Change of packaging

[Frostytiger87]

Hi , has anyone noticed a change of packaging for Estrogel it’s now Oestrogen

Besin claim that the ingredients are the same but Some women are claiming that their symptoms are returning since the change of labelling & are increasing the dosage

I’ve attached photos left box was what I started on and the right hand photo is what I picked up from the chemist last week
Any thoughts ?

@Frostytiger87

Hi , has anyone noticed a change of packaging for Estrogel it’s now Oestrogen

Besin claim that the ingredients are the same but Some women are claiming that their symptoms are returning since the change of labelling & are increasing the dosage

I’ve attached photos left box was what I started on and the right hand photo is what I picked up from the chemist last week
Any thoughts ?

Sorry correction photos are the wrong way around The left photo is the new one and right what I started on

@Frostytiger87 Maybe I need to go to Specsavers, but both bottles say Oestrogel, don't they? They've just changed the font [graphics] slightly so that the OE and are not joined together at the start of the word, but the ending is still -gel.

The one on the left is oestrogen and the right was my original Estrogel .
The labelling has changed a lot of women including myself are left wondering if the formula has been changed as well

I fully understand what your saying about the font

The bottle on the left (not in a carton) says OestroGEL
On the next line is says Pump Pack

The carton containing the bottle, says OestroGEL

The word oestrogen doesn't appear on either.

What are you seeing?

Where are these women who you say are questioning the new packaging?

You clearly are not reading the packaging correctly haven’t got a clue about the latest update on Estrogel jinglinghellsbells .
The two bottles are very different

When you say where are these other women what sort of question is that ??do you mean where have I got my information?
Is it being questioned on Menopause support

It clearly says Oestrogel on the new photo - left hand one.

Apologies that was a typing error but the labelling has been changed

It's just a change of font, isn't it?

There was a separate concern that oestrogel and oestrodose were the same thing. That was on the menopause matters forum.

I am only commenting on the photos you have posted.

The plastic bottle with no box. That word on the top line says Oestrogel.

The cardboard carton (2nd photo) also says Oestrogel. But the O and E are joined together.

So what if the packaging has changed? Companies do it all the time.
I've used gel for over 10 years and the boxes and plastic pumps have changed maybe 3 times in those years. The product is the same inside.

Not about the boxes of this gel, but a general point.

The words Oestrogen and Estrogen are interchangeable.

The spelling with an O at the front is the old way of spelling 'estrogen'.
Medics now prefer to drop the O and spell the word starting with E.

The pump of gel in the photo has the word spelled with OE joined together. This is just a way of writing the word because traditionally, that's how estrogen was spelled.

@Frostytiger87 On the cardboard box, there is an O before the E.
The O and E are actually joined together to look like one letter, but it's very clear it's OE - look at the curve to the left which is half the letter O.

There is a technical name for this (it's how a lot of words used to be written, historically) where two vowels are blended into one sound.

Did you definitely upload the correct photos, OP, as the two that I can see definitely say Oestrogel?
Both the box and the bottle say they contain 80 grammes of the Oestrogel gel and that one pump/"squirt" will deliver 750 microgrammes of Estradiol (the active ingredient). So there is nothing about the packaging to indicate any change in the actual active ingredient.
Of course there can be changes to other ingredients in the formulation which might influence how readily the active ingredient is absorbed and a change of packaging could potentially affect the amount of gel dispensed per pump (although it really shouldn't as this should be carefully tested). And it is possible that storage conditions could affect the activity of a drug, but again, this should be pretty tightly controlled.

The writing on the cardboard box does say Oestrogel.

The right hand side of the letter O joins onto the left side of the letter E.

