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[hayjude]

Hi , Im new here too. Been lurking a month or so and finally registered. I've been finding lots of good info and advice and now want to join you all.

Im 48, and for the last 6-12 months have been feeling absolutely exhausted, irritable, low mood, fuzzy head, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep, low confidence, mild anxiety and no vava voom.  I think I started having a few hot flushes too, but these have got worse in the last 3 months and i now have reg night sweats, joy. Periods are a bit closer together, with occasional longer gaps.  In the last three months I actually started thinking i was clinically depressed and was almost going to go and see GP about this and them I had a light bulb moment and suddenly thought about the menopause..... So I read up and went to see GP who did blood tests to rule out Thyroid and  aneamia and didnt show much else. I decided I wanted to start HRT as I don't like feeling like this.....so I read up again and went to see GP and asked for Oestrogel and Utrogestan ( they were happy to prescribe but had never hear of this!) and here I am.

I know im only on my first month and It needs to settle down and when I was just taking the oestrogel 2 pumps daily I was feeling much better, clear headed, sleeping well, positive and cheerful. I am now 8 days into the progesterone part of the cycle (8/12) and really dont feel so good and Im sleeping terribly again. I thought the progesterone bit would make me sleep well but its not. Im waking multiple times at night, but not with hot sweats, just wide awake. I also feel headachy and irritable again, and starving hungry 9 which I was not on the oestrogen part) .  the dose of utrogestan i am taking is 100mgs x2 at night. Could this be too much for me?? I have read about people taking the tablets vaginally and wanted to ask if this caused less side effects too.

Any advice or tips would be helpful.

Much appreciated. HAYJUDE.

[CLKD]

  some ladies find that progesterone upsets their system.  At least your GP is supportive, maybe direct the Surgery to MM? when I first arrived here I subscribed to the magazine which I took to my Practice Nurse ……

You could do a search for progesterone …….. and read the menus, left of screen!  Ask away 

[hayjude]

I wouldn't  really say my that GP is supportive... I've had very little contact with them over the years thank goodness. You can never see the same person and have no continuity or time to build a relationship.

I understand how to get what I want from a consultation and am quite assertive and well read . I just know that if I had gone to GPS with my initial symptoms all I would of been offered would of been antidepressants.  Thankfully the penny dropped and I had a excellent role model in my mum who took HRT post hyperectomy very happily for 25 years.

[hayjude]

So heres a question then please re progesterone.

 IS the taking it at night because it might make you sleepy? If it doesn't make you sleepy and actually seems to be disturbing sleep would it be ok to take in the morning so its worn off by night?

[Dancinggirl]

I think taking it at night is because it usually makes you feel sleepy and or dizzy. Also it needs to be taken on an empty stomach so bedtime is better.  I tend to take it about 2 hours after my supper - so at around 9.30 in the evening - and I do find I sleep really well on it. Many women do use it vaginally because they find they get fewer side effects - it is not licensed for use in this way for HRT purposes here in the UK but I believe it is in France.
The theory is that it is absorbed locally and possibly more efficiently to the area that needs it but, as I said, if you wish to try this, that is up to you.  Hopefully others who do this will be along to advice. Sadly most progesterones will bring some side effects but you may be one of those ladies that actually do better with something like Norithesterone - it's trial and error I'm afraid.. DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi hayjude

  from me too.

I am a long term utrogestan user - for 3 1/2 years now I think.

What a pity that utrogestan is causing you to wake up several times. I take it vaginally and as Dancinggirl says this does minimise side effects. You can also get away with a lower dose because it is absorbed directly as Dancinggirl says although this is not licensed and I have the OK from my doctor to do it like this.

I find I wake up during the utrogestan phase because it makes me need to empty my bladder in the night - when I can now sleep through if I don't drink anything during the evening. Because of this I keep half waking up and then trying to go back to sleep - and eventually have to get up due to  bladder. he bladder thing also causes me to dream vividly and once I've got up and "been" I then sleep more soundly. This could be due to using it vaginally though?

