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[Puffin Mama]

Hi pepperminty
That's such helpful advice, thank you.  I too have been trying to focus on 'now' rather than 'what if' and have also started mindfulness meditation, although I think I need to change my timings around a bit as I intended to do it last thing at night but am always so tired that I fall asleep instead!  Out of interest, what time of day do you do yours?    I have been doing yoga for a few weeks now and that has helped - I was doing 30-40 mins at least 3 times a week, using a DVD, but that has slipped during the school holidays as we have been out and about quite a lot.  I am really noticing the difference now I have not done any for over a week so need to get going with that again as well.   I have put a radio in the bedroom and have Radio 4 on at night before I sleep - for me, the falling asleep part is not the problem, that happens all too easily!  It's the staying asleep part that is the challenge!!    My dad's wife has been a poor sleeper ever since she went through menopause and her solution if she wakes up at 4am is to get up and either do a jigsaw or do some housework!  I think it's the unpredictability that gets me down - some days I feel fine and can tackle anything, other days I feel like I can just about function and get through the day.  When I feel rubbish, I've found that going out and doing something helps, especially with other people.
Puffin x

[pepperminty]

Hi Puffin Mama,
I know what you mean about the ups and downs, it's so difficult, but don't over tax yourself on the good days . I meditate about 7 pm or whenever I get a moment really , but if it makes you drowsy , do it while you are in bed , that's ok , there are no rules. Do not worry if you wake up early , what's the worse that could happen ? Maybe try some meditation then? I have been so exhausted some days I could cry ,but the HRT is helping me cope and hopefully it is getting better. I agree getting out with friends can help, especially if you can all compare notes and have a sense of humour about the situation. I think we expect too much of ourselves. I am glad yoga works for you.
Pmintyx

[abbyH]

This is a very hard time for a lot of us. I sympathise and feel for all who are going through it. I have been active and fit and healthy all my adult life and been a yoga teacher for the last 15 years, about 4 years ago  (47) I experienced hair loss, heavier periods, mood swings but was fobbed off by endless doctors who wanted to put me on antidepressants (yawn yawn).. I finally got some headway last year and am in the system being treated for the heavy periods, but its like pulling teeth and my GP although nice, knows nothing about the menopause or related issues (thyroid, periods etc)

It feels like there is no one to turn to apart from internet forum's and for those I am grateful!
my current state is: starting HRT but not doing so well on it, 1 pump oestrogel and haven't started the uterogestan but am thinking of stopping as feel so yucky, put on weight, anxious and can't sleep and am still getting hot flushes!

I haven't had any of my levels measured so don't even know if I am oestrogen or progesterone deficient, it all feels like a shot in the dark.. I feel like I' have lost a year of my life, worrying and wondering what's happening to me? losing my fit and healthy body becoming a recluse as I lost a lot of hair and feel so self conscious

It is a scandal that we are left to fend for ourselves or that dreaded 'it's your age' trotted out when we go to seek advice from health professionals...

I feel so strongly that women are being failed, and that the information we need is out there, but we have to really fight for it.

There is no 'menopause' clinic in my area (Norfolk, unless anyone knows better?) but am trying to get a referral to a specialist so i can at least get assessed for what is going on with me

so, I do feel for you and anyone else who has posted here.. I am alone, no partner either grown up kids and feel like I am slowly going insane, some days fine, some days I just want to lie in bed and not do anything.. I am used to being busy and productive but seem to have ground to a halt as had to leave my job last year due to all teh awful symptoms of anaemia, heavy periods depression etc I was having...

I think I am going to give my body a break - as was on noristhisterone to stop heavy bleeding, then Esmya to shrinnk fibroid and now HRt.. I think having nothing hormonal in my system for a few months is the way forward and I will think about taking hormones again with advice, in due course..

I can tell the oestrogel is making my skin nice and smooth though, so that's a bonus but I have also put on weight quite quickly which worries me

Anyone else had same issues?

Abby

[Puffin Mama]

Hi Abby
I have lost count of the number of GP visits I have had since last year, when I barely needed to go near them before.  I am lucky and have a very good GP, who listens, and I am now about to trial Utrogestan.  I tried Evorel Sequi first (with the oestrogen patch cut in half as it was too strong for me) but the progesterone gave me dreadful headaches.    Swopped to Estrodot, which made me  feel awful - shaky arms and legs and sick.  GP referred me to meno clinic, where consultant reckons I don't need oestrogen at all and has prescribed Utrogestan only for the time being.  Fingers crossed!
I'm so sorry you had to leave your job and I think it's easy to feel isolated with all these horrible symptoms. 'Luckily', two of my close female friends also seem to be in peri so we can compare symptoms!  I do sometimes think it would be nice to have a partner for some emotional support but then feel exhausted at the thought of any kind of relationship  - I don't have the energy!!
I am trying to do more exercise in the hope that I will at least feel a bit better and sleep better - yoga does seem to be helping with that although some days my muscles feel like jelly so a downward dog is a bit of a killer!
Puffin Mama x

[abbyH]

Hi Puffin Mama.. Thanks for your reply (and all the others too, so much helpful info)
Am seriously considering retraining to become a menopause specialist (haha) as I seem to have more info about it than the doctors I have seen.. Great you've been referred, it's ridiculous that so much conflicting advice is given out as well. A friend of mine was sent away from her GPS (with loads of awful symptoms) saying that they do not prescribe HRT to menstruating women!!!!! and that it's dangerous!

