Vivelle Dot

I started vivelle dot yesterday and I'm also just 8 days post-op from a TAH. I'm also a little nervous about HRT. Any information is appreciated!

I've used Vivelle Dot for several years off and on. My only issue with it is that I have trouble sometimes with it staying stuck completely. If it isn't, I don't get the full dose of estradiol. I now clean the skin with alcohol prior to placement. I will sometimes even top it with Tegaderm. I'm a real slow learner! It took me several years to figure this out! Other than that, I find the Vivelle Dot patch to be a wonderful method of delivery. I've used oral estradiol for 17 years, then creams, gel, Femring and many different combinations. I'm a migraine sufferer and have found the patch to be the best in that department. You've probably read on other threads that the absorption is about 17-20% higher on the hip/butt than on the abdominal area. That's kind of helpful if your dose needs to be tweaked a small amount or if you're having trouble getting it to stay on your abdomen.

Do remember that estrogen stores in your body get used up after your ovaries are removed and it can take awhile for your body to adjust. I sometimes think it's a knee jerk reaction to think the method you're using is all wrong because you don't settle in immediately. The best piece of advice I'd give is to start a journal right away. Record your moods, hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, or any other symptom you feel is relevant. It can really help your Dr. to help you.

HRT isn't nearly as scary as being without estrogen after losing our ovaries. For me, it's a necessity to take the estrogen. My brain isn't foggy, I'm not crying and depressed, my skin is so much nicer, and I'm a whole lot nicer :-). I do prefer, at this point in my life, to try to use a transdermal form of estrogen that avoids the first pass through the liver.

I wish there'd been a place like this for support when I had my surgery. Use it! Everyone here makes the "bumps" in the road so much easier! Good luck ladies!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! My doctor also advised me to put the patch on my hip/thigh area rather than abdomen. So far, I haven't had any problems with insomnia, sweats, etc. But, I'm still very new in the game! Hoping for the best!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by E2Me2 I've used Vivelle Dot for several years off and on. My only issue with it is that I have trouble sometimes with it staying stuck completely. If it isn't, I don't get the full dose of estradiol. I now clean the skin with alcohol prior to placement. I will sometimes even top it with Tegaderm. I'm a real slow learner! It took me several years to figure this out! Other than that, I find the Vivelle Dot patch to be a wonderful method of delivery. I've used oral estradiol for 17 years, then creams, gel, Femring and many different combinations. I'm a migraine sufferer and have found the patch to be the best in that department. You've probably read on other threads that the absorption is about 17-20% higher on the hip/butt than on the abdominal area. That's kind of helpful if your dose needs to be tweaked a small amount or if you're having trouble getting it to stay on your abdomen. Do remember that estrogen stores in your body get used up after your ovaries are removed and it can take awhile for your body to adjust. I sometimes think it's a knee jerk reaction to think the method you're using is all wrong because you don't settle in immediately. The best piece of advice I'd give is to start a journal right away. Record your moods, hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, or any other symptom you feel is relevant. It can really help your Dr. to help you. HRT isn't nearly as scary as being without estrogen after losing our ovaries. For me, it's a necessity to take the estrogen. My brain isn't foggy, I'm not crying and depressed, my skin is so much nicer, and I'm a whole lot nicer :-). I do prefer, at this point in my life, to try to use a transdermal form of estrogen that avoids the first pass through the liver. I wish there'd been a place like this for support when I had my surgery. Use it! Everyone here makes the "bumps" in the road so much easier! Good luck ladies!

Hello. Just saw your post as I'm new to the forum.
May I please ask, are you still on the Vivalle dot?
And, you did mention you were on oral estrogen for 17 years. Did you just opt to switch for the effects on the liver?
And, what dose are you on with the Dot? I've been on about .7 Premarin ( I cut a bit off) for to many years and am greatly concerned about the liver becoming toxic and an researching on transdermal delivery methods. Thanks a bunch.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by E2Me2 I've used Vivelle Dot for several years off and on. My only issue with it is that I have trouble sometimes with it staying stuck completely. If it isn't, I don't get the full dose of estradiol. I now clean the skin with alcohol prior to placement. I will sometimes even top it with Tegaderm. I'm a real slow learner! It took me several years to figure this out! Other than that, I find the Vivelle Dot patch to be a wonderful method of delivery. I've used oral estradiol for 17 years, then creams, gel, Femring and many different combinations. I'm a migraine sufferer and have found the patch to be the best in that department. You've probably read on other threads that the absorption is about 17-20% higher on the hip/butt than on the abdominal area. That's kind of helpful if your dose needs to be tweaked a small amount or if you're having trouble getting it to stay on your abdomen. Do remember that estrogen stores in your body get used up after your ovaries are removed and it can take awhile for your body to adjust. I sometimes think it's a knee jerk reaction to think the method you're using is all wrong because you don't settle in immediately. The best piece of advice I'd give is to start a journal right away. Record your moods, hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, or any other symptom you feel is relevant. It can really help your Dr. to help you. HRT isn't nearly as scary as being without estrogen after losing our ovaries. For me, it's a necessity to take the estrogen. My brain isn't foggy, I'm not crying and depressed, my skin is so much nicer, and I'm a whole lot nicer :-). I do prefer, at this point in my life, to try to use a transdermal form of estrogen that avoids the first pass through the liver. I wish there'd been a place like this for support when I had my surgery. Use it! Everyone here makes the "bumps" in the road so much easier! Good luck ladies!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetlilac Hello. Just saw your post as I'm new to the forum. May I please ask, are you still on the Vivalle dot? And, you did mention you were on oral estrogen for 17 years. Did you just opt to switch for the effects on the liver? And, what dose are you on with the Dot? I've been on about .7 Premarin ( I cut a bit off) for to many years and am greatly concerned about the liver becoming toxic and an researching on transdermal delivery methods. Thanks a bunch.

I'm still on Vivelle Dot. I started having increasing health problems, which included hypothyroidism, and I started doing more reading. I did become concerned about my liver. About a year ago I contracted the cytomegalovirus and of all of the strange places for it to go, it settled in my liver. Apparently it's not real common. That's added to my concern of using the oral method for so many years. I was using .075 and have recently cut it to .050, but I'm not sure that it's high enough. My own opinion is that if there's a transdermal method that works, it's a better option.

I have been using the vivelle patch since my hyst. 17 months ago. At first I was not comfortable using it. I was worried about getting breast cancer. After some months on the patch I did stop it for a couple of months. Well I had hotflashes SO bad. They were one after the other nonstop.
I also had really bad joint pain. I went back on my patches and the hotflashes went away and the joint pain is almost non-existent. I have done a lot of research and for me I have come to the conclusion that the health problems from no estrogen are just not worth it. My Dr. was of course not happy with me for stopping the patches, but she understood why I did it. So for me I will continue with the patches. The only thing I do not like about them is the cost. I have to pay almost $65 a month for them. As far as where I place my patches...I put them on my upper buttocks. This is where my GYN told me to put them after my surgery and so I just have continued with what he told me.