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[Pausel]

Hello, I am new to the forum - hope someone can help me out.

Due to lack of knowledge, I was a bit late in starting HRT (started 1yr & 7 months after periods stopped aged 55). My problem is mainly skin dryness, alongside other common symptoms.

May 2021 First tried combined HRT Elleste Duet 1mg - 2 months later I developed eczema on both hands (doctor advised use of Betnovate)

Nov 2021 changed to Oral Utrogestan 100mg & Oestrogel 2 pumps

Dec 2021 still suffering from hand eczema - now using Eumavate

Feb 2022 Now have hand eczema and all over body dryness and itchy red skin - upped Oestrogel to 3 pumps as advised by doctor

Mar 2022 As above plus dry eye - now showering with cool water only - no body wash and moisturising after shower. Using ultra sensitive washing liquid for clothes

May 2022 eczema and dry skin still persists - even makeup is sucked into face due dryness dispite using hyaluronic acid and other moisturisers. Upped Oestrgel to 4 pumps from today (3rd May)

Should I continue with Oestrogel & Utrogestan or change to an alternative such as a combined patch?

Thanks for any advice you can give me

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Pausel and welcome to the forum. I cannot answer about the HRT but just wanted to say, washing in water is very drying. I was doing that until a menopause DR told me to wash and then moisturise with E45 cream. I find hycosan eye drops helpful for dry eyes.

I am sure you will get lots of helpful responses soon. 

[Haydo]

Welcome to the forum.  I can’t answer about the HRT but have found that taking Pharma Nord omega 7 capsules has helped me with dry eyes, also with dry skin and vaginal atrophy.  It was suggested I should wash with hydromol, which has helped. 

[Pausel]

Thanks Flossieteacake, I'll try the E45 cream  - now got drops for dry eyes that's stopped the eye twitching!

Haydo, thanks - I'll look at Omega 7 (thought there was only 3,6 & 9!) and hydromol

[orrla]

I developed eczema after meno, diagnosed at 63 yo.

Check chemists for eczema creams! I use Balneum Cream, top to bottom. It's marvellous! Great on feet, great on face! It comes in 0.5 litr tubs, and you apply it after shower, just pat dried, on nearly wet skin, all over,  :-*so cream can lock moisture.

Hope it helps!

[Pausel]

Thanks Orrla, Ill look at the Balneum cream.

[Pippa52]

Hi Pausel and welcome.  Totally relate to your dry skin problem am just the same and I live in an area that has very hard water.  Tried various creams etc over the years but in despair 4 weeks ago I contacted a water softener company and they have fitted a water softener on a 3 month trial.  4 weeks in after using it my dry skin has improved immensely (it used to drive me mad particularly at night with burning itching feeling all over plus really dry flaky skin particularly on my legs).  I now have no itching whatsoever and my hair is not longer dry like straw.  This may well not help everyone but its made the world of difference to me.  I fully realise not the cheapest option but the firm I went to offer 0% finance too.  Hope so much you can find something that helps you. xxx

[Marchlove]

Hi Pausal

The thing that worked for me for dry skin and dry eyes was Testosterone.

Check out the Testosterone thread by NickyLD. X

[Floradora]

Hi Pausel. I suffer from dry skin and excema and it got hugely worse after menopause in order to keep it under control this is what I find works the best.

Absolutely no soap used ever, anywhere on my body. Showering use Aveeno dermexa body wash or Epimax cream or Hydromol ointment ( get in a huge tub) . Try to leave a load of the Hydromol on your wet skin after showering and massage it all in before drying off. Be very careful in shower as all these products are very slippy.
Overnight put loads of emollient cream on your hands and put white cotton gloves on ( you can buy these from excema websites etc). This will make a huge difference .

Laundry detergent- I switched to washing everything in Ecover zero detergent and doing an extra rinse cycle with vinegar in. Sheets towels everything.
The excema and skin irritation made all my vaginal atrophy symptoms worse so in addition to the above I moved to organic unbleached cotton underwear, expensive but lasts really well and toilet paper that doesn’t use chlorine bleach or formaldehyde, surprisingly loads do!

All of the above made a huge difference, together with getting the right dose of HRT. However, one caution, you mention that you use estrogel, it’s possible that the use of epimax etc for washing might inhibit the absorption of estrogen from the gel as you have to put it over such a wide area. My only exception to the no soap rule is to wash my upper thigh with plain unscented soap before I put a new patch there as it should be completely free of any cream etc. you may find that if your dry skin persists that you might find it easier with a patch as only need to keep a tiny area free of emollient cream etc.

It’s possible that you are not absorbing the gel well anyway. 4 pumps seems quite a high dose for your age. Hope you feel better soon x

[CLKD]

As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out; skin, scalp, between the toes.  Nostrils, deep in the ears.  Vagina ..........

[applejack]

Pausel I have the twitching eye and have got some recommendations from the optician

meibo tears eyedrops, morning, noon and evening

He also said (as did another optician) that if the glands in your eyes which produce oil get blocked, it stops you producing tears, which can lead to dry eye.  Apparantly people with rosecea are more prone to this. To unblock the serum producing glands, either get an eye wand (a bit expensive), or an eye mask that you put in the microwave, or put warm towels on your eyes a couple of times a day. The warmth helps melt the oil.