To forget to change the patches?!

[Icantbethisold]

I’ve recently been prescribed HRT patches.

I am supposed to change them twice a week and to remove and reapply them before and after showering.

So the problem is that I forget at least once a week to replace the patch. So sometimes I am patchless, sometimes the patch is getting very hot in the shower…

Is there a better way?!

Results have been encouraging so far, so I can see they’re doing something but ffs my meno brain fog is so bad that remembering things is a massive struggle!

What does everyone else do? How do you remember to change them and especially with showers?!

Also my testosterone result came back as 0.15. Within range apparently. But my sex drive could be better. Should I be feeling better than this? I also take utrogestan 100.

Help?

Just set an alarm on your phone to change the patches.

Not patch related but I have a complicated schedule of taking different meds on different days. I set reminders on my calendar/Google/Fitbit knock off

You have to set an alarm or stick a note on the fridge to remind you.

You need reminders/alarms on your phone. Maybe multiple ones!

Are you sure you need to remove and reapply when showering? I’ve had two different types and I didn’t have to do this

A reminder on the shower door??

I change mine the same days each week and the night before I leave them on my bedside cabinet as a visual reminder.

I'm really feeling the benefits so I make it an absolute priority not to forget!

My GP asked if I wanted patch or gel
I like swimming so I said gel.
I use it before bed every day and it's brilliant
I have Utrogestan for days 16 to 26 and the wee estrogen vaginal pessary twice a week

Maybe ask if you can change to gel?

What’s with the showering? I change mine when I’m getting dressed - if I forget I do it later in the day or the evening when I remember. Showering doesn’t come into it. I just shower with one on.

Intruiged about the showering comment also as it's never been a factor for me except to try and remove the residue from the patch site. I have reminders set on my phone and also leave the pack on my bedside table to remind me.

I change mine Thurs before work and Sunday lunchtime. 3.5 days between.
They stay on the enitre time.

Are we misreading when you say "to remove and reapply them before and after showering"? You put them on, rub over it to make sure the glue gets warm and it sticks....and then leave it until the next change over day. You do not remove/reapply....

Where have you got this instruction from?

The whole delight of the patches is not having to faff around remembering shit once a day/twice a day.

If you are not using them as you should your oestrogen levels will not be replenished...so your body will convert your testosterone into oestrogen to top up what you need. So try using them properly.

I've never taken patches off for showering, nobody has advised me to. Just got into the routine - Tuesday and Saturday. I keep my patches next to my deodorant so they don't get forgotten.

The testosterone reference range is 0-1.3nmo/L according to my last results so apparently having none at all is OK! fwiw mine was 0.6 without testosterone but I still got it prescribed for loss of libido.

Your oestrogen needs to be optimised before testosterone can be prescribed; it can only be prescribed for libido and it's off licence so it's up to the GP whether they're happy to prescribe it.

dont you get breakthrough bleeding if your forget?

Lol I was wanting to change to patches as I anyways forget the gel in the morning 🤦🏽‍♀️

I hate an alarm on my phone but I often don't hear it as I'm in the shower when it goes off. I often think "I must do that" then immediately forget.

Meno brain fog isn't helping and is obviously worse if I forget it!

Hold on OP - are you saying you remove and re-apply your current patch each time you shower? If so, you are not using them correctly. You put the patch on and keep it on until the day you are supposed to change it. You can shower/swim etc with the patch on.

Apologies if I've misread but it needed saying just in case!

I need to be more organised. I seem to keep missing my alarms :(

Yep one breakthrough bleed …

The pharmacist was very specific about hot showers. She told me to remove the patch before the shower and replace the same one after my skin has cooled down, to avoid the hormones being super activated by the heat.

I am baffled that one else has had been told this…! I forget most of the time anyway…

Never been told the shower info....

Ignore the shower bit
I put mine on Mondays and Fridays seemed to be the days that I might remember

Check the patient information leaflet about showers. Mine says:
Bathing, swimming, showering or exercising should not affect the patch if it has been correctly applied. You may wear the patch under your swimming costume.

I have reminders on my phone calendar every Monday and Friday. Unfortunately this means that when I'm driving "CHANGE PATCH!!!" Is displayed for all to see on the car screen. Keep forgetting to sort this.

I'm listening to Davina McCalls book about menopause, and she talks about showering and swimming with a patch on.