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[bluebellstar]

Hello ladies

I recently posted as I was having night sweats and increased gel to 4 pumps. Early days on the dose but my estrogen bloods are back and I am absorbing. 385 pmol! And I had applied gel 24 hours before, not on the morning of the blood drawer. So, it’s a tricky one.
The last couple of nights no sweats although I’m still feeling rubbish. Could this suggest that when I apply the gel my levels might be spiking too high??
I’m going to split the dose am and early evening for now but was wondering if I’m having too much estrogen?? Eeek. It’s so hard.
Any help would be great xx

[Dotty]

Hi  blood test results don't really tell you anything as there is no magic number to aim for.  everyone is different....you might need a level of 300 to stop symptoms and I might need 500.

If you're still getting symptoms then its likely that your oestrogen levels aren't high enough.

[bluebellstar]

Hi Dotty
Thank you! I have tried to hold off my blood level obsession as I was advised to go off symptoms and this trines with your comment so thank you. I’ll stick with it for a while and see how I feel in a 2-4 weeks. I was worrying the flushing was a result of too much estrogen and I was misreading everything  Xx

[Dotty]

Hi what sort of blood test did you do? Was it a finger **** one?

I’ve just read your previous posts and it seems that you’ve jumped aboit on different sorts and dosages of hrt. This will have upset your levels and it could take 3 months now to see any improvement. x

[bluebellstar]

Hi Dotty
It was a venous blood draw medichecks. I also checked Testosterone which was mid range as I use a tiny blob alternate days.
You are spot on- I have been jumping about a lot and I think my body doesn’t know where it’s up to so I need to stick with 4 and see how things level out. I got myself into a bit of a pickle with it all after a very long period of stability so I need to be patient now! X

[Madge79]

Hey!!
I am a fellow jumper and realised I’ve changed my dose 14 times in the last few months!!!!! 😩
I too started 4 pumps about 12 days ago now, will be interesting to see how we feel after staying stable for a few months!!

I sometimes get flushes when I increase a dose it seems to settle down after a while. Although I wonder if all the instability is what’s causing all my issues 😩

[MrsMitch]

I've just started 4 pumps in desperation to stop my night sweats and get some quality sleep. My GP didn't want me to increase to 4 until end of April as that'll be 3 months after increasing to 3. But I said to her the thought of another month with very little sleep was not an attractive prospect so she relented.
I'm interested in your idea Bluebellstar of splitting the dose. Do post how you get on. So far I've not had any side effects but I'm only 3 days in to the increase. I've jumped about from one type of HRT to another too as everything seems to stop working once I've been on it a while. I've never had more than a month of stability on anything.
Hope this dose settles and suits you.
 

[bluebellstar]

Hey!!
I am a fellow jumper and realised I’ve changed my dose 14 times in the last few months!!!!! 😩
I too started 4 pumps about 12 days ago now, will be interesting to see how we feel after staying stable for a few months!!

I sometimes get flushes when I increase a dose it seems to settle down after a while. Although I wonder if all the instability is what’s causing all my issues 😩

Hi Madge79
Good to know I’m not the only one 🙄 it’s so hard to sit and settle with something when you feel it’s not working. Interesting you say about the flushing when increasing! I did wonder about this. I had that when adding a pump to tablets years ago.
So this morning (week into 4 pumps) the night sweats have settled but woke with a hot head and that buzzing skin feeling! So I’m going to have to grit teeth and stick this time. Surely, I can’t need 5! 
I do think myself I’ve caused a lot of mine. I was doing ok on patches a year ago (100) not amazing but ok but panicked when I saw my estrogen was at 50 pmol and went back to gel. It’s been a rollercoaster since.
Still wondering if maybe I don’t need as much.
Let me know how you get on. We’ll get there 🤞x

[bluebellstar]

I've just started 4 pumps in desperation to stop my night sweats and get some quality sleep. My GP didn't want me to increase to 4 until end of April as that'll be 3 months after increasing to 3. But I said to her the thought of another month with very little sleep was not an attractive prospect so she relented.
I'm interested in your idea Bluebellstar of splitting the dose. Do post how you get on. So far I've not had any side effects but I'm only 3 days in to the increase. I've jumped about from one type of HRT to another too as everything seems to stop working once I've been on it a while. I've never had more than a month of stability on anything.
Hope this dose settles and suits you.

