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[Gill67]

I thought plenty of people had more than 4 pumps, but she says that 4 is the maximum recommended dose.

I don't know what to do now, I've been on Oestrogel & Utrogestan for 6 weeks now after moving from the older combined tablets. 4 pumps of Oestrogel wasnt having any effect on my severe sweating for the first month, so I took it upon myself to add one extra pump- it would have taken about 3 weeks to get another appt with the gp, and to be honest I couldn't bear the symptoms any longer, I just wanted to try something ASAP.
Anyway, 2 weeks later and the extra pump of Eoestrogel is working well for me. I emailed my gp to let her know what I had done just for her records, and was really surprised to get a reply today saying that 5 pumps is 'not recommended'

If I keep using 5 pumps of gel, I will run out before my 3 month review, but what if she won't give me any more? Are there any studies or something official that I can show her to convince her it's safe? I really can't bear to go backto 4 pumps for another 6 weeks when it does nothing to ease my awful meno symptoms!

[CLKD]

Ring the surgery today and ask for a referral to a menopause clinic - not a gynaecologist who know little more about HRT requirements than many GPs.

Or you could send an e-mail to Dr Currie for which there is a charge ..... asking the question How Much Oestrogel is recommended?

Let us know how you get on.  You may find that upping the dose for a while will help, it can be dropped down when necessary but not when a GP suggests 5 is 'too much' 

[sheila99]

Many GPs won't prescribe more than 4. Your options are meno clinic which may be a long wait, email Dr Currie which I think is £30 or try something else which you may (or may not) absorb better. I've recently changed to ostrodot and find the 100mg patch is stronger than 4.5 pumps of tgw green square oestrogel. If your gp will accept Dr Currie's recommendation it will be the quickest solution

[laszla]

Gill I take 5 pumps, and am "allowed" to take up to 6 however as others have said this is via a hospital meno clinic.

[Dandelion]

I thought plenty of people had more than 4 pumps, but she says that 4 is the maximum recommended dose.

I don't know what to do now, I've been on Oestrogel & Utrogestan for 6 weeks now after moving from the older combined tablets. 4 pumps of Oestrogel wasnt having any effect on my severe sweating for the first month, so I took it upon myself to add one extra pump- it would have taken about 3 weeks to get another appt with the gp, and to be honest I couldn't bear the symptoms any longer, I just wanted to try something ASAP.
Anyway, 2 weeks later and the extra pump of Eoestrogel is working well for me. I emailed my gp to let her know what I had done just for her records, and was really surprised to get a reply today saying that 5 pumps is 'not recommended'

If I keep using 5 pumps of gel, I will run out before my 3 month review, but what if she won't give me any more? Are there any studies or something official that I can show her to convince her it's safe? I really can't bear to go backto 4 pumps for another 6 weeks when it does nothing to ease my awful meno symptoms!

I needed 100mcg evorel when I was at my worst, it was unbearable.
I dunno if GP thinks more than 4 pumps or the equivalent in patch is a cancer risk, yet, as you say, there are women on here who need more.
I feel for them, as my flushes were unbearable, I got them every time I got wound up or anxious.

Can you see another GP in your surgery?
Can you write to Dr Currie?
It costs, yet I find GP's listen to her, when I bought her emails in to see GP.

I changed my utro without GP permission, but she was ok with it until I saw Gynaecolosist, but that was progesterone, and for different reasons.
I also reduced it without her permission to stop bleeds, and then told her, and she was ok.

If women on here are being allowed more than 4 pumps, or 100mcg equivalent, it must be your GP, some have out dated views on hrt.

I understand you not willing to go lower than 5 pumps if 5 pumps brings relief, I no longer need so much oestrogen, but when I did, I did, I needed 100mcg or 4 pumps, the increase worked straight away, so I know what you mean.
I can only suggest
a) Seeing another GP
b)Writing to Dr Currie, and taking the reply to the GP.

I just read the others on here saying the same, write to Dr Currie, I think it's your best bet. It must be stressful, I remember feeling frustrated when GP's didn't seem to understand how much oestrogen I needed, and that was within the normal range, I just asked another GP who was happy to prescribe it.
Good luck and let us know.

[Gill67]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your helpful replies. I didn't realise Dr Currie had an 'ask a question' service on this website, how useful! I am going to use that and hopefully get a reply that my GP will accept. I don't blame the GP as I know there is a sad lack of training around menopause, but it's so frustrating that they get to deciide what you can & can't have, when you know they are only trotting out the standard info on the patient leaflet (which I can read myself!) and when I seem to know more about the up to date research than they do!

I may still ask for a referral to a meno clinic/specialist as well, as I'm not against trying something other than Oestrogel, but to be honest I don't have much confidence in the GP chopping and changing me- I'd rather a meno clinic advise me on something else.
I'll let you all know what Dr Currie says about the gel, and thank you all so much!