Feeling anxious and wired on Oestrogel

[WhereAreWeNow]

I've had a Mirena for about a year. I was initially on Evorel 50 patches, then went up to Evorel 75, then it felt like symptoms were creeping back so I switched to Oestrogel so I could adjust the dose more easily.

I've been on the oestrogel for about 3 weeks and I'm really struggling with mood swings, anxiety, and insomnia.
I started off on 4 pumps and my breasts were huge and extremely painful within 24 hours. I dropped down to 2 pumps for a week and now on 3 pumps.

My breasts are still a bit tender but that's manageable. It's the insomnia and anxiety I can't cope with. I feel really wired and jittery all the time (including when I wake up in the night).

The dose is the same as what I was on when I was on patches.

Has anyone else experienced this with the gel?

Should I just switch back to patches (maybe try Evorel 100?) or should I give it more time to settle?

I didn't get on well with gel at all. Sleep problems came back so I was tired and wired all the time. I'm back on patches.

Yes, I'm feeling back to how I felt pre-HRT in terms of insomnia and nerves. How long did you stick with the gel before going back to the patches @Summerhillsquare@Summerhillsquare

I couldn't get on with the gel either. I felt quite all over the place which I put down to not getting exactly the same amount of gel out per pump and therefore not having a consistent dose.

Not all patches are the same either IME - I switched to Estradot 75 patches from Evorel on the advice of my GP and I find them to be the most suited to me, so a switch of brand might be worth considering.

It was about 4 months in the end. They tell you to stick with each method for 3 months, which is horrible as you often know straight away it isn't right, and I feel like a guinea pig all the time.

Maybe you're absorbing more with the gel than patches so need even less? Some women do feel wired and jittery if they take too much. Go back to 2 pumps for a few weeks see how you get on.

I stopped oestrogel after 3 months, during which I got increasingly anxious. I did drop the dose to 1 - 1.5 pumps about a month in (as I was horribly bloated on it too) and then when I re-upped it to 2 pumps it made me feel really awful. It’s put me off trying other types of HRT as how I ended up feeling was a bit scary and I hate the trial and error of it all.

Glad to hear it's not just me but sorry to hear others have had a hard time with the gel too.
@Janiie I did wonder if I was absorbing more. I've cut down to 2 pumps which in theory is less than the Evorel 75 I was on before. But I still feel jittery and like my heart is racing.
@DiggersDaughter that's interesting that you got on better with Estrodot. I might ask GP about that.

How old are you? Some women don't need much oestrogen if they are post meno. I know some who just use 1 pump, anything more has them jaw gnashing and feeling really weird.

Also if it's only been 3 weeks of gel and one of which 2 pumps it might be worth persevering with 2, even try 1 pump am and 1 pump pm. You're obviously absorbing it better than the patches it'll just be a case of dose tweaking which is the handy thing with gel.

I'm 46 @Janiie . I was having regular periods until I got Mirena about a year ago. No periods since Mirena. So I don't think I'm post menopause but I'm not sure how I would know if I don't have periods anyway because of the Mirena 🤷

Update: my mental health was going downhill fast on the gel. I think maybe I had started too high and then dropped back to 2 pumps too quickly and the fluctuations in hormone levels were probably the cause of my wild anxiety and depression. I felt so so low yesterday. I've requested Estradot from GP. In meantime, I've slapped on an Evorel 75 patch (I've got a few left over from before I started the gel) and I'm already feeling a bit better.
When the Estradot prescription comes through, I'll give those a go. If they don't do the trick then I'll ask to go back to Evorel. Evorel wasn't perfect but it seems to suit me much better than the gel.

Hi, I have had the exact same experience, extreme fight or flight anxiety, and intoxicating fatigue. I recently came off it after 3 years on it. I assumed it was me, or the HRT wasn't working - and just felt so at a loss and confused. Quite scary. I'm having an HRT washout for a few weeks, so on nothing, and then going to give patches ago (estradiot). Nervous though as worried it will have the same effect! Anyway, thank you for sharing this, I thought I was alone. Do update us on the patches. Hope it works well for you

I had anxiety after a year on Lenzetto.

It was great at first. But keep getting palpitations & mood swings.

So am trying everol50. Slightly calmer. I think. Only on first month though.

Good to hear it's not just me @NomiG but sorry to hear you've been going through that. That's a long time to stick with it! I could only manage one month.

I'm feeling a million times better on the patch. I used an old Evorel 75 patch and I've just picked up prescription of Estrodot 75 so I'll give that a go when I change patch tomorrow.

I don't really understand why the gel made me feel so jittery, anxious, and wired when the patch doesn't. They're both transdermal estradiol so I'd assumed I would feel the same on the gel. Maybe it's to do with how well it's absorbed or the fluctuations in dose. I wonder if the patch is a steadier release of estradiol which maybe suits some women better.
Good luck trying the patches. I hope they work for you.

