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[AM16]

Hello! I’m 50 in peri meno. I tried Everol sequi patches for a few months earlier in the year for hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia. While this helped with flushes and to a certain extent sleep, the 14 days on combined patch made me bloated, with swollen legs and feet, anxious and gave me headaches so I stopped taking it after 4 months.

I felt good for 2 months then symptoms came crashing back, terrible night sweats every 20 minutes and very little sleep being the worst. My GP recommended trying Estrogel so I could control the dose, along with Utrogestan 12 days a cycle. She suggested 1 pump of gel a day for 3 months then review.

I started Estrogel 10 days ago and for first week used 1 pump and felt no different - in fact night sweats seemed worse. From reading the leaflet I saw one pump is a low dose so I increased it to two over the last 3 days (taken 8am) and have felt steadily worse with creeping anxiety, insomnia (last night was awake from midnight to 6am) and racing heart and mind and still have awful sweats. Should I lower back to 1 pump? I have a horrible feeling this dose won’t be enough to stop my sweats and let me sleep which is my worst symptom. Has anyone on here used 1 pump well to control hot flushes?

I saw a Liz Earle video on YouTube and she said the gel helped her sleep (5 pumps!)  and it seems to have the opposite effect with me. I’d love to know others experiences in the gel and whether I’m just expecting too much too soon. I’m now dreading throwing utrogestan into the mix (2 days before Xmas!) and all the symptoms that might bring too.

Thanks for any advice and experiences shared! X

[discogirl]

Hi AM16,

It could be that you've increased to 2 pumps too soon; I would give it some time for your body to adjust to the 2 pumps.

I started hrt in august, patches initially but they didn't do it for me, so I started on the gel and so far so good (touch wood)

I am on 4 pumps which I put on in the morning, but I did increase it slowly as your body needs time to adjust to the increase.

I take utrogestan vaginally just before bed and I have had absolutely no problems taking it this way; it does minimise side effects as well taking it vaginally. However I know some women don't like taking it this way.

But as with hrt it is very personal and it needs to be what is right for you

Take care xx

[sheila99]

As you did well on evorel you could use the evorel 50 oestrogen only patch with the utrogeston.

[AM16]

Thanks for replying.

I reckon I have tried too much gel too soon and this morning have used just one pump. I watched an interesting YouTube video this morning which said using one pump is proven to eventually lessen symptoms and get rid of flushes but it will just take longer so I’ll stick with this dose like the GP recommended - I’ll pop back and let you know how I get on.

I did wonder about throwing in the towel and starting on Everol patches but I kept a daily diary when on them and have just looked back and seen I actually had headaches almost every day. Something I have realised is that I’ve only had one headache since starting the gel which is a positive. Will take that as a win and try and just not expect too much too soon!

[Captain Vicky]

Hi, just read your post with interest.  I hope you are feeling a little better now? I am 49 and currently on 1.5 pumps of gel. I upped it myself after struggling with 1 pump and sleep. I am now feeling anxious and noticing weird heart zaps (heart palpitations is the main reason I started taking the gel). I am super sensitive to Oestrogen so have titrated very slowly. I found the higher dose helped my sleep (it was suggested I start with 1 pump). But I think my body hasn't had much time to get used to the upped dose (it has only been 2 weeks for me). Not sure if this helps, but I think we might need to be patient. I was interested in the article you read about it taking a little longer with 1 pump!. Happy to chat more if you want more information. x

[AM16]

Hi, just read your post with interest.  I hope you are feeling a little better now? I am 49 and currently on 1.5 pumps of gel. I upped it myself after struggling with 1 pump and sleep. I am now feeling anxious and noticing weird heart zaps (heart palpitations is the main reason I started taking the gel). I am super sensitive to Oestrogen so have titrated very slowly. I found the higher dose helped my sleep (it was suggested I start with 1 pump). But I think my body hasn't had much time to get used to the upped dose (it has only been 2 weeks for me). Not sure if this helps, but I think we might need to be patient. I was interested in the article you read about it taking a little longer with 1 pump!. Happy to chat more if you want more information. x

That’s so interesting! I’m glad it’s helping your sleep and, as you say, I think it takes time for the body to adjust.

I have now given up on the gel, as it was definitely causing bad insomnia, and switched back to Everol 50 patches. I noticed a difference in two days and now have no hot flushes in the day and am down to one a night - snuggling under my duvet again without getting hot has been the best Christmas present ever! I’ve no idea why the gel didn’t work for me when it’s the same product, especially as the patch is double the dose of the gel which I wouldn’t have been able to cope with?

I have just completed the 12 days of oral Utrogestan x 200mg and that wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought it might be. It made me feel drowsy for a couple of days on waking then I got used to it and didn’t really think about it. It also made me feel quite calm and happy. I’ve had hardly any headaches and I got lots on the Everol progesterone patch. Some nights I slept really well and others I woke up a bit and felt a bit wired up but that’s just normal for me I think. I’m going to stick with this regime as it’s treating the flushes which was my main symptom. Good luck with it and I really hope the palpations settle down for you soon. xx

[Peri2022]

Just chipping in to say that I too had a weird reaction when switching from patch to gel - terrifying racing heart, anxiety and agitation. It scared me so much that I quit HRT cold turkey and have only recently started back on a low dose patch and gently upping my dose week by week.

Nobody warns you that some people can react this way to certain doses/forms of oestrogen but a quick look at this forum indicates that it’s actually quite common! I hope your symptoms ease and you find something that works for you.

[discogirl]

Hi AM16,

Glad you got sorted with your hrt regime, I hope the Evorel patches work for you.

Update us from time to time and let us know how you get on xx

[Wrensong]

Some women find they react to the peaks & troughs that come from once a day application methods like gel but do better on the gradual release we get from patches, me included.

There is some variation over the life of each patch & for this reason many of us change twice weekly patches every 3 days instead of 3.5 or 4, to safeguard against any sensitivity to the decline in levels towards the end of the patch's life.  There's said to be enough in each patch to last at least 4 days, but IRL many of us do find we feel more stable changing every 3 days.  Something else to bear in mind for anyone who finds they are especially sensitive to hormone fluctuations.
Wx