Estrogen patch

[positive1000vibes]

Hi everyone. I am 47 and started HRT a week ago - I am on evorel 50 (still having periods so progesterone will start on 200mg in the middle of the cycle). I am pretty sure that the estrogen made my sleep more difficult (didn't sleep at all) and also made me more anxious. I am thinking of asking for a lower dose (25).

1. Has anyone experienced insomnia and anxiety when they first started estrogen and did it settle down after a few weeks? and

2.anyone who has experience going for a lower dose and worked for them?

I slept bril

Sorry accidental post.

I slept brilliantly from the start. Oestrogen is my favourite hormone 😁 it's progesterone that made me anxious and unhappy.

However just checking you know that your progesterone is taken on the same day each month, irrespective of your cycle.

So choose a date and then take it on the same date each month.

I’m not on estrogen yet, but have been taking progesterone for 10 days from day 15 of my cycle...so it depends..

thanks. I thought you take it on day 15 of your existing cycle (though obviously my cycle is unpredictable). So are you saying you just start day 15-25 lets say and you stick to that every month?

how did it make you feel? I have read mixed reviews. I have taken high doses while pregnant but that was ages ago. Dr said to take it vaginally because of a condition I have.

Yes exactly that.

You should never try and align it to a pre HRT cycle. This creates a cycle of it's own.

So I started HRT on the 6th January. I then added in progesterone on the 21st of January and every month after that.

Hi, yes, been like that for couple of years now as my periods started coming really close together. I’m fine on it, not sure if I can tell the difference. Take it in the evening and sleep well on those days. Apparently, a period is supposed to come on few days after you stop taking it. I have had maybe 3/4 cycles when it didn’t…

It's a bit too soon to make a call on this @positive1000vibes .

Presumably you started HRT for symptoms and maybe those symptoms are just ramping up a bit regardless of HRT? It's easy to link the two, but it could be a coincidence. The medical advice is give a type and dose 3 months.

However, I do think that some GPs start women on too high a dose .

When I started (gel) my consultant - exceptionally well qualified and an expert in HRT/hormones - advised quarter a pump of gel and build up gradually.
That's half a 25mgs patch. I worked up to 2 pumps over several weeks.

So, you can only experiment. I wonder if gel might be a better option for you anyway?