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[Elle66]

I am coming up for 7 years post menopause and still struggling .  Main issues are still experiencing hot flushes which wake me up every night at about 90 minute intervals, constant weird pain/tingling in muscles and vaginal atrophy.

I tried HRT around 1 year post menopause.  Firstly Evorel Conti which gave me severe lower abdominal pain, then FemSeven Conti which gave me severe upper abdominal pain.  Had all the usual checks and everything was fine so doctors thought i was progesterone intolerant so gave up and have tried over the past few years to manage symptoms using supplements and lifestyle changes with little or no success. 

Having dealt with symptoms for almost 10 years, went to see a private menopause specialist a couple of weeks ago who prescribed Estrogel along with a progresterone gel to use 5 nights a month and Ovestin for internal use.

I lasted 6 days on the Estrogel (2 pumps a day) before experiencing the severe upper abdominal pain again.  The pain starts in the gall bladder/liver area on my right hand side and progressively gets worse spreading to the whole of my upper abdomen.  Pain is really quite severe probably 8 out of 10. 
I hadn't even started on the progresterone part so it would appear my body is reacting to the estradiol.  Cannot really understand why this would be as it is meant to be body identical.

I have found loads of info on progesterone intolerance on the web but not finding much about reacting to estradiol.  I am waiting to go back and see the consultant again but just wondered if any ladies out there have had a bad reaction to estradiol? 

[Elle66]

I had pelvic scans during my first round of HRT and everything was "normal".  Also had full blood work done just before Christmas and again everything was "normal".  Not had my gall bladder checked though.  The pain literally starts within a week of starting treatment and takes about the same amount of time to go once I stop treatment, i never experience these pains when not on HRT.  It is very bizarre!

I am in the UK, in Scotland.  Micronised Progesterone Utrogestan is not readily available in Scotland as it hasn't been approved by the NHS governing body here although I know it is readily available in England hence the specialist prescription for the gel.