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[Sparklet]

Started taking this a couple of weeks ago to relieve night sweats and sleeplessness. All went well and symptons were really improving until day 20 when I started with a gnawing stomach pain and diarrhea. This has settled a little but a fortnight on still have very upset tum and aches and pains. Visited GP who gave me a thorough examination and felt it was more likely to be an infection rather than the HRT. Pain so bad last night decided not to take pill this morning and maybe stop for a few days to see if stomach improves. Has anyone else had this problem? Many years ago on the pill had some stomach pain and have since read that it may be the progesterone. Up until now I have been on Estrodot 50 with the Merina coil but felt I wanted to have that removed and try a combination pill. Not sure what to do now.

[Hurdity]

Before changing your HRT you should probably make sure that it isn't an infection first as your doctor says?

Some women do find though that tablet HRT does aggravate the stomach and in this case transdermal HRT (patch or gel) is recommended, as it says on this site:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/route.php

As you have stopped the pills, if you feel better, you won't know if it's because you've stopped the tabelts or because the infection (if you had one) had got better! Probably best to continue with the pills and if it doesn't get better then it is likely to be the tablets upsetting you - but unpleasant to experience while you are trying to establish this!.

Hope you feel better soon.

Hurdity x

[Sparklet]

Thanks for your reply, actually feeling a bit better today, so fingers crossed. I will see how things go then maybe consider changing to a patch. Just really want a low dose HRT like the Femoston conti so not sure which way to go. Presumably that particular one is only available in tablet form. Have to read up on it!

[Milamam]

Hi Sparklet, I am on a bit higher dose of femoston, 2/10, but got severe stomach acidity, nausea and /heaviness right below the ribs in the last 5-6 days of the pack. So still am not sure whether this was the combined pill or pre-bleed aggravation of symptoms. I got my bleed just today and will see if the symptoms continue . Oral HRT does cause GI upset and also puts a strain on your gallbladder. I have an appt with a GI doctor tomorrow to discuss as I don't want gallbladder or stomach problems every month regardless of the cause. Will write an update. I hope you are feeling better now!

[Sparklet]

Hi Milamam, thanks for your imput, had two days off hrt but now back on with no new stomach trouble so fingers crossed. Hope your GI consultation went ok and things settle down for you. I'm still considering maybe swapping to patches but not sure which one is the lowest dose out of the two mentioned on the HRT preparation chart as I need something similar to the Femoston very low one, need to investigate. Thanks again

[Hurdity]

The two conti HRT patches contain the same dose of oestrogen - 50 mcg - not sure which Femoston this would be equivalent to and it would depend how you absorb the hormone through tablets or patches. The only thing about the patches is that the progestogen is different from the one in Femoston - which is closer to our own progesterone, so there may be issues with changing this?

There is also the option of taking progesterone separately - ie utrogestan (micronised progesterone), with a patch oestrogen, although again this can cause digestive upsets if you are sensitive, when taken orally as is usual.

All the different types are listed in the menu on the left ( green lettering) - under HRT preparations.

Hurdity x

[Sparklet]

Feeling much better and back on the HRT for the last couple of days without any problem so I'm hoping it was just a nasty bug. See how things go in the future, will update soon, thanks for help.