Switching my HRT to a different one?

[sam7778]

Hi everyone

iam 50 yrs old and initially started hrt a month and half ago. I was on elleste duet cyclical 1mg/1mg my skin and hair looked great while taking the white tabs and felt great but when I started green ones I became very hormonal and my face seemed to change and I looked worse. My doctor then said I should have been put on combined as my period was more than a year ago, and she said this hrt wouldn’t really do anything, however it did and I had a break through bleed aswell. She said finish last tablet and gave me kilovance 1mg / 0.5mg I’ve now been on it almost 2 wks and nothing positive has happened really . But when I was on the elleste duet 1mg only estradol white pills I was great. My question is should I switch to elleste duet conti 2mg? With the 1mg noriesprone progesterone ?

and can I switch now while iam halfway through killovance? I don’t know if the progesterone combined with the estradol makes the eastrogen weaker bcoz this killovance iam on is combined but I can’t see the estradol taking effect like it did in the elleste duet cyclical. Right now iam still getting hot flushes itchy hands and feet etc and my skin looks dull and oily at same time and my hair dried out too. Any advice? I can’t find any reviews about killovance but lots of positive reviews on elleste duet conti and cyclincal. Just don’t know what to do and gp says they can’t prescribe elleste duet conti as it’s out of stock Indefinitely, but I do have the option to buy it online from certain pharmacy. Feel like they have prescribed me a rubbish brand 😭

A lot of HRT now is not tablet form. You might prefer using tablets, but many meno specialists prefer gel/ patches/spray for the estrogen, and micronised progesterone (Utrogestan.) That means you have two items to use every day on a continuous combined regime, or estrogen daily and progesterone for 12 days per month.

I don't know what your dr means by saying that what you were on first 'didn't do anything'. Many women use the sequential type even many years after their last period(I do and am in my mid 60s.) It's nonsense that she told you it wouldn't work! Doesn't sound as if she knows much about HRT.

You can certainly switch to Elleste Conti. But bear in mind that although the estrogen is higher, you will still be getting Norethisterone- every day.

IT IS AVAILABLE.

See this list by the BMS produced a week ago.

thebms.org.uk/news/british-menopause-society-update-on-hrt-supply/

Elleste™ oral Range – all available
• Elleste Solo™ 1mg estradiol. Available
• Elleste Solo™ 2mg estradiol. Available
• Elleste Duet™ 1mg estradiol + 1mg norethisterone acetate. Available
• Elleste Duet™ 2mg estradiol + 1mg norethisterone acetate. Available
• Elleste Duet™ Conti 2mg estradiol + 1mg norethisterone acetate. Available
Elleste™ transdermal Range – discontinued
 Elleste Solo™ MX patches 40mcg transdermal estradiol No longer available (discontinued) (contact Viatris for more information)
 Elleste Solo™ MX patches 80mcg transdermal estradiol No longer available (discontinued) (contact Viatris for more information)

If you don't get on with the days when there is Norethisterone, it's unlikely you will feel any better when using it every day.

My advice is you swap to an estrogen only patch or gel, and try sequential Utrogestan for 3 months to see how you go.

You can carry on with sequential at any age. They only say swap as most women prefer the no-bleed option that comes with continuous.

hey
thanks so much for your reply this is very helpful. yes I would like to try sequential utrogestan using a gel or patch. how can I get it? do I just buy online? my gp is crap to be honest. I've been trying to look up progesterone that's non androgenic as the northisterone causes me to break out and makes me very pmt. on the other hand taking only the estrogen pills solved all my symptoms and I looked fab . but I've heard its dangerous to take estradiol therapy without some form of progesterone? I definitely need to get off the one iam on now can I just come off and switch ? I remember dr saying I will mess up if I dint finish the 28 days b4 switching. but I do t k ow what to beleive now from this gp.

hey
thanks so much for your reply (iam sami7778 just logged in in other account) this is very helpful. yes I would like to try sequential utrogestan using a gel or patch. how can I get it? do I just buy online? my gp is crap to be honest. I've been trying to look up progesterone that's non androgenic as the northisterone causes me to break out and makes me very pmt. on the other hand taking only the estrogen pills solved all my symptoms and I looked fab . but I've heard its dangerous to take estradiol therapy without some form of progesterone? I definitely need to get off the one iam on now can I just come off and switch ? I remember dr saying I will mess up if I dint finish the 28 days b4 switching. but I do t k ow what to beleive now from this gp.

Bookmark

Back to top
Add your message here
Talk guidelines
Getting started
Your username
sim1975
Message

Add image

You can upload up to 3 images in JPG, PNG, or GIF format.

No file chosen
Add image (up to 6mb each)

Watch this thread
Preview
Post
ADVERTISEMENT

Active
Watching
Add post
I'm on

it needs to be prescribed. No way can you buy online and you need to do it through a dr.

Can you change your GP? Go to another practice? swap where you are?

Maybe try going back to the GP and simply asking for what you want.

Yes I will definitely change my gp now. Should I ask for utrogestan sequential? What mg? Also how does it actually work I mean do I wear an estrogen patch and take the utrogestan? Is patch or gel nest? This actually seems really good just what I need as the Norethisterone gives me a terrible reaction and I drastically need something to keep me stable.

I mean do I wear an estrogen patch and take the utrogestan?

Yes.

All the instructions come with the medications on the patient leaflet and you can always check that online by entering the name of the meds.

On sequential you use 2 x 100mgs capsules of Utrogestan for 12 days per calendar month, starting on the same day each month. As you are post meno you can start this any time as soon as you get your meds.

Patch or gel? Your choice. There is a shortage of gel at the moment so you may have to take whatever you can get at the moment.

If you were on 1mg of estrogen, tablet, the equivalent patch is 37 or 50mcgs.

Hi
thanks for your reply. I have heard the stradol patch and gel are low stock or out of stock at most places. But you can easily order the utrogestan from online pharmacy. So could I take the Elleste duet Estradiol 1mg for the 16 days then take the utrogestan capsules for the 12 days and combine that? You can get Elleste duet solo aswell which is the estrogen only tablet. I was ok on those but when it came to taking the nortistherone I was having bad reaction and pms pre symptoms.

But can I combine my Elleste duet estrogen only pill with the utrogestan capsules? Iam currently registering at a new surgery but in the mean time iam taking my white estrogen only pills 1mg and thinking to initially combine them until I can switch to the estrogen patch or gel.please advise as I have started taking them now.

I’ve just started bleeding today aswell after switching from the combined to the estradol only 1mg pills Elleste duet. Has this messed my cycle up now? Or is it normal?

Hi I could really use your advice as iam now bleeding after stopping my combined kliovance and going back on the Elleste duet estradol pills . I was thinking to take these for the 16 days then take utrogestan from a dr then if I can get the patch or gel I’ll move to that combination. However I now have a heavy bleed after starting back on the estradol pills and iam worried I e messed my system up. Please advice your the only one on here who seems to be most knowledgeable.

On sequential hrt but I’ve had two different guidance from GPS - use 2 x 100mgs capsules of Utrogestan for first 15 days per calendar month and another said take same dose for the first 25 days? Which is correct?