How on earth do you keep an HRT patch on in this weather??

[musicmum75]

I am in the south of England and it's regularly on the high 20s/low 30s every day just now and I cannot get my Evorel HRT patches to stay on at all. I am going through one a day instead of 2 a week!

I am putting them on dry skin that's as cool as possible first thing in the morning but later on in the day they just peel straight off.

I am giving silicone dressing tape a go to see if that will keep it on. Fingers crossed... Any other suggestions?

I am at the opposite end of the country so this might not help.
I warm the patch up between my hands (before taking it off the backing) for about 10 seconds. I stick it on my bum. Once it's on I put my hand over the top of the patch for another 10 seconds to help it stick. Seems to work fairly well though the day is on for 4 days it can sometimes only be half stuck on.
Tegaderm dressing over the top helps keep it on, but I don't feel the need to do that often at all.

no help to offer but THANK YOU!
I now know I'm not imagining it that I put a fresh one on on Friday 😂

kept telling myself "no! surely it couldn't just come off" since they are still usually pretty well stuck by the time I change on a Monday 🤷‍♀️

No help sorry, mine stay on without any trouble, even on holiday. I do put them more on my hip than my bum. Probably my old skin!

I put mine on when I've just got out the shower, so my skin is dry and warm, with no moisturisers or anything - the patch stays put. I think the heat helps it to adhere.
But some people do have trouble and might need to swap to a different kind of patch or the gel.

Agree @musicmum75
I don't usually have a problem with them sticking but I have had these last 2 weeks. I even tried moving the patches to my outer hip in the hope it might be less sweaty, but I went to the loo at work and found the patch in my trousers 😬

I don't want a scuffle with the GP surgery when I ask for my patches before they are due.

I'm also noticing a return of some symptoms & I'm wondering if the patches are absorbing quicker in the heat - can they do that?

I stick them in my bra for 10 minutes before putting them on. They're a bugger to take off, nothing is shifting them.

How on earth do you get rid of the glue residue that the patches leave when removed?

I haven't. My backside looks like a chess board. Someone did recommend something on here. Baby oil I think.

Mine are stuck fast! Must be my ancientness, as per a PP.

The gluey marks come off after a soak in the bath and a scrub with a clean, old towel (you know those dry rough scratchy ones!)
Actually, I scrub with those towels before application too, so maybe that gets all residual moisture/oils off and gives good adhesion.

Thank you everyone for the tips. I don't know what I am doing wrong as I am doing most of the things recommended here. The only thing I haven't tried is warming the patch before applying it so will give that a try.

@Sunshineandswimmingsounds like we are in the same boat. I am also worried they GP will argue with me when I ask for new ones as I have used about 2 weeks worth in a few days.

Just a mini update that tried taping the patch on with waterproof dressing tape but after about 24 hours that just slipped off too!! Luckily the weather is cooler now and i don't have any issues anymore, but it's frustrating not to have a found a solution.

We are currently in the south of Spain and it has been very hot for 2 weeks. Have never lost a patch.

what works for me is putting it on dry skin. Do not use moisturising bod washes or moisturiser on your skin as it will just slide off. Press on firmly and hold in place for 30 seconds to give the glue a chance to stick. Choose a position where the patch is not going to be rubbed by seams.

I have never had one fall off in 15 years, they stick like glue! 🤔 I just use baby oil to rub the residue off

Do you use moistiser or fake tan before ? As this can stop them sticking? Or it could be your skin type. My friends wouldn’t stick but mine stick and are hard to get off. Only time one fell off was on holiday when I was in the pool a lot.

to get the residue marks off I use this https://nudispray.com amazing stuff, I had tired baby oil, scrubbing etc but this you just spray on and wipe off.

Micropore surgical tape works a treat. To get the sticky stuff off use zoff adhesive remover wipes from Amazon.

I am already doing what everyone is recommending. I only apply on clean dry skin, no moisturisers, avoid seams etx. it's only a problem in really hot weather so most of the time I am fine and also have the same issue with residue not coming off etc. will have to stock up when we go to the Med in August as I don't trust they will last the full 4 days!

I have just swapped to Lenzetto spray as my skin was so raw form itching and scratching and the patches came off so much that I wasn't probably absorbing anything!

I go to Cyprus in summer and still never had one fall off🤔

I was having issues and read on here about warming it up and stretching the skin first (slap it on your bum with your foot on the loo) - and it worked brilliantly for the next two patches and then I've had two fall off.

I just don't get how on one hand they are so sticky I have lint squares all over my arse, but so unsticky half of them drop off within a day.

@PsylliumHuskyyou and me both! There have been times I can hardly get the bloody things off, and I am usually covered in the sticky stuff they leave behind, but this hot weather gives me the opposite problem. It's as if the adhesive just melts off. I have also been trying stretching the skin which has helped a little but not totally solved the problem.

There's also a fine line between overstretching and ended up with a crinkled patch when you stand normally, and stretching enough so it doesn't ping off.

I think the overstretched/crinkly when standing combo is easier to catch on clothing and come off.

I'm on the combined patches and theoretically it couldn't be simpler - i don't want to be taking pills or getting a coil and also standing around waiting for gel to dry!

@PsylliumHuskyagree about the risk of a crinkly patch! I also don't want to switch, and 95% of the time it isn't an issue. I think I will need to try a few different tapes.

I don't know if the adhesive is the same, but I have a stoma and the bags glue on to my skin. If they don't stick it is messy and embarrassing 😕
Firstly you can buy medical adhesive remover spray, or also wipes, which work very well indeed. Peel an edge up and spray beneath, give it a couple of seconds to work and gently peel off, spraying again if it doesn't come off easily.
Secondly, for sticking, clean hairless skin. Wash with water and dry thoroughly (I use a hairdryer set to cool). No cosmetics of any sort. I have found if I am in a soft water area the glue won't stick if I have used soap, body wash etc on the skin where I want the glue to stick, no matter how well I rinse it.
Stretch the skin just a little as you put the patch on, then cover it with your hand and press gently to warm it for a couple of minutes so the adhesive warms and glues properly.

Thank you for all those tips @sparklychair. I really appreciate it.

I may have sorted it - 5 mins in my bra to warm it up before opening the packet, then slapped onto a clean dry arse with only slightly bent leg, then palm of the hand over it for a good 5 mins to finish warming it up.

I did have some microporous tape but I couldn't work out how to get that on my backside by myself - and anyway I didn't need it this time.