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[robotwars]

I've finally got my doctors appointment tomorrow, I made it 6 weeks ago and this is the first appointment I could get!
But I'm still not sure what I'm hoping to get from it!!
I have been searching the posts now for weeks, I have read lots and I'm so confused.
I have been suffering with muscular aches and pains, all day every day, down the backs of my legs, lower back and across the shoulder, I also have a very low mood where all I want to do is cry for 2 weeks of every month.
Periods are irregular
Not sleeping very well, go to bed at 11pm and I'm awake at 2/3am, no hot flushes as such just wake feeling warm in the night.
Have a constant dull ache in the very bottom of my stomach which doesn't seem to go away.
Plus I have brain fog!
I'm taking Vagifem which I don't want to stop, I also use YES and SYLK, I take vitamin D and a probotic pill.
I also take rantidene at night

Most of all I just want to try and get rid of some of the muscle aches and stop feeling so low.
I have tried femseven sequi patches, which first two weeks were great, then cried for the next two weeks on the progesterone patches.
I suffer from IBS symptoms and I'm trying not to upset my stomach, was wondering about the oesteogel but not sure about the progesterone phase, can you use the gel and vagifem at the same time?
I was hoping to go in armed with what I wanted and then see what response I got, has anyone got any advice about which route they think would be best? Thanks

[Tinkerbell]

I use Estrogel, you apply it on your shoulders or inner thighs, with a Mirena for the progesterone component, I also use Vagifem every night too.

[Hurdity]

I agree that transdermal HRT is best if you have stomach problems - this is advised on this website. Have you been taking HRT all this time ie the Femseven, and how irregular are your periods? It can be a bit more tricky if the prog phase upsets you (more than normal pmt), but yoyur cycle is still pretty strong as you do need to take it every month.

This is probably too late for your appointment, but you could ask if you can for example go onto a shortened prog cycle if doc will agree to monitor your uterus lining with regular scans. If your cycle is fairly regular still then you should be producing some progesterone as a result of ovulation so you might get away with this for longer than if you were post-menopausal ie your lining may well stay thin without having to take as much extra prog? I use Utrogestan vaginally which has fewer side effects than when taken orally - although it seems you are sensitive to transdermal prog in the Femseven - although that one is levonorgestrel which is synthetic.

Like Tinkerbell I also use systemic HRT and local oestrogen - Vagifem. I use patches for my oestrogen (Estradot)

Let us know how you get on!

Hurdity x

[robotwars]

Thanks for replies, well the lady doctor was very nice, she said she would look into HRT options but first off all she wants me to do some tests and make an appointment with her afterwards. So she is referring me for a pelvic scan, I also have to have a blood test, to test for ovarian cancer, thyroid and liver, plus she wants to do a wheat intolerance test. I'm trying to be positive and not worry about them.
She did say most of my symptoms seem hormonal but she wanted to get the results first. so now I just have to wait for the appointments and the results and try not to worry about it.

[Salad]

Brilliant news - it sounds like you are getting good care. It's great when you have a supportive GP 

[robotwars]

Well just a quick update, I finally have an appointment for my Pelvic scan tomorrow, just hope it goes ok, feeling  a little nervous, I was told to drink lots of water before, just a bit concerned as I already need to wee a lot! LOL - could be running for the loo with my legs crossed! LOL

[helenmelon]

We could be twins robotwars 😃 I had all of the same symptoms as you and over the past 12 months I've had an endoscopy, upper abdo ultrasound, trans vaginal ultrasound, bloods including a CA 125, coeliac as my Mum and son are coeliac and finally a Hysteroscopy all thankfully clear, apart from acid reflux and have always had IBS which seems worse since peri.

