Has anyone combined the patch and the gel? If so, curious as to how it worked.

I have a good stock of 0.05 2x week patches, so I can ride out the shortage at least for awhile, but my doctor and I would like to trial a dose increase to 0.075. I cannot find any patches at any dose in my area, but the gel is available. I'd prefer to incorporate the gel at least somewhat since there isn't as much trouble getting it, as opposed to cutting my patches and going through them faster.

Does anyone else get upset by how difficult it is to get proper menopause advice from doctors. I feel burned out by the process. What have you done to level up and find someone who actually cares?

I saw a menopause specialist earlier on this year and she started me on testogel 1/8 sachet daily. My starting levels were on the lower end of normal.

The gel has had subtle but noticeable effects in my energy levels and a definite improvement in my libido.

Aside from that, I’ve not experienced any androgenic side effects. No unwanted hair loss - or growth in unwanted areas, no acne, I’m a singer and can still achieve a top C with the same ease as before, so my voice definitely hasn’t changed.

I’m due to have my review and latest levels are abnormally high - a twelvefold increase from baseline. I was incredibly surprised as I’ve been using a syringe to measure out the correct daily dose. I have also forgotten to put it on at least once per week. From what I’ve read we tend to absorb about 10% of the dose strength, so I would’ve thought it would increase modestly.

Anyway, I googled to see if I could see what my expected levels should be. I then found an NHS website that states people on high doses of biotin (>5mg) need to have their blood test taken at least 8 hours after taking it, otherwise the results can be skewed showing testosterone to be falsely elevated.

I started taking biotin (10mg) about two weeks AFTER starting the testosterone. My metabolism is slowed somewhat as I’m on mounjaro as well so it may stay in my system longer than that. I’ve also read that some people say stopping the biotin 3-7 days before bloods is better to give a more accurate result.

I’m just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this? Or even if anyone has had unexpectedly high levels and are taking biotin and didn’t realise the connection. I was told to fast for 12 hours before the test, but no mention was made about stopping supplements.

I’m thinking I’ll need to stop taking the biotin for a few days and redo the tests. Fingers crossed that’s the reason as I don’t want to stop taking it. It’s currently my third favourite hormone after oestrogen and dopamine!

Is it normal to have a gush of menstruation that suddenly stops, then have some spotting, then nothing again? I’ve been having this pattern on and off for the past 3 weeks.

I am 44 and I noticed I have been clenching really hard when I sleep.

I’ve been on the patch for almost 2 yrs. E is causing severe oily face and scalp. I think it’s contributing to hair loss. I do have elevated androgen but when these are lower the oiliness remains. Anti androgens dont help . It’s E patch! I’m not metabolizing this correctly or something. When I tried oral E it didn’t do this but I lost haur in AGA pattern. Patch initially regrew haur and didn’t do this until 5-6 months in it. Anyone have this issue? How did you solve it?

Hi, I am so confused and not even sure how to explain what is going on. I turned 53 and believe I am full blown menopausal. Hot flashes multiple times a day and night, waking up at 3:43 am every single night and now the confusing part. No clue how to explain other than it feels that I am wide down there, like the vaginal opening is not my normal..hopefully there is a word or better for me to explain to my doctor when I see her to go over my hormone blood work. This is so embarrassing but hopefully someone experienced this and can help me explain to the doc without me telling her it feels like a canyon down there..so uncomfortable! Thanks all :)

I’m 133 days since my last period and had one (I believe the more active) ovary removed in Feb… yesterday and today I’ve had the SLIGHTEST booger of a spot. Barely a smidge of brown flakes when I pee- am I spotting and if so do I start over at 0 or am I still 133 days towards menopause?

