HRT options

[Sewingsista]

I’ve been on Estrogel 2 pumps for 6 months but have decided the patches would better suit my lifestyle better (intimacy with my husband without the risk of transferring and lie ins at weekends). Has anyone swapped over and what are your thoughts? I wanted gel initially because I wanted to feel in control of the hormones I was putting in my body. I’m 51, went straight from depo provera to mini pill at 50. I also take progesterone at night.

I switched from gel to patches and get on great with them. I have estradot which are smaller and leave less glue on you but can be tricky to get at certain doses.
No real changes or side effects from the swap for me.

I didn’t absorb much on patches and tried several different ones before trying the gel. So for me the patches didn’t work as well as the gel.

Just out of curiosity, why would the gel decrease lie in’s on a weekend? I’m currently taking the same cyclic hrt and worried I’ve missed something! Can’t we just apply it after the lie in?

Hi @Sewingsista

Just wondering if you're aware that gel can be applied any time (ideally at roughly the same time each day but an hour or two either way is fine and won't make any difference.)

'Late' application is 12+ hours late. (See the leaflet in the box.)

There is no need to apply it at exactly the same time each day.

The risk of transfer is within an hour of application (and the same applies to showering or swimming etc as it takes an hour to be fully absorbed.)

So in theory you ought to be able to carry on using it, as long as you apply an hour before skin to skin contact, or any time afterwards.

A poster mentioned Estradot- my understanding is this is always in very short supply and posters here often can't get it.

I can’t get estradot but I use evorel patches. (I have never used gel). I find them easy to use.

I switched from the gel to patches and find the latter much more convenient to use. Really easy to apply twice weekly with no waiting for the gel to dry. I am prescribed Estradot but using Evorel at the moment due to the supply issue with Estradot. They are both fine. I hold my hand flat on the patch for 30 seconds after applying and this helps it stick fast!

I am switching from patches to gel due to shortages. I was on Estradot, had to swap to Everol due to Estradot never being in stock.. then Everol seems to be very low stock now and it was taking visits to 15+ pharmacies trying to get them. I could get Estraderm patches but they weren't very sticky and I was having breakthrough bleeding as they weren't transferring well. So I'm giving up...

I swapped from patches to gel
as I found patches really inconvenient, they didn’t stay on and they left residue

Surely the risk of transferring is almost non existent? The amount of oestrogen in the gel is tiny but how is he getting is off your (under) arm onto his anyway?

ignore my last post, I now realise you were speaking to OP!

Soz I meant to reply to the OP who is worried about transferring the gel. Someone had already reassured her that you don't have to apply at the exact same time so can have a lie in.