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[Lothian70]

I had not long turned 46 - May last year. When I was 'diagnosed' as going through the menopause. I had went to the Doc as I was going to bed at night and suddenly going  freezing cold (down to my bones!) to boiling hot. It was affecting my sleep as it was waking me up at night. I though maybe I had an infection. I had been missing the odd period but was still getting them most of the time. I was also feeling depressed and confused and just generally in some kind of fog.

Bloods were taken and it came back that my FSH levels were very high. I had hit perimenopause big time.
I was given Evorel Sequi patches as my GP said that due to my age and it's relatively early onset, I had best protect myself from osteoporosis and heart disease etc.

The patches calmed the temperature extremes down so that was good.

Nearly 18 months down the line and I found myself back at my GP this week. The same female GP I had seen the year earlier. Only I found her noticeably less sympathetic.

The heat extremes had started again and I felt depressed and anxious. I have suffered bouts of depression for years though and explained to the Doc that I didn't know if it was my usual common or garden depression or because of the Menopause. I told her I had no confidence, felt terribly depressed, was on the brink of packing my job in the day before as I felt I couldn't cope. Also that I felt really ugly, old and washed up as a woman.

She just wasn't as understanding and supportive. It was as if she doubted me. "What was your intention in coming along...what were you expecting"? she asked me. I told her I just wanted advice. If it was my clinical depression taking a turn for the worse or was it because the patches weren't doing it for me anymore. If it was the former I told her I'd just try and live with it. But if it were the latter then couldn't we try another HRT. Surely I didn't have to suffer this?

She eventually gave me Elleste Duet 2mg tablets to try for 3 months. I said that at least we would know if they made me feel better then it was the Menopause.

I understand that it's best for us to stay on a low dose and that there are dangers of being on a higher dose - but surely she could have afforded me a bit more sympathy? I felt she just couldn't be bothered! I needed a bit more support! This is not something we can discuss with anyone. We need a professionals advice and guidance surely? I just felt let down and and as if she didn't believe me. Unless of course, this is the Menopause talking and yet another symptom of how I'm feeling?
Has anyone had a similar experience? I wonder if the new increased dose really will make a difference and how long it'll take to work given that I had already been on patches of 1mg?

Totally fed up and feel as if nobody understands this.

From an ugly washed up old single woman of 47 :-( Cause that's how I feel x

[Hurdity]

Hi Lothian70

 

So sorry to hear of your unsatisfactory experience with your doctor which has made you feel like this. It really is totally unhelpful. Is there another doctor in the practice with more expertise (and more to the point, sympathy and understanding) about the menopause that you can see next time?

Is there a particular stage in your cycle when you feel more depressed or anxious?  Could it be the second part of the cycle - and maybe the norethisterone ( in the combi tabs?). As you get further into menopause your oestrogen levels will continue to fall as ovulation becomes more sporadic so some women do find they need to increase the oestrogen dose. If you are beginning to overheat again then this is a clue that you need a higher doise and especially if you are not on ADs for depression ( as some of these help with hot flushes so you might not know the HRT wasn't working any more). Also you are still very young! Your body would normally have much higher oestrogen levels especially around ovulation.

Do try these for a while as the doc has advised - but you are going from patch HRT to tablet so you may well feel different - although hopefully better! if these don;t work there are other alternatives - eg Patch or gel oestrogen with separate progestogens or Mirena coil - so you can tweak the oestrogen dose accordingly.

In terms of how you are feeling - maybe a separate post but how is your weight, diet and lifestyle? Any form of exercise helps to make us feel better, out in the fresh air, getting your body toned, eating healthily, new haircut, new clothes, new interests, new social activities, job? - you are so young and you have almost half your life ahead of you still, if you are lucky. I hope you can begin to take little steps so that you can feel better about yourself. Make a list of what you would like to change and start now! Also on that list - what you like about yourself and keep reminding yourself every day .

Hope this helps and you feel better soon!

Hurdity x

[Salad]

Nice post Hurdity, nothing I would add Lothian70 except also