I have used patches for 5 years.  To keep them from coming loose I put a Tegaderm HP Transparent dressing over them when applying new patches. I have seem a warning to not use the dressings over medical patches, as dosage of medicine could be increased.

My hormone labs have been taken every 3 months under supervision by my Gender Pathway doctor.  She recently said I could now go to 6 month or even a year between labs.  So even with the warning, any possible increase of Estradiol delivered has not been significant.  They do leave the dark ring, but this comes off easily with alcohol swabs.

I also use the same dressing to keep my glucose sensor from coming off if it starts coming loose.

These dressings are readily available on Amazon.  I purchase boxes of 100 dressings. The dressings are available in multiple sizes to fit your needs.

Thank you, and have a great day!
 
   Coral

In case I wasn't clear.  I use two patches at a time.  Changing every three days.

Interesting thread.  I just posted in my blog thread how happy I was that I was granted an exception by our insurance for my Estradot patches.  Their preference was for me to use generic, so I had to apply for the exception.  There is a huge, HUGE difference between the brand name and the generic.  Judging from the posts in this thread, my experiences might be relevant.

The generic patches (Sandoz) are enormous.  So big that I was only able to use three locations, meaning that they caused more irritation: I was re-using each location every ten days.  The Estradot patches are much smaller.  I can go a full month before re-using the same bit of skin.

The generic patches use water-soluble adhesive.  So they come off in the shower or if you perspire a lot.  It makes for easy soap-and-water cleanup, but you don't get the hormone if they don't stick.  Estradot patches use an oil-soluble adhesive, so they stick in the shower.  They do leave a black "bathtub ring" when you peel them off that soap won't get rid of.  But a bit of oil (bath or baby oil) on a makeup pad will take it right off.

The big difference for me, and what caused me to switch, was that the adhesive on the generic is a serious irritant.  They would always leave a red spot for a couple of days.  It got worse, so after three years, I was applying new patches over bright red, inflamed, painful rashes from the previous week.

My doctor had always prescribed the Estradot patches, but the pharmacy substituted the generic.  I asked my doctor to put "no substitutions" on the prescription, and I asked the pharmacy to put the same on my file.  That worked well ever since.  No more rashes or pain.

The paperwork from the insurance, due to a recent change in providers, was several pages long.  It had me document exactly what the problem was with the generic.  I had to get my doctor to sign off on it.  But they accepted the application, and they granted me an exception.

Quote from: KathyLauren on January 28, 2024, 06:59:10 AMInteresting thread.  I just posted in my blog thread how happy I was that I was granted an exception by our insurance for my Estradot patches.  Their preference was for me to use generic, so I had to apply for the exception.  There is a huge, HUGE difference between the brand name and the generic.  Judging from the posts in this thread, my experiences might be relevant.

I've had a similar experience. I still have a decent stock of Mylan patches but I don't like them as much as the smaller ones. The bigger ones seem to pull off easier (when you don't want them to). I wanted Estradot patches but they refused to substitute. The last refill that arrived contained Grove brand patches, which are smaller and seem to work better.

Basically, not all patches are the same.

That's interesting.

I don't think I had paid any attention to brand names before... I just assumed patch differences were all based on size. And then when my .075/weekly patches were the biggest yet, at the first ones that had some difficultly staying on, when my endo was bumping me up to .1... I asked her "are they going to be even bigger?"

Not that I was complaining? I just assumed I'd need to use the tape I'd purchased to keep them on.

But the new stronger patches are significantly smaller.

That's the first time I looked at brands.  The older patches were Mylan, the new ones are now Sandoz.

So yeah...very much not all the same.

A bit of info for anyone who is following this topic:

I've been using the "lesser" Mylan patches, working my way toward the more favorable Grove patches, but basically, they all work reasonably well, with some shortcomings. Long, hot showers will usually cause a patch that has been on for a few days to come loose. Pressing the patch back down seems to work, but I'm left wondering whether or not the patch is still able to deliver the proper dose.

