Transdermal skin patches are used as a hormone delivery system to treat particular symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness, burning, and irritation. They are called transdermal (“trans” meaning “through” and “dermal” referring to the dermis or skin) because the hormones in the patch are absorbed through the skin by blood vessels and then delivered throughout the body. Combination patches are one of two such types of patches – they combine both estrogen and progestin hormones. This way, you get estrogen for symptom relief and progestogen to keep your uterus lining healthy. Using combination patches means you usually don’t need to combine it with any other treatment. However combination therapy doesn’t allow you to alter the dosage of estrogen needed. Skin patches may be a better option than tablets if you find it inconvenient to take a tablet every day.
How effective have combination patches been for relieving your symptoms?
Please share your review with the Caria community:
I found the patches themselves convenient and easy to use but I still had a lot of symptoms after months of using them. Turns out, my skin wasn’t absorbing the treatment ( when they checked my levels were very low) so my specialist prescribed tablets, sadly. I would have preferred the patches as tablets go through the liver. I can’t be the only one who can’t absorb Hrt through the skin so other women need to know about this.
I’ve just had to stop talking everol conti due to unpleasant side effects after a few months anyone experienced constipation and diarrhoea from one extreme to the other? My GP now wants to do blood tests before trying anything else I sure its the patches. So back to suffering ?
Don’t suffer, insist on further advice, there are other options and GPs have to start getting in the know about these things. Good luck!
I loved the patches! The only issue was that they disappeared from the market in the UK! as far as I know, they are still not available.. aren’t they?
I found the same patches very effective for hot flushes during the day and night sweats. This was a huge help to me to be able to sleep at night and function in my job during the day as a nurse. However I gained weight – particularly breast increase, and an increase in joint pain (already suffer with widespread osteoarthritis) . I stopped the patches 10 days ago just as a trial and feel better already. My day and night symptoms have vastly improved and not reverted back to what they were prior to the patches. I’ve been using them for 2 years after struggling with menopausal symptoms for approx 4 years. I’m now approaching 57 years and not had a period for 18months. Although the patches are difficult to get hold of, my local pharmacist was a great support in sourcing them for me. They served me well for a long spell but I’m happy to say I can cope up to now without them.
I feel your pain, they are great, but they also stopped here in Denmark, so I’m back to oral combo and taking aspirin low dose daily to counteract risks of blood clots from oral estrogen.
They should be, my friend was prescribed them during the first lockdown. We’re in Wales UK so not sure if there would be much difference. Give it another try. Keep asking.
Evorel sequi is available
I’m using Evorel Conti. I am in the UK. Midlands. Jury is out for me, I can’t say they’ve changed my life but my symptoms weren’t that extreme as not in full menopause. I’m 54 with very light regular periods, I have been using them for about 5 months and the overwhelming tiredness seems to be better, but that’s about it.