Patches or gel

[Carol52]

Hi
My doctor had prescribed HRT for me.

She asked if I wanted gel or patches.
Which is best also I have to take a tablet at night time.
Any advice .
I apprehensive about side facts and which is bst

What is the progesterone in patches like? I'm sure there was some reason that I shouldn't/couldn't/wouldn't want to take it like that to start with, even though I think I do want patches rather than gel. It was either that it wasn't the right kind of progesterone (synthetic or something?) or that it was more risky because of migraines/hypertension (both which I have), or that it gave some other risk, or that the dose wasn't right, or something like that. I'd have to take the sequential kind still I think, because it hasn't been a whole year without periods, though they are very infrequent (like every 6-9 months for the last 3 years or so). I'm tempted to hold out until it's been a whole year so that I don't have to go back to getting bleed each month, as I think they might have stopped now! But even then I'm not sure that the patch progesterone would be right, and I might still need/want a tablet?

I have Evorel 50 patches and utrogestan for 12 days a month as peri and I stick them on my bum and haven’t had any problems with them falling off. I’ve even had baths with them on and haven’t budged.
The separate tablet utrogestan is body identical and is thought to be safer than the synthetic in the patches. As for as I know the combined patches only come in 50 strength too.

Thanks, that must be what I read then - the tablet form being safer. I guess I will ask for that in the end, though I'm not hugely keen on adding a tablet, especially one that people seem to get side effects from, and especially if it's only 12 days a month as I suspect the sudden difference in progesterone could make migraines worse. I might wait the full year then - in fact, this might be what made me decide to wait a while longer before seeing the GP when I looked into it originally. It's been 5 months now and no sign of them returning yet, so maybe this time I'll go the full year!

I’ve been on the gel and ultrogestan- the gel gave me insanely dry, itchy skin

the combined patch was fab, until I had a period (post meno!) every 19 days.

now I’m on the oestrogen only patch and ultrogestan, feeling fine but not as fab as the combined patch. But no bleeding, and no itchy skin.

I have tried both gel and patches (with progesterone and without with separate table) and I wouldn't say I noticed a difference between them, but I prefer not having a patch as I hated scrubbing the residue mark off.

the sticky patches don’t bother me, I rub the old patch over the sticky marks and they almost vanish.

I use Femseven patches and they don't leave any sickness behind

Can you get the spray (Lenzetto) I love it - couple of spritzes (one on each forearm) and it dries within 90 second. I take one Utrogestan as well. I’m the only one of my friendship group with spray and the patches and gel sound such a faff compared to the spray.

I started on oestrogel plus mirena - couldn’t be bothered to have to remember to take pills plus am so over having periods. It was fine although doing 4 pumps means you need to get virtually naked which is not great when it’s cold.
I had problems with oestrogel when they changed the bottle so have recently gone onto Evorel patches.
A lower dose than the oestrogel seems to be working for me and I prefer only having to change the patches twice a week. I suffered what felt like morning sickness for a few weeks and have slight irritation from the adhesive. No problems with showering but I’ve had a couple come off during long, sweaty runs where the edge of my pants have rubbed.

hi Ladies just a quick update. I have got my prescription the dosage is for oestrogel estrodiol gel 0.5 2 pumps front on thigh and then geodetic 200mg progrstetone 1 tablet every night.
i am on a course non to Wed so i thought would start Wednesday incase i started with any side effects. Very nervous

Good luck @Carol52

let us know how you get on!

Remember that anxiety is a symptom, and may go away once you start on the hrt supplementary hormones - I found that I’m able to handle stress much better on hrt.

I will update you all

It does seem to be such an individual thing. I was on Evorel patches which were helping but a couple of friends were raving about Oestrogel and I was a bit fed up of the sticky residue the patches left behind so switched to the gel. Unfortunately after 6 weeks of using it I finally realised it didn't agree with me left me wired, anxious, Jittery and just couldn't relax or sleep.
I couldn't understand it as these side effects aren't mentioned stall. Then another thread on here showed lots of other women had had the same reaction. I'll go back to patches but need to find the right one as one brand irritated my skin.
I'm pleased the gel seems to work for some people but not for me unfortunately. I hope it goes well for you there is quite a bit of trial and error with the whole thing.