Feeling anxious and wired on Oestrogel

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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?

Hi All I am suffering exactly this! The gel is making me so anxious and uneasy

How did your break go??
Am considering this too.

Patches making me anxious, palpitations, jittery, sad.... been on hrt for 18 months. Its been a rollercoaster trying various options.
Considering a break. But nervous of my mood swings and joint pains coning back!

I have been on the patches for a good few weeks. Much improved from the gel for me. I did have quite a few palpitations in first couple of weeks but they settled

Hi ladies can you just stop this gel ? I've only been on it 3 months and I'm
Convinced my crippling anxiety I can't go out my brain is not working could it be too high on 2 pumps a day ? Can I just stop it ?

@Mavy21 yes, I did. Had a rough week of ‘withdrawal’ but then felt miles better off it.

This is awful I wasent taking it properly like wasent told to take the gel none stop them the progesterone so I started it properly week 3 in now I can't understand if it's this or I do suffer from anxiety but never been to the point of can't leave the house and I feel like I'm having a breakdown the crying the minds out of control I've been referred to the mental health team on Tuesday as my SSRI is making me not eat now I'm looking at the pattern could this be the gel at 2 pumps could it be the serroten is too high ? That can give you serroten syndrome?

@Mavy21 ask your GP to switch you to something else. I'm fine now I'm back on patches.

This is me!
Palpitations on HRT are so alarming.
But the joint pains off it are horrible.
On a very low dose now after a 3 month break earlier this year. Huge boobs and palpitations are back. On ONE spray of Lenzetto.

I tried one cycle of Oestrogel and 14 days of Utrogestan.

Within 48 house of starting the Oestrogel my anxiety went through the roof, gnashing my teeth which set off previously settled TMJ. I was so wired yet washed out, I felt shaky and weak and fuzzy headed / blurred vision.

I was slightly better when taking the Utrogestan and I definitely slept better but the Oestrogel was horrible. I never even got to two pumps, one or one and a half was enough to make me feel awful.

After one cycle I couldn’t put up with the debilitating feelings any longer and stopped it altogether. Such a shame, I had high hopes for it.

Having exact same symptoms on the estradiol. Scary palpitations. One two pumps but maybe I should try just one. Thanks for this thread.

The palpitations are insane. And there's so little information about them. I'm a bit reluctant to go back to the expensive specialist to say it's still making me feel like this. I just feel like I've tried everything and it's been so long now. I can't see anything working properly.

Yes it's so tough. Not sleeping more than a few hours a night, then trying to work and sort kids.
Feel a lot of empathy for my mum now, as I remember she was a nightmare for a few years and understand why now!

Hmmmm it was only yesterday that i made a connection with my sudden alarming low mood and the fact I'd started gel 10 days ago. Reading this makes me feel it's not actually me going mad. I got prescribed through Newson because my GP is impossible.
Much to ponder...

I wish I had had the sense to stop it sooner. I’ve been on patches for 10
months and lots better. Isn’t it strange how the delivery of the same hormone can feel different. I relate to everything you’ve said - I was anxious and wired yet fuzzy and disoriented. Try the patch and build up v slowly. I spent 3/4 months on 25mg, then upped to 50 mg, then to 62.5 (cutting in half) just last week I increased to 75, but if I start feeling anxious will drop back down. Good luck. I love Newson but I would love her more if she did a podcast on when HRT ‘goes wrong/ doesn’t suit’

OESTROGEL Side effects
Hello I was searching for any answers to a sudden bout of chronic insomnia, jitters, panic attacks and night sweats. I was on patches Evorel and was persuaded to go on the Oestrogel pump. 2 pumps daily. I've been on it for a few weeks but couldn't see my side effects on the information which I now think is strange as it seems from looking on here that many other women have experienced the same.
Are you one of them? If so has anyone noticed a difference when coming off the Oestrogel and going onto the patches? I can't carry on with such bad anxiety and insomnia it's just not possible to function. Thank you 🙏

I didn’t try the patches, I’m just not using any HRT at the moment. I don’t think I need it just yet to be honest, my symptoms are mild.

Hi- I just started using Orstrogel, I’ve been on it for days now and I have had anxiety every night so far. I am supposed to be taking utrogestan tonight along side it for two weeks. I’m just really nervous of the whole thing. Like you, I’ve heard so much great news about HRT and how it turns your life around, but I am feeling very sceptical. I suffered, low moods, anxiety and panic attacks prior, so I really don’t need anymore! I think I’ll call my doc and see what she suggests as I’m so worried. I start a new job next week too, I certainly don’t want to be in any mental state for that!

My initial high anxiety has settled. Fingers crossed I'm not settled.

Man, we women are put through the mill, aren't we?

After reading all of these comments after day 7 I'm stopping the gel, I don't want to go through all of this. It scares the hell out of me. My symptoms are mild, I'm going to rethink my options for sure.

@Nature2024 my symptoms completely resolved once I switched to patches.

I've just started the gel and 7 days in I've been having anxiety every night and struggling to sleep. I've just come here to research what everyone else has experienced and it seems it's not great news. I'm stopping straight away.

Add me to the list of people who were very unwell on the gel!! I switched because I was having such trouble getting estradot patches but I was so anxious and panicked on it. Sticking to Estradot from here on in.

Did you take the progesterone tablets along side? I'm wondering if they will help, I've just started them this evening and am reducing my gel in the morning to one pump and see if that helps

Watching with interest, I haven’t re started any kind of HRT, I’m a bit scared to as the Oestrogel made me feel so weird and I have to work etc.