Thanks for this! I can't believe I stuck with it too, it has cost me in a lot including my career. Those anxious side effects fluctuated in severity with the dosage I was on, and there were manageable phases, but this year - after being told to go up to 2.5 pumps, it went through the roof. It was also the debilitating social anxiety too that was such a new thing for me. I couldn't walk into a room let alone speak in a meeting at work. I can't believe I was so silly to not question it. I think I got so used to feeling terrible, and kept reading about how brilliant it was for so many women, that I didn't question that all the bad feelings were down to the HRT! All the images of Davina McCall slapping it on everyday! But it seems that based on your experiences, and a few others who have posted here, this is a response to the gel - perhaps not the most common, but a very real one. Whilst I hate that anyone has experienced this, it's also reassuring to not feel so alone.

I was prescribed various antidepressants this year and tried a few but I'm glad that, before going down that road, I just stopped the HRT. Slowly my confidence and calm is coming back, albeit it with a bit of irritability and low mood, but i'd take that over the crippling anxiety on the gel any day! I think the fact I stuck with it was a sign of my state of mind, just utterly depleted of confidence and self esteem at rock bottom.

Anyway, I will know next time not to waste 3 years :) and be v strict at monitoring side effects. I'm waiting for my estradiot to arrive (delays/shortages?!) - I'm going to take it along side utragestin. Are you on estrogen only?

Anyway, would love any updates from you if you feel able. Good luck to you 😊x

@WhereAreWeNow And glad you're feeling better already. Very good to hear. In answer to your question, isn't it strange how the same treatment/medicine can effect people in such contrasting ways. And yes, why did it have this awful effect? It's utterly bizarre. I have spoken to a meno specialist this month about it and she was surprised.

@NomiG sounds like you've had an awful time. There are Estrodot shortages. Luckily my GP had just prescribed generic estrogen patches which meant I could take the prescription to a few different pharmacies to find what I wanted. Boots didn't have any Evorel or Estrodot so they offered me Estraderm but I've heard they don't stick well. Superdrug didn't have any either. But a little, independent pharmacy had Estrodot. Chase it up if the prescription hasn't come through. I really hope you have better luck with the patches than you've had with the gel.
I've got a Mirena coil for the progesterone part of HRT. I know some women are progesterone intolerant. Could it be that rather than the estrogel?

It's interesting but also appalling. Such a lack of research into women's health. I have given up altogether, as the mood swings were becoming unmanageable even after going back to patches.

It's such a relief to read this thread!

I had a similarly horrible reaction to Oestrogel, with crashing anxiety, panic and overwhelm, but kept on it for nearly a year as I kept hoping it would settle down. It seemed to be such a magic solution for everyone I talked to as well!

I played around with coming off progesterone for a while as my doc said that people can be intolerant to that, but no one acknowleged or seemed to know that women can be intolerant to oesteogen too?! So useful to understand from here that that is obviously the case for you all!

I came off it three months ago now and the anxiety stopped immediately, but the hot flushes are back with a vengeance. My GP suggested trying patches but I've been reluctant to do that as figured that if I don't get on with oestrogen it would be the same in whatever format and i just couldnt face feeling like that again.

I am going to give them a go after reading this though, so thank you 😊

I am actually on some testosterone, as I went to see a meno specialist in desperation when I came off the oestrogel, and they said it was worth trying as it can help with brain fog and sleep disruption. It has really helped my brain fog and overwhelm (I was finding it hard to function or make even small, everyday decisions). Unfortunately the hot flushes are keeping me awake from early doors each day though, so the sleep deprivation is doing me in, so I am keeping everything crossed that the patches might help this and i will have found a combination that gets me back on track again!

Thanks again for sharing your experiences - I wasn't even on mumsnet but came across this doing some desperate googling!

Hiya, it’s so strange isn’t it. So I had a good 4 month flush out of all HRT, moods and flushes got too much so I very nervously started on Estradot patches with utragestin at night. Low dose of 25m now 37.5 (cutting quarter off a 50mg patch) and so far so good no side effects like the gel thank goodness. I suggest you give that a go. I was v wary of having any estrgogen but this low slow release method seems ok! It took a few weeks for flushes to subside but haven’t had one for a couple of weeks now. Good luck!

Good to hear that the patches are working better for you @NomiG1
I have just put on my first one this morning - evorel 25 - so really hoping I have a similar experience!

I've been one month on Estragel - 2 pumps - and Utragestran for perimenopause. A also suffer from SAD (and have some coping) strategies for that but the last month has been a car crash (depression rather than just low mood, even worse brain fog, crashing fatigue, tearfulness). I wonder if it is just the grim and grey, never-ending winter combined with the menopause or could the gel/tablets be making it worse?

I actually feel better for just writing this here and admitting just how awful I feel.

So sorry to hear that @lyingonthebeach 😣 It's tricky to know what is causing what isn't it, and the different hrt products obviously effect people so differently.

Sorry to hear that you've all had a rough time on estrogel @Betsyboodle @lyingonthebeach @NomiG . I'm now several months into being back on patches (estradot - except there are supply issues now!) and it's been plain sailing. The gel was such a disaster for me but I still don't understand why since gel and patches are both estradiol.
It was like a really strong adrenaline response combined with a black cloud of depression. Horrible.

OP thank you for this thread & I’m glad you’re getting back to your old self (ish). I’m still juggling my HRT &!6’your description is bang on.

@WhereAreWeNow @Betsyboodle and others. Thank you for your support and sharing. Honestly, this thread is a relief and I hope everything improves for us all soon.