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[debra217]

Hello all

Looking for some advice please.

I am 54y.o. and periods only stopped being regular about a year and a half ago.  I tried femoston 1/10 hrt for the sweats/insomnia/low mood. First they gave me 2/10 and I bled so heavy after advice on here asking why they had started me on a higher dose I went back and they reduced it to 1/10 but the side effects were not good. It seems I was worse on the estrogen part for the side effects when I had expected it to be the prog.  I came of that and just used estrogen pessaries as had a constant need to pee and bit dryness.  Unfortunately, even with that the stomach cramping and bloating side effects were still really bad. Next day after I'd put a suppository in it was awful.  I was sore, bloated, and weepy.

So I stopped everything back in Feb.  I've since had no period but I'm struggling with the sweats, esp at night, and the insomnia and anxiety. I would like to try another kind of hrt. I know I was advised before on this forum that perhaps a different kind of hrt may be more tolerable.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I could suggest as my doctor doesn't seem to suggest alternatives to the tablet.  Also, will I still need the same type of hrt as it's not been a year period free but I suspect the only reason I had a period before was because I was on the femoston?  Would patches or gels have less side effects?

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
Debra

[westie]

Hi Debra

I am very new to the whole HRT regime and have just started on Estrogel, two pumps daily and then Utrogestan 100mg daily after four weeks of the gel. I am 56 and we'll post meno and struggling just like you.  The gel and Utrogestan seem to be popular and are apparently more body identical than some others with supposedly less side effects but everyone is different and as I am learning one size def doesn't fit all!

There are far more experienced and knowledgeable ladies on here than me and I am sure they will be along shortly to advise.

Who knew this period of our lives would be so challenging!

Good luck

W xx

[debra217]

Thank you westie

Challenging and wonder if will ever feel "normal" again!

[westie]

Yes! It's like being taken over by aliens! I hardly recognise myself these days.

I take great comfort from knowing I am not alone, great that we can talk openly with each other.

W xx

[racjen]

Yes, in fact in a way part of the bewilderment is how may different products there are. If you're peri-menopausal your GP will probably go for a sequential HRT which mimics your own cycle; if post meno in theory you're better off on continuous progesterone (who wants periods any longer than necessary after all?)

You have two options - either go for separate estrogen and progesterone products (and in the UK that means either Utrogestan or  Provera), which make it easier to tweak the dose a bit according to how you feel. Or look at the myriad combined products on the market, all of which will have a different artificial progesterone which you might or might or get on with. I haven't tried any of these forany length of time so can't advise you,but someone else will! Good luckx

[debra217]

Thank you .

I went to the doctor this morning and he really wasn't very helpful. I asked about the the estrogel and ultrogestan but he said he hadn't heard of them they are not on the UK named something or other?? He asked where I'd read about them and kind of dismissed me. He said there are lots of new progesterons but doesn't mean they are any safer. I really wasn't very happy with the advice he gave. He said he would look into it or I could be referred to the meno clinic.

I jumped on chance to get to a menopause clinic because I don't feel I'm getting the best advice from the doctors I've seen - has anyone else found this?

He has prescribed Evorel Conti patches. He said I won't get a bleed. Wee bit confused as my last period was less than 18 months ago that the directions on pack advises but hopefully this can bee looked at/tweaked at the menopause clinic!

Westie - have you found relief from any of your symptoms yet or is it too early?

Dx

[westie]

Hi Debra

To be honest I am struggling with the Estrogel at the moment. Have had  awful nausea since i started taking it 3 weeks ago, it's like constant morning sickness and is really quite debilitating. I am hoping it is just my body adapting to suddenly having Oestrogen again and that it will settle down ( I am 7 years post meno).

I know it can take up to three months to settle down s9 am determined not to give up too early.

How are yo7 getting on?

[debra217]

Hi Westie
Sorry I've not logged in for a few weeks.  It's OK - certainly the sweating/flushes have all gone but I get a lot of bloating and very anxious days as well as very heavy legs?  I have an apt with the meno clinic on 5th September so hopefully that will be good as I'm really disheartened with my last doctors visit. I'm still not sure if I'm on the correct HRT as I had had a period under a year ago. 

How did you get on? Did the sickness disappear and have things settled down?