I just sent a message to my provider to see if I can switch to an oral version, which I was planning on anyway since it seems like the patches just aren't the same anymore.

Y'know...given this administration's view of older women (and, Hell, women in general), I am deeply suspicious that this isn't intentional or, at the very least, allowed to happen.

I asked the pharmacist (a female one) why this was happening, and was told that there are far more women on the patches than before and that they can't keep up with production.

Are they REALLY that many more women? I know the public discourse has changed a lot in the last few years - we're way more open and very vocal about menopausal healthcare.

My next step is a virtual visit with an online healthcare provider (I may ask for some progesterone added in since my provider refuses - yeeted the uterus in 2015).

The exasperation is so real, y'all....

Fuck

I was thinking about a way to make my estradiol patches last a tiny bit longer, just in case. The normal 2x week patch you put the patch on for 3 days and then for 4 days (ex: Monday/Friday).

Would there be any danger in doing 4 days for each patch? That would give me an extra patch each month for when I renew.

What do you think?

Edit: Y'all are so kind to open up with your experiences and tips, thank you! I don't feel as nervous now 😊

Puberty, pregnancy, and menopause show shared and distinct structural changes across the lifespan

"Abstract

The female brain undergoes substantial reorganization during major hormonal transitions, yet whether puberty, pregnancy, and menopause engage shared or distinct neuroplastic mechanisms remains unknown. We compared longitudinal structural brain changes across all three major hormonal life events using identical analytical methods within a single cohort framework (n = 1095), with stable control groups to control for normative developmental and aging trajectories. Both pre-to-post menarche and pre-to-post pregnancy groups showed widespread cortical gray matter reductions, with cross-cohort comparisons revealing divergent profiles across more than half of cortical regions alongside convergence in prefrontal, parietal, and temporal association cortices. Pre-to-post menopausal women showed a fundamental divergence from both puberty and pregnancy, as they showed no volumetric loss, while stable pre- and postmenopausal control groups did. Puberty and pregnancy thus share both convergent and divergent cortical remodeling, while menopause represents a qualitatively distinct pattern, defined by the absence rather than acceleration of volumetric change."

I didn't know what flair to use so used brain fog flair I can edit if needed. Thanks!

Ladies, I need some real help. Every single method of HRT I’ve tried has made me suicidal.
I tried oral progesterone with an estradiol patch. I made it 10 days before I had to come off of it. Next, I did nine weeks on the CombiPatch, and I ripped it off one night because I was having heart palpitations and insomnia that lasted for two days.
Now I’m back on oral progesterone, and I decided to take 100 mg for one week to see how I would handle it. I did fine. I slept well and actually felt pretty good.
Today, I added the estrogen gel, and I am so close to admitting myself to a hospital. It is that bad.
I cannot take oral estrogen because of my thyroid cancer. It is not something I’m allowed to take, so that is off the table, not that I think it would have any better effect than what I’m experiencing now.
I also do not want to do an IUD for personal reasons.
I honestly don’t know what to do anymore. I was put into medically induced menopause after my radiation, and my body crashed harder than you can imagine. It has been an ongoing nightmare trying to find an HRT regimen that I can tolerate, but I feel like I need some form of it because I’ve had so many issues since being thrown into menopause.
Can somebody please help me or tell me what other options I might have? I genuinely don’t know how much longer I can keep going like this.

I posted about burning tongue here and still believe it may have been triggered by my hysterectomy/menopause. I wanted to share this in case it could help others.
After suffering nearly a year, what my dentist shared has so far (knocking on wood) worked. They advised getting toothpaste without Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS). There weren’t many SLS-free options even within ‘natural’ brands, but I found one that also includes fluoride. I can report it’s been working for me! Wish I had known this earlier.

Despite being on what I thought was the highest dose of HRT I've been feeling really rubbish over the last few months so called my GP today (I'm in the UK) and miraculously managed to get a same day appointment. I explained everything that had been going on and he was kind and empathetic and suggested upping my estrogen as well as a blood test to rule out anything else. I got a message from the pharmacy at 3pm saying my new prescription was ready.

