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[CLKD]

I've been telling people for over 20 years to eat every 3 hours !!! even in the night.  If 1 gets up to go across the landing in the early hours, then a biscuit B4 going back to sleep helps stop those anxiety surges.

Cutting out sugar completely is difficult.  What on Earth did you eat?  ? ……….. also, fruit sugars are fructose  so different to hidden sugars in cakes etc..

[GypsyRoseLee]

I am tempted to go no sugar.

Looking back, in the months before starting peri I gorged on sugar. Loads of chocolate every day, loads of sugar on cereal etc. It was just obscene. I sometimes wonder if that didn't trigger something?

Are you okay to use sweetners in your tea (no longer touch coffee).

[Hurdity]

jobeckett - I've replied to your post about your specific case and HRT with suggestions so please read back down the thread as it might have got lost amongst other discussion...

Hurdity x

[dangermouse]

I fear the thread has gone off topic so will post about sugar in the sugar test thread!

[CLKD]

Good idea ……….

[Tempest]

Oops! My bad - I started this! And apologies go the OP! xxxxx

[grumpyjane]

jobeckett
my Gp referred me in June to Prof Janice Rymer at Guys meno clinic and I have an appointment late September
Jx

[CLKD]

 

[jobeckett]

Hi Hurdity, sorry for not responding - in bed with tummy bug but will get back to you ASAP as v interested in your point about too much prog.
Thanks x

[Hurdity]

Hi jobeckett

Sorry to hear you are unwell and hope you get better soon

Hurdity x

[jobeckett]

Hi again jobeckett

OK I'm even more confused - or should it be shocked! If you are taking Evorel conti (ie the combi patches) for two weeks out of four, then why have you also been given utrogestan? This is far too much progesterone - unless you went to the docs with very heavy bleeding and regular periods and she has deliberately prescribed this.

Did you say what your cycle is doing before starting HRT? If you are late peri-menopause (very occasional periods) or post-menopause then you just need the estrogen patches ( ie the Evorel 50 or similar like the small Estradot I mentioned) and the utrogestan Days 1-25 - which may give a bleed in the 3 days off. If you are early peri-menopausal then you can take the same combo but with utrogestan 200 mg x 12 days which would give you a regular bleed.

You could also just use the Evorel sequi which gives progestogen ( via the patch) for 14 days per month and will also give you a monthly bleed.

I still don't think you need to go to a private gynae but just need to go back to your doc to get the right prescription and sounds like she is sympathetic to this. If you can remind us where you are in meno and why she prescribed the extra progesterone then perhaps we can help you before you back to the doc?

Btw although many of us have seen neither Nick Panay nor John Studd - we have read their papers, research and articles, and the many reports from other women who have seen them over the years, and of course there is a strong personal element to how women take to individuals. However if my fairygodmother flew in and offered me a visit next week to a gynae of my choice - of these two, mine would be Nick Panay!!!

Hurdity x

Hi Hurdity,

I am still in peri-menopause and have had approx 8-9 periods over the past 2 years.  Some are very scanty, some very heavy - I missed having any between April-July this year but then had one late July (normal).

I have no idea why she has prescribed me this amount of progesterone, being new and fairly ignorant to doses etc.. I just took her at her word and didn't ask (I will on my review).  I can't say I feel any difference so far except for the initial nausea, sore breasts and lack of energy.  I know I need to hang in there for a while longer before assessing whether it's working / I'm on right dose.

I don't want to have to wait ages to see a gynae, my main concern is that my morning anxiety is not subsiding and it's starting to ruin my life.  I thought that if the normal 'one size fits all' doesn't work for me then I'd need to see a specialist to get the right dose.  If I can avoid spending any of the high fees they charge then I'd be delighted, I guess I'm just desperate as I've been in hell for 2 years and don't want to carry on.

I wonder if the Utrogestan is making my anx / depression worse if I'm taking too much?

Thanks for listening,
Jo x

SORRY - i should have said I've had 8-9 periods EACH year for the past 2 years!

[Mary G]

Jo, that level of Utrogestan would be completely out of the question for me and yes, it is probably making your anxiety and depression worse.  There are some women on here who get on well with progesterone but if you can't tolerate it then you must limit its use.

If I were you, I would seek help privately because you have suffered for two years and I don't see why you should struggle on trying to find someone on the NHS when seeking help privately would be easier.  I consulted Professor Studd and I am very glad that I did and would go as far as to way that it was probably the best 300 quid I ever spent - I can't imagine how I could have spent £300 on anything more life changing.  Being on the wrong type of HRT and/or the wrong dose (as I was for years on end and so many other women are which is why they end up ditching HRT altogether) is a complete waste of time and my only regret is that I didn't see Professor Studd sooner.

I think you need to sit down with an menopause/HRT specialist and sort out a tailor made regime which will no doubt mean much less progesterone.  I wouldn't hang around, life's too short.

[jobeckett]

Thanks MaryG,

That's very helpful information

I just don't think I can bear waiting anymore - I've tried every med going (apart from HRT) and the swapping/changing every few months of these 'alternative options' has sent my body and brain into despair.

Should I cut down the dosage myself?  Hurdity feels I've been prescribed way too much for a beginner (along with the Evorel 50/Sequi patches) which my inexperience but logical brain does make me feel it's a bit too much!

Thank you for your comments, all advice and help is very gratefully received.

Jo x

[Hurdity]

jobeckett - I said that you have been given the wrong prescription by the sound of it.

You either need to stick to the Evorel sequi (which is two weeks of Evorel 50 mcg followed by two weeks of Evorel conti which contains the progestogen), or you need to have Evorel 50 mcg together with the Progesterone - which for someone who is peri-menopausal should be 200mg x 11 or 12 days - at least to start with.

You do not need to go and spend £300 + with Prof Studd and you haven't been given a one-size fits all prescription. There are many different types of HRT and it is possible to adjust the doses as it is with private specialists.

You can change what you do without going back to your doctor but it would be sensible to go back to her to tell her you've looked into it and it looks like you've been given too much prog.  Maybe she intended to give you Evorel 50 rather than sequi? Even so the Utrogestan should be taken for max 12 days only if taken on a cycle.

The only thing I can think of is that she is trying to lighten the bleeding but at what cost to your sanity?!

So it's your choice - but if you want to go down the separate oestrogen ( ie Evorel) and progesterone route - you will need another prescription because half the pack will be wasted. Just to  be absolutely clear - you do have half the pack with Evorel conti patches in it?

Hope this helps and you find a way forward

Hurdity x

[jobeckett]

Hi Hurdity,

Apologies, yes you did say I'd been given the wrong prescription by the sounds of it.

In my pack of patches - 2 are Evorel 50 and the other two are Evorel Conti (due to start the Conti tomorrow) so feel somewhat nervous about using it.  You are right that I should speak to my GP - she is away for another week so I may do a 'walk-in' clinic tomorrow at the surgery to see 'a' GP just to talk this through.   I am grateful this has been pointed out as this morning I woke up with chronic anxiety (it's slightly hard to determine whether it's become worse since starting the HRT) or whether I may be reacting to the Prog already - would 2 weeks make much difference or whether I am just being paranoid I wonder?  I'm not a paranoid type of person so I'm def not making up these symptoms.

Out of the 9 periods I've had over the past 12 months, only a couple have been what one would describe as 'flooding' but the rest have been fairly normal so I can't think why she would give me so much prog to lighten the bleeding. 

Thanks again Hurdity, it's such a blessing to have someone with experience to talk to - advice from women who go through this it def more beneficial than hoping the GP can dish out the right dosage / type!!
Jo x