There has been no change to the formulation, but nonetheless the manufacturer is looking it the feedback. Also worth noting that covid and the vaccine can have an impact on hormone receptors.

www.instagram.com/manchestermenopausehive/?hl=en

@Frostytiger87 - You are not going mad! i have read all of the comments on here, most of which missing the point by at least a few postcodes (we are talking about recurring systoms that MAY be related to change in packaging - we are not comparing ingredients or spellings!) - anyway, same as you ... have read many other forums and very aware that Oestrogel is different to Oestrodose, the latter of which will induce recurring symptoms as it has done in 100's of women and has been reported via the Yellow Card scheme.
We do know that ALL of the Oestrogel is made in Belgium, yes, BUT they manufacture it for the UK (which is Oestrogel) and then other countries (Oestrodose). The UK variant has stricter controls when it comes to storage and transportation and those measures are closely monitored by UK and Besins - the latter variant (Oestrodose) is NOT and the travel/storage is not monitored etc. Thats the short version. Back to the point ... in recent months my GP has issued me with the "repackaged" Oestrogel. Yes you're right it is NOT Oestrodose BUT it is definitely different. Over the last few weeks some of my previous symptoms are starting to reappear - so I too started to research on forums to see if any other ladies had experienced this - THEY HAVE!
Spoke to my surgery this morning and they are reaching out to all their suppliers (as recommended by Louise Newson, they are: AAH, Alliance and Phoenix) to a) ascertain why the change in packaging and b) seek reassurance that the ingredients/storage etc has NOT changed.
Stick to your guns FrostyTiger and go back to your pharmacist and ask them too to speak to the suppliers - there is definitely a difference between the Oestrogel with the orange circle symbol above it and the Oestrogel that does NOT have the orange circle symbol above it, the latter is a poorer product and absorption (takes ages to dry and is much funnier) is the most noticeable immediate difference.

The UK variant has stricter controls when it comes to storage and transportation and those measures are closely monitored by UK and Besins - the latter variant (Oestrodose) is NOT and the travel/storage is not monitored etc.

What evidence is there for this? Have you contacted Besins yourself?

Is Besins are the exporter, they are responsible for the transportation of the product from the factory to its final destination.

Also, the gel is fine at all temperatures up to quite high temps. This is unlikely to be exceeded in any aircraft hold or by lorry.

By the way, this thread is not about Oestrodose V Oestrogel, it's about the spelling or Oestrogel.

I think the OP was not able to see that there is an O in front of the E. The two letters are joined closely together as the trademark name.

On a slightly different line, in the US they spell estrogen with an e, at the starts, whereas in the UK and Europe, the spelling is oestrogen.

@jinglinghellsbells
"Also, the gel is fine at all temperatures up to quite high temps. This is unlikely to be exceeded in any aircraft hold or by lorry." - What evidence do you have for this? Have you contacted Besins distribution channels? Have you documented evidence (storage certificates) from their aircraft provider?

"By the way, this thread is not about Oestrodose V Oestrogel, it's about the spelling or Oestrogel". Mmmmm, read the original post Jingle Dingle it states "Hi , has anyone noticed a change of packaging for Estrogel it’s now Oestrogen" ... clearly implies the post is about PACKAGING .... furthermore, as per original post "Some women are claiming that their symptoms are returning" .... hence my post :)

Youre welcome
Hugs

Besin claim that the ingredients are the same but Some women are claiming that their symptoms are returning since the change of labelling & are increasing the dosage

@FQueen Do you know that this issue has been running for years :)

It's been on another forum for all of time and one member there wrote to Besins and reproduced their email responses. She had a long correspondence with them.

The rules around quality control are very strict from the raw ingredients being tested to the final medication being signed off and then on the shelves.

The packaging has changed many times in the years I 've used gel.
Initially it was in a rather nice white and cold pump , not with a narrow neck, but a cylinder. Then it was in a white and turquoise pump- same shape. Then the pump shape changed to what it is now.

Sometimes, when there was a shortage or supply issues, the UK imported the EU version which was named Oestrodose. But the ingredients were identical.

I have never noticed any difference at all.

*cold - hahaha - GOLD!

I have recently switched from Evorel to this new packaged Oestrogel and my insomnia and night sweats have returned to depressing levels, So much so I switched back to evorel…maybe this could have been the problem.

This is what the issue has been recently:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUP8kiEMZre/?utmmedium=copyy_link

Women have been reporting on the nhs yellow card system that the gel has stopped being effective since the packaging changed.

Some people have not noticed a difference.

@PeriChristmas All I will say is that in the years I've used gel, the packaging has changed about 3 to 4 times. It's gone from a cylindrical white and gold bottle, to blue and white, and a different shaped bottle.
I've not noticed any difference ever and my consultant believes it's 'all in the mind' for want of a better term. They are fully aware of the fact some women feel it's different.