Print

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

[Deborahlouise]

Hello. New to forum. I was given the website address by my doctor.
I am 44. I've been going through perimenopause for 4 years. Flushes at first. Tried evoril conti patches a few years ago and came off as they made me have bad pmt symptoms just as the pill dud years ago. I then used natural eostrogens in food which was fine. Now I'm having flushes with a vengeance abd do tired plus putting on weight. I'm off to the doctors tomorrow. Could someone recommend a gentle hrt which won't send me mental please?  Will they also help with my energy and aching joints?   Have others had bad mood swings on the evoril patches.  I don't know which is worse. How tearful and tired I am now, or aggressive and insecure on the high progesterone one ( the doctor thought that was why at the time). Periods have been sporadic with last one 3 months ago. Haven't worried about contraception for the last year. Thanks in advance for any help.  Deborah.

[Hurdity]

Hi Deborahlouise

 

Sorry to hear you didn't get on with the Evorel conti. In fact this type of HRT - if it was the same type of patches every day - is designed for post-menoipausal women who haven't had a natural period for 12 months. You should have been given a sequential HRT for peri-menopausal women - which will give you a period or withdrawal bleed every month. Some women don't get on with the synthetic progestogens in some HRT types so the advantage of going onto sequential HRT as you should be, is that you will hopefully only get the normal pmt for part of the month and reap the benefits for the rest of the month!

Have your periods been irregular for 4 years? if so then maybe the gaps between them will start to get much longer soon, as your ovaries being to ovulate only sporadically. At your age - it sounds like you may well be heading for an early-ish menopause and it is generally advised to take HRT at least until the natural age of menopause of 51/52 to protect heart and bones amongst other things.

If you want to use patches then you could try the other combi one - Femseven - but be sure to ask for sequi - although some women have problems with getting these to stay stuck for the whole week. Alternatively if you don't mind a pill then Femoston (1/10 to start with and then 2/10 if you need a higher dose).

Finally if you want a really gentle type with "natural" ie body-identical progesterone, you could try oestrogen patches ( eg Evorel or Estradot - the latter are tiny), along with micronised progesterone (brand name "Utrogestan) for 10-12 days per month, although some find this too sedating.

All the different types of HRT preparations are listed under "Treatments" on the menu.

I have been using HRT patches for most of the last 11 years, along with some form of progesterone and I am now mid 60's.

Re your weight gain/tiredness - be sure to mention this to the doctor so that they can carry out blood tests to check thyroid functions and any iron/vitamin deficiencies - they should do this as a matter of course at this point - if you haven't had any such tests recently. Otherwise, in order to keep weight gain at bay you need to eat less ( or rather less of high carb/high fat foods) and exercise more in order to stay the same weight, as you head for menopause and beyond - so maybe look at your diet/fitness regime ( walking is good!) and make suitable changes if necessary!

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Deborahlouise]

Thanks So much Hurdity for the detailed reply. This is great to talk to the doctors about tnrw. Yes my mum has finished by 45. Periods have been sporadic for 4 years. Last one 3 months ago. Which of the ones you mentioned are best for giving me energy as you mentioned one type makes you tired. I've never needed any help getting to sleep so definitely won't want one that makes you drowsy.  Thanks for the help. It's good to know I shouldn't have been on that as it didn't feel right. I only took it for 3 months.

Deborah x

[Hurdity]

As you're only 44 then a tablet may be better for you if you don't mind taking them? As I said Femoston is one that is better tolerated and the progestogen is lower dose than Utrogestan (the most natural - but sedating!). You could ask to try Femoston 1/10 to start with as per my previous post and then look to increase pretty soon to 2/10 as you are so young?

Also if you have a Mirena coil instead, then you can add oestrogen at any dose until your symptoms are controlled - so oestrogen patch pill or gel.

Good luck and let us know how you get on at the doc tomorrow

Hurdity x

[Deborahlouise]

Ahh thank you. Yes I'll let you know. Just writing it all down now.   I'm quite scared of kneedles etc so the coil would frighten me.  Otherwise it sounded a good option.

Deborah x

[Deborahlouise]

Hello Hurdity. And thanks also to dancing girl as posted this on alternative therapies.
I went to the doctor. He didn't really know a lot but was impressed o did my research as I wrote everything down and mentioned the web site. I had also read up on them.
I asked for the patch estrodot to which he saud the system was trying to chose the other one that usxbufgrris bigger. I asked if this was for cost reasons!  He just gave me the one I wanted. 25mg.
He also gave me the utrogestan but 100. Is this ok as I'm peri (I think still). However I think it was the progesterone that makes me anxious so glad to have a smaller dose abd hope that this gives me a monthly bleed.
I'm booked on with the other blood tests on Tuesday as you advised.

