warm flashes & the climara patch

Hi all,

on week three of being on the mend. Menopausal symptoms that I think I'm having:

warm tingling uncomfortableness. I've always been a warm person, tending towards tank tops anyway, but now, especially with the binder or support garments, I'm over clothed anyway! but the tingling is obnoxious!

Itching. Oh so very itchy! I've also been plagued w/various itchiness issues, but now, oh my! I've been sleeping w/a ice pack wrapped in a sandwich bag & tshirt cloth to try to prevent myself from scratching!

And I think I'm starting on the hair loss bandwagon as well. I have really long hair, so it always looked like a lot of hair in the drain before, but now, it feels like I've doubled my shedding output. I'm gonna hold off for a little bit, but I'll probably be calling my doc soon.

I'm having some issues with the climara patch staying on, but only this week. the first 2 weeks were on my upper arm--the one placed by my doc was perfect (of course, right?), the 2nd one, still is a little rashy.
The 3rd one on my butt, rolled off me in my sleep that very night. Next one currently on the front of my thigh did well for 3 days, half of it wants off & I'm currently arguing w/it.

From what I've read here and in the package insert, the patches are only supposed to go on the belly or backside areas, and I've read here that you should pick back or front and stick to that because absorption is different. Maybe different placements will give you different results. I haven't had the sticking problem, I know you have to avoid lotion or powder under it, maybe wipe with alcohol and dry it before you place it, and hold pressure with your hand for at least 10 second. Maybe that would help. I don't know about the itching. Hopefully if the patch stays om the warm flashes will improve. Hope you feel better soon.

I was on climara for a few weeks. I hated how it didnt stick, now I am on vivelle dot. but you can try to shower and blow dry the area of skin where you will place the patch.. let it get warm/hot. then immediately place the patch. the heat helps it stick better for me, works for both climara and vivelle.

greyown--funny you should say so, my doc placed the 1st one on my arm...I only tonight surfing the site noticed that others have also mentioned that the patch seems to absorb differently on different body parts....hmmmm.

And I went out and got the tegaderm patches (approx $1.10 p/patch, yikes!) and used the hair dryer on my alcohol-ed skin before & after placement of the patch. So far, so good....