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[Rawlybabe]

Hi Y'all!!! I am nearly 49, a Yorkshire bird and after 12 months of suffering I decided to give patches a go!!!

I had every symptom apart from burning tongue, weak bladder and vaginal dryness (my friends and I have giggled  lots about this one because in some ways for me could be a good thing)!!! The most upsetting symptoms were (note the were) fatigue, mushy brain and mood swings!!! I was (again note the was) so depressed and constantly felt like I was (yep past, see I can even joke now, my humour and positivity have returned) felt like my head would explode with stress!!! Don't even get me started on how I was treating my poor husband!!! Luckily we have only been married 7 years and we're SUPER LOVED up otherwise we migh have been divorced by now!!!

My lowest was when I banged my head at work and I couldn't stop crying!!! Now believe me when I say I make an ugly cryer!!! It's a good job I do not cry often!!! In 16 years at work I have only ever cried twice before my recent break down!!!

I booked an appointment at the doctors a week later!!! He prescribed patches and guess what??? I have only had one stuck to my thigh for 6 days and I feel like a new woman!!! I am happy again!!! It's a bloody miracle!!!

I have only had one side effect....sore swollen boobs!!! However, they have done this with my cycles since I was 15 so maybe they will settle down!!! Not overly fed up about this as women pay thousands for bigger breasts!!! Has anyone else started with this symptom and then their boobs settled down???

I will conclude by saying that if anyone is worried or debating whether to give HRT a go.....think about the positives!!! Surely being hyper stressed and depressed is far worse for ones health and probably causes more heart attacks plus strokes than HRT???

Any advice about the boobs and hello's will be met with a big smile!!!

STAY AWESOME!!! Yep I am back to my usual cheesy self!!! Poor colleagues hehe!!! XXX

[Optimist]

Your post made me laugh, so glad you feel happy again...I've just started on patches and starting to feel happier despite a lot of stress in my life currently. Hoping I'll be okay on progesterone patch staring today. Good luck with it all 

[Ajay]

Hello Rawlybabe! From another Yorkshire bird (at least by marriage!)

I'm also a newbie here just embarking on the HRT journey (age 52) and your mood swing descriptions definitely echo mine - totally off the scale. I'm on bio-identical oestrogen gel (2 pumps daily) and Utrogestan for 11 days a month. That's now been extended so I have four weeks Utrogestan free (it made me nauseous a PMT symptoms came back).

The gel worked pretty quickly on levelling out my moods and yep...the boobs! I was already blessed by the boob fairy anyway but after a couple of weeks on the gel (and also while taking the Utrogestan) I was regularly popping the fasteners on my sports bra  I have to say they were only a little bit tender, but certainly regained their former bounce. Hubby was thrilled. I've been through a full cycle now and have to say the boobs have settled down a bit now although we'll see what happens when I start taking the Utrogestan again. Are you on progesterone too for part of the month?

Menomale - I'm interested in the DHEA reducing the size of yours - I'd welcome that too. Often considered breast reduction in the past! Where you prescribed DHEA by your GP??

Good luck with it all, Rawlybabe!

Ajay
x

[Ajay]

Thanks Menomale - I'll check that thread out
Ajay
x

[Hurdity]

Hi Rawlybabe

 

Glad you are feeling better after starting HRT! What type have you been given and what had your periods/cycle been doing in the months leading up to starting?

You might also want to try some local oestrogen for vaginal dryness and these are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

Re the boobs - mine are definitely bigger (fuller) since being on HRT (nearly 10 years now) and are probably a little bigger than they were in my normal life (excluding pregnancy and breastfeeding of course!). Before starting HRT I was in late peri-menopause and they had shrunk to a shadow of their former selves ie floppy and lacking in texture but with the HRT they are back to how they were - in terms of texture anyway.

Hurdity x

[Rawlybabe]

Hi everyone

I'm new to posting on a forum!!! Doing it via my iPhone!!! Can't seem to work out how to reply to individuals!!!

My patches contain both hormones and stop any periods whils using!!! My 2nd one started to come away on one corner so I am currently wearing duck tape over the top!!! 😱😱😱 I'll be changing it tomorrow!!! Any suggestions for the best place to stick the patches???

Thanks for the info regarding boobs!!! They seem slightly less sore today!!! It was good to read that your boobs returned to their former glory!!! I'm hoping my skin tone improves??? Has anyone experienced this???

It's nice to chat to other women who are experiencing this!!!

Have a FAB weekend!!! XXX

[Hurdity]

I presume you are post-menopausal then if the patches stop periods - ie all the patches have oestrogen and progestogen in them? To be prescribed these you should have been without a natural period for at least 12 months, otherwise you can get breakthrough bleeding at any point depending on what your cycle is doing.

It is not a particularly good idea to stick something over the patch unless you can be sure the patch is still stuck down underneath it - if it comes away then you  won't be getting a consistent amount of hormone. As I use tiny estradot I never need to do this but I know some women use a particular kind of tape for some of the larger patches  (Tegaderm or something?) and hopefully will be along or you might want to start a new thread.

I always stick patches to butt cheek and avoid knicker line or low waistband of jeans - and also periodically - eg when going to the loo - check to see if it's still stuck down and give it a good press if not. I presume you have Femseven as these have to stay on for a week?

Hurdity x