What is in a combo patch? I use viville, but It's not a combo. I have never had any probs.

Just stopping the combipatch (estrogen and progesterone)could possibly mess you up. I weaned off of it - applied a patch every two weeks for awhile then every month to go off of it. Try it again for a few months, then if you don't feel better, you've got some justification for your doctor, as you did feel OK when you were taking it regularly. You may want to have the Dr. check your iron level or your red blood cell count too. Just my opinion...good luck!

Thanks Okla_gal and Junelynn for your replies. Okla_gal......the Combipatch has progesterone and estrogen. It sticks like you wouldn't believe. It has never come off accidentally, even after baths and showers.

Junelynn......That was a great idea about weaning off the patch (if I ever do it again). I don't know what I was thinking about abruptly stopping it. I guess it is so smooth, I didn't think it was really doing anything......but it sure was! I've even thought of cutting it in half and using it that way. Hormones are just nothing to mess with in a frivolous manner! It's funny you mentioned testing my iron level. I recently went to my neuro doc for B12 testing, since I have symptoms, and it showed I have a low ferritin level.......so I'm on Iron. I hope I can continue it, since I'm having major GI problems. Thanks again for your replies!

Catherine...about the patches sticking...
HA HA! I have one of those thin woven cotton blankets....there is still a patch on it....it is SO stuck to it...must've come off in my sleep or something...yet I wear underwear to bed so go figure...(I always applied it to my hip/buttock area). The blanket has been washed many times and the imprint of WHERE the patch was is STILL there after many years!

Make sure if you get a prescription for iron that is also has "intrinsic value"...that helps the body ABSORB iron. If the Dr. has prescribed iron. I had a very smart doctor once who told me all the iron in the world won't do any good if you don't have that with it. I had prescription iron with intrinsic factor. Iron will mess up your stomach if you're not careful. Since then I've learned to enjoy prunes and prune juice, you get some iron from it. It has very little effect on me "the other way" so I don't have a problem. (Sometimes I wish it would...).
Good Luck!

Your "smart doctor" needs to learn his/her physiology a little better. All iron will be absorbed if you take it. Adding intrinsic factor to iron, even if it is possible, (which I doubt) is a gimmick. People without intrinsic factor develop an anemia kmown as "pernicious anemia." It's the result of a B12 deficiency because the body cannot absorb B12 from food or from supplements without "intrinsic factor." Pernicious anemia is treated with regular (usually monthly) *injections* of B 12. It has nothing to do with iron deficiency or iron use. See:

http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Concern/Pernicious_Anemia.cfm

or do a google search using either pernicious anemia or intrinsic factor as your search terms.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Concern/Pernicious_Anemia.cfm

Well, I did take iron with intrinsic value that was a precription. And it helped. Not all iron is absorbed, as to why some forms are terribly constipating. My mom had to take B12 for pernicious anemia and also had prescription supplements with intrinsic value. I don't consider it a gimmick. Different strokes for different folks...