Evorel Conti Patches

[mermaidbright]

I went to the doctors today and have been prescribed Evorel Conti patches.

Just wanted to know your experience on this type of hrt,

Thanks

[Ladybug21]

Can someone offer some advice on Evorel conti patches please. I successfully used Femseven conti patches for years, without any problems. Unfortunately they've now stopped making it. My GP put me on Evorel conti and I've suffered bloating and regular cramps. The worst part was the continuous heavy bleeding, and the cost and inconvenience that went with it. It was so bad that I stopped after 3 months. The hot flushes have returned but they don't seem so bad compared to the bleeding. Did I persist long enough with the Evorel, should I have stayed with it for at least 6 months? I would appreciate any advice with this. Thank you.

[Lenny319]

Hello. I am having similar problems. Not had period for 5 years or so. Went in everol conti patches a year ago. Was fine until around six months of being on them and then the sore boobs started really sore for about 3 weeks then started getting period pain and dark brown mucky discharge. Had a ultrasound scan as I was concerned as had endometriosis before and was worried I was getting too much oestrogen which could cause this to come back. Scan showed lining thickness was ok . Bleeding stopped after couple of weeks last June and now the last 3 weeks the sore boobs come back and now I have the pelvic pain and the brown discharge back! GP no help and can’t get in with menopause clinic and gynaecologist appointment not intil August! Do I cut patch in half? Would that stop the bleeding etc can anyone advise? Thank you

[JinglingHellsBells]

Medical advice is that you give conti regimes 6 months. Bleeding may occur in this time frame until the balance of progestogen to estrogen is balanced and the lining thin.

Obviously 6 months is a ballpark figure.
If you had a scan and all was ok, then it's reassuring. You need to keep going and eventually it ought to settle.

If you still don't get on with it, try another type - maybe Oestrogel / Estradot patch and Utrogestan (capsule taken daily.)

The other option is to use sequi which will give a monthly regular bleed.

No point cutting patch in half as surely the patch contains progestogen too, and you'd lose some of it- so no difference in ratio of the patch?

[Hotness39]

I just recently started Evorel Conti and some of my old symptoms have return. Feeling hot, moody. I previously was on FemSeven Conti for one year which was much better.

[wink1970]

Following, as on month 4 of Conti.

just as an aside, what do you pay for your patches? I'm being charged twice for mine @ £18 per prescription, does that sound right?

[lucymilroy]

I have been on conti 50 patches for 2 months. I feel about 20% better but have put on a stone; this feels like water retention and I am really uncomfortable. Had anyone else experienced this and did you alter the does to improve things? Thank you.

[OrinocoGlow]

Please could I ask for some advice? I've been prescribed Evorel Conti today, first time I am trying HRT of any kind so it's useful to read all these posts. I am due to travel abroad for work for a few days. I am a bit nervous of any side effects. Would it be better to wait till I return home middle of next week and then start with the patches? Thank you.

[wink1970]

@lucymilroy yes I had that, it settled down for me about 2.5 months in.

[Pieces333]

Thank you wink1970

[Pieces333]

Thank you for your help. That gives me some positive encouragement when it's all an unknown quantity! 😉

[Betsyelvis]

Hi this is my first post.
I am 56yr old who hasn't had a period in a year. I was suffering with terrible hot flushes 30 plus a day, not sleeping at night and just not feeling myself.
My doctor has prescribed me evorel conti they have taken 3 weeks to kick in.
I haven't had a hot flush in 4 days but the side effects are
Bloating, weight gain, diarrhoea, a dull ache and itching and soreness down below.
I am joining this thread hoping that someone will tell me things will settle down 😄 I really don't want to go back to having hot flushes.

[JinglingHellsBells]

t's almost impossible for those symptoms to appear within 4 days- it's more likely you would be having them anyway.
But...if it was the HRT you have to give it 3 months to settle down.

[JinglingHellsBells]

sorry I see you said 3 weeks, not 4 days.

