Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Debe]

My last period was in 2007, 8 years ago, I was 47. I didn't realise it at the time and my Dr didn't diagnose it, but I had an early menopause. I started having hot sweats when I was 33. Dr put it down to panic attacks as I was stressed at the time but now I can clearly see that this was all symptomatic of the menopause. I was given beta-blockers which did help with the anxiety.

Since my periods stopped, I had a lot of migraines but no other symptoms until recently apart from arthritis but didn't associate it with the menopause.  I was glad to be pain free as my periods had been very painful and occurred every 22 days. I also suffered from horrendous PMT. However I did want children but what can you do? Just accept it and get on with it.

For the past 5 years, I have suffered from severe vaginal dryness, it's painful, sore, uncomfortable, so bad in fact that I went to the Sexual Health clinic. The nurse there said it looked very red and sore and told me it could be aids, diabetes, she didn't think it was thrush or herpes but checked anyway and gave me an HIV test and a test for syphilis.

She said I need to have a through check-up at the Drs. That I might need oestrogen cream or HRT.

All tests came back negative, though they said I had blood in my urine.

So I made an appointment, this is back in February 2015. The Dr I saw said make a double appointment with Dr J as she trained in gynaecology.
So I did this and had to wait about 2 weeks as she was in holiday. At my appointment, she ripped open my clit and said let me know if it hurts! Too late. She told me to get a smear test before she would prescribe oestrogen cream or HRT and gave me Replens (vaginal moisturiser) in the meantime, which has helped a little.

After the smear test and result, another month gone by by the time I get another appointment with Dr J. This time I tell her I can take it no longer, I want to try the HRT rather than the cream as I have had enough of the sleepless nights, the low mood, the lack of any sex drive, aching arms, and the very sore, dry and uncomfortable vagina (with also a kind of bearing down pain which is permanent) which makes sex feel like broken glass inside and it not pleasant so we hadn't had any sex since last August. No to mention the elusive orgasm.

So I am prescribed Elleste Duet. I go to the chemist and find I have to pay 2 prescription fees for 1 item because there are 2 different tablets inside. I am livid about this. White oestrogen tablets and green progesterone tablets. Dr told me: “You will bleed”.  I thought this would be a light miniscule period. I take the white tablets followed by the green tablets and I wait for this “bleed” to occur. I start a new pack still wondering until day 4 when my period begins, a very painful heavy period, and I am shocked and not happy. The day before this period I was very emotional and cried all day, very exhausting. So day 5 and period has still not stopped and taking loads of co-codamol (OTC). Needless to say, I have done some more internet research and found that once you have stopped having periods for a year or more, you are supposed to have a continuous HRT that does NOT give you periods! I've been trying to sort this out since the end of January this year and here we are in June and I am going to have to go back to the Dr yet again! Because I am not waiting for the 3 month supply to be used up to see if it will happen again. I want to start living my life. I have really had enough. Surely the Dr should know this. So there is Elleste Duet Conti, which is continuous. No periods. And there is also Tibolone which is synthetic but its like oestrogen, progestin and testosterone for the female body and apparently gives you back a sex drive with no breast tenderness etc. I will try the Elleste Conti now, as I am already taking the white tablets and if no joy will ask for the Tibolone.

You can get all this, I believe through the internet pharmacies at a price if the Dr won't give it to you.
The green tablets gave me uncontrollable eating mania and I have put on another ½ stone since taking these pills.
I had stabbing pains in my cervix yesterday and I and not happy at all. My fear is: what is this period doing to my womb? I have made another appointment to see my Dr.

[Taz2]

Hi Debe - welcome to the forum.

What a time you've had of it but, never fear, you have come to the right place for advice and friendship. There's always someone around to listen and just give a  if needed.

To answer your last question first. The period won't be doing anything nasty to your womb. You took the oestrogen containing white pills for two weeks which built up your womb lining and then you took the progesterone containing green pills which has the effect of beginning to thin the lining back down again as an egg hasn't been implanted. Once you stopped the green pills (this is usually what happens) then the lack of progesterone triggers a bleed. The first three "periods" on HRT can be quite heavy and painful but these then should even out to just a lighter bleed lasting a few days. The eating mania you describe is usual too while on the progesterone pills. You may have had this when you had your natural cycle as part of PMT? If you didn't then I can understand your surprise and concern!

You are right that you should really have been given the conti HRT. This means that you will have a low, continuous dose of progesterone throughout the month so you shouldn't get a withdrawal bleed. Some women do experience breakthrough bleeding or even continuous bleeding (like me  ) for the first few months but if you feel well on HRT in other ways then it is worth persevering. In my case the bleeding continued for six months so I opted to go back onto a sequi HRT so that I at least knew that I would only bleed once a month for a short time.

There are different types of HRT with different progesterones in. Some women react to one or other types of progesterone in terms of PMT type symptoms and, again, don't despair because it can take a few goes to get the one which is right for you. It is advisable to try each  HRT for at least three months to get a good picture as to whether it is working for you or not.

The lack of libido causes such unhappiness. There are threads about this on here and if you use the search box in the blue bar top left of the screen it will bring up some of our posts.

