’t agree with me either. Small and sticky as they are, they give me pmt, cramps,nausea as much more. Horrid little things.

My body likes Evorel 75, but not 100. Damn nuisance as i need additional oestrogen from somewhere!

[sheila99]

For any hrt you'll always find someone who swears by it and someone else who can't tolerate it. The only thing you can do is try it and see how you react. I was fine on evorel until I developed an allergic reaction to it after 3 months, also had trouble getting them to stick. Haven't tried estradot but thinking of asking for it as gel is a bit of a pain. Good luck, I hope it turns out to be the one for you.

[Postmeno3]

Thanks, Sheila99. Yes, you're very wise. Funny, I was just thinking this afternoon that, in some ways, it's a wee bit daft making recommendations based on our own experiences as they are utterly and totally unique to us with so, SO many variables and cross-purpose. Am just really starting out on all this, six months in and, because of the very long and totally exhausting journey to get to this point, I suppose I (terribly naïvely!) hoped for a fairly early and positive response. Onwards.....and bless you!

[Perinowpost]

It’s true that what suits one may not suit another, after all we’re all different in our biochemistry/stage of meno, etc. However, not all hrt is created equal, I’ve tried them all and some are definitely better than others x

[Hurdity]

Hi there

The main difference between all the different oestrogen patches as far as I understand it is in their size, and the carrier compounds that are used to enable the patch to stick and transfer the oestrogen into the body - the glue, and other compounds. These are all listed in the product information.

So for estradot:

6.1 List of excipients

Adhesive matrix:

- acrylic adhesive,

- silicone adhesive,

- oleyl alcohol,

- dipropylene glycol,

- povidone (E1201).

Backing layer:

- Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer and vinylidene chloride/methyl acrylate copolymer laminate.

Release liner:

- fluoropolymer-coated polyester film.

For Evorel:



Adhesive acrylic polymer (Duro-Tak 387-2287)

Guar gum (meyprogat 90)

Hostaphan MN19 (polyester film - removed before application)


I suspect the latter is less complete? I don't really understand what all the compounds do.

Anyway because of this and their different sizes (of patch) and the way Estradot is constructed - they will release oestrogen into the body at different rates to some extent even though eg a 50 mcg patch is supposed to be the same whatever patch you use. This will also depend on your skin too - as the patches are different sizes. Some patch types (and sizes) for example may release more oestrogen into your body at once (in some women) and then it could tail off quickly, compared with others and this alone could lead to undesirable side effects ie more rapid oestrogen spike. Estradot in particular is different from the others because they are very small and use a "dot matrix" system to deliver the estradiol so may well lead to a different response in some women.

It is highly unlikely - I would say impossible - that there is any discernible difference in the estradiol used for the patch. I doubt whether any of the pharma companies actually produce their own estradiol from the raw ingredients and will be bought as a "chemical" from other companies that produce it from the raw ingredients. As such it will be marketed as "estradiol usp" or "estradiol bp" which means it is a very pure "chemical" and bears no resemblance to the original raw ingredients used ie the plant. The finished product is a white crystalline powder which will be used to manufacture the different HRT products. With global supply variations and shortages I would doubt (though I have no idea!) that the company would necessarily purchase the estradiol from the same company and would know  what the plant of origin was for each batch - but I stand to be corrected on that one!

I don't know whether all the patch manufacturers use estradiol in the form of estradiol hemihydrate - but the labelling in any case is not always consistent between manufacturers.

This is not to minimise in any way the differences in reaction to different patches felt by some women - but as I hope I explained above, I would suggest is more likely to be a result of the carrier products, the size of patch and our own skin. As Perinowpost put it - "what suits one may not suit another" - and we have to try different products until we find one that suits.

However barring any sort of allergic reaction (to the glue), or cramps, nausea etc my first change would be in dose - of the same patch before changing brand. Also remember that when you start to use HRT for the first time you will likely experience side effects irrespective of what prduct you use, until your body acclimatises to the additional oestrogen.

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Postmeno3]

Fantastic, Hurdity! Thanks. The specialist moved from Evorel to Estradot to give a more gradual increase with the 37.5 available which was not in Evorel. That's really interesting about the differing rates of delivery, though, the oestrogen "spikes" etc as I get heat at the site immediately on application. I should perhaps consider returning to Evorel for a 50 patch increase or maybe the arrival of these side effects on Estradot, including palpitations now, suggests it's doing some kind of a job? 🤔

[Hurdity]

Hi there

I cant say what is causing your symptoms but you can always be prescribed Evorel 50 and cut it down to 37.5 mcg for the more gradual increase rather than have switched brands. I am prescribed 75 mcg but I cut it down to give approx 62.5 mcg - as I need more than 50 but maybe not 75 mcg - or rather at my age I try to keep as low as I can get away with and feel OK/protect my bones.

Hurdity x