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[ocallagd]

I'm new to the forum...was on everol sequi patches for 15 months, but my doctor took me off it as I was having break through bleeding, night sweats and insomnia as well as the normal other things which come with menopause

while I was fine for the 1st 2 months after coming off them, the 3rd month, everything came to haunt me, more periods, mood swings, much more sweating, day and night. 
went back to my GP and they advised the only option is to have a Mirena coil or go back on the everol sequi patches..

However, the reason I went on the patches previously, is because Hormones give me really bad headaches, hence why I have a copper coil in and have for 10 years

at present I am a month into the sequi patches again and this time around, they are giving me really bad headaches (unbearable)...my doctor says the only option is the Merina coil but I am reluctant to have this due to the hormones giving me headaches
I really need some advice please

[CLKD]

  you can't go on with headaches.  Put 'mirena coil' into the search box on here and see what threads pop up?  This is delivered differently to other forms of HRT so may not produce the headaches.

[Conolly]

Hello ocallagd,

   How old are you? Are you peri or post menopause?  I suppose you are peri because you are on sequi patches, but there are other ladies who are postmenopause and are on sequential regimen as well.

If you were on Evorel sequi patches for 15 months and didn't have headaches, but now you're having them, I suppose this is because you have stopped and your oestrogen levels have dropped. Restarting may have been a trigger for the headaches.

If it's the progestogen causing headaches, Evorel has norethisterone , then you have two options, Mirena coil (levonorgestrel) as your doctor has suggested or Utrogestan (micronised progesterone) taken orally or vaginally (preferable to avoid more side effects).

What hormones have given you bad headaches in the past?

Conolly X

[Hurdity]

Hi ocallagd

 

What was your cycle doing in the months leading up to your starting HRT? Were your periods regular, or was your cycle length variable, and was your bleeding also variable ie light or heavy some months etc? This will give a clue as to where you are in menopause. Also did your periods return at all in the 3 months since you've stopped the HRT?

Unfortunately during peri-menopoause hormones fluctuate a lot and many women experience headaches - which can be due to falling and low oestrogen, progesterone withdrawal (just before a nautral period or after the changeover on sequential HRT like Evorel sequi) or progesterone itself - especially some of the synthetic ones in HRT like norethisterone in the Evorel.

Have a read of this article about peri-menopause which will tell you what is happening to your body: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/magazine/pdf/Article%20-%20Perils%20of%20the%20Perimenopause.pdf

If it is the hormonal fluctuations which are causing your headaches, then depending on your age there are a couple of types of combined contraceptive pill which contain the same oestrogen that is in our own bodies - estradiol (not the strong synthetic oestrogen that is in most CCP types). These tablets will suppress the cycle and therefore minimise the fluctuations. The pill called QLAIRA only has two tablet free days so oestrogen is taken most of the time at slightly varying doses. The other is called ZOELY.

Sometimes tablet HRT can exacerbate headaches in which case a patch or gel together with separate progestogen would be preferable as your doctor has suggested.

It does sound like the Mirena might be a good option for you - but it is difficult to know which hormone was causing your headaches before. Can you remember the type of pill you were on which gave you headaches? Was it the mimi-pill (POP) or a combined one? Also can you remember how you felt during your natural menstrual cycle - when did you feel your best, and when did you get headaches if at all?

We can help you better if we know the answers to some of these questions.

Hurdity x

   

[ocallagd]

I am 51 peri
Periods were heavy and long
Also irregular. Have had scans etc all ok
Tried all different contraceptive pills including mini pill

They have all given bad headaches
Hence why I went for copper coil even though I knew it would make my periods worse
I still have copper coil
Think I could cope with most things of the menopause but the moods and emotions which come with several periods a month is so hard but the headaches are unbearable
I'm scared to have the Merina as I'd have to have it in for 6 months to see how it works.

[CLKD]

Unless it caused you intense discomfort or problems so it could be whipped out after a few weeks ;-)