starting patches any advice / support?

[koffeekix]

I have just been prescribed everol 75 patches & daily progesterone, i went through menopause several years ago & no huge problems....great i thought but only to find myself suffering brain fog & mood swings & not to mention the "not being able to string a sentence together" i also suffer with osteoarthritis so thought the HRT would be a good route to go down, i was initially given sandrina gel 0.5 & daily progesterone , after 2 months no changes whatsover so was prescribed the evorel 75 patches with daily prog (due to supply issues with sandrina). I have now been using patches for a week & today feeling totally wretched: lightheaded, very low mood & down & have not moved off the sofa all day!! (worse then pre HRT) , im wondering if anyone else has had these symptoms? or is it that im just not suitable as i seriously dont want to feel like this for any length of time.
thanks in advance

Hi
You've gone from 0.5 gel ( about a 25 patch) to a 75 patch.
The idea is that you start low and build up gradually.
In your case, a 25 or 50 patch would have been a good starting point.

Maybe to cutting a third of the patch off and see how you get on?
Or, ask for 50 patches instead?

These symptoms are probably due to the mass influx of hormones entering your body.

Thanks for the advice & my thoughts exactly the same......i was told that i needed the higher dosage for the osteoarthritis & bone protection & i think your right in the mass influx of hormones.....im going to try & give it a couple of weeks to see if it calms down but i wasnt aware you could trim the patches which is interesting. If it doesnt settle im going to run the massive task of getting to speak with the dr to getting a lower dose although i do understand with the bone protection side the higher dose make sense (long family history down the femaile family line) & iv recently had 1 hip replaced & waiting on the other to be done.

You’ve gone from less than 1 pump to 3 pumps this is not a good idea as any side effects you do get will be increased. Would be better to build up gradually.

thanks & yes im going to call dr`s tomm & get this reduced as stuggling to put one foot in front of the other without becoming unbalanced & extreme tiredness despite 8 hrs of good sleep. I was going to try & see if things settled but after having a good read on here it seems sensible to go lower & erase (hopefully) these awful symptoms. I have only been having HRT since April & yet to feel any benefits .....The sandrina gel was too low & due to supply issues & being told i wouldnt get the 1.0 was put onto the evorel 75 which is obviously too high so i wont give up & hopefully the 50 patches will be the solution & i can get my mojo back which is my main issue along with mood swings which are so debilitating.