Hi MrsMitch
Thank you! And I hope yours settles too 🤞
I can completely relate to this. I, too, think things stop working after a while. I’m going to try the split and see if this gives me the top up in the evening I need to stop the heat/ sweats etc and maybe even out the dosing- it’s a bit of a faff really and in all honestly I do feel patches are more stable and easier, and tablets the easiest,  but I don’t think I get as much as I need from them.
I was told by a gynecologist once that you pretty much know by 6-8 weeks if something is working so I think you did the right thing to up to 4. What’s the point in suffering for another month?
3 days I’m now for you and ok so far so let’s hope this is the ideal dose for you now X

[RebJT]

Hey

I've just posted on this issue, but didn't know til gynae told me that if you've applied gel to the arm that you used for the draw in the previous month it can corrupt the test, ditto the hand of the arm for the test.  So I use my left arm for bloods, so been applying gel with my right hand to thighs and with the lid of oestrogel pump pack to my right arm to avoid using my left hand.

I'm still unclear on how testing off gel (given it's nearly out of our systems within 24 hours) tells us anything though - I did one test off, and then another a month later with gel applied (not the arm) two hours before testing.

It frustrates me that there's no clear guidance on this, as it seems a fairly important fundamental question for women on HRT - is it absorbing or not??  I get that there will be tissue levels, which is why they say leave at least a month between any dose change, ideally three, as it gives time for the body to calibrate but quite why gynaecology hasn't yet come up with a bloomin' factsheet on this, no idea, would save us all a load of time, worry, and money.

Gynae wants my levels 600+

[bluebellstar]

Hi RebJT

Thank you for help!
I’ve just read your post about your blood draws. I totally agree it’s so confusing! Everything is guesstimate and it really doesn’t help when you’re feeling desperate for concrete answers on what to do/ and how. For example, the contradictions out there on whether to rub in gel or smooth in a thin layer and let dry etc. I noticed Newson suggest splitting doses of over 2, and rub in supposedly helping ‘absorption’ but no research or evidence to back it up. It would be helpful if this was explained as it contradicts the manufacture’s advice.
It’s no wonder many of us are on a state of confusion! X

[Madge79]

Hey bluebellstar

I split my doses morning and evening, I think that works better for me.

I was on sandrena gel until December when my bloods came back at 59pmol!!!!

So now back on the oestrogel and hoping that will sort me out!

The migraines are destroying me and I really want them to go!!!! I need these levels to boost up ASAP!!!!

I’m going to give it 8 weeks and then see if I can her another blood test and see where I’m at!!! I’m not sure I can deal with almost daily migraines till then though! 😩

[Madge79]

Oh and I forgot to say I get that exact hot head thing it’s all tingly and hot when I increase a dose!!!!

[bluebellstar]

Hi Madge79

Thank you- it really helps to know you are not alone. Not that I’d wish this rollercoaster rubbish on anyone! I hear you Re the migraines! Just awful. I had that tension headache tight head feeling for 3 weeks solid and was climbing the walls. Still getting them though so hoping here, too, the increase settles them.
Really good this works for you Madge79! X

What led you to try splitting? Did it help? Really interesting today that noticed some ‘heat’ background flush activity shortly after applying gel in the morning and evening slot! It must be my body still trying to adjust! Wish it would hurry up.

[Madge79]

Hey
Yeah same I wish it would hurry up!!! These migraines are awful it’s been 3 weeks of them and they come and go every few days. I end up feeling sick and and having an awful neck ache it’s relentless.

I just found it easier to split the dose I think I read it somwhere that it’s better if on a higher one.

Honestly I feel so awful i hope it gets to work!!!!!!