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[jeanie m]

I'm in a bit of a mess and could do with some advice. I've always had problems with my periods, started perimenopause about 4years ago, started hrt elleste duet when symptoms were awful mostly night sweats, moods, headache  and flushes all the time, so was on low dose then after a while upped the does that was fine. Was on these about 2 years 2 and a half, came off, no more bleeding afte about 8 months couldnt cope with the night sweats and flushes anymore so went onto kliovance continuous low dose, that was fine for nearly a year i think maybe not quite as long, except for spotting which i think was a side effect but have to have a smear and internal to check. As the night sweats are back and driving me nuts plus headaches and awful temper tantrums (dont know how else to describe them and a lot of crying) I talked to dr and he suggested premique lose dose to se how that goes, says theres a higher risk of breast cancer being over 52 and best to start on a low dose. I dont know much baout these and am wondering if swopping  alose dose for a low dose will make a difference,  kliovance is 1mg estradiol & 0.5 mgs norethisterone daily. and premique is 0.3mg conjugated estrogen & 1.5mg MPA daily, i dont understand the difference, can anyone help or point me in the direction of help, thankyou x

[bramble]

We all react to the various HRT preparations differently. Probably the doctor thought that trying a totally different combination might help. Certainly Premique is an old fashioned type but there is obviously a reason why it is still around - it works! I found it the best of all the 4 HRT types I had tried. Good luck.
Bramble

[peegeetip]

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/oestrogens.php
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/progestogens.php
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13969.msg240051.html#msg240051

Best to take a look through these first. There are other posts mentioning the ups and down of mainly Progesterone options.

For me I'd rather be on the Estradiol 1mg I'm on at the moment than the horse urine based option. Please dont panic, a lot of out there have great success on it. Stick with it till you have a chance to see the options.

I'll be looking to move from norethisterone to a more "gentle" version Progesterone when I decide to change over to Conti HRT option like yourself but thats just my own personal conclusion from what I understand so far.

Keep going with what you have till you decide to get a different option from your doc.

As for the dangers you mention, its still far more dangerous to drink alcohol, eat smoked meats and smoke cigarettes etc than it is to take HRT when we are over 50.
Also the doctors never seem to mention the things HRT helps protect us against including other cancers that we "are not" screened for ie colon/large bowel cancer and for conti users endometrial cancer.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome jeanie m
I haven't had a chance to read what the others have said but - just a quick thought - I'd try Femoston as it is tolerated very well by many women because the progesterone is kinder. At 52 the breast cancer risk is still very tiny - it's when you get to 60 that the risk really kicks in and even then it's still small.
If Femoston doesn't suit you then go for bio-identical transdermal oestrogen and progesterone.  Good luck
DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi jeanie m

 

Just to add that you can't compare the oestrogen doses of Premique - which is a mix of horse oestrogens known as "Conjugated equine oestrogens" (lately they miss out the equine - clearly for PR reasons as it puts people off!). As you see from the list of post-menopausal HRT preparations here http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php they are both listed as low dose but work in slightly different wasy. The horse one is stronger so a lower dose is needed.

I agree with Dancing girl - I would go for Femoston rather than Premique.

Rgearding risks - if you look at the risk/benefits scales diagram on this site you will see that overall (other things being equal) benefits of HRT are greater than the risks if aged under 60:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.php

If you concentrate on improving your diet, weight and lifestyle as well then any risks can be reduced.

Hurdity x

[jeanie m]

thanks everyone. the doc did have a read over my notes and a think about he was giving so i am alright to try the premique . that explains why i couldnt work out the similarities with kliovance as its a different type of low dose. he very much wanted the low dose to start so will give it a try. I have to get an internal in a month to check for the bleeding im having so will probably know by then as the effects are pretty instant with the sweats. Good to know some people do well on it. 

[Suzi Q]

I'm in a bit of a mess and could do with some advice. I've always had problems with my periods, started perimenopause about 4years ago, started hrt elleste duet when symptoms were awful mostly night sweats, moods, headache  and flushes all the time, so was on low dose then after a while upped the does that was fine. Was on these about 2 years 2 and a half, came off, no more bleeding afte about 8 months couldnt cope with the night sweats and flushes anymore so went onto kliovance continuous low dose, that was fine for nearly a year i think maybe not quite as long, except for spotting which i think was a side effect but have to have a smear and internal to check. As the night sweats are back and driving me nuts plus headaches and awful temper tantrums (dont know how else to describe them and a lot of crying) I talked to dr and he suggested premique lose dose to se how that goes, says theres a higher risk of breast cancer being over 52 and best to start on a low dose. I dont know much baout these and am wondering if swopping  alose dose for a low dose will make a difference,  kliovance is 1mg estradiol & 0.5 mgs norethisterone daily. and premique is 0.3mg conjugated estrogen & 1.5mg MPA daily, i dont understand the difference, can anyone help or point me in the direction of help, thankyou x

JM am thinking of u sadly I didnt take or couldnt take HRT so see your GP again and do what he suggests
Dont give up u will feel better xxxxxxxxx

[gladys]

Help I have been om ellesete duet 1mg and was starting to feel really good now just started my 3rd packet 3months and feel rotten why as I fealty I was getting a bit better please help someone is this normal 

[peegeetip]

Hi Gladys

you said you feel rotten, however not sure what you mean by that. Start your own thread in the Private Lives section if you don't want to discuss this in the open forum.

Could it be your suffering from something else, cold flu other virus?

 

[gladys]

I meant I felt  sick tearful painful joints a whole load of symptoms menopause I am sure and Lady help here so much

[Hurdity]

Hi gladys

I presume you are still having a withdrawal bleed. It is normal to feel tearful and irritable when you change from the combi tablets (containing oestrogen and progestogen) to the new ones at the start of a packet which are oestrogen only. This is normal pmt as the progesterone levels fall, but you should feel better a few days later just after your period starts?

There are some women who begin to feel bad soon after changing to the second tablets in the pack, because they are intolerant of the progestogen in those tablets. If this sounds like you, then you might be better off with a different tablet type like Femoston where the progestogen is closer to the one in our own bodies. You will still be likely to experience pmt for a few days when you change over to a new packet though, and go back onto the oestrogen only tablets!

Hope this helps and you are feeling better now.

Hurdity x