Just started on HRT, never thought I'd take it but this year has been horrid and culminated in crying out loud in the GP's waiting room because John Legend was on the radio 😳 I never thought the menopause would be so terrible, I have literally thought I had every terrible disease going!!(and still do some days) My husband is fabulous and even came into the Hysteroscopy and my two sons are well versed in all things meno, poor lads 😁

Good luck with the ultrasound, mine was 1/2 late and I thought I'd never make it on to the couch, the sonography said “blimey that's a full bladder, I'll try to be quick”  I don't know I got to the loo in time 😃 Try not to be nervous, it's all over quickly and I didn't find it painful apart from the full bladder. xxx

[robotwars]

Hi! Thanks for your replies, Helen we could be twins as you have all the symptoms I have, I also have IBS and have been diagnosed with acid reflux, so now take a pill before bed each night which does help!
I went for my scan, and she said we have decided to do an internal scan and not bother with the other, was told to go for a wee then returned for the scan, so drank all that water for nothing! LOL
tomorrow I have my blood tests redone then results on the 8th. Will be so glad when they decide on a plan, rather than living in limbo from week to week, she wont prescribe HRT till results are all in.
Helen what HRT are you on, is it going ok?

[helenmelon]

Hi Robotwars,
I'm on Evorel Conti 50 the one where it estrogen for 4 patches and then combined estrogen and progesterone for the next 4. I think it's working  on my fourth patch now and my mood is so much better and the flushes in the day have subsided but still having the odd one at night.
I've had some side effects such as sore boobs, muscle aches and a strange morning sickness feeling a couple of times but it's worth it to not be sweaty all the time.
I've noticed I can use my hairdryer and dry my hair and it stays dry and my makeup has started staying put   
  Also was getting a bit hairy in the chin area and they seem to have stopped growing, thankfully as if I didn't pluck them out I'd have had a full beard after a few days 
I also have some fibroids in the wall of my uterus which I had fibroid embolisation for in 2015 and they are stable at the moment the biggest was 9cms so quite large and reduced to 4cms so hoping they don't grow again.
Such a pain that you had to hold all that water, I did think that it would be an internal ultrasound and not just the tummy one, let's hope they can get you sorted out!!
It's such a horrid time this menopause lark !! No one really warns you, do they

Good luck, let me know how you go on xx

[robotwars]

Well I had yet another Doctors appointment today and feel like I'm getting nowhere fast!!!
The pelvic scan showed that my ovaries are closing down, the blood test results said I had a HbA1c result of 43, which apparently is borderline for Diabetes, so I have been referred to the prevention programme, the white blood cell result is still borderline but she doesn't know why!!

I asked if all my symptoms could be menopause related and she said the muscular aches and dull ache in the bottom of my stomach wasn't, it feels like you are going to have a period but it doesn't come!!! she said the mood swings could be but until she investigates further she wont prescribe any HRT, so I have now been referred to the bowel clinic, so I'm on yet another waiting list with no HRT, feel like I'm going round in circles and getting nowhere fast, this has been going on for months, I wanted the gel and sep progesterone!!!

[Hurdity]

Hi robotwars - I am struggling to understand why you can't get HRT - and the doc seems to be unreasonably denying you this? I thought the scan was to check on your ovaries before prescribing HRT and if all is clear then what is the doc waiting for? It's great that your doc is being thorough and getting you checked out for other conditions, but you can start HRT even while having the other unrelated investigations. Unless your medical results or tests so far show that HRT is  contra-indicated then you should see you GP and ask to start this in the meantime - it really is your right, if your periods are irregular (do you go longer than 4 weeks sometimes and have variable cycle lengths?), you are getting symptoms such as flushes and sweats and are over 45.

I can understand your frustration here!

Hurdity x

[robotwars]

Thanks Hurdity, I'm 52 and coming on a couple of days every 3 months roughly..... I asked for HRT but she said she wanted to wait till I got everything checked out buts its taking months, she wouldn't move on this,  getting very frustrated now!!!!!

[helenmelon]

I feel so annoyed for you Robotwars!! I know how frustrating it is when you come up against test after test before you get anywhere.
Although good that your GP is making sure all is as it should be it does seem that she could try HRT and still send you for the tests

Good luck, hopefully it will get sorted soon xx