It might be a good idea to swap the continuous regime for sequential- at the moment you are taking 2 hormones daily. This makes it impossible to know if it's the type of progestogen in that brand, or you need more estrogen. If you try sequential, then you have the 2 hormones separated out for 2 weeks a month, Have a read about it. You don't HAVE to start HRT on conti- most GPs would give you this, but as you are really early into post meno it's worth trying a sequential type.

[Betsyelvis]

Thanks JinglingHellsBells I will read up and visit my GP.

[fishonabicycle]

I've just given up on the sequi - awful heavy painful bleeds every month - so bad I can't sleep for 3 nights. My main problem is painful sex, so am trying the pessaries.

[Lisa141]

Just started on patches I don't like wat I see on ere iv not ad a period for 18months btbf iv gone through he'll lat ten yrs I'm 49 hot flushes crap no sleep Moody just not myself I'll keep u posted hope I don't gain weight can anyone help on that side thanks

[Betsyelvis]

I gained a 1lb a week when I was on them. ☹️ The only positive thing was no hot flushes.

[OrinocoGlow]

@Lisa141 I've just started on the patches too. I asked my GP if I would put on weight and she said I shouldn't but we shall see. I am hoping for better sleep, more energy and less foggy brain. Please keep us posted about it all, not just weight, that would be great. I will too but it's early days for me (day 4) so too soon to notice any effects yet, good or bad!

[Lisa141]

I av high blood pressure that's why I am on patches thought my blood pressure was fine until Friday Dr said very high it was high 2017 just want to feel the old me again

[OrinocoGlow]

I hope the patches will help you feel better soon Lisa.

[anywinewilldonow]

Well, since I posted above, apart from a few days, I have had continuous blood stained discharge, and I have had enough.

I took my patch off on Saturday and didn't replace it. Does anyone know how long it will take for the bleeding/discharge to stop? I still have it, along with some low down aching.

I reasoned that if it stops, then I would know for sure that it was the HRT and I wouldn't have to go through further investigations, but not sure how long to give it?

[Ladybug21]

Hi anywinewilldonow, I stopped with the ev conti patches after 3 months as the bleeding was so heavy every day. I became so badly anaemic that my doctor was tellling me to have a blood transfusion. Unfortunately the hot flushes came back but I'm only having 4-5 per day and its preferable to all that bleeding. There is the occasional bleeding/discharge even after 3 months but its nothing compared to the bleeding before. Thankfully my mood is okay, no crying sessions like in the past. I'm not sure how long I'll put up with the hot flushes but am really really not wanting to try Ev Cont again. Good luck.

[JinglingHellsBells]

@anywinewilldonow

no idea how long it will take sorry.

But if you want to carry on with HRT there is no reason why you cannot use sequi which would give you a predictable 'period' once a month. There is no reason to only use conti- it's a choice.

[HotFlush1970]

I've very gratefully stumbled across this thread. I am 49 and suffering horrendous hot flushes all day and night, plus anxiety/anger and intermittent depression. I went 8 months without a period last year, but then had one in December and one in Jan, none since. So it's only 2 months since my last period.

I went to the GP this week to ask for help and she very hurriedly wrote me a script for Evorel Conti patches. Having read the above, plus quite a bit of other stuff on the internet, I now feel I shouldn't have been prescribed this type of HRT (continuous). I haven't collected the patches and have made an appointment for the GP to call me on Monday to discuss.

I now understand that this med is intended for those who are post menopausal, and/or haven't had a period for at least 18 months. But I can't work out exactly why this is. Sorry if I'm being dim, but if anyone can explain it I would be so grateful. I'd like to be able to explain to my GP why I don't want to take it in an informed way, rather than just saying 'I've read it's for post menopausal women'.

Like someone said above, I will change GPs if I don't get a good response. This GP has been so good historically, but I feel she may have made a big error in this case.

[JinglingHellsBells]

You are right.

If your last period was 2 months ago, you are still in perimenopause, having irregular periods.

You will be post meno when you have not had a period for 12 months- so January- Feb 2020 at the earliest.

Another GP who hasn't a clue

You need a sequential type of HRT.