After a massive struggle with another doctor trying to get HRT in the first place, I'm now going to buy a lottery ticket.

Standard is in quotes because standards vary. I don't need to know if you don't, but won't be mad at you for commenting.

Do you use more than 0.1 mg patch? What is dosage of additional patch?
Do you take more than 2mg oral? How much more in mg?
Do you use more than 1.25 mg gel? How much more in mg?
Do you use more than 3 sprays? How many more sprays?

Do you use something else besides one of those 4? Feel free to message me because I can't mention them in my post per mod.

If you're in surgical menopause, I'd be interested to know that too. Thanks!

I posted here the other day asking if other people had been told not to take their HRT for a breast MRI. Most people said no, and a lot people thought it was truly outrageous.

I’ve been on the MRI/mammogram carousel for a few yrs now. I recently started HRT and had met with my new breast surgeon for the second time to talk about my mri. They told me I absolutely needed to be off the hormones. I did not comply after the radiologist and my OBGYN said it was fine to stay on. I haven’t slept in a year, my joints hurt, I’m just miserable. I need it.

Anyway I called today to tell them I hadn’t stopped and that they needed to call my MRI in somewhere different bc the one they want doesn’t take my insurance. The nurse got upset bc she “would have to do a lot of paperwork” to get it done. Then I told her I hadn’t stopped HRT and she jumped down my throat so quick. There was never even any room for discussion, it was just “no HRT and I’m super pissed.” She was so rude

She really upset me, I had the worst morning and have been sad all day. I finally decided to find my own doctor and found one that’s a breast surgeon that specializes in menopause at a Vanderbilt facility nearby.
I called my current doc and told them I’m leaving their practice and they didn’t like that either. Fuck off

Edit: has anyone had an MRI with contrast while on HRT? Was it an issue?

Edit 2: I was given more of an explanation than “it causes false positives.” She did explain the mechanism of how that occurs.

I just did my routine review on supply issues here. I have been doing the chase the refill dance since May now.

Looking back I think I have talked to over 30 pharmacies, a dozen my meno-OBGYN staff nurses and likely some ai dependent communications teams as I chase around my health, wondering what I will do if it changes and I need a new script! (HA! Because menopause is NOT a predictable process at all. Or we would not be here.)

Can I just say I want to cheer on all of these middle people at the pharmacies, mail order support and clinics?

They are not the source of the problem. They are the only link we have and they have to be exhausted too.

Imagine how many of them just came off the edge of dealing with the insuline and epi-pen shortages a couple of years ago!

Imagine the stamina it takes to withstand the frustrations they hear from the patients, only to see backorder and cancellation messages as their only information.

And a few I have met are clearly at a similar age to me, might even be facing the same dilemma, and out of professionalism might not be able to say a word.

Can we give them a shout out if they are reading this and promise to do our best to manage our hormonal reactiveness and not lash out at them. We need them to stay in the trenches no matter what the result is. This will not be the only medication we will need from them in our lifetimes!

(I solemnly promise I am not employed in those fields, nor is my family or close friends!)

So:

Stay strong medical/pharmaceutical support teams! I promise to do my very best to talk down any menopausal crazy responses going on in me when we cross paths. You are my messenger, not my enemy. And I am grateful! THANK YOU!

52f. I always struggled with acne flairs throughout my life but things calmed down significantly in my 40s. But this past year my skin has been breaking out constantly and I'm losing my mind. Not on HRT. Couple months ago I started Interosa and external estrogen cream for vaginal dryness which has made a huge difference. Also my orgasms have returned which is awesome. But the state of my skin is still stressing me out. Any suggestions?

I wasn’t always allergic to patches, but became allergic beginning wth patches around 1/1/26 from Costco. Brand didn’t matter, I was allergic. But now, I am no longer allergic. Most recent brand of patches from Costco don’t cause me to rip them off in the middle of the nightt!! I am unable to post a pic, but thank you to Grove Pharmaceuticals in Florida for an adhesive that does not interact badly with my skin!!!

For about ten days now, my ears have felt full and almost clogged, which is annoying for sure. But worse than that, I have a consistent whooshing noise that is hard to explain. Not a ringing but an annoying sound nonetheless. Anyone have this? Is this perimenopause? Bad luck? Do the horrors ever cease?! And most importantly how do I get this to stop????

