dr prescribed vivelle dot...anyone else?

My dr prescribed the patch and told me to start today. I didn't. I hate to start something before I need it. He told me he would prescribe it because he didn't want me miserable until my post op appt in 2 weeks. Am I crazy to not start them? I just wanted to see how my body did on it's own.

That's what my dr prescriped. I was sent home with a patch on and then switched over to the vivelle dot a few days later. I'm not having any issues on it and really don't want to risk it. I was afraid that once the hot flashes and stuff started that it would be harder to get under control. I don't blame you though for waiting to see if you needed it. My dr just thought it best because of my age...I'm 36.

My doctor gave me the patch and I've been using it for two weeks now. I'm 57 and had a LAVH on June 1. I had been having vaginal atropy and dryness, which made sex painful prior to my surgery. I want to be ready for action after my six week checkup and do NOT want to be dry. I'm hoping to be okay at that point, but do not expect to continue to use it. I have already gone through menopause, but still have hot flashes, but they are manageable without estrogen. I'll switch to something like Vagifem after my next visit.

My doctor gave me the patch the day after surgery and I have been wearing one ever since (I am just over 5 weeks post op.) I change the patch twice a week. After having nightsweats in the first couple of weeks, I switched the location of the patch to my lower back for higher absorption. That made enough of a difference, I think. At my age (46), I probably won't need the Vivelle dot for very long. I have already had years of hot flashes and don't need any more of those! I have heard that it takes your body about nine weeks to deplete its own estrogen. The dosage of Vivelle may have to be adjusted for me in July/August. Many women get bad headaches without HRT but some do fine without any medication. When you are recovering it is sometimes hard to figure out whether problems should be blamed on surgery or hormones. I've felt fine, except for backaches (which may be due to overdoing it).

My doctor put me on the Vivelle dot about 2 weeks after my surgery, that was in February. Everything has gone well with it. No complaints at all. I am hoping I won't have to use them to long though.
I saw in an earlier post in this thread about putting in on your lower back for higher absorption. I had not heard that but think I'll give it a try just for a change in placement.

If you want to see how you do first that's reasonable. You might change your mind later, or not. Then you'll know its really worth the time and expense to use it. But its nice your Dr doesn't want you to suffer.

my doctor put a patch on me at some point during the day of my surgery....then prescribed the Vivelle dot....changed out the patch from surgery to the vivelle dot on sunday and will change them sundays and wednesdays from now on.....i am pleased that I have had no menopause symptoms so far, well that I know of....no hot flashes and my emotions have been pretty stable.....

everyone is different, i dont blame you for wanting to wait, but I personally did not want to take a chance on being thrown into menopause....

i was put on vivelle dot in the hospital, but wanted to see what i'd be like without it, so quit for 4 days... once my anxiety and hot flashes were more than i could stand, i went back on it and won't go off again... my symptoms are more than vivelle can handle, so i'm also on the estrace pill once a day in addition to the vivelle.

Hi Lisa,

I think like you, I haven't had any menopause symptoms yet, my doctor also said if you do not have symptoms and want to wait that is ok with me.

I am 45 and had some night sweats on and off for a few years now. I was able to stop those night sweats by eating soy products every day, soy meat, soy Ice cream, yogurt, I also eat yams almost daily and take flaxseeds everyday with my oatmeal. If you research, the foods mentioned are high in estrogen and they have really worked for me.

As long as I can stand it, I will go without HRT. It might be a coincidence, but the few woman that I personally know who had a hysterectomy and were placed on HRT developed breast cancer a few years later (none of them had relatives with the disease or high risk at all). Not to scare anyone, anyways 1 of 7 woman will develop the disease as my doctor stated, but the least I have to deal with HRT, the better, that way, if I ever get it I won't be telling myself, if I woulldn't have done HRT, I wouldn't have gotten this.

Don't mean to be pessimistic or create concern, but you have to read and inform yourself and then make the decision based on your history, symptoms, etc...

Good luck to you!!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Shih-Tzu Lover Hi Lisa, I think like you, I haven't had any menopause symptoms yet, my doctor also said if you do not have symptoms and want to wait that is ok with me. I am 45 and had some night sweats on and off for a few years now. I was able to stop those night sweats by eating soy products every day, soy meat, soy Ice cream, yogurt, I also eat yams almost daily and take flaxseeds everyday with my oatmeal. If you research, the foods mentioned are high in estrogen and they have really worked for me. As long as I can stand it, I will go without HRT. It might be a coincidence, but the few woman that I personally know who had a hysterectomy and were placed on HRT developed breast cancer a few years later (none of them had relatives with the disease or high risk at all). Not to scare anyone, anyways 1 of 7 woman will develop the disease as my doctor stated, but the least I have to deal with HRT, the better, that way, if I ever get it I won't be telling myself, if I woulldn't have done HRT, I wouldn't have gotten this. Don't mean to be pessimistic or create concern, but you have to read and inform yourself and then make the decision based on your history, symptoms, etc... Good luck to you!!!

I thank you for your post and statistic. I am 32 and doing hrt. Very low dose just to make the side effects of menopause more tolerable. I am extremely high risk for breast cancer. 5 out of 6 Aunts have all had breast cancer. I have recently (within the last 2 months) developed cysts in my breasts. With or without hrt, I have the precurser. Already one battle with cancer I have won. Not to try to temp fate, but I know that my likelihood is already pointing towards breast cancer and want to be comfortable as much as possible. I will continue to use my low dosage of hrt.