Taz x 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM Debe
Your story is quite common - sadly very few of us are clued up about what to expect when we hit the menopause. 47 is a bit young to be oestrogen deficient so you are now suffering as a result.
Taz as explained things very well.
It is fine to be using sequential HRT in post meno -  this induces a withdrawal bleed each month - this is so the womb lining remains thin (oestrogen builds up this lining) which is important to prevent problematic bleeding and reduce the risk of womb cancer.  Many of us choose to use HRT sequentially and put up with monthly bleeds to avoid the side effects that can result from using progesterone continuously. Don't worry about the bleed you are having as it is normal and necessary on this type of HRT and won't be doing any harm.
The PMT symptoms you describe are common when using the synthetic progesterone in Elleste Duet - you may find you struggle if you use the conti version of this HRT. Tibolone could be worth trying  - I tried it and found it good but it gave me acne!!
Any conti HRT will give some bleeding or spotting for the first few months.
You could have a Mirena fitted then just add as little or as much oestrogen as you need.
The kinder HRTs are Femoston (as sequi or conti versions) or there is a combination of separate oestrogen in gel or patch form with Utrogestan (micronised progesterone which is bio identical) and this can be taken as conti or sequi.
I'm afraid the double prescription charge does apply to all HRTs.
If you are having vaginal problems then it is probably wise to use local oestrogen alongside the systemic HRT - I'm 59 and need both. Vagifem is very popular as it is less messy to use than creams.
Blood in the urine is also common and should be checked out but, again, it can be linked to lack of oestrogen.
You can't buy HRT online without a prescription in the UK.
Stabbing pains etc. are probably due to your lady parts responding to getting some oestrogen back so this should settle down.
Do read up all the info on this site and read through some threads to get clued up. I'm afraid most GPs are not up to speed about treating menopause problems and it is a matter of trial and error before you find a regime that really works for you. 
We are here to help and support.  Keep posting DG x

[Debe]

Hi Taz and DG, thank you for your replies. Yes I have been having a good look at this site and I think I am going to ask the Dr for Femostron Conti and Amatriptaline. My cervix has calmed down a bit now. My mood is very low. I thought I would have felt better than this. I am feeling a little better physically, my arthritis doesn't seem so bad and I am sleeping better. But I have no energy. I must admit, I never thought I would go on HRT but my symptoms are not all due to anxiety and stress. I also believe, the Dr's do their best and they are so overloaded. I really appreciate your replies.

Take care, D.

[Cwtch]

H I am also new to hrt and was determined not to take it but due to anxiety levels went running to the gp. I started on Estelle duet. The gp didn't warn me about the monthly bleed so it was a shock when I read the packet. It had been 18 months since my last period. I took it for a month and started to feel a bit less anxious after around 2 weeks. I went back to gp for check up and she switched me to Estelle conti because I complained about the monthly bleed. I really wish I hadn't switched though as after 2 days my mood dropped and extreme anxiety and panic attacks kicked in. I am now back on Estelle duet and still shaky but I am going to give it at least 3 months as I think it takes a while to settled down. I am just hoping it settles the anxiety as I can cope with everything else but the anxiety defeates me. I have been feeling extremely tired due to sleepless nights.  I am 44 and one of the benefits of living in Wales is that prescriptions are free!

[Dancinggirl]

Cwtch - I think you are feeling the negative effects of the progesterone in Elleste the progesterone can give PMT type symptoms.  It might be worth trying Femoston conti which many ladies find has a more calming effect.  The other alternatives are the Mirena together with separate oestrogen or Utrogestan nightly with separate oestrogen.

Debe - I'd try Femoston first before going onto an AD like Amatriiptaline -  this will give you a chance to see what is working well.  ADs give side effects as well so give our body time to adjust to the Femoston first - it might just do the trick. My gynae recommends the AD/SRRI Citalopram for menopause anxiety and flushes etc.- I'm afraid finding the right AD/SRRI can also be trial and error as we all react differently to medication.
DG x

[Debe]

Cwtch,

I am going to ask the Dr for Femoston conti and see how I get on with that. At least the Dr told me I would bleed, but it was still a shock, I thought it would be very light and not painful.

Dancinggirl,

I do appreciate your advice and I will be more patient. I saw your other post just now. The support I have received here is really helping me to feel a little better. It's going to take a little while to settle down, as you say, I am post menopausal!

Taz,

I did eat lots of chocolate before a period before menopause. But this time I really couldn't control it. And I really have got to lose weight as I have now ballooned to 17 stone and I'm only 5'4!

It's a beautiful day and I am going to sit out and enjoy the garden and listen to the birds. 

Take care everyone 

[Cwtch]

Thanks for tip dancing girl, after switching too quickly and having negative affects I'm going to carry on with estelle duet for a few months to give it a chance but will definitely ask to try femoston conti if no improvement. I'm assuming its a tablet as I didn't get on with patches? 

Debe - I have only been suffering from menopause anxiety for a few weeks but have found I feel worse in the morning and if I haven't eaten. It helps me to think I won't feel really bad all day and I take kalms plus Bach remedy.

[Hurdity]

Hi Debe

 

Just to add, that as you yourself have suggested you need to do,- losing weight to a healthy BMI (and increasing exercise) is one of the most important things you can do at this stage in your life, to get yourself healthy and minimise risk of all sorts of diseases as you age.

I also agree that you will benefit from local oestrogen ( such as Gynest cream or Vagifem) alongside the full HRT which will only go so far to alleviate issues "down there".

Also to add that from what I've read, oral HRT has a more dampening effect on libido than transdermal HRT ( patches,  or gel - with separate progesterone).

Glad you're enjoying the sunshine -  how about a little walk too 

Hurdity x