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[albiorix]

\hi, new here, was put on 50mg estoral patches (only) 5 months ago, hadn't had a period for over a year at that point, and had been in peri for 5+ years before that. sorted out my mood swings and hot flushes/sweating a treat, and sleep problrms, however, I realsied that as I was menopausal and still had a womb that I should have been having progesterone too... so went back to the GP, who has given me fem-conti 7 with the same oestrogen dose. FLipping things won't stick, I've searched around on here and finally got one to stick for 5 days (surgical spirit/positioned under naval, hairdryer and hand heat) however my sleep issues and sweating/hot flushes are back (it's been 2 weeks since I swapped) and today I started spotting.

I'm not sure if it's the lack of anything getting into my body as the patches having not been sticking properly, that's causing the return of the sleep issues and sweating, or becasue I've added Progesterone, or if it's just becasue it's a change and will settle, and why the spotting, why would I start spotting once it had stayed on for 5 days? (I had no spotting with the eostogen only, or obviously for the year before) I understand withdrawing progesterone can cause a bleed, but this one is stuck on fast.

any suggestions/ideas ? all in all I can't see me sticking with this one, as it's not doing what the pure estrogen was, perhaps I need to up my estrogen dose, but i understand I need the Prog, but how long would you think to wait before I go back to the GP (it won't be the 3 months presscribed becasue I've gone through loads of them that have fallen off)

thanks

[Flossieteacake]

Hello albiorix. Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear of what is going on for you. I do not have any advice but just wanted to tell you I use Tegaderm dressings over my patches to help them stick. I am unable to get my patches to stick without them.

I am sure members will be along to give you advice soon.

[Hurdity]

Hi albiorix

 

First - how very remiss of your GP not to give you progestogen when you still have a womb. It beggars belief the ignorance of some Gps when the information is readily available and understandable even by lay people.

Re progesterone and bleeding - in fact if the womb lining has grown (which it probably has done in the absence of progesterone for 5 months) , sometimes the addition of a progestogen can cause bleeding or spotting because the lining may be unstable and so will break away even without withdrawal.

If you still have some of the oestrogen only patches - in your position I would actually apply the combi patches cyclically ie two weeks oestrogen only (or even 1 week - 10 days) followed by two weeks of the combi patches and then this will allow for a bleed if the lining has thickened. If you do that for a few cycles and shed any lining that has built up, then going back to conti patches all the time should (hopefully) reduce the amount of spotting you get.

Also if Femseven aren't sticking then there is Evorel conti - Evorel do stick well and are changed twice weekly.

You may also find that you don't get flushes on this regime - though some women do get a return of fliushes on the progestogen phase of a cyclical regime. If the flushes persist then it does imply the oestrogen dose is not high enough and then you would need a separate oestrogen and progestogen because the patches are all 50 mcg.

Hope this helps and let us know the outcome

Hurdity x

[albiorix]

thanks both,

will look at using the last remaining oestrogen patches as suggested. I am having dizzy spells and racing heart today  as well as the spotting and flushes/sleep issues. I feel very peculiar on these patches, worse than when I was on nothing. It's such a shame I was doing so well on the oestrogen only one, but obviously don't want to up my risk of edometrial cancer.

that's reassuring about the spotting, although I'll mention it to the GP to be on the safe side.

and I'll order in some tegaderm. This is a great site.
thanks again!

[sheila99]

As you got on well with the previous patch you could revert to that and use a separate progestogen eg utrogeston, provera or a mirena. Good idea to use a sequi regime just now so you get a proper bleed which should thin it more quickly. You could ask for a scan to see how thick it is. It's possible it's caused by a polyp or fibroid though most likely a thickened lining.

[albiorix]

thank you ,
I am definitiely having a proper bleed now, quickly turned from spotting to a full bleed, despite the fem7 conti now sticking. I've had to break out a new menstrual cup that I'd bought for my daughter (and she's been horrified by lol), I've been bleeding 40+ mls of deep crimson thankfully clottless fluid a day. no signs of slowing up yet, and the menstrual cup is better than the sanitary products as I found the cotton/blood was drying out my vulval area. I've had to move back to aqueous cream for initmate cleaning, as I've started to get iritation and dryness again, which has helped somewhat. Not sure if that's due to the bleed itself or the switch in patches more generally. Having read around the site I'm going to pop and get some gina ahead of being able to speak to the gp. My other symptoms have settled a bit, fewer sweating/flush episodes thankfully, no more racing heartbeat, but falling asleep is still a nightmare. I am still getting decent sleep with only a few waking during the night (and I'm able to get back to sleep) but I'm sleeping through my alarms because I can't drop off until 3, 4, 5, am, no matter how tired I am.

Work is being really good, and allowing me to start/finish later, but it does mean I'm missing the appointment getting slot between 8-8.30am  every day so haven't managed to contact the GP yet. grr (there's no way at my surgery to book an appointment with a GP without ringing up between 8 and 8.30 - you're then rung back to speak to the doctor on the same day which is great, but if you can't ring then it's hopeless).