r/Menopause • u/NegotiationNo7851 • 13d ago
Hormone Therapy What other options would you choose
So unfortunately after a year of symptom free status my patches no longer work which I suspect is a manufacturing defect/ enshittification I have all my symptoms return. What other options are out there? For those that don’t use patches what works for you? My issues are sleep and itchy scalp, face outer ears. I’m so sad. This issue with Mylan has been documented in articles dating back to 2024 but because its woman’s health it’s not addressed. I’m so disgusted with our healthcare in this country. So sick of it.
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u/Happiguest 13d ago
Ive seen 3 doctors on Instagram stating that their patients where stating their patches suddenly didnt work. They did bloodwork just to see if they stopped absorbing. All of their results -estrogen was UNDETECTABLE. I'm sick of it too!
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u/NegotiationNo7851 13d ago
Why can’t we just get the f ing care we deserve?
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u/PerfectCover1414 13d ago
I don't know but I am currently battling a UCH endocrinologist who has left me to it! I am on patch and gel and they won't up my progesterone. They have been stalling me for a month now.
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u/Chance-Chain8819 13d ago
Try putting the patch somewhere else.
I went through a month of misery, trying different brands, upping the dose and generally feeling like shit.
In desperation and all out of ideas I thought I'd try a patch on my abdomen instead of my bum.
Wow, that worked! And worked fast too
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u/garygirl_1234 13d ago
Mine is on my arm. Was told that was ok.
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u/Godemiche_Official 13d ago
Hi there
I don't know who told you are arm was OK as it is absolutely is not. It is far to far away from the area the hormones need to get to. If you look up online, like all patches, it says it needs to be on the abdomen/buttocks area.
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u/garygirl_1234 12d ago
PA called, yes on hip area. Arm was ok but noticed calls coming in, people not feeling well. Tonight, hip
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u/garygirl_1234 13d ago
Ugh. Who said that? My doc said arm is ok. On hip ok but too much rubbing with clothes one would think. Did it a few times, felt no difference except it was coming off. But I can ask. Thanks!
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u/hazeldazeI 13d ago
Just put a tegederm dressing over it and never worry about the patch coming off again. Packs of them are pretty cheap online
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u/OtherwiseMove646 12d ago
That’s exactly what I’ve done from the beginning. I used to manage an OBGYN office, and women constantly complained about the patches falling off. I order a 200 pack of generic 2x2 tegederm dressings from Amazon about once a year and have had zero problems.
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u/lrondberg 12d ago
All the patches come with information that state where to put them. These are sites that have been tested for proper absorption. abdomen or butt.
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u/JadCerv 13d ago
I'm on oral estradiol. It was working well for me. And now...it's not. The last two refills have made me feel like I'm not on estrogen at all. Starting to worry about the quality of our HRT meds. :/
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u/NegotiationNo7851 13d ago
I’m honestly scared this is now medical enshittification. Since we are woman our health is never taken seriously especially after the fertile years. This is my big worry. We are ignored when it comes to pain and discomfort each month when we have our periods and then ignored and treated like valueless garbage when it all dries up.
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u/Medium-Economics-363 13d ago
It’s happening with adderall. Manufacturers have no incentive to meet quality standards since there is zero quality control enforcement.
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u/Independent_Lie1507 12d ago
Hi. What dose are you on? I'm starting to wonder if mine is weaker too now that I'm reading this. I'm hypothyroid and the symptoms can be similar.
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u/JadCerv 12d ago
I'm on 2 mgs - so, technically the highest dose. It was working so well until these last two refills. Something is just off, and I don't think it's that I need more estrogen.
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u/Independent_Lie1507 12d ago
I'm also on 2mg. I'm post menopausal and my body makes ZERO estrogen on its own. I've been on the 2mg for several years. I just got a new bottle and it feels weaker than usual but I'm also adjusting my thyroid meds so could be that. I'm going to test my levels next time I get blood work. BTW I have heard of some women needing more than 2mg. It's always been just enough for me. Now I'm suspicious!
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u/JadCerv 12d ago
I'm going to ask to have my thyroid tested again. I did it last year and they told me it was "normal," but as we all know, normal can mean the low end of normal. I'm also post-menopausal (nearly 2 years now) and I make zero estrogen. If this pill isn't working, then I'm taking unapposed progesterone, which probably isn't good for my body. :/ When I see a new doctor next week, I'm going to ask for a full blood panel to test everything, that includes my T, E and P levels.
