Print

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

[Moanybreeks]

Hello all, I'd get a wee cuppa if you are going to continue with this post... sorry it is my first and probably last...

Smorgasbord of HRT started age 50 (2016) after experiencing sweats, anxiety, joint pain, low mood...

Elleste Duet 2/1mg -bloating, constant heavy bleeding
2018 - Elleste Duet Conti - bloating, bleeding and low mood
2018 - Evorel Conti patches 2/6 still bleeding, low mood - deduced that I didn't react well to norethisterone
2018 - Femseven Conti patch 50/7 mcg- most symptoms relieved with Femseven, however patch discontinued due to adhesion issues - will wait it's return.. soon I hope.
2019 - last 21 days Femoston Conti 05/2.5mg tablets - no real changes in symptoms just experienced 'hangover symptoms', dizziness all day yesterday without the alcohol, however that could be an ear infection...

I am sure that I represent the majority of people who are ignorant of issues until they impact on their own lives....then they devour anything relating to it.  This was me with menopause...  I was always half cup full, always positive, sociable, thought I would sail through it like my Nana. I went back into education in 2015 and University and then my world seemed to collapse slowly around me..  started with high anxiety, which I put down to exam stress and travel, whilst continuing to run the home with 3 teenagers and husband.  Then the sweats started daytime and night, joint pains particularly in my knees and hands, foggy brain and low mood.  I didn't recognise myself.  I postponed Uni and became a bit of a recluse, I really felt low and not able to meet anyone...  it was then that I presented myself to my Dr with a self diagnosis and my HRT journey (listed above) began and is still on-going. 

My main reason for writing this is to highlight the fact that HRT can be good for women's health, generally and not just to reduce the ailments suffered by some at menopause.  I decided to look at the studies that have rubbished HRT and those that have promoted it.  I am currently reading 'Estrogen Matters', (Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris), which is informative and easy to read and available online for about £4. This discusses the real results obtained in the Womens Health Initiative studies, (the scare stories from which stopped thousands of women taking HRT), but more importantly informs us of the benefits of hormones to menopausal women in other areas, brain, cardiovascular, bones...

https://peterattiamd.com/caroltavris-avrumbluming/ - this is a link to an in depth interview with both authors regarding the contents of the book. In case, you, like my sister,  are better listeners than readers.   

I am still on my menopause journey and very grateful for the posts from the more well informed and experienced members of this website and feel that knowledge is power.  I personally feel that the WHI study had and still does have a wide spread negative impact on HRT and women's health. 

I have no financial interest in any of the items that I have mentioned.  I am currently a stay at home mum, trying to cope with the menopause, a soon to be 16 year old daughter and two sons in their 20's, still in residence.  Thankfully my husband of 25 years is very tolerant and partially deaf...  I was so disappointed that the menopause literature and expertise available locally at my Dr's surgery and in the immediate area is non-existent, I have driven my own HRT journey.

I am gradually becoming more sociable, will not return to education, but have just volunteered in my local hospital.  Baby steps forward and hopefully back into work.

[Hurdity]

Hi Moanybreeks

  - hopefully not your last post - it's always great to get new members sharing experiences and to chat to!

Well I had to look up "Smorgasbord" as I didn't know what it meant and thought it was maybe a Scottish word - judging by your name and the lovely "wee", and then discovered it was Swedish! Yes you've taken quite a few....

I hope you settle on the Femoston conti as that is a very low dose indeed and lower than you have been using. If the side effects - dizziness and hangover feelings persist for several weeks, and if it's not a virus, even if the sweats etc don't come back - it could be down to the continuous progestogen although you have been having this (conti prog) with your other preparations and presumably were OK with them?

If you liked the Femseven then another alternative is to have a Mirena coil fitted which has the same progestogen and delivers most of it directly to the uterus where it is needed. You could then go back to having an oestrogen only patch like Femseven 50.

Sadly it does take many women by surprise ( and not a nice one) - all the menopausal symptoms and disruption to life. I do hope you can find an HRT that suits you because if you are a glass half-full type of person (as I am) then you should be able to regain that. I really did manage to do just that after all the tears and turmoil of peri-menopause, when I was experiencing job changes and restructuring too.

Thank-you for reminding us of the health benefits of HRT - it's not just about current symptoms - although for some women these return when you stop at whatever age.... I haven't read that book although it has been mentioned on here - sounds like it's interesting.

I don't think any of us on here have any financial interest in any of the products - not as far as I know! Now and again women come on here promoting some weird and wonderful supplement or remedy sometimes that no-one has heard of and they usually get booted off after a few posts as it's easy for Emma to spot since the posts are usually links to the product. Most of us who hang around on here just want to share our successes and give back what we have gained and because we feel well (or even if we don't) would like to help other women to feel the same - well that is!

Sorry to hear you had to give up university - not sure where and what you were doing but there is always the open University which is less stressful and you can study at your own pace ( well sort of!).

Take care and hope your HRT works for you

Hurdity x

[Moanybreeks]

Hi Hurdity

Thanks for the response and reading until the end...  Sadly the Mirena didn't work for me when I took it in my early 40's and I bled constantly with it.  All of the HRT I have taken have reduced/removed the sweats and flushes thankfully, which was the most debilitating aspect of menopause for me through lack of sleep. I was studying Politics/Social Sciences at Glasgow Uni but even the thought of writing another essay brings on the fear.   

