Oestrogel: new packaging (yet again)?

[Cosmetichamster]

Hi ladies,

Just got this month's prescription for Oestrogel, and I have been issued with a bottle that is new (to me at least). Have a look at the photo: left is what I have known and used since June this year, on the right is the new bottle, also from Besins, same labels, same ingredients, and long use by date (07/25). Obtained from a reputable pharmacy, which has filled all my previous HRT prescriptions.

Has anyone seen this sort of thing? Slightly freaked out here.

www.transfernow.net/dl/20230207TgXcjTDo

Hope that helps!

Ah thanks, but the download looks a bit dodgy with that link as it's asking for more than just download a doc.

If you are a journalist and have written on this, maybe as you suggested, just post the article?

Sorry don’t know what you mean by posters? Yes France is mentioned on both green and orange square bottles, and boxes but as you already know the leaflet inside says manufacturer France or Belgium. As attached this was the leaflet inside a bottle that had an orange square, Batch No beginning with 7 just says manufacturer Belgium. The bottom line is unless Besins says yes there is an issue, you won’t believe any of us have had and are having issues. Maybe you’ve been lucky and not experienced any issues going from oestrogel to Oestrodose, but if the oestrogel had a green square there’s a pretty good chance it was from France so you wouldn’t notice a difference, but for women who where using oestrogel with an orange square and then having to use either Oestrodose or oestrogel with a green square they have noticed differences. Also 1 pump has such a tiny amount of estradiol in it so you may not even notice the difference.

There's nothing dodgy about the link. I have tested it. What exactly is it asking for?

@JinglingSpringbells

First, you asked if I'm in the pharmaceutical business, and now you're affirming I'm a journalist. What my occupation has to do with this discussion? I'm a biologist. Can we move on?

I think you're not genuinely interested in knowing the facts.

You seem more interested in defending a company instead of:

A) understanding the cause of so many women having trouble with the gel;

B) acknowledging that there are 2 different manufacturing sites for the same product, which is not a common practice in the pharmaceutical business precisely because it can cause product inconsistencies.

And I don't need to be a pharmacist to know that; you can read it online and search for EU medicine regulations.

I won't post a link. Otherwise, you might find it 'dodgy'.

And your post quoted below is completely inaccurate!

"JinglingSpringbells · Today 10:03
Out of interest @Helswatts where are posters finding the info about where the gel is manufactured? I've got a bottle, from 9 months ago not yet used. Green square, batch number starting with 1. (All of mine for the last year were batches starting with 1.)

All the info on the pack says made in France. I have now got a new supply , one of which has an orange square and the batch number 7, but the packaging and manufacturing site is the same - France.

These are the flagon bottles like the one on the left in the original photo."

The Oestrogel with a green square has the same Patient Information Leaflet as the Oestrogel with an orange square; after all, they are supposed to be the 'same product'.

The Oestroge PIL says the product is manufactured in France OR Belgium unless you're referring to Oestrodose, which is manufactured in France. But I don't think you are because Oestrodose lacks coloured squares.

Nothing wrong with the Link. I just downloaded it. It didn't ask for anything. Looks interesting. Shall read it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing @Azaleah

@SamR36 You're welcome! Let me know what you think, will you?

Okay @Azaleah I'll leave this now. I appreciate you leaving a link but it's to a hosting site, not directly to a document. I don't download anything from unknown hosting sites, because of hacking or security issues, but please don't take that personally.

@JinglingSpringbells Well, if you have iCloud or Google Drive, I can upload it there and share the link here, no problem. Just let me know.

I read the article, thanks for sharing and for your post too @Helswatts . As it turns out the product I'm currently getting in the French pharmacy is a green square Oestrodose flagon and the label says made in Belgium (no 'or France') by Delpharm (7 batch expiry 08/2025). I'm very new to HRT and peri I guess I will be having fluctuations for a while anyway!

