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[da66]

Hello all - I've just joined. I have been struggling with multiple symptoms for 2 years and finally went to the GP on Friday, an appointment I had waited 3 weeks for. She was billed as having a special interest in women's services. She was absolutely lovely and couldn't have been more sympathetic, but ... she didn't have a clue it seemed to me when it came to knowing what to prescribe! I asked her about bioidentical hormones having done a little bit of reading and she said she had never heard the word bioidentical before 😮. She gave me a prescription for elleste duet conti 2mg and said come back in a month to tell her how I am, and in the meantime for me to do some research on the bioidenticals and we could discuss it then. So after 3 days on the elleste I have raging thrush and awful weepy anxious crying fits. Have discovered since friday (having had my email question answered by Dr Currie) that what I had been given is fairly high dose and that she recommends starting lower dose. The GP thought my symptoms were severe which is why I think she went in high dose but I am obviously sensitive to what I have taken. To be honest I am just on here ranting. I can't believe a GP who is supposed to have a special interest in women's health has never heard of bioidentical hormones though I do stress she was delightful and so sympathieic. I feel gutted that I didn't do my research before last week's appointment so that I am now in the situation of having been give the wrong stuff and now will have to wait ages to see her again and get it put right. And I really feel the weight of responsibility for basically telling her what I need prescribed! Having made the very difficult decision to try HRT I now feel I have little confidence that my doctor is able to look after me properly. There is a menopause clinic here which has a 3 month waiting list so I think I maybe need to ask for referral to that and just sit tight. Bloody hell!!! 

[CLKD]

  to the World of GPs who know not a lot!  However, you and she could build up a working relationship which would benefit others, as well as the GP!  You are both on a learning curve and at least she didn't advise ADs as a first treatment and is willing to listen to you.  GPs do not always have time to search for info., many have to read on here and make notes to take to their GPS!

When I stopped taking The Pill I had thrush for the first time so expect your symptoms are hormone based.  Buy yourself some LIVE Greek yoghurt and eat as much as you can, as well as putting plenty inside the vagina to ease the itching.  Do keep pots separate though ;-).

[da66]

Oh thank you for replying CLKD - I feel a little less alone now 😊. Yes you are absolutely right about me and her being on a learning curve together. I am glad was was so sympathetic. I will feel guilty asking her for a referral to the menopause clinic but it seems daft not to given there is one where I live.   I have decided to stop taking the elleste because I really can't cope with another day like the last 3 - I feel like I'm unhinged!

[Annie0710]

Welcome, you're not alone

I had been on max dose elleste solo for 13 years after my hysterectomy and was then hit with a 2nd (natural) mrnopause

The young GP I saw said perhaps it's best to increase my dose and gave me THREE TIMES the maximum dose ! Another GP saw the mistake and called me to stop it immediately

Another GP prescribed me a patch that contained both oestrogen and progesterone (and because I have no uterus I don't need the progesterone), it left me with no trust in them

You'll learn loads here then you can go back to GP with good suggestions that will make you feel better

Annie x

[da66]

thank you Annie - do you not all feel terrified though, to basically be in charge of your own 'doctoring and prescribing?' I certainly do and I am very au fait with most things medical having come from a  medical family though not a clinician myself. I am speechless that given 30% of the population are menopausal women that GPs can be so uneducated! I don't blame them personally for this of course and maybe the 'demonisation' of HRT has left a knowledge vacuum.

[Annie0710]

thank you Annie - do you not all feel terrified though, to basically be in charge of your own 'doctoring and prescribing?' I certainly do and I am very au fait with most things medical having come from a  medical family though not a clinician myself. I am speechless that given 30% of the population are menopausal women that GPs can be so uneducated! I don't blame them personally for this of course and maybe the 'demonisation' of HRT has left a knowledge vacuum.

I think I'm over the terrified feeling, maybe I'm too tired to be terrified but if I don't feel better soon I will look into the private sector as I'm nearly 50 and sick of feeling nearly 80

Keep asking questions and browse the search option with keywords, there's some very knowledgeable ladies and also so many whose personal experiences may help you

Annie x

[da66]

thank you annie I will do just that

[Dana]

"Bioidentical" is generally a word that doctors don't use because it's not really a medical word. Worse even is that some doctors may think you are talking about compounded hormones.

If you want what is commonly known as "bioidentical" you just need to ask for estradiol and progesterone (as opposed to a progestin).

[da66]

thanks dana - yes it has taken me an entire weekend on google to twig the bioidentical thing and why the GP looked at me askance.  and of course if all NHS prescribed oestrogen is oestrodiol which is bioidentical they would have no reason to think it was anything special I suppose. I think I suffered from having read too much american stuff at the beginning. this forum has been so helpful - I watched a great youtube video that was linked to that explained it and also prof john stubbs webpages have been helpful in explaining the bioidentical thing

[CLKD]

How did you get on?

[da66]

Yes good - GP said she will refer me to the menopause clinic and we had a long chat about an alternative prescription, discussing utrogestan and oestrogen gel. She said she would ask the meno specialist at the clinic what she should be prescribing for me. She had been reading up after my appointment with her last week which was very encouraging. I have stopped the elleste and am feeling better today. Am very lucky that she is so wiling to listen.

[CLKD]

Every day is a learning curve  and  for the update. 

[da66]

Thank YOU for all your support.

[CLKD]

Keep us up to date …… every experience shared is a possible solution ;-)

[Mary G]

da66, welcome to MM!

I'm not surprised you struggled with elleste duet conti because it contains norethisterone which is a synthetic progesterone notorious for causing side effects like breast pain, low mood and it undermines all the good work the oestrogen does.

You did well to read Professor Studd's website, I am one of his patients and I use his preferred regime of Oestrogen/Utrogestan/testosterone and have to say it is the best HRT regime I have used by a very long way.  The key it its success is its flexibility and from my own personal experience, the more flexibility you have in your regime, the greater the chance of success i.e. you can easily change the amount of Oestrogel you use and it is very easy to split the dose and take it every 12 hours if you need to in order to keep your oestrogen levels stable. 

Utrogestan is a micronised progesterone and again, this is a flexible product because you can reduce your dose if you are progesterone intolerant and also take it vaginally meaning fewer side effects like breast pain because it does not pass through your liver.

Anyone can prescribe this regime for you but in order for it to work properly, it is vital to use the right dosage.

I am currently using 2 pumps of Oestrogel everyday, a small bead of testosterone everyday and 7 x 100mg Utrogestan vaginally every 5 weeks - I am severely progesterone intolerant and this works well for me but you may need a different dose of each product. 

I would say it is definitely worth a try.