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[Hetty2018]

Hello Ladies
I am hoping for a little advice please. I underwent a total hysterectomy in March last year (age 37) for endometriosis. I tried 6 months of Tibolone and it made me feel terrible so stopped taking it and have tried the last 3 months on more homeopathic tablets which frankly haven't done a thing 🙈 I now find I am struggling massively each day.. usual menopause symptoms like exhausting hot flushes and brain fog etc,, super dry skin and sleepless nights, no libido at all, but what u can't deal with is the absolute exhaustion and fatigue that is so debilitating I can't get out of bed a lot of days. I have two small children and a job so lounging about is not really an option lol... I feel like I'm slowly losing the person I am/was.
I have asked since June last year for blood work to check my hormones and my Gp flat out refused and instead offered the standard concoction of sleeping tablets and anti depressants 😡 which I politely declined.. I have been doing lots and lots of research and found lots of very useful links on here (thankyou). I have had a battle with my GP to let me try bio identical hormones and have more or less tried to get the right combination of what I think I may need from research papers and reading what lots of ladies that have seen Prof Studd are using.
I asked the doctor for
UtroGestan progesterone 100mg daily continuous use
Testosterone gel testim 1/10 tube a day
Oestrogel 2 pumps each day

She agreed finally and has asked if she could use all my research to do a clinical/training meeting with the other practice doctors...
I just wondered if anyone else out there uses this combination after a hysterectomy as I understand that a lot of ladies use UtroGestan for only 7 days if they still have their uterus.

It's all a little trial and error for me as I'm essentially self medicating.
I have no problem in going to see Prof Studd but his receptionist told me Monday the first appt in the start of April and I can't wait till then I may throw myself under a bus before then 😫😫🤦‍♀️

[Daisydot]

Hi hetty why not spend £25 and email dr currie before you do anything else.i wouldn't rush to see private specialists just yet as your gp should be more clued up and not be costing you money like that if she doesn't have the expertise you need she should be referring you to a consultant not picking your brain.
I'm not sure but I think you may NOT be on the right tracks and need the help of a professional or the more experienced ladies on here.if you've had a full hysterectomy then you should only be on oestrogen.some of the other ladies will come along and help you soon but meantime email dr currie you usually get a response in a day or two and she's great.just be patient I'm sure help will be here soon.good luck xx

[Hetty2018]

Many thanks Daisydot for your reply.. am very grateful for any suggestions or help seen as though my GP has been next to useless x

[Cassie]

Hi that sounds fine, you may want to try the Utrogestan cyclically say for 12 days per mth instead of every day if you find its not agreeing with you. I am now down to just 1 pump per day of the gel and I have never had any symptoms whatsoever, it really is great and transdermal is definitely the right way to go.

[Taz2]

Hi Hetty - do you want to use the utrogestan because you find without progesterone you don't function very well? You do need some kind of HRT obviously in order to protect your heart and bones let alone alleviate the horrible symptoms. The best thing I found about a hysterectomy (although I am much older than you) is the fact that I can use oestrogen only.

I am on Evorel 50 patches which are bio-identical as are most HRT's apart from the ones with Prem in the name.

Taz x

[Hetty2018]

Hi Taz
I haven't tried Just the oestrogel on it's own yet and thought that the 3 different hormones were the best way forward,
The reason for the progesterone was that I read that Oestrogen should always be balanced in the body with progesterone to prevent the unwanted effects of oestrogen such as weight gain, fluid retention, depression and many others.
that while protecting the uterus ( which I don't have ) it also protects the breast and balances other unwanted effects that oestrogen on its own will produce.
Progesterone is vital to oppose excess oestrogen because oestrogen dominance needs addressing because of the risks.

[Hetty2018]

Hi Cassie
Thanks for the info.. did you use Utrogestan following a hysterectomy? X x x

[Taz2]

Hi Hetty.  I thought that combined HRT is linked to higher breast cancer risk but this might be for older ladies such as myself? I was just pleased to swap to oestrogen only after my hyster as it was the progesterone in my bio-identical HRT which caused a certain amount of fluid retention and depression for me.

Everyone is different and I'm sure you will get lots of help on here to enable you to access the treatment you need.

Taz x

[Hetty2018]

Hi Taz
Yes I think the combined HRT did attribute to a rise in breast cancer figures but that's the synthetic route rather than these bio identicals? It's all very confusing lol x
The Tibolone definitely don't suit me and still had all the hot flushes etc plus put on about 18lbs in about 6 months which I'm finding hard to shift now x x x

[Hurdity]

Hi Hetty2018

 

There are all sorts of theories on the internet telling you that you need progesterone to balance oestrogen but this has mostly been discredited, and are designed to sell progesterone cream! If it was needed per se then it would be prescribed on NHS even for women who have had hysterectomies.  You do only need progesterone in large amounts to protect the womb when taking HRT (ie oestrogen) or during pregnancy.  If you had your ovaries removed as well as your total hysterectomy then you don't need it - I agree with the others! Oestrogen does not need to be balanced as such, as far as is known, because if you go through menopause you are just replacing what has become deficient.

The role of progesterone (as well as oestrogen) in breast cancer development is complex and controversial in that there is no established causal relationship - except for the figures in the WHI study from combined HRT using synthetic progestogens as you pointed out which could indicate a connection, as I understand.

Unfortunately weight gain around the time of menopause is common and we need to eat less and exercise more just to stay the same weight - really annoying!

If your doctor has agreed to the combo you want include the testosterone, then I would go for it! Definitely no need to see a private specialist and yes good idea to write to Dr Currie (facility on home page of website).

Like Taz I would prefer to take oestrogen only - my progesterone cycle is coming up soon and I never look forward to it.

Let us know what you decide and how you get on

Hurdity x

[Hetty2018]

Thanks for the info Huridity it's all a bit of a minefield isn't it 🙈🙈 I think I've just got that fed up with feeling totally yuk that I have done so much reading and research and that triple combo keep cropping up in a lot of different research papers that I thought it was the best way forward..
I'm really hoping it does work out and the the testosterone doesn't just give me a full beard 🧔🏻 🙈🤣

[Hetty2018]

Huridity
Just out of interest why do you not like the progesterone? X x

[Annie0710]

Hi Hetty

I replied to you in another thread but now reading your story and seeing how young you are (envious much !) you do need a combo.  I'd say because you suffered endo you should take progesterone as there could still be fragments left inside, from my understanding it's a possibility some remains so you need protection in progesterone, I'd research this further if I were you.  Plus you need testosterone and the minute you have issues down below with dryness, UTIs etc get some vagifem too.  I pop mine in daily halfway up towards tummy and it sorts internal and external issues for me x

[Hetty2018]

Thanks Annie I really appreciate your help.. I had read elsewhere that the progesterone can act as a protection against being oestrogen dominance with regards to my endo.. hopefully this will be the solution i was looking for.. 1st night tonight with the new regime so fingers crossed 🤞 thanks again x x ❤️

[Annie0710]

Good luck Hetty, I really hope you've found the right regime for you x