Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[spidergirl]

Hi all - hope everyone is well
You all know I am an early-menopause gal - well to update you on the IVF/Egg Donation front - OH and I are well on the way to the referral waiting list now - I have had all my tests including my womb scan - seems my womb is super-healthy and totally able to carry a baby - its just the ovaries that have decided to retire early lol!

All we need to do now is OH to give his sperm sample - something he is NOT keen on doing but I told him to stop being silly and that he actually has the easy task - I think the fact that you have to get the sample to the hosp in an allotted time (within an hour of the err..collection) is giving him a bit of performance anxiety!

With regards my HRT - Ive noticed an increase in night sweats and hot flushes, joint aches and general low mood and anxiety in myself, could it be I need to increase my HRT? I do remember the doc saying it would get worse before it got better and that it will peak etc - has anyone else experienced this? I am on Elleste Duet Conti 2mg at the moment.

Thanks x

[Joyce]

Hi spidergirl.  That's good womb OK!  Would your hubby manage better if you were to "help" a bit? I remember when I was having difficulty conceiving our son that my hubby had to give a sample, so can understand his anxiety. We eventually had a giggle about getting sample to hospital in time, safely tucked in armpit!

It was my ovaries which were causing problems too, refused to ovulate. Had to be put on fertility drug Clomid eventually. Then ended up with ectopic pregnancy. Took a while to get pregnant after that, but son is now nearly 28 so it was all worth it.

I had HRT break a few years back. When I restarted it took about 4 weeks to kick start things again.  Everyone is different with regards to HRT.

[Hurdity]

Hi spidergirl

Lovely to hear your news and so pleased to hear that all is progessing well for you regarding preparations for IVF treatment

Re the HRT - I think you need expert advice here from your gynae. It is a tricky one this. Most women at your age would be experiencing a cycle alternating between very high oestrogen levels at ovulation (much higher than you will be getting at the moment) and high progesterone in the second half of the cycle, before the withdrawal bleed.

Most of us on HRT with a later menopause replace the oestrogen with a constant much lower level, and put up with some of the aches and pains that don't entirely disappear on these lowish doses.

The other thing is you are on a continuous dose of a progestogen (although I think the pill also contains for 3 weeks of the cycle - not sure of this), which again you would not experience naturally.

I am sure there is a recommended type and level of HRT that is best for trying for IVF with early menopause so hopefully your gynae will be able to recommend accordingly?

However if it were me, I would want to be thinking about much higher doses of oestrogen (that you would normally experience), and starting up a cycle so that you are not taking progesterone all the time. The low oestrogen and constant progesterone could contribute to your aches, pains and anxiety.

I don't know whether any gynaes prescribe such treatment eg 1 week of medium oestrogen, 2 weeks high, 1 week low or something like that, with 10 days of progestogen to coincide with the lower oestrogen levels. You would get a monthly cycle then and all the associated mood changes - but that may be prefereble to constant low mood and acheyness. There is an HRT that mimics the cycle a bit called Cycloprogynova ( in menu on left under peri-meno HRT treatments) but has 7 tablet free days which I wouldn't do in your position.

Another possibility is gel or patches - gel is easier to tweak the dose, and the oestradiol does go straight into the system but you may think that is a bit of a faff every day for many years!

Also have you been tested for tesosterone, since without functioning ovaries this is likely to be low so will also lead to tiredness, low mood etc?

I wouldn't really want to increase the amount of the HRT you are on, simply because you are also increasing the progesterone - but you may want to try this.

Hope this helps and wishing you the very best in your treatment!

Hurdity x