Got my patch prescription

[sandra-leigh]

Beginning of January I started on spiro; mid February the spiro dose was cut due to continued low blood pressure. Today we decided to keep with the current (lower) spiro dose for now. I said that I was interested in discussing starting estrogen; the doctor gave me a long Informed Consent form; even before we had discussed it, the doctor was starting to write a prescription for patches. We went over the form, I got some answers, I got the prescription.

The doctor was more concerned about my cholesterol levels than about giving me the prescription. My level held steady at 6.9, which would normally be a livable level but not in combination with estrogen. The reaction, though, was not one of "lower your level or else no estrogen!": it was "Give reducing your levels a sincere effort, but if you can't reduce them then you will need to go on medication to reduce your levels, and once you are on those you basically have to keep taking them for life." That is, priority was given to the request for estrogen: with the estrogen a given, this is how we will deal with your cholesterol if you cannot get them down. The doctor wasn't talking in terms of "If you can't control yourself" for the cholesterol: instead the doctor was acknoledging that some people's levels are naturally high and I may be one of them.

High cholesterol does run in my mother's side of the family (the side I inherited the majority of my medical traits from.)

Anyhooow... I have the prescription. What I will do is start by getting a small number of patches, just in case I happen to be one of the people who reacts badly to the adhesive (which would not be typical for me.)

[StaceyJane]

That's great Sandra. I have high cholestrol too and I'm taking a bunch of pills for it.

I started wearing the patch a month ago.
Be careful about it coming off in the bath!

[Stephenie S]

God news, dear.

Stephie

[Sandra]

That is good news...Nigella started on patches on Tuesday and, also has high cholesterol which like Stacey is kept under control by tablets, the Dr also said to do more exercise to help with it.

[sandra-leigh]

So I walk up to the counter of my regular pharmacy (which has seen me in dresses and skirts before and had no problem with that), and presented my prescription to the pharmacy technician. She looked at me in with my long hair and earrings and definitely-femme japanese cherry-blossom jacket, and looked down at the prescription and read it and started to frown, and in a not-so-kindly and faster-than-usual voice asked, "Have you been here before?". You know the voice -- it's the voice of "I think you're trying to pull a fast one on me!". I just answered "Yes," in a voice a perhaps a bit weak, not having expected a challenge. She asked me to repeat myself. She looked at the prescription again, and asked, with a decidely doubting look, "And this is for you?"; "Yes it is I said". She scowled a bit, typed my name in to the computer, and saw that indeed I was listed there. "I'll have to check to see if we have this in stock." And off she went and showed the prescription to the pharmacist. The pharmacist looked unconcerned and showed her the area they keep such things. Back to me she came, "We don't have any in stock. It won't be here until Monday."; and then, "We could order it in for you, but it won't be in until Monday", and, starting to hand the prescription back to me, "Or you could go somewhere else and see if they have it in" -- that, with a look that implied her preference would be that I take it off her hands and go away with it. I said that it was my regular pharmacy and I'd rather do it there; with another scowl she confirmed that I wanted her to order it in, even though it would be a few days. I confirmed, and then said that I wanted to start with three or four patches in case I was sensitive to the adhesive. Another scowl, and she turned and asked the pharmacist from a distance how many were in a box. He said "Eight"; she scowled again and gave in and agreed they could do that, and wrote the instructions for partial filling on my prescription, and told me it would be in on Monday. I thanked her, and she went back to her work, with the air of having other things to do -- it was not a "turned her back on me and walked away" air, but it wasn't a chatty "Thanks and have a good weekend" either.

I've been going to this pharmacy for at least 9 years, and I know this tech has seen me before, but I have seldom interacted with her. The main pharmacist (who might possibly be the owner of the store itself) is always pleasant and friendly; the others less so but polite enough. One of the others might have confirmed that the prescription was for me, perhaps, but the question would have been phrased as, "And have you taken this before?", not as a gruff-ish "Is this for you?".

I can't say that I'm angry about the way I was treated. Disappointed would be closer. And if on Monday it is the main pharmacist who is on duty, I intend to have a quiet word with him. Someone more sensitive than me could easily have been set back emotionally and probably would have fretted about how they would be treated in future. I, though, would be prepared to politely inform her that if she doesn't like serving My Kind Of People, then she is free to search for other employment.

[Melody Moore]

I had high cholesterol despite being on a good diet & taking medication for it. Eventually I developed
Cholecystitis & need to have my gall bladder removed next week. But since I have been on hormone
therapy by cholesterol levels have come down. It's just a shame my gall bladder is so far gone now
that it has to be removed. I hope you don't develop the same problem I have, however I think there
is a good chance that you will though. The reason I say this is because unwanted oestrogen gets
converted to cholesterol & that will only make your cholesterol levels worst. if you start getting any
really bad pains on the right side of your tummy just below the ribs, get to the doctor straight away.

But don't let any of this put you off hormone therapy because I know a few girls who have had their
gall bladders removed and are doing quite well now. Just have to really watch your diet & avoid fats.

