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[kittydaydream]

Hi all some advice please?
I’m on estraderm 100 but all my symptoms have come back like before I started! Had blood checked and Oestrogen was in normal range (388) I don’t know much about absorption- is it possible I’m not absorbing with that level? Would it be worth trying another patch or gel? All symptoms came back after mirena removal 4 months ago! Thanks 🙏

[bombsh3ll]

That is a decent level but some individuals do need higher to feel their best.

Whether you are absorbing the patch efficiently or whether this is mostly your own estradiol depends where you are in relation to menopause.

If you are still in perimenopause the patch could be doing naff all and that's simply your own production, but if you are well into postmenopause, it will almost all be from the patch.

From what I have read, typical levels on a 100mcg patch are often below 300pmol/L, assuming no endogenous estradiol production however there is wide individual variation in this.

You could try increasing in 25mcg increments (ie an extra quarter of a patch) ensuring you have sufficient progestogen to protect the uterus.

[kittydaydream]

Hiya, thanks, I’m still peri so I’ll try upping, do you know how long an increase takes to work?

[bombsh3ll]

The general advice is to give any change in dose 3 months to assess the effects.

Blood levels are less valuable in perimenopause because your own estradiol production will be up and down.

For example you could stick on an extra quarter of a patch but then have your blood level come back lower if your own production was low at that moment.

I would therefore go by how you feel at this stage rather than chase a particular blood level as it's a moving target.

[kittydaydream]

Thank you both

[Evie606]

Hi all some advice please?
I’m on estraderm 100 but all my symptoms have come back like before I started! Had blood checked and Oestrogen was in normal range (388) I don’t know much about absorption- is it possible I’m not absorbing with that level? Would it be worth trying another patch or gel? All symptoms came back after mirena removal 4 months ago! Thanks 🙏

Hi,
Not sure where you’re putting the patch.
Just a side note but I’ve noticed when I put my patch (Estraderm or Evorel) on my butt cheeks, the absorption is pretty poor. 

I read a few weeks ago that Davina McCall puts her patch just under the hip.  Since I’ve tried that, I have felt much better.

E x

[lillith112]

I was on Estraderm mx75 for a couple of years, never had any issues with it, my level was around 240.
If your symptoms have returned after having the merina taken out it's probably lack of progesterone thats causing it. Are you taking any form of progesterone ?