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[LL70]

Hi,

I'm new to all this. 46 years old and  I think I've been peri for over a year, however, its not been until my periods started to go a bit random that the thought of it being peri menopause occurred.  I was also having night sweats, poor sleep and terrible mood swings that have been affecting my family.

I self referred to a menopause clinic and they have given me HRT patches Evorll Sequi.  I have just finished my 1st month on the patches and when I used the Everol 50 for the 1st two weeks by day 7 I had noticed a change in my mood, however when I changed to the Evorel Conti by day 3 I was back to having terrible mood swings. 

I know that these things can take time to settle and going to keep going for the 3 month period.  Did anyone else feel like this and it all settled down?

Thanks for reading this.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM LL70
It is trial and error before one finds the HRT that suits.  As you are still peri meno, the HRT patches may not be the best way forward at the moment as they are medium strength and your own hormones will still be fluctuating in the background so will bring highs and lows.  Also the patches have the synthetic progesterones that tend to be more likely to give PMT types symptoms.
I would suggest you give the patches another month to see if things settle and then possibly try Femoston Sequi 1/10 pills as the progesterone in this HRT is a kinder one and suits many women better. There are many different types to try so do look under TREATMENTS at the top of this page to get clued up.  It's worth peservering and most of us find somethings that suits. 
I must add (from my own experiences with 25 years of using HRT) I believe it is unrealistic to feel good everyday and there are compromises whether you use HRT or not and ALL HRTs will bring some side effects - if HRT helps you to sleep better and improves quality of life overall then a bit of PMT for a few days each month has to be tolerated.
DGx

[CLKD]

It isn't a cure  unless 1 is very lucky.

Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/cycle journal helpful.

 

[Hurdity]

Hi LL70

  from me too.

As Dancinggirl says during peri-menopause it is difficult to know what side effects are due to what. Approximately how often were your periods when you started using HRT and how long had you been having changed cycles?

The idea with HRT is to try to synchronise with your own cycle, but as Dancinggirl says, your own hormones will still be doing their own thing as you enter the menopausal transition.

During the second part of your natural cycle, oestrogen falls - so hopefully the extra oestrogen should help with your mood. However progesterone also increases and then cuts off sharply during the second two weeks of your cycle and this can cause pms which can worsen during peri-menopause, so adding the synthetic progestogen to this may be the cause of your mood swings. It could also be that you are still noticing your natural drop in oestrogen and the patch dose is insufficient.

If you are happy using transdermal HRT then personally I would stick with this - and if this type doesn't suit you could try the other one Femseven (although this is normally changed weekly), or for best control of the right dose - separate oestrogen (patch) and progestogen might be the way forward for you. I agree Femoston is the best combi tablet HRT!

As has been said the info is available under HRT preparations in the Treatments tab.

Glad you felt better with added oestrogen anyway

Hurdity x

[LL70]

Hi,

Thank you so much for all your responses.

I am so glad to have found this site.

Huridy, My cycle started changing in July last year and I was put on HRT late May this year.  Initially the change was a reduced cycle down to every 21-23 days (July-Jan) after that it was anytime between 14-23 days it changed again before I started the HRT as I hadn't had a period for 5 weeks.

I'll check out the treatments tab as advised and keep a journal to take to my apt in 2 months.

Thanks again
 

[CLKD]

Do let us know how you get on!

[LL70]

Hi,

I have now been back to the menopause clinic after my first 3 months on Evorel Sequi, I was still having really bad mood swings when I moved onto the combined patches.  they have now given me Evorel conti as they think the mood swings are a reaction to the fluctuations in progesterone and I might fair better if it's a continuous dose. 

She said there is no point to switching to another brand as the type of progesterone is all the same - a bit like Ibuprofen and Nurofen was how she explained it so it was either the conti or a get a  mirena coil, I currently have a copper coil.  She said that tablets are not an option as I get migraines.

I've now had look around the site and found that Evorel conti is more for post meno and not peri.

Has anyone ever been on Evorel conti during peri? and how was it for you?

Thanks
Linda

[Dancinggirl]

Hi LL70 - I can't believe what you have been told - and at a Meno clinic as well   Various HRTs often have different progesterones (that's why there are different brands) so the doctor you saw is quite wrong about all HRTs having the same progesterones - this is quite scary as even a GP will usually know that HRTs vary in what they contain.  Your mood swings may well be to do with the type of progesterone in Evorel, so to simply put you the conti regime, especially as you are peri meno, is simply the wrong thing to do.
You need to go back having printed off the information from the TREATMENT section at the top of this page.  I would ask for either Oestrogel or oestrogen patches for the oestrogen part and then either Provera or Utrogeston (micronised progesterone) tablets that you should take for 12 days each month. Both Provera and Utrogestan are kinder progesterones that may give you fewer side effects.  The Mirena is possibly a good option for you and might be less hassle over all  as you can use as little or as much oestrogen as you like alongside as gel or patch without worrying about the progesterone part.  DG x
Here are the appropriate links from this site that you should print off:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

[CLKD]

Crikey!  Did the Dr you saw print off any information for you at the Clinic?

Go back and say 'I think I need something a little different from what was suggested last time ……. ' - try not to be controversial as it puts backs up 

Let us know how you get on next time!

[Hurdity]

Heavens above  - yet another ignorant doctor and even worse that it is at a meno clinic! This is getting quite scary. A lot of this information is really quite basic..... sounds like she was trying to fob you off - so that is very patronising as well as being incorrect.

If your cycle has only just started to change then Evorel conti is unlikely to be suitable as firstly you will probably have breakthrough bleeding randomly  - ie may or may not fit in with your cycle, and secondly you will be absorbing a synthetic progestogen (norethisterone) all the time - which itself can lead to side effects - not mood swings, but things like headaches, brain fog, low mood etc. Therefore it may not be mood swings after all - but intolerance to that specific progestogen.

Also to add that some gynaes try women on Evorel conti after a year on Evorel sequi or if their periods are very irregular - to see if bleeding is controlled - but if they are not, to be put back on a sequi HRT - I have never heard of it being used during early peri-menopause.

I agree with Dancinggirl that a Mirena might be a better option with added oestrogen, or else the combined contraceptive pill Qlaira - which will only work if you are OK with the synthetic progestogen it contains....

Hurdity x

[LL70]

Thanks so much ladies for your comments.   

I did feel fobbed off and they seemed really busy yesterday

I think I'll try the Mirena coil and see how that goes, as I'd wait 3 months on another appt at the meno clinic don't think my family could cope with me going back to crazy for 3 month 

Do know what us newbie would do without your input and this forum.

Thanks again x

[Dancinggirl]

LL70 - Hopefully you can get your GP practise to fit the Mirena - do ask to have the oestrogen as either Oestrogel or Estradot  50 patches - pills are not as good as having the transdermal method. I think the Mirena could be your best option but expect some bleeding and or spotting in the first few weeks or even months and you may get some progesterone side effects initially that will wear off. Keep us posted - DG x