Oestrogel

[Cloggits71]

I’ve been on oestrogel for 10 days now and the lower stomach cramping has started has anybody else had this ? And my stomach is so bloated and uncomfortable. I’m on 2 pumps which I use in the morning .

It's your womb coming back to life most likely. It should settle down.

It's often better to start on 1 pump and increase gradually. The 'average' dose needed is 2 pumps but many women are happy enough on 1. It's trial and error.

Hi , thanks for that it has put my mind at rest, just dreading the progesterone when I start that on Sunday .

Can I ask where you’re applying it? I’m about to start and my doctor recommended inner thighs or upper arms.

I put mine on my bum and thighs - 2 pumps so it needs a reasonably big area to rub it into! I don’t think it matters too much as long as you keep it away from the breasts.

Where to put it - @AuntieSoap - all the instructions are on the leaflet in the box. It's definitely worth reading it, as it also mentions no contact with anyone else skin to skin, etc for an hour, when to shower or not, use of body lotions etc.

Inner thighs
Upper outer arms

I had terrible side effects on tablet Progesterone - felt drunk / very woozy and also really really sluggish in the mornings. The vaginal version, however, whcih I started last month gave me no side effects so just know that’s an option.

also remember to exfoliate the areas you apply the Oestrogel and don’t rub it too thin as the it will evaporate before it sinks in.

I was the same. It settled down within a couple of weeks.

Thanks, I haven’t picked it up yet. Doctor prescribed it just today!

@Cloggits71 can I ask why you’re dreading the progesterone? I’m wary of it too because when I had the mirena coil (ages ago), I didn’t get on with it at all and I’m fearing the same effects.

@AuntieSoap i have read a lot about the side effects it can cause like bloating and pain. I’m sensitive to medication so I know I will get side effects . I am a manager in a pharmacy so I hear a lot of women’s problems when using hrt .

@AuntieSoap i am applying it on the inner thighs in the morning, I put one pump on each thigh and then spread it on using the lid then leave it to dry before getting dressed

@Cloggits71 Try not to worry about side effects. You can get the 'reverse placebo effect' Many women are fine using it. Being anxious is going to make it worse.

Micronised progesterone is body-identical so although it's a prescribed drug it's exactly the same as our own progesterone.

I was first prescribed it around 12 years ago when very few women were. I'd read nothing about side effects but if I had, I'd have been worried too, so I understand where you're coming from.

If you get side effects there are ways of reducing those OR you can change to a different type of HRT.

The first month I took tablet progesterone I had the worst "PMS" I've ever experienced, but thankfully that does seem to have settled down.

Oh, spread using the lid. That's genius!

@Cloggits71 TBH I'm not sure that's best. The gel is supposed to be spread very thinly and lightly rubbed in. Years ago the leaflet used to say use it as a template for the area. That was about an A4 size. It's not possible to rub it in using the lid.

Oh, someone up thread said it shouldn't be rubbed too thin. I have been rubbing it in and thought maybe that's wrong.

It has to be rubbed in lightly but not as if you're scrubbing the worktops in the kitchen!

It's better to think of it being 'smoothed' rather than rubbed in hard.

I think 'rubbed' is misleading because it means going over and over the same area. Think of how you apply moisturiser on your face - you smooth it on but you don't keep rubbing! It should be a thin layer than dries within a few seconds.

I use half a pump on each area- 1 pump over 2 arms. I pump it into my palm then put my palms together so half is on each hand.

Has anybody lost weight with oestrogel and progesterone capsules or has people put on weight ?

Cloggits71 · Today 19:13

Has anybody lost weight with oestrogel and progesterone capsules or has people put on weight ?

Hi, lots of people answer this question saying they gained weight on HRT. There isn’t clinical evidence this happens.

I can tell you from my own experience I gained a lot of weight quickly in perimenopause - but most of this was before I started HRT. The weight gain was fast and mainly around my middle. I have no doubt that if I had started the HRT earlier I’d have blamed the HRT for the gain- as it was quite dramatic- but it is just meno itself that causes it. There are plenty of scientific articles explaining why - all so depressing 😆. Good luck with the HRT. It can be very helpful when you need it.

I’ve lost weight on estrogel and progesterone capsules.

was pretty fat before I started if that makes any difference

Of course it’s possible to run it it in using the lid? It’s no different to using your hands. Been doing it that way for 18 months and it all runs in fine. I use my inner thighs and just spread it over a large area. It’s better than using your hands as all of the gel gets absorbed into that area rather than some into your hands.

Also I agree with the other poster, I couldn’t take the progesterone orally. I use it vaginally, same dosage so 2 capsules. It works perfectly and absolutely no side effects. The only difference with the prescribed vaginal tablet is that it’s one rather than 2.

@mrsconradfisher it's your choice of course. whatever works best for you.
Our hands won't absorb gel because the instructions advise washing them straight after applying. It takes up to an hour for the gel to be fully absorbed once it's dry (and no skin to skin contact with someone else for that time.)