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[pepperminty]

Thanks DG,

I think you are right. I will try taking the pill later. Also perhaps I may need a stronger dose than I/10 ?
 I do take painkillers when needed and I don't drink alcohol. ( if only I could , but it makes me feel ill).
 I did have the mirena coil fitted a few years ago ,but unfortunately it took 2 operations and an emergency admission through A&E for them to get it in there ( long story) ! And then after 4 months because I was swelling up amongst other things they decided to whip it out. So I don't think that's an option I can go down again.

Thanks again for the sensible advice.
 I can cope with the mood thing , the headache and nausea , aching limbs, exhaustion , but not all at once first thing in the morning!! A couple on the go together, maybe!?

I do hope my eggs give up the ghost soon and stop fighting.
I am going to go to bed early and hopefully wake up feeling fine.
Well at least I know where to come if I have another wobble!! Thank goodness for the forum. I'll try to be optimistic and not expect to have one.

Here's hoping I am eventually a success story.

Peppermintyxx

[Dancinggirl]

pepperminty - I wouldn't increase the dose just yet as you are peri meno.  I found too much oestrogen gave me headaches in the peri stage so I'd stick with this dose for now - that's not to say you won't need a higher dose later.
Before I went on HRT I got truly horrible headaches when my periods did come so you might experience worse headaches without HRT??!!  I'm sure you will feel better soon. Keep us posted. DG x

[pepperminty]

Thanks DG,

I am feeling a bit better at the moment, so fingers crossed. I didn't get headaches on prempac but was very intolerant to that progesterone. So I kind of think that (and reading some of the posts)  one minute you can be fine on HRT and the next your hormones do a summersault and its a hot mess again! 

I had such a good day yesterday and thought  I had finished with the PMT this month. I was wrong !! Still I didn't have a complete melt down like last month as at least I was aware that it was peri period related etc. It's just the horrible physical symptoms.

Not just a bit of tummy ache and a touch of the grumps as it was in pre meno years. I didn't realise that they got worse as you get older. Even when I had a spate of bad flooding years ago, it didn't cause me this much trouble.

You're a star.

Peppermintyxx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Oh poor you.

It sounds really rough. Diarrhoea really drains you. I had it every day for 3 weeks straight before starting HRT.

One thing I was thinking. When you see your meno nurse could you perhaps ask her about separate patches and Utrogestan, and then you take the Utro vaginally? That way it doesn't pass through your stomach or bowel and should be much easier to tolerate.

There's also the option of giving yourself a slightly longer cycle, so that you take oestrogen only for 6-8 weeks, and then the progesterone for 12 days? I was amazed at how casual my consultant was about me doing this 'if that's what suits you best'. Basically so long as I allowed myself a bleed every 6-8 weeks she really wasn't bothered.

I know you would still have to suffer the consequences of the progesterone, but only experiencing it every other month would be better. And especially if maybe the Utro was easier to take?

I'm no expert, but I thought this might be an option? It would perhaps be wise to brave one further full cycle though before finally deciding that this is how it's going to be?

I really feel for you. One day we shall BOTH be more grey, and a bit more lined, but we will be calm and serene all through the month, and this will be like a bad dream.

I never thought I would say this, but I really envy my Mum and her friends. Even though they are 20-30 years older than me, they are all very buoyant and even tempered. Very calm and centered. Their menopauses are just a faded memory.

[pepperminty]

Hi GRL,

Thanks, I think you are right I will brave one more cycle , just to make sure it doesn't right itself , just saw a pink elephant go by. Who needs colonic irrigation when you have this once a month?
 
At least then I can be sure. I will take my symptoms along to the nurse , armed with your suggestion ref long cycle and progesterone every 6-8 wks.  low moods are bad enough , but add the almighty hang over feeling , it's twice as bad.
 
I know what you mean about envying the ladies who have successfully navigated meno . I will be the one with blond high lights to lessen the grey! Yep I already have those pesky grey ones popping out of the Barnet.

Apparently the nurse sees squillions of women , so she must have a solution or two up her sleeve, one hopes at least. It must be my cycle overriding the HRT as it has come while on the progesterone part and last month it was after in the oestrogen bit.  All I need is it to come in the middle and I have a full set!! (oh crap please no !!)

I hope you are feeling a bit better .

peppermintyxx

[Hurdity]

Hi pepperminty - sorry to hear you are feeling rough. It sounds like tablet HRT may not agree with you. I agree with any of the others who suggested you might be better off using transdermal HRT - ie patch or gel, with separate utrogestan ( although this can sometimes cause nausea too), which is recommended for headaches and nausea:

Indications for non-tablet route.

