Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Katty]

I'm off to the GP tomorrow to ask if I can try HRT. I am postmenopausal 54 years old. Had an ablation 7 years ago and no periods since. My symptoms are I generally run on hot most of the time. Very hot in the whole lower body and burning and dryness in the vagina. Lacking energy so much I get days when I don't get dressed. Low mood. Dry skin, ears, eyes. Stiff and aching in most places. I feel like a stuck hinge. I was wondering which would be best to start me off if doctor is in agreement. Tibolone or continuous combined HRT? I should imagine the latter might be the first line here but would Tiblone be better for me to suggest? Thanks

[Hurdity]

I think it would be a matter of preference if you are starting out - do you like the idea of a tablet?  Do you have digestive problems - if so transdermal might be better. Do you have lack of libido? If so Tibolone might be preferred. If you start with continuous combined HRT though, if there are side effects, you won't be able to tell whether it is the oestrogen or progestogen which might be affecting you, so personally I would start with a cyclical HRT even though you are unlikely to get a withdrawal bleed due to your ablation. If it does suit you then you can go onto continuous combined such as Femoston - a good one to start with.

Let us know how you get on and what you decide

Hurdity x

[Katty]

Well all my ideas have been thrown to one side for the moment. I got into the surgery and was almost on the point of discussing prescriptions when I had my blood pressure check. 162/92. Immediately that became the issue and I have to do 24 hour monitoring to get an average and we go from there. The blood pressure issue has to be sorted first. Damn. I've always had low blood pressure all my life. Last checked about a year ago.

[Hurdity]

Oh dear - could be partly due to white coat syndrome? You will find out if so by monitoring it yourself as you have been advised. You could also buy a home monitor as they are pretty cheap. We have an Omron one - about £30 I think - because my husband had "high" blood pressure - which wasn't particularly high when he monitored it at home. He reduced his salt intake and it went down to normal.

You probably know there are lots of ways to reduce blood pressure naturally - which of course will be beneficial to your health overall - mostly about body weight, smoking, alcohol, salt, exercise etc. Here is just one web example:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

Katty, the blood pressure issue is a bit chicken and egg really.  When I stopped using HRT for a year, my blood pressure was raised (but not overly high) and has reverted back to normal since resuming HRT.  My mother and aunt both developed high blood pressure post menopause and I think there is a link between things like raised blood pressure and higher cholesterol (also significantly higher for me when not using HRT) when oestrogen levels are low.

So it's a difficult one.  How about seeing a menopause/HRT specialist?

I think you could do well on Livial (Tibolone) when you do eventually get to it.  I've never used it myself but if you want a continuous combined, bleed free regime then it could be a good one to go for because it doesn't contain progesterone and should have fewer side effects.  Also, I read that the BC risks are the same for tibolone as oestrogen only HRT so that is an added bonus. 

[Katty]

I have to say I'm a bit surprised after a lifetime of low blood pressure to go to the other extreme. Just goes to show the impact of menopause and ageing. I do have a weight issue to address but I might feel more motivated if i had the bleeding energy 

[CLKD]

White Coat Syndrome is common.  Himself suffers and you won't find a calmer, more laid back bloke anywhere  . So he bought a monitor from Boots and used it every morning for 2 years B4 eating breakfast.  Jotted down his readings which were all within normal limits 

[Katty]

Blimey my readings at home have been normal so far. Strewth I must have white coat syndrome lol. Now where's me wine?

[Dana]

I can highly recommend getting your own monitor to use at home, as Hurdity suggested. I have WCS, even though my GP is lovely and we just often sit and chat, but when she takes my BP it is always high. Now I just monitor it at home for a week or so before my appointment, jot it down in a little notebook and show it to her, and she's happy. My BP is also naturally on the low side too, just like my father, while my mother always had high BP, so it's something I do need to monitor, especially being on HRT.

White coat syndrome is very common - even with doctors themselves. My GP loves to tell the story about her practice partner. They were just chatting in her office one day and he said he hadn't had his BP taken for a while, so she offered to do it for him. The reading was through the roof. So she tried again with the same result. He tested it himself a bit later and it was fine. I joked to her that the common denominator with his WCS and mine is her!!!!!

[Katty]

2 weeks on I have a follow up appointment with GP tomorrow to look at my blood pressure readings. Most of them have been within normal range with a few upper readings in the 130's. In the 2 weeks gap my symptoms have got worse with vulval itching and burning now spread to the anus which is driving me mad. I have no thrush symptoms and nothing like threadworms. An STI isn't possible so I can only think it's linked to the menopause. I hope I can get on some HRT tomorrow as I currently feel like sitting on an ice pack. I've just ended up putting Vagisil on my anus to try and calm the itching down

[Nina]

Good luck tomorrow Katty hope all goes well for you

[Katty]

Back from the GP. i have been prescribed Elleste Duet Conti Tablets . Looking at the info on here it seems to be a higher dose one. I have been told to continue with use of vaginal moisturisers as GP did not want to double up on the hormones. 3 month trial. What confuses me is all the side effects on the leaflet seem to be the very things you'd hope it would eliminate. Don't know what to make of that.

[Tinkerbell]

You can safely use Vagifem/Ovestin with systemic HRT, he is wrong to not give you any.
I need to use both and topical will give you relief from the discomfort quicker. Vaginal moisturisers will not be enough to sort it....in fact most of  them make my VA worse.

[Hurdity]

Hi Katty - glad to hear you have been given HRT although perhaps the higher dose one (2 mg) might be a bit strong to start with. Personally if you are well post-menopause ( more than 2 years) I would start with a lower dose ie the 1 mg and then increase after 3 months if your symptoms are only partially relieved. I agree with Tinkerbell - I use systemic HRT as well as local oestrogen - Vagifem and never have used moisturisers although perhaps I should in between the Vagifem . Hope it works for you anyway  - do report back

Hurdity x

[Katty]

Yes I did wonder why she selected the higher dose to start. Maybe her thinking is it will attack the symptoms more. Took my first tablet today. Am so exhausted after about 2 hours sleep last night I've no idea if it's making a difference.