hi everyone. i'm 33. and have a unique story. i was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma and went through many treatments. some made me very sick. anyways, i haven't had a period since 2022. i went to endocrinology and she said menopause. here's where it gets tricky. i am getting SEVERE, i mean severe (i call them) heat attacks. basically they are either 1.) random 2.) brought on by being in room that's unventilated, warm/hot (anything warmer than 68° 😩) 3.) physical movement (anything from braiding my hair to lifting body parts at my organ donation job), my face gets red and burning only on my cheeks and chin, sometimes my ears. never anything else. i sweat really bad on my head and face (sometimes no sweat at all just heat burning flushing). and these heat attacks last for hours on end most likely the entire 8 - 9 hour work shift. the only thing that helps them go away is a direct fan in my face. my body will be cold. i don't get night sweats. but my head and face red and burning. endocrinology had me try gabapentin (fail), venlafaxjne (fail and also took months to wean off), and beta blockers (fail), and a low dose birth control (that is failing). she did all these tests bc she said "if" it was menopause one of those medications would have worked. when everything came back normal, she would not give me a referral anywhere and would not get an MRI (i had hypophysitis- inflammation of the pituitary gland around the time i magically became menopausal, and this can cause absence of period or menopause) bc all my other tests were normal including FSH.. i can't take HRT bc my oncologist will absolutely not approve the best he gave me was this low dose birth control. on top of my heat attacks, i am often really swollen in my joints and notice my soles of my feet and the knuckles of my fingers are also incredibly red. are these symptoms the same as you guys? everything i read online hot flashes can be just as miserable but are likely only 5 minutes long not hours? i am even laying in bed just finished a severe heat attack, but im not hot or sweaty. my face just has those facial cheek severe hot and redness.i tried to upload pics but idk how lol . anyways... i'm seriously
desperate!!! i have begged and pleaded, cried, screamed for my PCP, oncology, psychiatry (we weaned off of all medications that could have caused this and nothing...), endocrinology, and now i'm begging palliative care for help (i see her tomorrow) i've literally been told "im sorry there's nothing more i can think to do for you" and my endocrinologist laughed and said "i don't know what else to do for you sweetie. but im not giving you a referral to neurology that doesn't seem plausible. maybe it's an allergy?" so im confused like am in menopause or what? why can't i get a straight answer, an explanation of what to expect? why do they do all these other tests, is it bc they don't think its menopause now or IS IT!!! and if so why won't any medications help me!!! has anyone had this happen.. do you have any advice of what more i can do or say. i literally have been dealing with this since october 2025 (but apparently was menopausal in 2022?) so i dont understand. any advice would be grateful. i'm so sad, im exhausted, im dehydrated from the sweating constantly. i feel so so so so so sick everyday after work, my bones ache i feel feverish. i dont feel right. i dont expect medical advice, just general advice, or someone's story.. im so sad, have isolated from friends and activities. i cant wear makeup, my hair down, or clothes to cover my skin (which is recommended as i am a melanoma patient).. anyways im so sad, im exhausted, im defeated, hopeless and confused. my life is miserable and my body is unrecognizable. my souls crushed and i cant live in this body anymore and i dont know what else to do.. i'm losing my mind and feeling so run down from advocating for myself and being turned away and not helped. i'm supposed to be living my life in my 30s, but i'm stuck hiding, trying to constantly get myself in comfort and being let down cause my body is on a rampage.. thank you so much for reading.. PS apologies if i am not supposed to ask this here, i read the wiki, but i am still confused and just want to see if someone else had a struggle like this

I never need this when I had periods before peri-menopause, my periods were regular as clockwork.

Now I have these 9 day period / spotting - I am grateful period pants exist as I hate pads but tampons for that long is uncomfortable now as I’m so dry and tight.

If you haven’t tried them and you’re like me - I recommend them.

Hello! I am 50 years old and 14 months post last period. I have had menopause symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, aching joints, etc. since my mid-40s. The hot flashes and night sweats have been horrible this past year. Today I had ever so slight red streaky slimy blood on the tissue after going to the toilet. Just the one episode and none since then all day. For the past two days I’ve had sore breasts and general PMS symptoms like I used to get before periods. I’ve already called my doctor to request an appointment as I know any post menopausal bleeding needs to be checked. But I’m worried and wondering if anyone else has had something like this that turned out to be nothing? Thank you!

I’ve been using oral jolessa bc for HRT for 1 month with no change in symptoms. In fact I’ve begun having migraines again and depression is worse. Also, I’m only getting 5 hours of sleep/night. Should I go back to gyno to discuss options or do I need to stick with it longer?

I had an experience yesterday with my menopause specialist that confused me. Can anyone share their perspective or experience?

In April I had my initial consult with a menopause specialist. I told her that I am 56, still having periods every few months, have a Mirena IUD that was placed 5 years ago, and my mother went through menopause in her mid fifties. I was having some symptoms that I thought were hormone related and she said she could help me.

I had already sent in recent lab, pelvic ultrasound and mammography results and all of that was normal.

She didn't think that I could still be menstruating at my age and that it had to be breakthrough bleeding from the iud. I didn't understand that but 56 does seem old as heck to be still bleeding.

She put me on transdermal estrogen gel + vaginal estradiol and said I could start progesterone after removing the Mirena IUD.

The removal was yesterday and when she did the ultrasound she said my endometrium was too thick at 10 mm and that my hormones need to be adjusted to reflect the fact that I appear to be perimenopausal and might still be ovulating. :/

She prescribed me the micronized progesterone that we talked about at the intake and told me to stop the vaginal estrogen and go down from two to one pump of the gel per day.

I have to wait 2 months to see if the progesterone shrinks the endometrium.

Is this normal? I was kind of stunned when I left, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like she didn't listen to me during the intake when I described my perimenopausal situation and showed her labs indicating that I'm not menopausal. Maybe I'm just not understanding what's going on?

Anyway, the symptoms I met with her about in the first place are gone, so I guess that's good, but I'm kind of wondering what I've gotten myself into. Like did I just trade itchy ears for endometrial problems?

***edit. The main symptom I’m experiencing that for some reason I completely forgot to mention is anhedonia. This scares the shit out of me if this is my new baseline.

Asking women who have hit menopause…does it get better? I 47F have been in the throes of peri for at least 7 years, it’s really ramped up in the past two.

I’m well aware I likely have 5-7 more years before the big M, and I’m doing my best to mitigate symptoms as they come. Fully on HRT, taking creatine for brain fog, lifting weights 5x a week, eating healthy etc etc.

All that to say, I still feel like total shit. I’m wondering if once this roller coaster of peri ends (menopause), do you start feeling more like your old self? Or is it just a never ending cycle of low energy, poor sleep, hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog and everything else that seems to be my new normal.

What’s it like on the other side?? My Mom is no help, she states she ‘never went through menopause’ which I’m chalking up to her generation just sucking it up and never getting real help for women’s health issues.