[sandra-leigh]

Hmmm -- is there a connection between high cholesterol and desire to start hormones? And if excess estrogen can be converted to cholesterol, how do I get my excess cholesterol converted back to estrogen? :)

My patches aren't in at the pharmacy today. They think there might be a supply problem; they will let me know when they track down where they are. All worked up and foiled :(

This time, though, the mood was quite different. The 3 people working today didn't even look surprised when I said "estridol"; they just hunted around trying to figure out why they hadn't received it.

[StaceyJane]

Gosh....tell them you've waited your whole life for this moment!
They should have a whole semi trailer full of estrogen patches for you.

[Billijo49504]

That's fantastic ;-) I'm on my 4th or 5th monthon the Alora Patch. Isn't wonderful when a doctor actually cares for the patient's needs. I can feel the firmer mass behind the nipple and they are sensative. Good luck with the patches. Believe it or not, I get my patches free from the VA......Billijo

[sandra-leigh]

I've only waited since last June for this moment, so a pick-up truck's worth at the ready would probably be enough. :)

They did have some patches in stock, but at a different dosage.

[StaceyJane]

I've only waited since last June for this moment, so a pick-up truck's worth at the ready would probably be enough. :)

They did have some patches in stock, but at a different dosage.

Honestly, I wanted to start hormones 30 years ago when I was a teenager so I do feel I've waited my whole life to start.

[sandra-leigh]

Well, the first one went on about 9 minutes ago. No-one told me they are see-through -- that's a nice bonus.

I can already feel that something is happening at that spot; it feels sort of like I applied a patch of Tiger Balm or similar penetrating "heat" ointment. If I'm not mistaken, something is also happening at the bottom-front of my tongue (approximately)... a slight numbness perhaps, and a bit of a taste. I had taken a small fragment of a spiro pill just before that and some of the taste might be from that pill... hard to say.

Is this my new birthday? :heehee:

Addendum #1:

3/4 hours. Tongue is fine now, but I'm feeling something in both fore-arms. So I guess I can be fairly sure that my body will absorb and redistribute it :)

[Melody Moore]

Hmmm -- is there a connection between high cholesterol and desire to start hormones? And if excess estrogen can be converted to cholesterol, how do I get my excess cholesterol converted back to estrogen? :)
Unfortunately not Sandra, once it's cholesterol, your body disposes of it through your gall bladder as bile.
This is how gall stones are formed, (cholesterol crystals). The best bet is to reduce as many sources of
animal fats as possible. Avoid foods like bacon, eggs, cheese, eat trimmed meat & avoid chicken skin and
spicy foods including salt because they all trigger the production of more cholesterol. Reducing sugar as
well by not drinking too much soda or eating sweets, so most types of rich foods should also be avoided.

[sandra-leigh]

My body has been giving me some hints for a few days that my breasts are going to get sore soon. I wish it would stop teasing me like this :sad:

Yes, it has been only 1 1/2 weeks on the patch, and No, I'm not expecting results so quickly. My expectation at this point is that these random small aches will go away. Unfortunately.

[CharleneT]

Congrats ! Glad to hear the supply prob was resolved. I work in Pharmacy and I am always surprised by the shortages that occur ... some are truly baffling.

The patch is a good and safe delivery system, as long as they stay on. As for the numbness, aches and funny tastes, relax ;) I think you (like most - if not all of us) are feeling the initial excitement and foreboding {at the same time} that comes with starting HRT. It will be in the scale of weeks for changes to be obvious. "Mental" changes are often the first to become noticeable. Many docs will tell you that that is just "all in your head". Which is of course true!! I hate it when they say that about a mental change. It's like saying, "yes, that orange is orange" LOL !!

Congrats again and good luck !

[sandra-leigh]

The numbness and strange rushes of energy flows in my body didn't repeat after the first patch. Body just had to adjust to the new chemical. I do, though, tend to feel a bit blah for about the first 1 1/2 hours after putting on a new patch... a light nausea perhaps; during that time I did get odd tastes at the back of my molars.

Spiro side effects: when I don't conk out tired, I stay up far too late working (yes, that does mean my mental clarity has continued to stay higher than it was.)

Patch side effects: a bit of nausea, sleep cycle disruptions (too many non-specific dreams keeping me from getting restorative sleep.)

Oh yeah, and I'm trying to drastically reduce carbohydrates in order to reduce cholesterol. Last year I went through withdrawl for a week after cutting off an anti-depressant that was nasty to me, and cutting out the anti-panic that I'd been on for 7 years (max recommended period is 6 months!). I had some shaky times during that withdrawl but it was clear from the beginning that it was ultimately going to work and I just had to live through it for a few days. But the carb withdrawls are much harder!! When your stomach and brain are ganging up to tell you that "Just one package of potato chips, you know you need it!", it is hard not to give in eventually.

[StaceyJane]

The biggest spiro side effect I've noticed is having to pee all the time.

The biggest estrogen side effect I've noticed is that my breasts are getting sore and noticably (at least to me) larger.