Hi Mayflier there did seem to be a pattern with the bottles and women were able to establish which bottles were causing them problems, but it seems that’s going out of the window. The lady on the Peri and Me Instagram page is going to run a poll regarding the new cylinder bottle with no coloured square and see if women are having issues. I don’t have fluctuating hormones but definitely noticed the difference so had to up my pumps. As if it isn’t hard enough without having gel problems 🤣

Hi Picklewalnuts Bit confused by your post which isn’t hard 🤣. Are you taking testosterone and have a hairy chin or want to take it? The only place you may get a bit hairy is the site you rub it in to, I haven’t. You will have regular blood tests to make sure you stay within the female range. They will do your testosterone, SHGB and work out your free testosterone. I found it a game changer.

Reading this thread I'm left wondering why we can't all simply accept that there must have been some change in Oestrogel for so many women to be reporting a sudden return of symptoms after happily using the same dosage for many years. I mean why would anyone want to make this up?

Personally I've used the gel for over a decade from the time when Oestrogel came in a gold coloured cannister right through to the time it changed to a turquoise and white bottle and was calling itself Oestrodose. The only time I've had to question "is this still working?" is recently whilst unsuspectingly starting a green square bottle of Oestrogel (hot flushes and particularly night sweats back with avengeance).

Hi!

My GP won't offer testosterone.

My chin is hairy!

I wondered whether testosterone (should I get it somehow) would make my chin hairier! Glad to hear not.

So why does our chin get hairy? Is it falling oestrogen?

Some women do seem to get hairier with falling oestrogen - others of us lose hair! Who knows? The joys of being a woman hey.

Hi

Not sure, are you taking hrt? The nurse said they don’t prescribe it at my GP’s, when I asked about the blood tests, I told her I’ve been taking it a year. Shows you how rubbish they are, she should be aware of what I’m taking. Ask to be referred to a menopause specialist and play on that you have really low libido.

Yea, my head hair is thinning, it's migrating to my chin.

To be honest I'd take that, if I could have some motivation back!

That’s how I got my motivation and energy back taking testosterone, I’ve been lucky on the hairy front 🤣

Quoting myself here but I did switch from a green square to an orange square bottle a little over a week ago, just to see if there was a difference. Despite doing the same number of pumps a day (4) I’m having dizzy spells, nausea, irritability and my fucking insomnia has returned. It’s feeling like too much oestrogen!

Will skip tonight’s dose and drop to 3 daily pumps going forward until I’ve finished the orange square bottle. Not very scientific I grant you but there definitely does seem to be a difference in potency. For me, the green squares actually suit me better though.

For the record, I was sceptical so am pretty shocked to have noticed such a marked difference!

I have also noticed a difference in the new cylindrical pumps, batch no starting with a 7. I don’t know where to look for a coloured square.
I have been using 2 pumps a day and progesterone capsule every night - since using the new bottle it doesn’t seem as effective.
It doesn’t have such a strong smell as old bottle, the amount doesn’t seem as much as before.
Whilst using the old one my breasts were a lot fuller, libido increased, less ache in bones, slept better and generally felt better.
Since using the new bottle approx 5 weeks and all my ailments are returning.
Should I increase to 3 pumps a day?

I increased to 3 pumps a day with the cylinder pumps and it seemed to help.

I feel ive gained a considerable amount of weight on oestrogel & utrogestan over last 6 months. At the beginning starting hrt i seem to lose a few pounds yet my boobs and waist have definetlty gained 😞 to the point i feel i need to stop in case i get bigger 😭anybody else?

@SamR36 no I haven't gained a pound on Oestrogel. If I feel I'm eating too much I track my food intake with My Fitness Pal and pull back a bit. I've been on Oestrogel for around 6 years and I'm the same weight as when I started.

@pharmachameleon thanks for getting back to me i appreciate it, thats great you've not gained.
Yes i also track, train hiit classes 4 times week & walk miles, but something is definetly working against me. May be it just doesnt agree with me 🤷🏻‍♀️ i would be a rare case, always am 🙄

I visited my private menopause doctor recently having a total return of my symptoms after the change of bottle.

She has seen several people reporting the same and has advised me to stop using the Oestrogel and has switched me to Sandrena. She believes that the absorption factors in the old and new bottle gels are different and for some women they are significantly less effective. I asked about upping the dose and she said it could well be useless if my body can’t absorb it.

Might be helpful for others?