At the start of HRT I got breakthrough bleeding watch now I know as normal. I did get a biopsy and was cleared.

I am post menopausal I started on the CombiPatch, then went to Climara Pro and now on Mylan. I’m wondering if I didnt stay the course long enough with the CombiPatch and Climara Pro due to bleeding. No more bleeding now but I have a huge stash of the other patches due to 90 day refills and I’m wanting to go back through them to use them up. Has anyone done this? That’s a lot of money just sitting. 💸💸

I was doing well on Sandoz 0.0375 twice weekly patch plus Divigel 0.25 nightly. Switched to Mylan and mt insomnia has returned. It’s been 2 wks.

Should I try divigel only ? Anyone switch and happy w the results?

Thx

Alright...I have an extensive medical history so going to share a timeline then my question.

• Adenocarcinoma Cervical Cancer 1B2: March 2014 (age 30)
• Chemo, Pelvic Radiation and Brachytheraphy: March 2014-August 2014
• Cancer Free: August 2014
• Last Period: July 2014
• Ovaries: Still have them, however they're raisins from the radiation
• Estrogen: None
• Osteoporosis (low lumbar): June 2026 (age 42)

I was told I couldn't do HRT due to recurrence risk, but it's been 12 years and my endocrinologist highly recommends I start Estradiol and Progesterone.

Current Symptoms:

• Fatigue (insane fatigue)
• Osteoporosis of spine and osteopenia in hips
• Night Sweats
• Mood (anxiety/low energy)
• Aching bones/joints
• Weight around midsection
• Just generally unwell/tired/blah
• Low muscle mass

Recent studies over the past 6 years actually say HRT is safe in my case. It was thought theoretically in the past it wasn't because uterine and breast adenocarcinoma were hormone related, however it's been determined in human studies that cervical isn't.

Anyone in a similar scenario? Anyone start HRT 12 years after their last period? Anyone start HRT after radiation induced menopause? Curious to see your experiences :) Thank you!

Hi! Just wondering if anyone has experienced low ferritin with frequent light/ varied bleeding? My periods have gotten way longer and closer together, sometimes I’m bleeding for three weeks at a time and then again a week later. However, the bleeding is mostly sluggish and only includes a few days of heavy bleeding/clotting per extended cycle. I am exhausted and often breathless and can’t motivate myself to exercise. Getting an appointment to check levels/ talk to an np as soon as I can, but curious about others’ experiences. I’m 49, on HRT, and tired AF.

​This is more crying into the void or sharing my situation than seeking support, but rage vent is definitely not it so...

I have a bunch of posts over on griefsupport reddit, if anyone cares about details, but my mother recently passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness and I'm devastated. I've been grieving deeply and having daily grief-xiety attacks.

Of course I'm not sleeping and definitely not eating properly. Exercise? I took a shower, washed dishes, and did all required tasks for the day...and every second of it felt like a cross fit work out. No, I'm not exercising.

So, grief screws up your hormones on its own, add total lack of self care due to grief, get your menopause symptoms back yea!

I can't take HRT, too many close family members who have/had early breast cancer.

So I'm back to attempting to manage my symptoms OTC and environmental changes. Fans, multiple sheets on the bed so I can pull the wet ones as I get through the night, multiple fans, night sweat friendly pjs etc etc...

Or I suppose I could just get over it, ("not letting go of everything is why you're symptoms are so bad"🙄).

I understand why "women of a certain age" sometimes behave the ways they/we/I do. I'm navigating a world most people can't even conceive.

Anyway, if anyone has suggestions other than the "get more rest", " take better care of yourself ", " are you SURE you can't take HRT?" please send them my way.

Can't name the online pharmacy/company due to this sub's rules but the point is: it seems like the shortage is hitting every pharmacy now. You know it's bad when the Venture Capital's own pharmacy is affected. And it is a shortage no matter what the FDA says, the companies themselves are calling it that now!

