Estrogel pump how much comes out!

[emmatheray]

Hello all everyone is so knowledgeable here! Can anyone advise. So next week at the end of my last patch in the 8 pack I'm changing my HRT from Evorel Conti patches (as I still get migraines, aches and hair loss) to estrogel and utrogestan. My experience of the gel pump is that depending on hard hard you press it more will come out so the dosage could be too much. I'm worried that as it's not exact I won't get the right dose - am starting on 2 pumps but may do the second in the evening as I see some have advised this as it can make you feel nauseous..So how hard do I press and is it best on inner thighs? I'll be taking the utrogestan for 12 (nights) vaginally as I'm not keen on tabs orally plus it's supposed to be better. Any thoughts most appreciated, I'm getting anxious just thinking about it. Last time I switched HRT I felt awful for weeks

Hi there I'd need to check, but am pretty sure the instructions in the box (gel) are quite detailed. You press the plunger on the pump right down till it goes no further. That is one measure. if you decide to use half a pump ever, you press it roughly half way- it's not an exact science, and the other option if you want less than one full pump is to pump out a full measure then discard half of it (bit wasteful mind you.)

You can use it on your upper arms (keep off your boobs though) or inner thighs.

Honestly, it's a doddle, used it for 12 years. Don't overthink.

yes, get a good aim and press it right down with your thumb

I do two pumps, one each inner thigh and an occasional 1 pump to share between upper arms once or twice a week depending if I am feeling crispy or not sleeping or getting a (now very rare) flush.

I don't aim anywhere- I press it onto my palm and then smear half on one arm and half on the other, then wash my hands.

i aim it mid thigh....and swoosh it over with a finger...I imagine I am wasting less than squooshing it into my hands first :o

fair enough, but I only use 1 pump in the morning (and a tiny bit at bedtime) so it's a case of applying it over 2 arms not one, as that's too much for one arm.

I am getting fed up because I am prescribed 4 pumps a day, but if I depress fully each time, it runs out before I am 'allowed' to ask for a new prescription. I keep writing this on my prescription request but no joy.

Thanks for your advice..was thinking how great it would be if it was like those hand sanitiser devices that automatically dispense a blob as you put your hand underneath..now that would be a doddle!

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow

i aim it mid thigh....and swoosh it over with a finger...I imagine I am wasting less than squooshing it into my hands first :o

good idea!

@ScrapThatThen

I am getting fed up because I am prescribed 4 pumps a day, but if I depress fully each time, it runs out before I am 'allowed' to ask for a new prescription. I keep writing this on my prescription request but no joy.

it clearly states how many doses there are in a bottle ...It must be 60 ish, cos a bottle lasts me a month so I'd phone the GP and point out that it's basic maths and they must double your allowance!

I do find that I can get a few more days out of "dead" bottle, but only one pump at a time as the nozzle does not pop back up instantly, so I run the old and new ones in tandem until nothing comes out of the old one.

@JinglingHellsBells ..do you think it's better to dose twice daily or get it done in one?

@ScrapThatThen There are 64 doses per pump. That's supposed to last for 32 days if you use 2 per day. Obviously half that if you use 4 per day. Get your GP onto it and get it sorted!

@Laurie It's personal preference. When I first used it 12 years ago, 2 pumps at once made me feel nauseous.