Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Daisydot]

Good morning ladies.I recently saw consultant who put me on Oestrogel and he said start on one squirt then you can gradually increase if you feel it's neccessary.Im not weepy or anxious ,no sweats at all now and sleep has improved getting on well with va control now and no urinary problems but still that “flat” feeling.I know I should feel grateful for how far I've come in a short space of time but I wake up feeling yuk most mornings I just want it all I suppose lol.would you say it's time to up my squirts now it's been a month since I started on one squirt and I've managed to get the Oestrogel this time not oestrodose and started on that last night.from what I've read I think I should be on a minimum of two anyway as he was concerned about my fracture risk and has advised my gp to send me for a dexa scan.any thoughts would be welcome I think I just need a bit of reassurance again.thank you so much xx

[Tinkerbell]

I use three pumps but I am two years post meno.
I would up your dose to two now.

[Joaniepat]

Daisydot, I was advised at the menopause clinic to start with one pump for two weeks, then increase to two pumps thereafter. I use it for VA and osteopaenia. (Still feel flat though, after over three months on this regime.) I have always had Oestrogel, never Oestrodose. I recently added Testogel in the hope that it will improve energy and motivation and lift the mood a bit.

JP x

[Daisydot]

Thanks so much ladies I'll increase to two this morning.consultant did say after a month if no significant changes in other depts we could add testogel so that was my next plan jp many thanks both of you I'll take your advice xx

[Dancinggirl]

WE are all different - some women need less, some women need more.  Even one pump per day will be good for the bones as so much depends on absorption.  Some women use 4 pumps per day and still have a low oestrogen level - I got a reading of over 300 on just one pump per day - and this is a good level.
You are clearly controlling most meno symptoms well on one pump per day and may find you don't feel so good on a higher dose - but give it a try and see how it goes.  I was always better on one pump per day.

Whether a higher dose will improve mood - I somehow doubt this.  This ‘flat' mood could be more to do with the time of year or maybe you need to start an uplifting project DG x

[Daisydot]

Great advice as always thank you I will try increasing and see how it goes and I will also get out more I've been hibernating too much in this cold weather so your probably spot on about mood,I'm off to the pictures now fingers crossed that'll distract me lol many thanks again xx

[Annie0710]

It's maybe worth trying an extra pump but I'm not convinced (for me anyway) that oestrogen is the feel good hormone.  For me testosterone has massively helped with my wellbeing which in turn lifts my mood.  That said I can still have flat days, not as bad or as severe as before but I ignore those days and they pass quickly x

[Joaniepat]

Thanks Annie, it's good to hear that testosterone had a good effect on mood for you. Hope it will do the same for me. And roll on spring and summer!
JP x

[Abba Fan]

I agree with Annie, testosterone was the turning point for me as far as lifting my mood.

[Hurdity]

Hi Daisydot

Do I recall you are late 60's and have only just started HRT after being quite a few years post-menopause? If that is the case personally I would hold off increasing the dose for the moment - although clearly if your consultant is happy (private or NHS?) then it should be OK. Far be it from me to take issue with him/her, although as we know there are some that prescribe way off NHS recommendations..... From what I recall the advice from BMS is that women starting HRT post 60 and especially if many years since menopause, should use the transdermal route and the minimum needed to control symptoms - bone protection notwithstanding.  Definitely start low as you have been advised. There is the issue of cardio-vascular risk - which I'm not sure is completely eliminated throuygh choosing the transdermal route if you are more than 10 years post-menopause? Do you really need to increase?

