Your honest opinion (updated)

I know that many of you know what I have been going through. I could really use some advice.
I went to a new gyn dr because of having hot flashes/cold and mood swings. I had been messed up with my estrogen since April when drs took me off, lowered the dose, tried biest and ended up putting me back on the vivelle dot .05.
This new dr has me still on vivelle dot .05 , plus he ordered progesterone cream (which made me very irritable with temper outbursts).
I quit the progesterone and the bad irritability is gone, but I'm back to not feeling well like I did before.
I'm having hot/cold spells, feeling moody and not sleeping well.
In fact, it's 5am and I woke up hot and sweaty, then feel cold.

I went to check my patch to see if it is still intact, and it's all curled up. (I changed it on Fri and it's Sunday!)
I took it off and put another one on.

I am trying so hard to get this resolved, but don't know what to do.
I need your advice.

First of all, because I have mood problems, I often wonder if my hot or cold flashes are from anxiety. But, does it sound more like an estrogen problem to you? I don't think anxiety would wake me up like that.

Also, I had an appt to see the gyn dr on the 26th of this month to see how I'm doing on the progesterone. Well, when I stopped it, I asked if I should come in sooner to talk about my estrogen. The nurse told me I could just still keep the 26th appt for a medicine check.
I know nothing works fast, but if I'm still having problems n the vivelle dot, should I have to suffer until the 26th?
See, I feel like I'm back at square one again!

I am so tired of not getting better and I feel like the vivelle dot is not helping.

I have kept a log of my symptoms and they show that this is ongoing.

So, if you were me would you call the dr back and get in sooner?

Hi!

It sounds to me like you should give the patch more time to work--making sure it's properly stuck on because that's the only way it can deliver the proper dose. If the patch isn't sticking well, you can try covering it with Tegaderm which you should be able to find in the bandage section of any store.

Continue your symptom log and share it with your doctor at your next appointment. Don't make any more changes between now and your appointment because any change in hormones, whether adding or subtracting or changing the dose, can result in fluctuating levels. You need to stay with something long enough for optimal levels to be reached. My doctor wanted me to stay on the prescribed hormones for 3 months before considering any changes. Yes, it's frustrating and takes time, but in the long run, slow and steady wins the race to finding hormone balance. That was my experience.

Thanks, sounds like good advice!

i agree with April Dawn.

I always clean the area with alcohol before I put on a patch. That might help it stick.

I am working with my gynecologist and am still keeping a log of my symptoms which I showed him the other day.

He changed me back from vivelle dot .05 to biest .25 twice a day. Because I am having severe hot flashes and cold which wake me up from my sleep, he increased the biest to
.3 twice a day. I am waiting for it to get filled.

I am suffering with the hot/cold very much, and vaginal irritation and I pray it gets better soon.

Does it take a long time to get better?

Hello!

Any changes made to hormone therapy can trigger symptoms, so it's best to give it time so that you know if the new dosing is going to be right or not. As already mentioned, when I was using compounded hormones, my doctor and compounding pharmacist wanted me to give each change three months before considering changes. That doesn't mean it took three months to reach optimal levels, though. I really think how soon we notice a difference is an individual, unpredictable thing. Continue with the symptom journal and hang in there! Hopefully you will start feeling better soon.

I agree with April Dawn. It took me at least three to four weeks before I would have an idea if my medicine was working. It could be frustrating because you just want to take something and have it work immediately. Unfortunately, it does not seem to work that way. Keep up with your diary and try to hang in there. It will improve.

jazzy, you might have to use a vaginal estrogen to get relief with that. Just remember there is that option.

Also, you might want to research and try 5htp while you're trying to get the hormones balanced. It helps some people tremendously with evening out moods, anxiety, sleep, hotflashes etc. If you choose to, don't use over 50 mg and take it late afternoon, not right at bedtime as some advise. I found a really good piece on serotonin defiency and exactly what you see if you have it and how it progresses if it gets worse...a light bulb moment for me.

And BTW, anxiety can wake you at night and give you all kinds of physical symptoms. My youngest daughter has it badly and it will wake her from a sound sleep, among other things. Don't know if that's do to dreams or something else.