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[Hurdity]

Hi angela27

 

Just catching up as I've been v busy - but I'm a bit confused.....

Are you saying you have gone 12 weeks on oestrogen only with no progesterone and you haven't had a period in this time?

It is so tricky to work out what's going on in peri-menopause because when your own cycle comes into play and you are on a high dose HRT you don't know what you should attribute your symptoms to and especially if you don't know where you are in menopause.

I agree with all the comments about norethisterone because with two patches you will have doubled the progestogen when on the conti stage of this HRT. As Dancinggirl says (hello Dancinggirl!) some women get on better with Provera even though it is in tablet form but also as MIS71MUM says the newer CCP might be better for you as it controls the cycle so you don't get the mood swings. The CCP pills (that contain estradiol - Zoely and Qlaira)  contain progestogen as well but they usually suppress ovulation as far as I understand and so control mood swings.

Chopping and changing from half patches and time of day - shouldn't have an immediate effect on flushes and crying etc (although some women find flushes worsen when on some of the stronger progestogens) -   it takes time to settle - 3 months is the recommended time.

I can't comment on high doses of oestrogen as I have not knowingly experienced these - I might have had high levels in peri-menopause but I took no notice of whatever was happening then and only started oestrogen in late peri-menopause so since then would have had medium levels which are fine for me - and of course no cycle to mess things up!

You mention already taking an AD - is this from long term anxiety.depression unrelated to hormones? Even so your doctor should not have increase it without first trying to make sure your HRT is working - and if you are experiencing flushes - then it's not!

The withdrawal bleed from HRT could be a mixture of just that but also if you are still peri-menopausal, then also due to your cycle.

Do read this article on peri-menopause  https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/pdf/Article%20-%20Perils%20of%20the%20Perimenopause.pdf which might be helpful as well as the section on HRT (top menu Treatments/HRT). There is so much useful informtaion on the website which I am sure can help answer lots of your questions.

Hurdity x

[Bluebell]

Hi Mrs Brown, thanks for the info regarding the patches. My last period was 4years ago when I was 59yrs. If things don't settle down with the evorel conti patch I might ask to try something else.

 At the moment no two days are the same. I felt the whole patch was too strong, I had breast pain, felt jittery, upset tummy, and sore tongue (not sure if that's connected ).

 I'll give the half a patch a couple of weeks and see if things get any better.

I was told to change the patch on a Monday and Thursday. Can you change it ever three days and does it have to be at the same time of day?  As you can tell I'm pretty green about HRT. 😬

I'm very grateful for any info.

Cheers, Carol.

[Mbrown001]

It says on the box what combination of days that you change on. I tend to stick to that. I change on a Saturday and Wednesday.
It took me a good six months to settle onto the Combi patch.

I know that's not what you want to hear though 

Be patient if you can and let your body settle into a new regime. Three months is said to be the minimum amount of time you should give things before changing.

I'm on half a patch as I said. It gives me reasonable symptom control. I still get a few night sweats and the very occasional day time hotness but I feel at almost 57 I personally want to keep HRT to a minimum. That's a very personal choice though.

Some women choose to have a cycle into their 60s. I simply couldn't do that. Again personal choice.

Keep posting as there is always someone around to try and help.

[Bluebell]

Thanks for answering Mrs Brown,  if I could get by on just half a patch I would be quite happy. I'll keep using them until my next WellWoman appointment and hopefully things will settle down.
This site has been a godsend - when I have bad palpitations and I come on here and read everyone elses experience it does put my mind at rest.

In the past I've had quite a few ecg's and the 24hour monitor and told everything was fine. I did go to the hospital with a racing heart after I started the HRT and was given betablockers to take (but I didn't take them) and it all calmed down. Most days I get some flutters or palpitations but I just go with it and try not to get anxious about them.😬

Anyway...the joys of the menopause. Cheers. 😉

[Mbrown001]

Just a thought Carol.
I also had a bit of a dire time with palps and had the monitor thingy too.

The one thing that did help me was magnesium. I use the spray but there are creams or pills too depending on what suits. The magnesium spray although a bit nippy really helped me and now the palps are mostly gone. I fully expect them to return off and on as this has been my pattern for years especially when I'm stressed.

Maybe worth thinking about. If you do a  search then there is a very active topic running about the many benefits of magnesium

[Bluebell]

Thanks, I'll look into getting the spray. I do occasionally take a magnesium tablet but it's not a high dose.

I think the spray might be better. 😉

[MIS71MUM]

Hi Angela
I think the problem is that you are peri so are having surges of hormones all over the place along with double dosage of patches.
There is something on this website under treatments I think, about progesterone and the ones that tend to be kinder to our bodies. I'm sure nothisterine is the least tolerated but there's many others that are.
For me, the Mirena wasn't brilliant but to be fair, I didn't give it a fair chance- probably less anxious on it but more depressed. I had a hysterectomy less than 3 months after having Mirena fitted. There's another thread about the Mirena by Peri and she has finally settled in it after 6 months.
As Hurdity says, the CCP should control your cycle rather than top it up which is what HRT does.
I know it's daunting but taking a few weeks off HRT may allow you to take a step back and give you a new perspective to start something else.
I've been there - I really know how you feel. Xx

[angela27]

Hi ladies thank you all for your replies, very much appreciated.

Hi Dancinggirl, you are right hrt certainly isnt going to 'fix' everything. The bad anxious feeling i was having along with crying has improved a lot, i havent had night sweats these last 5 nights so thats a first. My mood is better but not were id like it to be but i think that is something i just have to accept, really stopping the hrt isnt an option for me.

Hi Hurdity, thanks for your welcome. I had mentioned in earlier posts for this month only the clinic have allowed me to use the 50 patches only as the conti patch affected me badly which i was due to be on when taking my girls on holiday.

Yes my ad's are from previous depression and not related to hormones although when my dr got me to increase them she knew i was still having night sweats, crying, anxious feeling etc.. I was desperate for relief which is why i did it even though i knew it wasnt 'usual depression'. Thank you for the link i will take a read and re read info on the site.

Hi MIS71MUM, thanks for replying. I have made a definite decision not to go with the mirena i just cant take the risk. Deciding that has even helped as everyday i was battling in my head 'what if i try this, then this might happen or what about that', i was driving myself mad with it all. Im going to try and put it all out of my head for a while and make my decision in a couple of weeks. Im just going to have to be brave enough to try other things.

Thank you all ladies, take care, xx.

[Bluebell]

Hi ladies, I've been on Evorel Conti patch since 2nd April starting on half a patch for six weeks then up to a full patch. After a couple of weeks on the full I went back to half because I was feeling totally wired on the full one.
First couple of days were fine but I'm now waking up during the night with acute anxiety. Last night I woke at 1am and that was me for the night - the anxiety seems to come in waves and I have to keep going to the loo, like I have ants in my pants. 😬

I feel like I'm going crazy when it happens lots of chitter chatter in my head.

Has anyone else had this? I don't know if I should stick with it or come off. Would love to hear if anyone else has had this experience with the anxiety. I'm 63years and 4 years since last period and this is my first time on HRT.

Mrs. Brown suggested magnesium spray but it doesn't seem to be helping me at the moment.

Cheers, Carol. 🤷🏼‍♀️