    Individual preference.
    Poor symptom control with tablet HRT.
    Side effects such as nausea with tablet.
    Bowel disorder which may affect absorption of tablet therapy.
    History of migraine (when steadier hormone levels which may be achieved with a patch may be beneficial).
    Lactose sensitivity (all tablet preparations of HRT contain lactose).
    History of gallstones.
    Current use of medications such as anti-epileptic medication which may interfere with the break-down of tablet HRT.
    Variable blood pressure.
    High triglyceride levels.
    Risk factors, family history or past history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus, after full discussion and specialist advice when necessary.


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

As well as the possibility of your own cycle breaking through it could also be the build up of progestogen - maybe you are sensitive to it to some extent? I get those feelings  - vice like headache, garagantuan hangover, nausea - sometimes on the progesterone part - but for me this is the start of a migraine which then lasts for 3 days. Also sensitivity to light and sound - do you get this too?

Anyway hope you are feeling better now.

Hurdity x

[GypsyRoseLee]

I think you're very sensible to stick with for another full cycle. With 3 cycles under your belt there will be a definite pattern to glean from.

I'm going to do the same. At the moment I am completely off-piste with my HRT. First month started mid cycle. And already in my second month I am tinkering with the progesterone and delaying my bleed by 2.5 weeks. But as soon as we're back off holiday I'm going to start the 12 days of Utro and just grit my teeth if my mood really dips when the withdrawl bleed comes (Oh I sound so brave when I'm feeling 'normal' don't I?).

And then I will stick with it through at least one more full cycle (maybe 2!) to see if it looks like I'm always going to really dip during my bleed. If it looks like that will be the case I will just put myself through the nightmare maybe every 6 weeks and see if I can sweet talk my GP into letting me take diazepam just for those 4 days??? I'm only joking (well, maybe).

We will get through this. In 12 months time we'll be posting, saying sagely 'Yes, well when I first started HRT it was such a roller coaster but nowadays it's wonderful. My mood is always so calm and I feel full of energy.'

[pepperminty]

Hi Hurdity.

Thanks for posting. No I don't have migraines as such, but yesterday I felt so ill in the morning that quiet and dark were the best option, and concentrating was extremely difficult.  I just seem to feel dreadful on my period with HRT. I feel a bit crap and tired before my period generally(that's ok) and when it starts the first official day (as far as my body is concerned) is awful, with the aforementioned symptoms. This never happened before HRT to this extreme extent .

This cycle's symptoms happened whist still on the combined part ( both oestrogen and progesterone ) and the last cycle's symptoms were just after the combined part starting the new pack. Same symptoms slightly different place.

The physically ill type symptoms  are the crusher and seem to happen first thing in the morning and where off as the day goes on (thank goodness), but the anxiety and general crapness still remains although I can accept that and cope with it as best I can.
 If it were the build up of progesterone I would expect that this morning I would have the same symptoms , as I took the last combined pill yesterday morning and I am ok today , except for the usual aches and general 'I feel crap in the morning feeling'. Maybe that's where changing the time of day I take the pill may help??

I have had positive HRT effects , such as clarity of mind , I was like a gold fish before, and I don't slur my words or forget things as much. I am less exhausted although this still has a long way to go in terms of improvement. I look less like a zombie , dark circles are diminished , indicating to me that my sleep quality has improved. And down below improving (I don't mean my feet).
I still have aches  though (maybe worse), and my grip strength  has declined .

I am basing my assumption that I may need more oestrogen on the fact that last year when I took prempac (which is a higher dosage than Femeston1/10) I had so much more energy and my aches disappeared over night , I remember thinking , I can do the washing up after 5pm!! Where as on this dosage the improvements have not been so noticeable /dramatic in terms of energy or feeling better.
The trouble with the prempac was the progesterone , I couldn't stop crying and felt awful . I did have nausea on it to begin with , but it was manageable and eventually wore off.

I feel flat today and not great but better than yesterday. I could cry if a goose sad boo to me , but I could hold it back , if that makes sense!!

Any of your fabulous insights and suggestions would be welcome.


Hi GRL,

Thanks , I think that is sensible like you say, one more month to make sure and by that time I will be seeing the meno nurse. I am exactly like you , brave when I am feeling a bit better. Still a bit scared today though, as I really want this to work. I am not asking for perfection , just to be able to function .As I have said before , its not too much to ask to have the energy to wash up after 5pm is it? People don't understand why I am single and don't go out more, but when all your energy is taken up by working and there is literally nothing left afterwards what can you do? Just a little more energy would be wonderful. This menopause malarkey doesn't half knock ones confidence.
Yes you are right , eventually all this turmoil will finish , how long depends on the luck of the draw.

So there are options ,
Increase dose
change type/route
long cycle?
Stray jacket

We will get through this!!!!
Have a super doper holiday .

Peppermintyxx