Anyone On Elleste Solo?

[SebastianFlytesTrousers]

Uuugh - here we go again! I'm absolutely not getting on with either patches or gel and my GP has now prescribed Elleste Solo (I know all the risks/benefits of transdermal v. oral). Is anyone else on these, and if so how long did they take to settle and how long did any nausea last please? I'm getting to the end of my rope with all this.

I've booked a private appointment with Dr. Naomi Potter's clinic for the latter part of March but need to do something in the meantime. The NHS menopause clinic have been an utter let down - i'm so sick of flogging that dead horse. (i'm in surgical menopause btw).

Yes! It took about a week or two for the stomach issues to settle down but then it was amazing. So much better than the transdermal options.

I’ve found that three months in my symptoms are creeping back in which is a f’ing joy but am hoping it will pass. Regardless, it’s been better than the patches/gel/spray.

I am also very much at my end of tether with it all.

@RoadToPlants That's brilliant news, and I do hope it settles back down for you again and that it's just a blip for you.🤞 May I ask if you're just on estrogen only (i.e. no mirena) and also which dose you're taking? I'm relieved to hear the tummy issues settle quite quickly on it too.

You have my upmost sympathy - i'm totally demented with this whole menopause fiasco!

I’m on 2mg with a mirena in, thinking I might try and go up to 3mg though.

fx it works for you!

I have just started the same tablet and have a Mirena coil so interested to see peoples responses. I really need something to bring the old me back again. I am on 2mg but not sure what that would be equivalent to in patches or gel 🤔

Hi @Kingsley81 i think 2mg as equivalent to 50-75mg patches and maybe 3 pumps of gel. There are conversion charts available if you Google it. The thing is that many of us don’t absorb the gel/patches that well so a 2mg tablet may be giving us more oestrogen than a 100mg patch or a vat of gel

@SebastianFlytesTrousers Have you had your appointment with Dr Naomi Potters Clinic? My wife is at the end of her teather.. She has been seen repeatedly (at great cost) by Newsom, but zero useful progress (different person each time, no long term thought or consideration of her other symptoms/challenges).. We are in the NorthWest so a bit limited for Menopause specialists but Dr Potter also seems to Histamine specalists which my wife thinks she needs..

Are you please with Dr Potter and the team? Would you recommend?

Thanks in advance

@NickHills1 I'm so incredibly sorry to hear that your wife is struggling and hasn't received the help she deserves. I must admit that this is why I didn't go with the Newson Clinic myself after hearing feedback from several women I know personally who had experienced similar. As it transpired, I have in fact been seen again by my NHS menopause consultant at the hospital based clinic I attended previously, so didn't need to use Dr. Potter's clinic.

However - I can tell you that I researched my options very carefully (was even considering the BUPA menopause service at one point as pretty desperate), and I have to say that Dr. Potter's clinics seemed to be very well run with empathetic and consistent care so that's why I chose her service over any other. They can of course offer virtual appointments too . Have you looked at Dr. Potter's Instagram? You will generally get a feel of her and how she treats menopause there. Again - very empathetic, less about pushing higher and higher doses. I think your wife would very probably get on well under their care.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. In fact it was Dr Potters Insta posts that drew my wife's attention.. But she was nervous that Dr Porter was just doing "Celeb" endorsements (who would generally support anything for a money or a free session) rather than actually being an expert in her field.

I think that the poor experience with Newson has knocked her trust in it all.

She is tired of slapping gel on in ever increasing amounts, but still having significant menopausal effects.

Hopefully Dr P and her team can help my good lady out.

Thanks again. Very much appreciated

You're very welcome, @NickHills1. It shouldn't be such a minefield, it really shouldn't! A careful hand is needed if there are histamine issues involved (mast cell activation). I have a history of anaphylaxis and actually had to stop my estrogen only hrt implant which was inserted via the NHS menopause clinic as I had a flare up of urticaria. I had to wait until I was assessed at the NHS complex allergy service that i'd previously attended before I could get the go ahead to commence hrt again (definitely no more implants though to be on the safe side - they cannot be removed and last 6 months approximately at a time)!

Estrogen absolutely activates mast cells, so the 'more is more' approach at Newson Health and some other providers could potentially be a disaster. As Dr Potter and her clinic has a special interest in histamine intolerance (I prefer the proper name of mast cell activation syndrome), I am sure you wife will be in more careful hands.

Good luck to her and do let us know how she gets on (also as I've had some experience of this myself, don't hesitate to give me a shout if I may be able to offer any support).