I'm on vacation and lots of snorkeling is on the menu. For the first day, I left my two patches in place, only to find one of them stuck to my swim bottoms instead of my thigh. I bought a box of 3M Tegaderm HP, as they are generally recommended for patch users who swim. But I think I only tried one once, maybe 14 or 15 months ago. So I decided to give them another go: I put the Tegaderm over the remaining patch and here's the outcome:

I went snorkeling twice on the following day, spending several hours in warm salt water. I checked it later (before and after showering) and found it securely fastened, with no signs of peeling or leakage. The Tegaderm film is very sheer, sort of like a second skin. It's pretty weird, actually. But it works. Today was Patch Day, so I peeled that patch off and applied two new ones. The skin beneath the Tegaderm was red and it remains so, 8 hours later. But there's no irritation at all; it looks like sunburn. It should be noted that I didn't have the Tegaderm on my body for very long. I'll update this post or create a new one if the longer-term application causes any irritation.

I feel that anyone who consistently has issues with patches should consider using the Tegaderm. I won't be needing it under normal circumstances, but it's nice to know that I can cover my patches before going swimming and I shouldn't have to worry about losing a patch.

So....that's another endorsement for Tegaderm HP use.

I used patches for the first two years. They were great in the beginning. I wasn't super gung ho about all of this and wasn't totally sure this was the correct route for me to take.

About two years into my transition, after I had an orchiectomy, I switched to estrogen implanted pellets. Now I have them implanted every 6 months and I don't think about my estrogen at all otherwise. I love them! But they are not for everybody.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on January 04, 2024, 06:52:49 AMI switched because I grew tired of the dark ring of debris caused by the adhesive, and because injections were much cheaper. Here are some tips for those who use patches.

Since I like to use exfoliating gloves in the shower, I've found that with a little of my favorite body wash on the glove, that the adhesive residue from the patch comes right off - along with the dead skin cells...win-win! LOL!

The problem I had with the Mylan patches is they have a thick foam backing. I am a gold prospector, so I spend my summers, hot and sweaty, bent over in a creek. With all of that flexing the edges of the patch kept catching on clothing and they would come loose. I am sure that all that moisture didn't help. My Endo suggested using Tegaderm to hold the patches in place. But Tegaderm is as thick as the patch which only compounded the problem. After numerous complaints from me about this inferior product, Doc ordered the Grove brand. Very thin plastic film, the size of a quarter. Now, wearing three patches at a time was doable, but the Tegaderm was still a problem. Doc spoke with our Women's Health Pharmacist and they found a solution. IV hand dressings. It is a thin flexible, porous film that covers the patches and holds them in place. Highly recommended!

I used patches when I first started HRT. I was rather wanting to avoid injections at the time, but ultimately switched to injections. The reason being the rash the patches caused and the fact they didn't stay on well. The results from the patches were negligible at best for me. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: LoriDee on March 16, 2024, 11:52:25 AMThe problem I had with the Mylan patches is they have a thick foam backing. I am a gold prospector, so I spend my summers, hot and sweaty, bent over in a creek. With all of that flexing the edges of the patch kept catching on clothing and they would come loose. I am sure that all that moisture didn't help. My Endo suggested using Tegaderm to hold the patches in place. But Tegaderm is as thick as the patch which only compounded the problem. After numerous complaints from me about this inferior product, Doc ordered the Grove brand. Very thin plastic film, the size of a quarter. Now, wearing three patches at a time was doable, but the Tegaderm was still a problem. Doc spoke with our Women's Health Pharmacist and they found a solution. IV hand dressings. It is a thin flexible, porous film that covers the patches and holds them in place. Highly recommended!

That sounds good Lori!

One patch trick, though, that could mitigate those clothing-catching issues you were having (should you have issue with the hand dressing): I have found that it's all about patch placement. Finding those sweet spots where the entirety of the patch will either be covered by underwear, or outside of it. It's when a patch rests in anyway on a clothing seam that the repeated rubbing and stress of that, however minimal, after a few days causes an air pocket, or an upturned corner... or anything even easier to snagged upon.

