Anyone on a coil plus gel/patches? What's your dose if so?

[ToooOldForThis]

I have had coils for around 7 years now...lifesaver for the heavy and irregular periods which were my first sign of peri menopause.
Now 3 months into using sandrena gel alongside it, as the anxiety /brain fog / pain / sleep disturbance was becoming too much.
I feel a slight improvement but not as much as I'd hoped for. I use one 1mg sachet a day...is this a low dose? Could it be increased?
I know these are questions for the GP but I'm interested in hearing what other people are doing as I wait the long wait for an appointment!

Hello sorry I am not in your position yet but interested in how the gel made a difference
Is yours a mirena coil?

I've had mirenas for years which have been great, 5 years ago I added gel and didn't get on with it at all so swapped to evorel 50 patches which have been fab and have used ever since, it might be worth either upping your dose or giving patches a go.

I'm on the gel plus Mirena and I'm on 3 pumps a day, 4 around what should be ovulation and period as oestrogen crashes those two times and I feel bloody awful. Three pumps is like 2.25mg I think.

I have the mirena coil and currently have Everol 75 patches . I feel pretty balanced hormone wise most of the time with the odd blip. I was on Sandrena gel with two satchets and didn't find they were absorbing well hence the change to a patch.

Thanks so much all. @scissorsandsellotape yes, mirena coil. I had really heavy periods and they were getting closer and closer together, and the coil has absolutely fixed that.
But a whole host of other symptoms appeared and I went to the GP for those.

@TinaWeymouthsBass in what way did you not get on with the gel? I was originally prescribed the patches but there were none to be had at that point.

@Fluckle I didn't think of tracking my cycle that's a great idea.

@collywobble that's really interesting thank you. How did you know they weren't absorbing?

I went back to the doctor as I was still experiencing my symptoms but on the high test dose they could prescribe for the gel.

@ToooOldForThis
i didn't feel I was absorbing the gel and still felt terrible on 3 pumps I gave it a good go and stuck with it for 4 months, I've had no problems with the patches and feel like my old self on them.

Thank you all, I will ask about increasing my dose in the first instance. 1mg sachet sounds quite low

I’m have mirena and Estrodot 25 patches. Feel almost human.

Higher dose might be better but I have many other contributing ‘conditions’ that also cause brain fog/tiredness so it’s difficult to know!!

Mirena coil only has progesterone in it; the patches/gel have oestrogen which does different things. I was on Mirena + Evorel 25 for a long time to great effect. I've now switched to progesterone capsules (my old cervix just didnt want another coil thanks) + have upped the Evorel which has improved my mood.

Two other lifesavers - ovestin cream for my paper thin vag, and testosterone for libido.

I have 2 pumps of estrogel which is 1.5mg sandrena and it seems to do the trick for me.

New replacement mirena about 18 months ago with 1mg Elleste solo. Now changed to estraderm 75. Both fine, patches a bit of a faff and fall off sometimes. Now taking testosterone with it too. Feel fine.

2 pumps oestrogel plus mirena

Treats a lot of menopause symptoms but not the brain fog unfortunately

I started on Evorel 50 patches but it wasn't enough. I upped it to Evorel 75 and feel much more human.

I'm going to ask about an increase I think...I guess it will take some tweaking to get it right!