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[wonkeydonkey]

I have been on Femaston Conti for three months.  Before that I was on Premique Low dose and was frankly happy on that.  Only changed because of supply problems.  To start with I was fine  on Femaston.  A bit of spotting but bareable.  At three months I am spotting every day - have menstrual type cramps and feel horrible!!  I hurt all over! I have stopped taking it today because the cramps are awful - its like i have been having a period for two weeks.  I have asked for the GP to re prescribe Premique Low dose but it is again out of stock.  Arrrggghhh!!  what do I do now?  Has anyone else had these problems on Femaston Conti?  I was really hoping they would work for me   - do i need a stronger dose ?
 

[Hurdity]

Hi wonkeydonkey

 

Women often have problems when changing from one HRT type to another - and Femoston is completely different from Premique so this could be the reason? It does sound like a proper bleed though if you are having cramps - maybe you are not yet post-menopausal and it's your own cycle coming though?

What were your periods doing before you started Premique and how long have you been on that?  Unfortunately Femoston conti does not come in a stronger dose but do call the doc if you are worried.

Hurdity x

[wonkeydonkey]

thankyou for your response Hurdity.  I have been away on holiday and hence late response.  I am 59 in February and have not had a proper bleed for about two years now.  So I dont think I am still having the dregs of a normal cycle. I stopped taking the Femaston before I went away on 27th November and went back onto Premique Low Dose.  I still had a few tablets from when I was taking them before. My GP has prescribed Premique Low dose again but there continues to be a supply problem.  so I have gone onto the stronger dose which still seems to be available.   Almost as soon as I came off Femaston Conti the cramps stopped along with the spotting.  You say they are completely different. Can you tell me how?  I know it is said that the Femaston Conti is kinder but do not understand why?  thank goodness there is someone to talk to about all of this!! 
     

[Hurdity]

Premique is a mix of horse oestrogens, only one of which is estradiol - the one that we have in our bodies. Femoston is just estradiol - ie completely bio-identical with our own oestrogen. Therefore there is no way of comparing the dose really although it generally accepted that the equine oestrogen HRT is stronger than estradiol.

The progestogens are also different - in Premique it is a synthetic one called MPA for short, and in Premique it is dydrogesterone. This particular one is very similar to our own progesterone and is the most similar of all the synthetic ones, and therefore generally causes fewer side effects. I suspect that your uterus was reacting to the change in progestogen - and perhaps the equivalent dose in Femoston was lower, hence the spotting. This would be expected to settle so not sure why it didn't in your case although probably would eventually. Some women find that spotting never settles - because the particular combo in the tablet isn't right for them - that's the problem with taking combi tabs. Increasing the progestogen should stop the spotting if it doesn't settle - but there aren't many different types of progestogen available to take separately - and dydrogesterone is not one of them!

Which dose of Femoston conti are you on?

Sorry that sounds a bit long-winded!

Here are all the different types of post-meno HRT types: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

Hurdity x

[wonkeydonkey]

I am on 0.5 /2.5 - which i think is the ultra low dose. Maybe I should go up to the next one - 1mg/5mg?
 

[Hurdity]

No wonder you experienced strange feelings! I don't know why you were given that one!  The cramps are most likely to do with the drop in progestogen and the spotting your uterus trying to shed whatever lining there was maybe? There shouldn't be any build-up on a conti HRT otherwise you would have had a bigger bleed.

I would defo go to the Low Dose (1 mg) asap not the ultra low - that's hardly anything! First of all I would phone to ask the doc if you can double up so you can use up what you have and in the meantime get the prescrption changed. If there is no medical reason why the doc should have given you the ultra low dose then you could just double it yourself (but I didn't say that - but if it were me, I would!!). If you look at the list here http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php you will see that ultra low is exactly half of low dose for both oestrogen and progestogen.

Hurdity x

[wonkeydonkey]

Blimey!!  Thankyou. Its prob my fault. I was on Premique low dose and when i changed to femaston conti i said i would prefer to take the low dose.  But not that low eh??!!   Yes. Ill do what you suggested. I dont like the idea of horse oestrogen Much as i love horses!!  No wonder my username of wonkeydonkey popped into my head. I think i may be in metamorphosis!!  Many  thanks for your advice Hurdity.