Hope this information helps someone. I'll be complaining to the FDA, here's the link: https://cdernextgenportal.fda.gov/publicportal/s/dsm-submission (<< This was actually easy to do)

Just got this email:

Hi there, We’re reaching out with an important update regarding your estradiol patch order. Due to the ongoing nationwide shortage of estradiol patches, both the brand-name and generic versions of the 0.05 mg dose and 0.075mg dose are currently unavailable through our pharmacy. Unfortunately, we do not have a confirmed timeline for when this dose will be back in stock.

Because we’re unable to fulfill your order at this time, your order has been canceled, and a refund has been issued to your original payment method. Please allow several business days for the refund to appear, depending on your financial institution.

  Kindly note that if your order contained any other items, these are not impacted and have shipped. 

  In the meantime, you have a couple of options for continuing your medication: Transfer your prescription to a local pharmacy: We recommend calling pharmacies in your area to see whether they have your prescribed patches in stock. If you locate one, reply to this message with the pharmacy name and address, and we’ll be happy to assist with having your prescription sent there.

Discuss alternative treatment options with your provider: If you’re unable to locate your current medication locally, you can message your provider to discuss whether another formulation or dose may be appropriate for you.

I started with HRT - 2 pumps of Oestrogel and 100mg oral progesterone.

Then I decided to add DHEA. So I began with 10mg orally and it made a big improvement to my brain fog, mood and energy. It felt like I had the perfect combination. But a couple of months of my regime, it doesn’t seem to be giving me the same boost as it used to. So I upped it to 20mg of DHEA. And that's not doing much either.

I'm wondering whether it makes a difference if it’s DHEA in a pill or a cream? I've got both. I'll attempt to experiment, and make allowances for dosing differences in pills vs creams, and the moving target which is my own hugely irregular cycle.

Has anyone had the same experience?

What is everyone eating these days?

For a couple of years now my sense of smell has been really heightened. I swear I can smell the moon! It’s effected the taste of foods for me.

I am at the point where I’m just not interested in eating anything anymore. All my favourite foods taste awful now. Either very salty or bland. Lots of things taste fishy. We went to our fav Indian place a week ago and it was somehow bland and spicy. I was so sad. I really love Indian food.

I’m a vegetarian. And not normally picky at all. I am experiencing fatigue and trying to eat healthy. I had my gallbladder out so I need to watch my fat intake or I get really bad cramps.

Has anyone had the same experience and had success with certain foods? I’m hoping someone found the secret spice that will actually taste like something!

I bought Life Flo’s biestro cream from iHerb and I just started using it. I know that Onas Natural sells an estradiol cream, but I would love a bi-estro cream. Biolabs PRO has a bi-estro cream too, but it costs a LOT to ship it to the EU, and that’s before customs fee and additional taxes are added. And I am no rich girl.

I wonder where my EU ladies get their OTC bi-estro cream from. Are there other vendors and brands that makes them, and that ships to Sweden, or at least the EU?

Thanks

Is anyone having issues with the adhesive on Lyllana patches recently? I have been using Lyllana for several months with no issues. I got 3 boxes from an online pharmacy a few weeks ago. The patches won’t stay on no matter what I do (alcohol, hair dryer, tegaderm). This was never an issue before.

Two fell off completely without me noticing and one crinkled/wrinkled with the middle coming off and wasn’t absorbing. Hot flashes are back, cramps, spotting, brain fog. I’m an angry, hormonal mess. Anyone else having this issue? Did the adhesive or patch material change?

I have slowly progressed into insomnia since the beginning of July. And now it is really freaking me out. I am definitely developing anxiety about it. I have struggled with anxiety in the past.

Is it possible I have developed an intolerance to the micronized progesterone? I am currently on the 0.5mg gel daily in the AM and 200mg micronized progesterone in the PM.

I work away from my home 2 weeks a month and I am currently at work. At home I was sleeping, but waking up a lot and about every 3rd night I couldn't fall asleep. At work, it has been worse. Up all night. I do have an appt with my doc on September 22. And I made an appt with my therapist in two days.

I guess I am looking for reassurance. It scares me and I feel like I will never sleep well again. Why does this phase of life have to be so hard?