If your main symptoms are controlled then its doing its job and as Dancingirl says - the flat mood could be the time of year. I don't think it is reasonable to expect to leap out of bed full of joie de vivre in our 60's as we did in our 30's even on HRT! You say you feel flat in the mornings - so do I. First thing, I am so tired I can barely move or speak until I've drunk a pint of tea very slowly over about 30 - 45 mins. I feel as though I need to sleep for many more hours and grunt at my poor husband when he comes with the tea! However I get up and then carry on normally. Many of us in the past on here, used to bemoan the fact that we have lost our excited and excitable zest for life that we had in our fertile years. The thing is HRT builds up your oestrogen levels but you cannot achieve the really high levels like at ovulation when we were brimming with oestrogen and testosterone and bouncing with youth. Our hormones at this age are stable but hopefully at a level that we can function happily and positively - but not necessarily as dynamically as we once did - if you see what I mean?

If you have no womb which I think is the case with you then it is easier to get to higher levels (of oestrogen) - provided cardio-vascular system can cope - because you don't have to take the prog!

Bit of a ramble but hope you get my drift....

Hurdity x

[Daisydot]

Hi hurdity I'll be 61 soon and I probably am a good few years post-menopausal now.the consultant practices in both nhs and private,I saw him privately, Mr Tony Parsons at Coventry.
I think now you've pointed those things out it maybe a good idea to wait till I get the dexa scan done then and see what the situation is with my bones maybe I'm trying to move too fast and expecting too much too soon eh?
I'm not tired and I have good energy levels sleeping better skins better no sweats just flat and achy so I think your right maybe I should be allowing for the time of the year and thank my blessings I'm at least making progress.ive to see gp next week as clinic report is now through from consultant and hopefully she'll follow his recommendations and refer me for dexa scan.I feel like I'm on top of everything else now except the intimate side of things is still non existent but he said sometimes the oestrogen is enough to sort that one out so that's still up for discussion,anyway thanks so much for the advice it's made me rethink.xx
 

[Hetty2018]

Hi ladies
Hope it's ok joining on this chat but I See a few of you are using testosterone.. in having an abolsoute nightmare getting it from any pharmacy as both testim and testogel are out of stock and on a manufacturers delay with no date for re supplying ... I managed to get my doc to give me a prescription for a different type of testosterone gel and guess what.. that's out of stock too 🙈🙈 any similar experiences ? X. X

[Annie0710]

Not so far Hetty, I used Testim for a while with no supply issues and have been on Tostran since May 17 with no issues (Tostran is 2% and not recommended but I feel better on that than a blob of Testim) x

[Joaniepat]

Hetty, I got Testogel on 11 January at the Boots pharmacy at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. Testim was the first choice on the prescription but they didn't have that. I can only suggest trawling around various pharmacies to see if any have some left, but you have probably already done that.
JP x

[Hurdity]

Hi hurdity I'll be 61 soon and I probably am a good few years post-menopausal now.the consultant practices in both nhs and private,I saw him privately, Mr Tony Parsons at Coventry.
I think now you've pointed those things out it maybe a good idea to wait till I get the dexa scan done then and see what the situation is with my bones maybe I'm trying to move too fast and expecting too much too soon eh?
I'm not tired and I have good energy levels sleeping better skins better no sweats just flat and achy so I think your right maybe I should be allowing for the time of the year and thank my blessings I'm at least making progress.ive to see gp next week as clinic report is now through from consultant and hopefully she'll follow his recommendations and refer me for dexa scan.I feel like I'm on top of everything else now except the intimate side of things is still non existent but he said sometimes the oestrogen is enough to sort that one out so that's still up for discussion,anyway thanks so much for the advice it's made me rethink.xx

Hi again Daisydot - I must have been mixing you up with someone else! You are still young!!! My comments were made in the context of someone in late 60's starting HRT well after menopause, so unless you are already more than 10 years since last period you may well be fine to increase - the aches may be due to low oestrogen - or else time of year and maybe low levels of other vitamins? If you have plenty of energy and no flushes and sweats then that's great . Re the intimate side of things - yes testosterone sorted that out for me  - and it maybe that the lower levels of oestrogen that are sufficient to relieve most symptoms (eg like I am taking and probably you too), are not enough to stimulate libido/response (the latter is the main thing!).

Hurdity x