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Menopause

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Evorel conti patches - how long did it take for them to work for you?

27 replies

Sadik · 28/08/2024 18:22

I've been using the patches (50 mg) for just over 4 weeks, hoping to improve night time hot flushes which wake me up every 1.5-2 hours. So far the only change I can see is that I've had a few stomach cramps / other period type symptoms, though no bleeding, and frequent mental block when finding words (not as full on as the brain fog that some seem to suffer).

I know that they say 3 months to judge how well it's working, & will return to the dr for a check in then but I was hoping for some positive changes to balance out the side effects!

OP posts:
Sadik · 29/08/2024 20:26

..

OP posts:
skippy67 · 29/08/2024 20:30

I persevered with them for 6 months before giving up. They did nothing for me.

leapinglizard1234 · 29/08/2024 20:31

Ask to go up a dose , the starting dose did nothing for me

Hepherlous · 29/08/2024 20:46

Three months. But upping from 50 to 75 really made a difference (at 48)

Hucklemuckle · 29/08/2024 21:11

About 4-5 days

TheLurpackYears · 29/08/2024 21:13

24 hours to notice a difference the a week to start to feel better. But it had tailed off by 3 months and I've up the dose twice to get stable.

Sadik · 29/08/2024 21:13

That's helpful, thanks - it sounds like I might need to go up a dose. I'm 54 & periods stopped around 4 years ago so well into menopause, but until recently not had problematic symptoms.

OP posts:
ssd · 29/08/2024 21:30

I felt fantastic by a few weeks in but after 3 months it had tailed off....then around 6 months i started spotting and my boobs were enormous and tender...i felt like i was coming on (periods stopped years earlier), gp advised to up the dose but i felt ready to pop and didn't fancy going up a dose as i felt I'd spot heavier and boobs would burst...so i just quit...

ssd · 29/08/2024 21:31

TheLurpackYears · 29/08/2024 21:13

24 hours to notice a difference the a week to start to feel better. But it had tailed off by 3 months and I've up the dose twice to get stable.

Did upping the dose twice not give you any side effects?

Sadik · 30/08/2024 07:20

I might see if I can switch to mirena coil+ gel anyway - dr prescribed the patches because of waiting list to get coil appointment & I was really struggling, but there's other reasons it might be better for me even if patches did work

OP posts:
TheLurpackYears · 30/08/2024 08:39

ssd no, all good, it was over the course of about 12 months, so there was time to adjust and monitor symptoms.

Elphame · 30/08/2024 08:42

Hard to say as I switched to them from a different form.

They are my least favourite form by far. The lowest dose just about controls my symptoms but only just. At the start I was getting some breakthrough hot flushes. That still happens but very rarely. The occasional bleed is annoying too

ssd · 30/08/2024 09:00

@TheLurpackYears , I'm glad you had no symptoms. The bleeding and sore boobs did it for me, it just gave me one more thing to be anxious about.

ssd · 30/08/2024 09:00

I wonder why they make some people bleed and not others?

Sparklytoe · 30/08/2024 09:02

I found my sleep improved almost overnight, no more 4am wakings. I was only getting flushes infrequently, but I haven't had one since.

The other things, brain fog and lack of focus, they're supposed to help with have been slower and my dose has been increased, but 6 months in I think there is now some improvement.

FuckThePoPo · 30/08/2024 09:06

Evorel conti only comes in one dose 50mg which I always thought a shame really and they missed a trick!

Hucklemuckle · 04/09/2024 17:15

FuckThePoPo · 30/08/2024 09:06

Evorel conti only comes in one dose 50mg which I always thought a shame really and they missed a trick!

Edited

You can increase by adding Evorel 25 or 50

AzureDog · 22/03/2026 15:39

Im 63 just stated hrt patch anyone else yhis age on it

EmeraldJeanie · 23/03/2026 18:10

I'm 59 and been on Evorel Conti about 10 weeks (previously oral hrt). Have had some breakthrough bleeding but understand not unusual when starting/ changing hrt.
Apart from the spotting/ light bleeding I am happy with them. Hopefully, light bleeds will stop. Sent message to doctors letting them know spotting and asking whether need to make appointment now to discuss or just monitor for up to 6 months. We shall see...

AzureDog · 24/03/2026 16:25

This is me just starting hrt am i to old?

EmeraldJeanie · 24/03/2026 17:41

How long have you been on the patch @AzureDog ?
My gp said she knew women in their 70s on hrt. I was thinking of stopping and she said that as reassurance I think.

Raquelos · 24/03/2026 18:40

I started on the Evri Sequi 50mg with around 12 - 14 intense hot flushes a day and disrupted sleep (presumably because of more HFs). That was down to about 4 or 5 a day after a month (less intense) and better sleep, almost none at 3 months and no sleep disruption. So it really did sort out the HFs, but it took a couple of months to get rid of them entirely. I noted when I had HFs and made a chart (I know, such a geek) but it really did show that the decrease was a diagonal line down over time rather than an immediate end to the HFs

That said, I didn't do well with the progesterone part of the patch cycle (conti) - extreme irritability, diarrhoea, and bad acne. I also had no bleeds at all.
At 3 months, I reviewed with Dr and swapped to Evorel 75 patches, which is a higher dose of oestrogen for the whole month plus the addition of progesterone pessaries for 2 weeks a month. That has sorted most of the bad side effects out, I think, although my skin is still a bit spotty, but nothing like as bad. It is early days with this new regime, though (3 weeks in), so we will see, I guess.

I will say I found using ChatGPT to discuss this was very useful in terms of plugging in what I was experiencing, and it made suggestions of what was causing the problems and what to adjust. I'm not suggesting that it directed what treatment I got, but it helped me understand that the side effects I had were known issues with the specific progesterone I was using, and it suggested alternatives. It meant I was able to have a much more informed discussion with my Dr when we reviewed.

Good luck, it is a bit of a process, but worth pursuing if it gets you relief in the end.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 24/03/2026 18:47

After a week or two.

AzureDog · 30/03/2026 08:17

Could I cut the patch in half

AzureDog · 30/03/2026 08:20

Sorry I took so long getting back phone playing up

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