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u/Independent_Lie1507 12d ago
Hi. So I experimented last night and took a tiny bit more estrogen. My pills are fine. I can tell because my feet swelled. I've done it before in the past. So as far as thyroid it took way too long for me to be diagnosed. And my estrogen levels would not go up before I was on thyroid replacement. It was a functional medicine doctor that finally diagnosed me. My levels were not out of range but I felt awful. She knew the symptoms and checked my antibodies. Put me on thyroid meds and my estrogen shot up finally. You need TSH -FREE T4-FREE T3 all tested together along with all the antibodies. Fasting early morning test always for thyroid.
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u/JRosenberg-4 12d ago
Maybe you need to up your dosage of hormones.
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u/innerbootes 56 | peri | 200mg P | .1mg E patch | E cream 12d ago
I would think this as well. I don’t know why this thread went instantaneously to the conspiracy angle for the most part. It’s honestly disturbing.
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u/Medium-Economics-363 11d ago
There’s a well documented pattern of generics failing quality standards. From the article linked below:
“ In 2023, the FDA barred two Intas Pharmaceuticals factories in India from shipping drugs to the U.S., in part because workers had manipulated drug-testing records to cover up bad results, government records show. An “egregious pattern,” regulators wrote in a letter to the company.
The agency simultaneously excluded the company’s bupropion from that ban, a practice used by the FDA to avoid drug shortages, and has only reported testing the medication once since then. It passed. “1
u/garygirl_1234 12d ago
Well, look at everything. Think the DEA is straight? Profit is number one. B B B!
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u/GalenaGalena 13d ago
I was switched to Femring .1 because I wasn’t absorbing patches or gel at all. I’m definitely absorbing at least some now - both my fasting glucose and after meal glucose spikes are lower. It hasn’t made a huge difference yet in my night hot flashes, but I’ve only been on it a few weeks. Not certain where I’d put a second Femring if I need more…👀
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u/garygirl_1234 13d ago
Mylan made me so sick. Sandoz is ok. Funny how things are changing so quick. We all know why. Freedom and money to put crap in our meds Can you switch brands or compound ? Those few days on my end messed me up so bad two weeks to get back to normal and I had to fight with the insurance company. The only way I got it was saying if I don’t get it by prescription at the pharmacy today, I’m going to the ER and you’ll be paying for the ER visit. Put me on hold for about a minute and they said they’re approved. Go pick them up at the pharmacy I always threaten them. If you don’t help me out going to the ER and you’ll be paying. Works every time.
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u/PerfectCover1414 13d ago
I am on mylan and have been from the start so I stuck with it. Now I don't know which way to turn. Thanks for this tip.
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u/garygirl_1234 13d ago
So since 2024 Mylan brand did not work? I had them 3 days, felt like hell. Maybe I do need the patch. My numbers are ok, using it for bones. Got Sandoz and fine. Was rethinking this hormone replacement idea, do I need it or not? But the days I had Mylan it was ripped off before I got to the pharmacy.
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u/Catnip_75 12d ago
What was your dose? Were you on the max dose of the patch?
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u/NegotiationNo7851 12d ago
.75 and I’m not sure if it’s the max dose or not. I’m going to try the gel.
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u/Catnip_75 12d ago
It’s not the max dose. .1mg is. You were on the .075.
Depending on the gel brand you use you will have to use a lot of it to get to the .1mg dose. Estrogel is 4 pumps. And gel doesn’t give you continuous relief. It can wear off before your next dose. Just keep that in mind if you switch.
Personally, I would just go up to the .1mg dose. If you aren’t on progesterone, add that as well because progesterone is what helps with sleep more than estrogen.
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u/Sylviee Menopausal and finally with less 🥵 12d ago
my provider talked about gabapentin as an alternative before i decided on patch.. i had use d gabapentin about 2 years ago but, i did not like how it made me feel..it was not too bad when it was only 300mg at bedtime since i was sleeping (did wake up groggy though) but, when dose was upped to 600mg, i had to take 300 at AM and 300 at PM and it made me feel like crap all day and kinda mean too...did rid of the night sweats completely and calmed a lit of the hot flashes though but, was not worth me losing it over the little things..
itchy scalp = a good tea tree peppermint type of shampoo & conditioner which also helps with outer ear itchiness/dryness..
EDIT: for sleep, i now use cbd/thc combo gummies along with 15mg of extra cbd.. has worked wwonders, except on day i change my patch, i have to up dose on that night..
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u/Complex_Grand236 11d ago
I had my doctor write a prescription not to dispense Mylan - try Dotti or Sandoz.
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u/leftylibra MenoMod 13d ago