Well, ladies, I am so glad to be able to share some hopeful news! Today is day 14 of the Estrogel for me, and of course I really didn't know what to expect, or how long before I should expect it. But I started sleeping better the first week. For a few years now I have been waking 4-6+ times a night, usually a couple of those with sweats, sometimes just waking for no reason and tossing and turning for a while. The third or fourth night on the gel I slept 5 hours straight, and I mean like a LOG! Since then I have had two nights that had one night sweat each and no night sweats on the others! I usually sleep quite a few hours before a brief wakening, and I can go right back to sleep.

The very slight downside is I feel kind of groggy in the morning, it wears off fairly quickly and is definitely a trade-off worth making! May just be an adjustment period too.

Honestly I had given up hope of ever sleeping soundly again, so this is like a miracle to me.

Now the hot flashes ... I'm almost afraid to analyze that too close, knock wood and all .... but I definitely have had a few less this week, and half the ones I have only get up to about half strength and then are gone. And I have been in a couple fo stressful situations which always turned the burners up for me before, and lo and behold! no flash! I have only turned on the fan which I keep on my desk once or twice this week and usually it is on at least once a day.

Time will tell about the crying spells and anxiety, that has been almost cyclical anyway so may be a while before I can get perspective on it..... And the libido, well....if there's a change in that department you will hear me shouting it from the rooftops!

So I am feeling grateful for the progress and the hope, and wanted to share with y'all.

houdin, how many pumps of estrogel to you apply...I have been taking it since August of last year...every time I decrease, I feel awful....

Amanda, I'm using one pump a day which I think is half the "usual" dosage of 2 pumps per day. We decided to start out on the short side and go up of necessary, but hoping to be able to stay on a lower dose.

I would love to hear about your experience with it. The last 3 nights I have resumed my usual sleep pattern of waking up multiple times and had a couple of sweats too. Disappointing but I realize I haven't been on it very long. Had a day this weekend with no hot flashes at all!! That amazed me.

Am going to give it a few months before I start tweaking....I know some women use it with progesterone cream with nice results....will just have to see how it goes.

If its been successful for you, can you tell me what the course with your symptoms has been like since you started? I know we are all different! But am curious regardless, so thanks for sharing!