Quote from: LoriDee on March 16, 2024, 11:52:25 AMThe problem I had with the Mylan patches is they have a thick foam backing. I am a gold prospector, so I spend my summers, hot and sweaty, bent over in a creek. With all of that flexing the edges of the patch kept catching on clothing and they would come loose. I am sure that all that moisture didn't help. My Endo suggested using Tegaderm to hold the patches in place. But Tegaderm is as thick as the patch which only compounded the problem. After numerous complaints from me about this inferior product, Doc ordered the Grove brand. Very thin plastic film, the size of a quarter. Now, wearing three patches at a time was doable, but the Tegaderm was still a problem. Doc spoke with our Women's Health Pharmacist and they found a solution. IV hand dressings. It is a thin flexible, porous film that covers the patches and holds them in place. Highly recommended!

The Tegaderm HP dressings are have are big enough to cover 3 Grove patches and the material is super thin - much thinner than the thinnest estradiol patch I've used.

I was just looking at the last batch of Mylan patches they sent me. Labeled as EQV-Vivelle Dot. They are thin plastic, not the thick foam backing, and a smaller rectangular shape vs the 2"x2" squares I had before.

I'll have to remember that. Tegederm HP. Thanks, Courtney!

Quote from: LoriDee on March 17, 2024, 11:07:06 AMI was just looking at the last batch of Mylan patches they sent me. Labeled as EQV-Vivelle Dot. They are thin plastic, not the thick foam backing, and a smaller rectangular shape vs the 2"x2" squares I had before.

I'll have to remember that. Tegederm HP. Thanks, Courtney!

Yup. Tiny. Not like the big patches from 5 years ago. My wife's dr specified equivalent to VIVELLE-DOT. We thought that those might be the differentiating words.

There is something different in Mylan's formulation. For some reason, the patches just don't deliver the estradiol into my system the way they should. Others had said they had no issues with them. I am switching to Grove brand because I had success with those in the past. My prescriptions got twisted up when they kept bouncing me around to different doctors. Now the hope is that after four years + I can finally get my estradiol up to my target levels. I had no idea it would take this long.

Quote from: LoriDee on March 17, 2024, 02:18:51 PMThere is something different in Mylan's formulation. For some reason, the patches just don't deliver the estradiol into my system the way they should. Others had said they had no issues with them. I am switching to Grove brand because I had success with those in the past. My prescriptions got twisted up when they kept bouncing me around to different doctors. Now the hope is that after four years + I can finally get my estradiol up to my target levels. I had no idea it would take this long.

LoriDee,

It is very important to get the right levels for you and that your personal physicians are monitoring all of this carefully for your well being. 

I hope everything works out for you for your MTF HRT management and also your overall health. 

Also:  Would not it be nice if there were less disease, pains, and body issues for all?

Chrissy

@ChrissyRyan

Indeed it would be heaven on Earth. I believe it is achievable. But sadly, most people are not willing to turn off the TV, get off the couch and learn how. I am writing a book about it. Originally, I just wrote separate articles discussing various topics and posted them on my website. Now I am rewriting them so they flow from one topic to the next instead of jumping back and forth. Each article could be a separate chapter, but there is still work that needs to be done.

Quote from: LoriDee on March 17, 2024, 05:54:36 PM@ChrissyRyan

Indeed it would be heaven on Earth. I believe it is achievable. But sadly, most people are not willing to turn off the TV, get off the couch and learn how. I am writing a book about it. Originally, I just wrote separate articles discussing various topics and posted them on my website. Now I am rewriting them so they flow from one topic to the next instead of jumping back and forth. Each article could be a separate chapter, but there is still work that needs to be done.

Simply write clearly and be organized, flow is important.  There are different styles to use depending on type of writing and your audience for sure.  I wish you well on your writing. 

Chrissy

I've finally used up my stock of Mylan patches and switched to Grove a week ago. I have my quarterly labs scheduled for tomorrow. My E levels have never quite gotten to where they're supposed to be so I'm curious to see if this switch makes a difference.

@Courtney G

It will be interesting to see the difference. My new Grove patches arrive today, but labs are not until April 8th. Hopefully, we can both start hitting our target levels. Let us know the results, if you don't mind.