I started the patch yesterday and slept like a log lastnight. Feel less achy when walking down stairs this morning, could it work that quick?   Feel bit sleepy this morning but with a bit of a bounce in my step.

It's good my doctors let me advise them, especially as there is far more in-depth information on here than my gp was aware of.

Thanks for your help so far.....  hope this is the cure. X

[Dancinggirl]

Deborah - Hurdity will hopefully respond but in case she doesn't, I will give my thoughts about how you could use the Utrogestan.  Here is a link to the relevant section about Utrogestan on this site:  https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

There are the conti and sequi regimes but I would suggest you use the sequi regime if you struggle with progesterone.
The Utrogestan capsules only come as 100mg so the NICE guidelines say 12 days of 2 capsules before bed on days 15-26 - this is taking it orally on a sequential regime. 
However, though not licensed here in the UK, most other countries recommend using Utrogestan vaginally.  Using it vaginally means less is absorbed systemically, it delivers the progesterone more locally to where it is needed and should therefore give fewer side effects.
I would not recommend using Utrogestan continuously as you wouldn't want to use it vaginally every day ( it might cause irritation and may restrict sex life) and taken orally all the time it will give a sedative effect and other side effects.

So why not try: days 15-26 use 2 capsules vaginally each night for the first 2 months, just to get your body settled and you could then possibly try just one capsule for these days to see if you still get a good bleed after the progesterone phase. Basically you need to make sure your womb lining sheds properly each month on any sequential HRT regime
Some women who are very intolerant to any progesterone do use one capsule for fewer days each month but this must only be done under specialist supervision with regular uterine scans.
If Utrogestan doesn't suit you then I would recommend trying a Mirena which is more likely to result in no bleeding at all.

Good luck - keep us posted.  DG x

[Deborahlouise]

Thankyou should much dancing girl. Ahh great. Not sure how many tablets he has given me.  He gave a months supply of the oestrogen.

I had read about the virginal route and think this may be better for my pmt symptoms. I asked the pharmacist if they were oral ones and they said I could use them either way. So thanks for confirming this also as I will try the lower route.  And the days you suggest.

Looking forward to the hot flushes going! 

Thanks for advice. I'll let you know how I'm getting on with them. 
Thanks to both of you for the help.

Deborah. X

[Deborahlouise]

update - Ive just started on the Utrogestan, but whilst I have been taking the Estrogen I have put around 7 lbs on, could this just be water weight?  The hot flushes have stopped and I have felt more energetic.  But a bit tired today.

Also IM a bit confused.  You recommended to take on day 16 to 26, but is this a 30 day cycle?  Or start day 1 as the day after 26?  Please could you advise - just doing a calendar.

Doctor did blood tests, all ok - FSH level was 80 though proving menopausal - he said over 27 is an indicator.

Be grateful for your knowledge, thanks.

Deborah

[Dancinggirl]

Here is the section that explains the way to take this regime: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

You are doing a 28 day cycle and by finishing the Utrogestan on day 26, your bleed should arrive roughly two days later which is the start of the next cycle. 

Some women do get some fluid retention with HRT and this might settle but one also needs to be careful with diet and exercise when menopause hits, as weight gain often happens with menopause anyway.   DG x

[Deborahlouise]

Ok brill thanks DG.  Writing it into diary. Oh god. I do feel bloated so definitely diet time.  Exercise hard with this heat but off work soon. Thank you x

[Deborahlouise]

Advice please.  I didn't get a period  last month after the utrofestan.  I've been on the patches and was about to start the second time of utrogestan, but I have come on my period.  Shall I take the utrogestan as normal.   Do you think the estrogen dose is right?  Hot flushes have stopped but I still have aches and pains and a stiff back every days.   Deborah.

[Dancinggirl]

It often takes some months for the HRT regime to get your body into sync and settled.  If flushes are now more under control then the HRT is working.  Aches and pains may reduce over time but do remember that some gently exercise every day is also very important.
Take the Utrogestan as per the instructions and you will probably find in 2-3 months things will settle.
DG x

[Deborahlouise]

Brill thanks dg. I take it if I'm on a period I'll have to take the utrogestan orally?  X

[Deborahlouise]

I've taken utrogestan too early today. 2 tablets. Oraly and I'm spun out dizzy.  I don't feel very good. Is this normal?