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[Butterfly22]

AS a few will no ive been trying to get a HRT last couple of years im suited to and having so many problems.
Basically i started menapause age 25 and also have ME so quite sensetive to different medications.
Ive tried all i think but last year went on livial for three months and got really bad acne.
I was so upset so the doctor decided to put me on the pill diannette which is the pill but used for acne to.
I was on this for three months and felt the best id felt in years. my hot flushes stopped, depression lifted, had more energy and skin cleared up.
One problem i got migraines!! Three in three months so doctor had to stop it straight away.I was gutted.
Now i was thinking maybe i would be better off on the pill but the doctor said this is not an option because of the headaches, but so many different ones to try.
Is this right? could i try other pills?
Im on femeston conti tablet at the moment but low dose, just read a good review on this so i do have hope.
Any advice would be so much appreciated  xx

[Dancinggirl]

Hi lila22 and welcome.
So sorry to here about your problems - so tough to become menopausal so young.
I started to be peri meno in my mid 30s and my GP did put me on the pill to start with as she thought it would settle my periods down as they were all over the place after having my babies. The pill gave me terrible headaches!!  After i was diagnosed as peri meno I was put on HRT and after trying a few different types I found a regime that suited me.  Femiston is very well tolerated by many women and it comes in different strengths as well.  If you still find this gives you headaches/migraines then you need to go down the transdermal route.  This would be oestrogen in either patch or gel form and progesterone in the form of micronised progesterone called 'Utrogestan'. These type of hormones are described as bio-identical so are the same as we produce naturally and are far less likely to trigger migraines and other side effects.
Hopefully Hurdity will be along soon with the internet links with advice about HRT for migraine sufferers.  Good luck  DG x

[Butterfly22]

Thankyou for the reply, ive been on the gel and patches ect but they made my ME worse, i was so tired could not get out of bed.
I was on nuvelle for 10 years but dont do it anymore so been trying to find one.
I get migraines about one a year not much at all just last time was most certainty brought on by pill.
I was thinking can i try other pills? im 40 now so way beyond periods? xx

[Dancinggirl]

I'd definitely see how you get on with Femiston - however, at 40 you may need a higher dose. It certainly seems to be well tolerated well by many women.
You will need to take HRT till at least 50 to protect your heart and bones - I expect you have been told this already.   
I am surprised the Oestrogel/Utrogestan combination didn't suite you as this is often the kindest HRT in terms of tolerance, especially as the Oestrogel can be adjusted to suit your needs. There are ladies with ME and MS who visit this site and most report being much better when using HRT - everyone is different.
Unfortunately PMT type headaches are very common with HRT particularly around the time of the withdrawal bleed but migraines that are totally debilitating are miserable.
Let us know how you get on.  DG x

[Liverbird]

Hi Lila, I am on the pill (Yasmin) instead of HRT and the GP was OK with the fact I had "occasional" migraines in the past.  Having said that, I am not sure it is the right approach for a number of reasons, including the increased risk associated with migraines.  As far as I know, migraines are a problem with any combined contraceptive pill - our practice nurse refused to let me go back on the combined pill after I had my kids and I had to see the GP to get it.  Good luck.

[Butterfly22]

The gel has alcohol in so rubbing in everyday was not great for me, i cant even use certain sun lotions, body creams ect as can make me poorly.
Im so fed up with the whole thing just not sure what to do anymore.
I think i got a glimpse on the pill of feeling good and think a hrt/pill should do this as my body needs it but at the moment everything makes me worse.
I did wonder why im on the lowest dose of femeston, i guess i can work my way up, ive a splitting head right now and going in for foot op tomorrow, wanted this all sorted but no such luck.
Sorry if im moaning just so down with the whole thing. x x

[Hurdity]

Hi lila

I think we have discussed before?

When you were on gel or patches, were you on the conti type ie that prevent a bleed? It could well be that the progestogen was making you feel tired, and at your age especially I can see why you would not want to have this all the time.

Have you tried or considered an HRT type with a monthly cycle so that you would get a bleed? Then at least you might feel good some of the time. If you are progesterone intolerant thought you may still feel tired while on this part of the cycle - or when you change back to oestrogen only, but perhaps you would not get migraines?

I use Estradot 50 mcg (very small patch so no rubbing in) with utrogestan on a 6 week cycle - but I am 60. As dancinggirl says this sort of combination should be least likely to produce headaches and you would maybe only feel tired some of the time - which is what many women feel like with monthly periods throughout their life anyway.

I agree with all that's been said - you really want a higher dose of oestrogen at your age.

