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[Jayne38]

Hi
I'm 52 and not had a period for 5 years 3 years ago my doc put me on hrt tablets but about 8 months in a bled a little bit so they took me off and that was it, then 8 months ago they put me on clonidine to help with the flushed but that only worked in the day I still have the night sweats. I went back to doctors again and they have given me hrt but patches I started them on Friday and stopped the clonidine and I'm getting flushes again in the day! My main things I get are flushes mood swings and I have got a slight prolapse now to top it all off. How long should I give the patches before I go back to the doctors? X

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM

Firstly; the bit of bleeding you experienced should simply have been investigated with a scan.  Were you on conti or sequi HRT at that time?
Clonidine can help with fllushes but it is the incorrect treatment at your age and should not have been offered to you!!!
The withdrawal of Clonidine will give side effects and the flushes will return - it should be withdrawn slowly over several weeks and the withdrawal side effects can last some time - GPs are not good about warning patient on the withdrawal problems.
Regarding your new HRT; you are starting these patches with you Oestrogen levels really low so it is going to take at least 2-3 weeks for flushes etc to subside. I assume you have been given the conti combined HRT patches - which ones ?
You may get some bleeding, as it is normal to get some bleeding or spotting in the first few months.
The prolapse may be helped with some local oestrogen and vaginal moisturisers. Pelvic floor exercises are also a good to do - you could be referred for advice about this.
Give things time. Your body has got to adjust to not only the withdrawal of the clonidine but also allow the HRT to work its magic. I think this is going to take time as your GP should not have given you the Clonodine.
Keep us posted. DG x

[Taz2]

Hi Jayne38. Welcome from me too.

Good advice from Dancinggirl re HRT etc. Friends of mine have used clonidine successfully for the control of flushes but it doesn't help with other Meno symptoms and you do need oestrogen to help keep your pelvic floor healthy and stop your prolapse worsening.

As for clonidine withdrawal you will have been on a low dose (hopefully) and stopping it should be carried out over a few days. This is what one of my friends had to do - I think it was three days.

Let us know how you get on.

Taz

[Dancinggirl]

Taz2 -  last year I was put on Amitriptyline for pain relief - just the lowest dose of 10mg - I only took it for 3 weeks ( side effects were horrid) and the withdrawal was awful and lasted over 3 weeks!!!  I could barely sleep and felt agitated and angry all the time - it was horrid. We are all different but ADs/ SSRIs do mess with the head - sometimes good and sometimes bad, and the doctors don't warn their patients about this. DG x

[CLKD]

 

[Taz2]

Taz2 -  last year I was put on Amitriptyline for pain relief - just the lowest dose of 10mg - I only took it for 3 weeks ( side effects were horrid) and the withdrawal was awful and lasted over 3 weeks!!!  I could barely sleep and felt agitated and angry all the time - it was horrid. We are all different but ADs/ SSRIs do mess with the head - sometimes good and sometimes bad, and the doctors don't warn their patients about this. DG x

Sorry to hear that DG. I appreciate that ADs do mess with the head but I thought clonidine wasn't an AD? When used as a blood pressure medication or as part of a drug withdrawal programme the dosage is much higher than that used for hot flushes so that's why the withdrawal is only over a couple of days I think. I agree that we are not always told of side effects etc when we start a drug.

Taz x