It's tricky getting the dose right and progesterone tends to be prescribed in a "one size fits all" approach - which clearly isn't needed. However docs rather err on the side of caution ie too much, than risk women getting uterine thickening.

The headache and irritability suggest you could be progesterone intolerant to some extent. However I would try for a couple of months and see if you settle on it. I would love to suggest that you try 100 mg per night vaginally to try to minimse side effects but this should only be done with the approval and supervision of your doctor as you would need regular scans to check on the lining especially as you are peri-menopausal.

If you think your doc might not approve you could send an e-mail consultation with Dr Currie for £25 and ask about vaginal use - but not sure if she will recommend off licence methods through this system.

Being a fan of bio-identical HRT myself, I can understand your wanting to use this regime - but just wondered as you are in early peri-menopause, if you don't settle with utrogestan, whether you would consider a Mirena coil for a few years and then change to utrogestan when you are further towards menopause? This supposedly delivers progestogen directly to the uterus lining with minimal absorption.

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Kathleen]

Hello hayjude.

I can't add to the advice you've been given but I wanted to say welcome to the forum.

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.

[hayjude]

Thanks everyone. Great welcome and answers. I appreciate this very much.

I am more than happy to give it all at least 3 months to settle hopefully, and i don't want to make changes without at least discussion with a knowledgeable medic.  I don't really recall  having any major problems in my pill taking years, so hopefully it will just settle down. I only have 4 more doses to take  and interested to see what sort of bleed I have and if its like a period or not. I am looking forward to being on the estrogen only bit again.

I'm really not keen on a mirena coil, i dont have children and think the insertion would be too painful as my cervix has not been stretched. Im a bit squeemish generally about intimate examinations. I just wish i could have the whole lot out via hysterectomy and then just stick to oestrogel.

Herdity...do you think I might be too early on in the perimenopause to be considering starting HRT? Just asking as a few people I have spoken to are suprised Im wanting to start it while I am still having fairly regular periods. I seem to be the first in my group of friends / work colleagues to have considered it or maybe they are all sailing through.

[Hurdity]

Hi again hayjude

It is tricky sometimes getting it right if you are fairly early in peri-menopause because your own cycle will still be running along in the background and your ovaries working. However your oestrogen levels will still be less than they were if your periods have become irregular and if you are experiencing symptoms then HRT can help even this early.

Here is an article about taking HRT before you reach menopause in which Dr Currie commented:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2800760/should-women-hrt-menopause-experts-say-s-best-way-ease-symptoms-avoid-long-term-health-problems.html

Hurdity x

[dazned]

Hayjude,Iam New too MM, but in answer to your last question I started HRT when I was still having regular periods and couldn't have coped without it! There is no set age to be peri or meno each person's body is different,guess that's why so many problems getting the right doses for the individual! Glad you stuck to your guns at doctors ,as I m on here for info/support after 4 years of being settled all old symptoms came resurfacing,realizing that further down the hormone line it needed adjustment first doctor told me to come off at my age 55 and have CBT ! He wasn't impressed when I asked if a patient was low in the hormone insulin would talking about it make me produce more ! . The next told me I was depressed and wanted me to take fluroxetien even though I said I wasn't depressed .Hang on in there you will find the right one for you.It does take time and is very frustrating I know Iam there at the moment,just wish I'd take my own advice 

It's a scary time x

[hayjude]

Thanks Hurdity, that article about starting HrT early is great and has really put my mind at rest. I do know that this is the right path for me and I so want it to work and to get the benefits both long and short-term whilst accepting the marginally increased risks and not freaking out about them.

Dazned, thanks too. Hope you get your adjustments made and loved your analogy of Insulin and CBT to your doc.

There is much to learn and read. I have started to jot down how Im feeling every day, both physically and mentaly in a symptom diary to help with future changes and consultations . I also take my BP once a week and jot this down as its perfect at home and always a lot higher at the gps ( white coat hypertension I think). I dont want this to be used as a tool to try and get me to come off HRT in the future before Im ready.