I think support groups and forum's are great, but what I'd really like to see is proper advice, being listened to by medical professionals, not having to take pot shots at trying to get referrals etc. It's like a collective blanket is being pulled over their heads because no one wants to deal with the complexity of what happens to some women in the menopause

Re Yoga, actually doing restorative and gentler types of yoga is the way forward for balance during this time, but no reason not to do Down Dog too! (as it is a restorative pose actually)...

hope you feel better, I definitely have felt better since doing more... but some days that is very hard...  which meno clinic were you referred to and how much Utrogestan are you taking and when?
Abby

[Puffin Mama]

Hi again Abby
I seem to have regained some energy over the last few days so don't feel quite so exhausted at the end of my yoga sessions! I am still very much a beginner so have been taking it easy and following a DVD with 3 different level programmes and only doing the gentler stuff.  It definitely helps me to sleep better and forces me to concentrate on the poses so I can't stew over other things!!
There is a terrible lack of consistency in the service offered to menopausal women and apart from anything else, I found it made me doubt myself and my own sanity. The (male) GP I see now is really good and very open to dialogue about things but at one point, I saw a female GP in the same practice, who told me that she didn't think any of my symptoms were hormonal and tried to tell me they were all related to anxiety.  I do agree that anxiety can cause horrible physical symptoms but in my case, I was sure that the anxiety was hormonal and she wouldn't even consider that.
I am being seen at the Queen Charlotte's Hospital meno clinic in London - it's headed by Nick Panay. It was just very reassuring to be taken seriously and be told that there was help and support, although it is trial and error in terms of what works for each woman. Mr Panay prescribed me 1 100mg capsule of Utrogestan and suggested that I start taking them in the few days before my period.  As this has become a moveable feast  , his advice was to start taking them when I experienced the PMS/anxiety-type symptoms and if I have no unpleasant side-effects, to take them throughout the month (with no oestrogen at present as he doesn't think I need any).   I am a bit worried about taking them as I do seem to react to almost everything I take in some way but it's a low dose so will give them a go and see.
Puffin x

[CLKD]

  and do let us know how you get on!

[abbyH]

Hi PM
Thanks for your reply I hope you get some good results with the Uterogestan.. I am seeing my GP again today to ask for a referral to a meno clinic.. HOWEVER! we only have the one at Colchester which is miles away so am wondering if they would refer me to one in London, as I am more likely to be able to get there .. as I sometimes work in London.. Long shot, but you never know!

Be keen to know how you get on too..

Take care
Abby x

[Puffin Mama]

Hi Abby and CLKD
I would have thought you can choose which clinic you are referred to, in the same way as you can choose a hospital.   It is far more reassuring to be seen by experts although as I have discovered, even they differ amongst themselves in proposed treatment!

I think I should start the Utrogestan now as had been feeling a bit off yesterday but quite manageable and as I was expecting my period at the end of this week onwards, thought I'd wait and see if it got worse. Imagine my great joy this morning to find my period had started - two and a half weeks after the last one  .   Don't actually feel too bad emotionally but have the 'internal shaking' feeling that some ladies have described on here and keep holding out my hands as I am convinced they must be visibly shaking - and of course they are completely steady!  These wretched hormones really do play games with us!!
Puffin x

[abbyH]

Hi Puffin
thanks for that.. Am just about to go doc's and will ask if I can be referred to Nick Panay! its' nearly as far from Norfolk as Colchester!

I know the shaky feeling.. have huge anxiety and palpiations currently



Will report back!

Abby

[abbyH]

Hi there
Well, after my five minute consult.. No joy. No referrals to any menopause clinic, as they deal with all symptoms in house, apparently...

She did say she'd order up a new batch of tests, but can anyone tell me WHY they don't measure your oestrogen and progesterone levels? it seems so odd, to be prescribing hormones when you don't know the status of your balance
?

My testosterone is v high.. which is a cause for concern apparently.. and which does suggest to me that something is off..

Wish there was a menopause clinic here, but nothing... the closest she would say is that I could ask my gynae consultant who is treating me for fibroids, but as far as I know, she's not a hormone specialist..

What to do?

Anyway I have the HRt, I'd just like some help in whether I need both oestrogen and prog, and how much to take...

hope you're doing ok Puffin Mama!

Abby 

[Puffin Mama]

Hi Abby
How very unhelpful and disappointing.....and I don't see how all meno matters can be dealt with in house by normal GPs who are not experts. Could you complain? High testosterone does seem to suggest that something is amiss although I couldn't tell you what!  I'm sure someone with more scientific knowledge could shed light on this though.
Could your gynae consultant refer you to a meno clinic if she is not specialised enough?

I was initially prescribed both oestrogen and progesterone by GP but oestrogen made me feel ill and prog gave me headaches!    Was then prescribed oestrogen only by meno clinic and still felt ill when using it.   Nick Panay has put me on prog only although I have not started taking it yet as have had a reasonably stable month.  I do intend to give it a try though if only to see if it sorts out some of the physical symptoms - I still have the weird internal shaking and a very annoying muscle twitch in my thumb!
Which oestrogen and progesterone have you been prescribed?

Puffin x

[dazned]

Hi AbbyH

The reason they dont take bloods is that your hormones fluctuate on a daily basis! So unless you had bloods taken everyday for a month it shows nothing concrete !
You can get a private consultation with a local gynecologist,I did,just look at gynecologist in your area with an interest in meno on internet.