How to wear patches correctly?

[Adchop]

I'm supposed to start hrt next week, but I'm still confused about the patches. I know they stick to your skin, & that you wear them for 3-7 days without removal. My question is how do you keep them from coming off while taking a shower? Also, is there any place in particular that is best to wear them?

[jessical]

I can only speak for the Vivilledot/Estradot patches.  They are very sticky and generally do not come off in the shower.  They can start to stick to clothing on the edges and then they can come off.  If that happens I use that colorful tape that athletes use and cut a round piece larger than the patch and stick it over everything and that works well.

I usually have them on my butt.  Either the sides, or the upper part at the back.

[Adchop]

I can only speak for the Vivilledot/Estradot patches.  They are very sticky and generally do not come off in the shower.  They can start to stick to clothing on the edges and then they can come off.  If that happens I use that colorful tape that athletes use and cut a round piece larger than the patch and stick it over everything and that works well.

I usually have them on my butt.  Either the sides, or the upper part at the back.

I'm using Climara, but they should stick the same.

when you say on the butt, do you mean where the lower back meets the butt, or direct on the back of the butt cheek?

[alena]

I use Estrodot and apply them on the area below my belly button. Agree with jessical that they're very sticky, I've never had one come off in the shower so far. As they're stuck to my skin for 3/4 days at a time they can make the area a bit sensitive after removal, so I moisturise to help.

[jessical]

If I do the sides, it is right on the butt.  At the back it is around where the back meets the butt, but sometimes I place them a bit lower.

[KayXo]

Also, is there any place in particular that is best to wear them?

Menopause. 2000 Sep-Oct;7(5):364-9. (with Climara, 7 day patch)

"After application on the buttock, mean peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 125.1% and mean relative bioavailability (AUC(0-168)) was 117.2% of that from the abdomen site."

"In summary, the buttocks seem to be an acceptable site for the application for this once-weekly 17-beta estradiol transdermal delivery system. Because the extent of absorption was significantly more for buttock than for abdomen application, this application site may provide an advantage in women who experience menopausal symptoms at the end of the week."

J Clin Pharmacol. 1996 Nov;36(11):998-1005. (with Fempatch, 7 day patch)

"Mean serum estradiol concentrations were higher after application to the buttocks than after application to the abdomen (19 and 15 pg/mL above baseline, respectively), making the buttocks the preferred site for TDS application."

The difference between both sites of applications appears to be small though.

[Laura_7]

I'm supposed to start hrt next week, but I'm still confused about the patches. I know they stick to your skin, & that you wear them for 3-7 days without removal. My question is how do you keep them from coming off while taking a shower? Also, is there any place in particular that is best to wear them?

There are weekly and half weekly patches.
You might go for the half weekly. With weekly there might be a low phase at the end.

Best to stick and smallest seem to be vivelle dot and estradot (basically the same).
Generics and others seem to not stick as well.


*hugs*

[andreapdenver]

For me, upper right buttock.  No issues.