Re- the low dose Femoston Conti, is the estrogen lower than the Femseven?  Sounds stupid but I asked the pharmacist as I didn't want a massive drop of Estrogen when changing to the tablets and he couldn't tell me.  I was confused as it's micro and mg's and patches and pills.  He referred me to my GP.  Needless to say I didn't go back to the GP and decided to double up if I experienced any symptoms as I have seen that suggested on here. I am now wondering if these 3 days of feeling 'hungover' without the alcohol may be related to low estrogen levels as I have no other symptoms. 

Thanks again

[Hurdity]

Hi there - yes they are not strictly comparable  - patches, pills and gel - you just go by low medium and high and Femoston 0.5 is ultra-low - see the info on the main website here: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

Changing from 50 mcg patch you should at least be on 1 mg estradiol or even 2 mg (Femoston doesn't come in this dose in the conti version).

Now you are older and probably further on into menopause you are unlikely to bleed as much with the Mirena as it will eventually stop periods - especially in later peri-menopause. Hungover feelings I find are usually associated with progesterone not lack of oestrogen which manifests itself in other ways - sweats and flushes first and foremost for me! However it is such a low dose that I would defo suggest going higher - closer to what you were taking before. Try Femoston 1 mg first - this would be exactly two of the one you are on and still a low dose - so you could try it yourself first and then go back to the doc if it suits you.

Shocking that your pharmacist does not know this! That is what their job should involve - knowledge about the different doses and equivalence - at the very least!!!

Good luck and let us know what you decide and how you get on

Hurdity x

[Kathleen]

Hello Moanybreeks and welcome to the forum.

I think your story will resonate with many ladies here in that life was continuing as normal until menopause hit and everything changed. Your trial and error experience with HRT is also very familiar unfortunately.

The lovely ladies of the forum come here to share their success stories  but others are still struggling and seeking effective treatment. The longed for miracle cure remains elusive but we continue to search for it and   promise to share the good news if we ever find it!

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

It's not called 'The Change' for nowt.

     join in, browse round ...... have you read the threads about vaginal atrophy 

The Pharmacist could have used your query as a Learning Curve  - mine usually contacts the various manufactors on my behalf or talks amongst colleagues. 

[Moanybreeks]

Thanks both Hurdity and Kathleen.  Having looked at the link re dosages I think that I will double up the Femoston and take one am and one pm.  Will let you know how I get on.  Ironically, my daughter is sitting beside me worrying that she will run out of eggs before she has a chance to have a child ..we are at opposite ends of our reproduction cycle.  At least she will be better informed about the menopause.  Every cloud....

 Thanks again for the support. MB

[Moanybreeks]

Quick update - saw the Practice Nurse today - diagnosed with Labyrinthitis, exercises and anti sickness medication. No driving until I am back to normal... was offered a blood test for my cholesterol because she had to apparently.  I have not been offered a blood test at all during my HRT journey, although I do understand that hormone levels vary on a daily basis.  Maybe the nausea will help me lose a few pounds.. Every cloud.

[Kathleen]

Hello again Moanybreeks.

I had Labyrinthitis years ago, shortly after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (  which is also an inflammatory condition ) and having what turned out to be my last period. It was a busy month lol!

I recall being told to keep moving so the brain can learn to ignore the messages coming from the inner ear. The attack didn't last long and hasn't reoccurred.  I'm sure other MM members who have also experienced this will be along soon to offer more advice.

To say this can be an interesting time of life is an understatement!

Wishing you well.

K.

[Ally]

Hi Moanybreeks,
Just want to say how your post resonated with my own situation. Thanks for posting it helps to know that I am not the only person who is doing the things I do and really it's ok. It's the baby steps comment that rung true, as that's what I've been saying to myself all week. (It's been a tough one). I've been back on my patches for a week now and have recognised a tiny change in my way of thinking. The hardest symptom for me to deal with is apathy.  It really is not me! 

I hope your HRT/menopause journey continues to improve.

Ally x

[Moanybreeks]

Hi Ally and Kathleen -  re dizziness,  I am nearly back to normal, my normal at least.  I did spend most of last weekend in bed as moving around made me feel really sick.  I did the exercises and feel much better. 

I will also add that now that I have doubled up on the Femoston Conti to 1mg, I am feeling much better, particularly my mood,  I'm feeling far more positive now.  My low mood and high anxiety, post menopause, were totally alien to me  (I know I have been fortunate) but I think I am getting there. Just the aching hands and knees to work on...

Ally - all you can do is deal with each day and push through as well as you can like 'walking through treacle' as some have described. We each have our own unique journey which is personal to us.  This site is great as there are so many different experiences to draw upon.  Take any help offered to you. Unfortunately,  I was hesitant to seek help for my anxiety and low mood as I thought it would be temporary and that I should be able to work it through myself. I think it just made my situation worse. I hope you start to feel better soon.  Who knew hormones could control us so much and make us feel so shitty,  when we thought we controlled our own destinies. Take care MB x