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[Diana]

Hi,
I havn't been on here for a while but need some advice.
I am 57 and been post meno for several years.

I had an early meno at 38..Had been on HRT for several years but came off it
during the breast cancer scare days.

I am prog intolerant(bigtime).

I stated taking HRT a couple of years ago as the gains out weighed the symptoms
which had become intolerable.

I was OK on Estrogen patch and 200mg Utrogestan.( 10 weeks estrogen and 12 days Utro)
Worked fantastically well since last November.
However,my hair had been falling out in large amounts and I started getting very bad pains in my calf
while on and after taking the Utro (orally).These problems went after a couple of weeks when off the Utro.
Has anyone else had these problems?

I started on Femoston 1/5 continuous and felt great for a week or so but then started to bleed and still am after 10 days ( not good).I also feel as tho I am anxious and need deep breaths to get some air.( a bit like I did with my symptoms while menopausal).

Could it be that I need to take a stronger dose? ( Could I double upto 2/10?)

Is there a patch with Femoston and Dydrogesterone?

I feel quite happy on Femoston but think I would be better taking slightly more estrogen.

Any advice would be much appreciated as I havn't used this Hrt before.

[Hurdity]

Hi Diana

I haven't come across this but maybe others have. It is usually the more androgenic progestogens which cause more hair loss eg norethisterone and maybe Levornogestrel (in Mirena and Femseven)

Hair loss increases I think as we age too - not sure if this is due to decreasing oestrogen or thyroid function ( or maybe both). Hopefully someone else will be able to help re hair.

Unfortunately you can't get dydrogesterone in a patch, nor progesterone. It used to be marketed separately as a pill as Duphaston.

The only progestogens available separately are the synthetics - norethisterone ( sometimes prescribed by private gynaes) but this is likely to cause severe prog intolerance, and medroxyprogesterone (Provera). I don't know much about this one but it is also androgenic to some degree.

This is where the information is given
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

I don't really know what to suggest except not to take any HRT on a conti basis if you are prog intolerant and to go back to a cycle if you could bear it. At least this would minimise the amount of time on the prog. You could try the Utrogestan vaginally so much less is absorbed into your system especially if you make sure your vaginal tissues are plumped up with local oestrogen before you start the course. Worth a try maybe?

Hurdity x

[Dandelion]

Hi Diana

I'm just new here and have just started the femoston sequi today.
I wish comfort and happiness for you and that whatever you try works well for you.

[Diana]

Hi,Hurdity, Thankyou for your reply.

I was on Duphaston for PMT symptoms way back in the 80s !!! It was really helpful.
They have stopped prescribing it on it's own though,which is a shame.

I was doing great on 10 weeks Estrogen and 12 days Utro.I had to come off it
on Docs advice to check out my breathing probs.I also had bad calf pain where I have a varicose vein,that has gone now.She has put me on Femoston but I still feel the same (heavy to breathe)Off to Docs again in a minute to have my chest and lungs checked out.I had a severe cold and chest infection 4  weeks ago but it cleared up.

Not at all happy with bleeding on Femoston tho.I knew exactly when I would get a bleed on Utro and could plan ahead.

Do you think there would be less Utro probs if I used it vaginally again.Doc was not at all
happy when I told her how I had used it initially !!I had asked why can't I take 100mgs Utro bi-monthly but she said no!

Is there any evidence Estrogen could cause hair loss on a huge scale?
It isn't like a few hairs it's clumps.
I know hair thins as we get older but thick hair runs in my family,my Mum is 84 and still has
a lovely head of hair as have my 2 older sisters.

Iwill probably go back to Estrogen and Utro if Femoston is still causing bleeds.I don't have much choice
really.Norethisterone is a BIG NO NO.As is provera although Doc keeps trying to say it is a friendly prog.

Regards
Diana
x

[Hurdity]

Good job you are having the other problems investigated ie the breathing and your varicose vein. I can't see that changing to Femoston would make any difference to these though!

Lucky that you were OK bleed-wise on a 12 week cycle - I was on a bimonthly one ( 200 mg utrogestan vaginally 12 days per 2 months) but decided to shorten to 6 weeks because I had a thickened lining (which could well have been due to the time in my cycle when I had the scan....)

I presume you have been checked out re the bleeding - did you have a break from the HRT? Also it could be the bleeding is caused by drop in oestrogen if you are on a lower dose than on the patch?

Also at your age if you are continuing with HRT I would want to remain on a patch since these are associated with risk of venal thrombosis than tablet HRT.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php

Re the hair loss - I know nothing about this on oestrogen and why not post a seperate thread about hair  (with that in the title) as there are members who have had this problem and might be able to help?

Hurdity x

[Diana]

Hi, Dandelion

Thankyou for your good wishes !

I hope you have success with the femoston ! HRT is a bit of a minefield.....

The ladies on here are sure to put you at ease.

You think everything is going great then  Wallop   back to square 1.

Having said that I was OK on HRT when I first started 27 years ago..
Have been off it for a while  but had to give in to the chronic symptoms of the meno again.

Regards
Diana
x

[Diana]

Hi, Hurdity,
 

Have been to Doc's and had a thorough check up ie; Heart,lungs,BP,Temperature etc.
All good !  Have got acute sinusitis infection 

Have read up on the attachment and will go back on the patch .I will give the femoston till end of week ( 1 month ).The bleeding isn't heavy but consistent.I never had that with the previous regime.

Has  the 50mcg patch higher estrogen than 1/5 femoston tablet?
I do feel as though I'm not getting as much on this tablet.

The 200mg of Utro seems a really high amount compared to other progs don't you think ?

I will start using vaginally .

Will post a thread on hair loss and estrogen patch and see if anything comes of it.

Thankyou Again
Kind Regards
Diana
x

[Hurdity]

Hi Diana
You can't predict how much estradiol will get into your system from a given dose of tabelt or patch as this varies widely between different women and also you may well absorb more from a patch. The 50 mcg patch is listed as medium dose whearse the Femoston conti 1mg  - low dose.

Re the dose of progesterone - yes this is higher but you can't compare with the doses of the synthetic progestogens. Norethisterone for example is the most potent of all in thinning the womb lining. It's difficult to work out exactly what each woman needs re prog so the dose tends to be one size fits all - and making sure there is guaranteed to be plenty to prevent thickening of the lining. Inevitable that means that some of us received higher doses than we need.

Tehoretically a lower dose is needed vaginally as it goes stright to the uterus where needed, although the licensed dose in France for HRT is still 200 mg for cyclical HRT - the same as oral.

Hurdity x

[Cassie]

I found the 200mg very heavy for me, lots of funny side effects, so switched back to the 100mg could you not try the 100mg cyclically but use it vaginally works very well, less side effects, chat to your Dr about that as many women use it this way. Good luck, do hope that you get sorted.