I don't have much information to hand re migraines and HRT - but just what is on this site - which doesn't say anything more than Dancinggirl has already told you! Here it is anyway - on A-Z of menopause and medical conditions
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossM

Migraine   
    Migraine is often triggered by hormonal fluctuations and therefore may occur around the time of a period. Such migraine may improve at the time of the menopause. Some women find that migraine may be triggered by the daily hormone fluctuations which can occur with oral (tablet) HRT so the transdermal (patch or gel) route is usually preferred with a history of migraine.

Please don't worry about moaning - this is the place for it - and we can hopefully share our experiences and suggestions.

Hurdity  x

[Butterfly22]

Hi lila

I think we have discussed before?

When you were on gel or patches, were you on the conti type ie that prevent a bleed? It could well be that the progestogen was making you feel tired, and at your age especially I can see why you would not want to have this all the time.

Have you tried or considered an HRT type with a monthly cycle so that you would get a bleed? Then at least you might feel good some of the time. If you are progesterone intolerant thought you may still feel tired while on this part of the cycle - or when you change back to oestrogen only, but perhaps you would not get migraines?

I use Estradot 50 mcg (very small patch so no rubbing in) with utrogestan on a 6 week cycle - but I am 60. As dancinggirl says this sort of combination should be least likely to produce headaches and you would maybe only feel tired some of the time - which is what many women feel like with monthly periods throughout their life anyway.

I agree with all that's been said - you really want a higher dose of oestrogen at your age.

I don't have much information to hand re migraines and HRT - but just what is on this site - which doesn't say anything more than Dancinggirl has already told you! Here it is anyway - on A-Z of menopause and medical conditions
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossM

Migraine   
    Migraine is often triggered by hormonal fluctuations and therefore may occur around the time of a period. Such migraine may improve at the time of the menopause. Some women find that migraine may be triggered by the daily hormone fluctuations which can occur with oral (tablet) HRT so the transdermal (patch or gel) route is usually preferred with a history of migraine.

Please don't worry about moaning - this is the place for it - and we can hopefully share our experiences and suggestions.

Hurdity  x

Hi Hurdity, yes you have helped me alot in the past, i thought i was getting somewhere with the pill but then feel like im knocked back to square one again.
Now i dont think i have tried the estrodot and utrogeston together, ive tried the everol conti and femseven so is this a different one to there?
I must sound so stupid as to be honest i dont understand all the different treatments ect.
My head feels like its in a vice and has been like this all day, so fed up.
I wonder if its worth asking the doctor to try this combo as not tried before.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and answer.
xxx

[Hurdity]

Hi lila22

If you don't settle on this then what do you think of the suggestion of going back to a cycle? You could start with Femoston 1/10 or 2/10 (I can't remember how old you are now?) and see if you felt better on the oestrogen only part of the tablets? If that's the case then it's the progestogen makinjg you feel tired. Could you cope with a bleed again - sometimes it's the only option to avoide the continulus side effects of a synthetic progestogen such as you are taking.

You could then explore the other options that I mentioned eg Estradot with separate Utrogestan - but on a cyclical basis rather than all the time.

All the different options are on the green men to the left under HRT preparations. The cyclical ones are under peri-menopause - scroll down for trans-dermal (gel or patch).
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

The oestrogen only treatments ( when you would need a separate progestogen eg Utrogestan) are here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

Again scroll down for gel and patches.

Hope your foot op went well!

Hurdity x

[Butterfly22]

Hi lila22

If you don't settle on this then what do you think of the suggestion of going back to a cycle? You could start with Femoston 1/10 or 2/10 (I can't remember how old you are now?) and see if you felt better on the oestrogen only part of the tablets? If that's the case then it's the progestogen makinjg you feel tired. Could you cope with a bleed again - sometimes it's the only option to avoide the continulus side effects of a synthetic progestogen such as you are taking.

You could then explore the other options that I mentioned eg Estradot with separate Utrogestan - but on a cyclical basis rather than all the time.

All the different options are on the green men to the left under HRT preparations. The cyclical ones are under peri-menopause - scroll down for trans-dermal (gel or patch).
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

The oestrogen only treatments ( when you would need a separate progestogen eg Utrogestan) are here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

Again scroll down for gel and patches.

Hope your foot op went well!

Hurdity x

Ah thanks Hurdity, im  going to give  the femeston conti at least six weeks before i make my mind up and can up the dose if need to i guess.
I will look into the other info to, i looked back threw my notes and seen the patch i thought i had not had was the one that made my skin bad, but there are other ones i can try.
Ill do more research so thanks for pointing me in the right direction. xx
ps foot very sore but luckly i can rest, thanks for asking x x x