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[PoppyPopcorn]

Switched to gel from patches about 10 days ago - I was having an allergic reaction to the glue in the Evorel patches which was making me very red and itchy. GP suggested switching to Estrogel, 3 or 4 pumps. I use two in the morning, two in the evening. GP was also concerned that I wasn't absorbing the estrofen through the patches.

I feel dreadful. Had my first ever panic attack last night, woke several times during the night with a knot of anxiety in my stomach. No appetite, no enthusiasm for anything, I just feel really overwhelmed with everything.

i don't know whether to persevere with the gel at the current dose, cut the dose maybe to 3 pumps a day, or pay privately for Estradot rather than Evorel, the only patches I have got on with.

I know it's early days but I really am struggling and the thought of feeling like this for weeks/months is just something I can't face. Any words of wisdom?

[sheila99]

What strength of evorel patch were you on? Anxiety can be a symptom of too much as well as too little oestrogen, if it wasn't an original symptom perhaps you're on roo much? I had an allergic reaction to evorel too but was fine with gel and now estrodot which I get on the nhs. What's the reason you'd have to pay privately for estrodot?

[PoppyPopcorn]

Yes I was on 75 mcg of the Evorel patches. My happiest was Aug/Sept when I was on 75 mcg of the Estradot and this is what I am thinking of going back to. Gel is a faff, I prefer the idea of slapping on a patch twice a week. I have already had 2 squirts of the gel this morning and will apply one this evening instead of 2.

It's all trial and error, I also take thyroxine for an underactive thyroid which has many of the same symptoms as menopause.

[MIS71MUM]

Just a thought, if you weren’t absorbing from the patches, maybe you’ve started the gel with too high a dose.

I’ve had those symptoms from too much oestrogel recently so know exactly what you mean. Maybe you could drop down a little until you can get some estradot patches.

[PoppyPopcorn]

Thank you, I have bitten the bullet and paid privately for a box of 75 mcg Estradot. They won't be here for a while so will cut the gel to 3 a day and see how I feel.

It's all so trial and error!

[sheila99]

The equivalent dose would be 3 pumps.

[MadameOvary]

I had the same experience with the gel. I felt absolutely terrible. Crazy anxiety, panic, and insomnia as well as painful swollen breasts. It was miserable. I lasted less than a month before begging my GP to put me back on patches. I'm on Estrodot and I felt better within a day of stopping the gel. Why are you paying for the Estrodot privately? I get them on NHS.

[PoppyPopcorn]

Because they are impossible to source locally. I just can't find them at all, anywhere.

[Pippa52]

I also had the same experience with the gel thought I was going nuts to be honest the anxiety was through the roof but I never absorbed it as my blood levels were only 53 of oestrogen which means I wasn't hardly absorbing the gel at all.  Was switched to low dose Estradot a few weeks ago and advised to start on 25 then up to 37.5 and finally onto 50 which I am on now and feel SO  much better already. x