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[PaperClip]

Hello,
I joined this forum a few months ago, but have taken a while to pluck up courage and post a thread!
So, I'm 51 and clearly Peri, probably have been for a few years now.  On the big scheme of things I cope better than some people, in fact the more I read the more I realise I'm doing OK next to some ladies - but everything is relative isn't it?  I'm not doing ok for me - I'm a shadow of my normal self.
The thing is, I have no-one to talk to, my sisters are considerably younger than me, I am not able to talk to Mum, no other female relations and I work in an all male environment.
Two years ago, my periods were 2 or 3 a month, I went to the doctor who put me on the mini-pill to settle them - it worked, but just for the hell of it I put a stone on I wasn't happy being back on the pill, after six months I stopped.. periods were better, back to monthly again.
It was about that kind of time that sleeping became a problem, I'm constantly physically exhausted but after a couple hours sleep I seem to nap for the rest of the night.  I work full time (I have to, needs must) and I've been a zombie now for a couple years.
My moods have been up and down too - probably not helped by giving up smoking last year (That'll be another stone gained, thank you)
So I went to see my GP earlier this year and was diagnosed Femeston 1/10 (I think) a three month supply - it helped the nights, the night sweats improved and the sleep was better but I was having breakthrough bleeding and was unable to book an appointment with the GP in the couple weeks before the prescription ended, I decided that the HRT improved things, but not significantly enough, so have spent the last 3 months taking supplements and vitamins (and gaining another stone over the past 6 months too - delightful)

So here I am, about three stone up in the last couple of years, with constant tiredness (ridiculously so) with aching muscles, fighting depressive tendencies, am more anxious and stressed than I used to be, constantly needing a wee and a tendency to have boils in my groin area (I don't shave)

I've managed to get another GP appointment in a fortnights time, am hoping to try HRT again, but I also think I want to be a bit more informed this time, I think I need to be more aware of what I actually want - rather than just be grateful for the prescription.

What can I hope to achieve by trying again?  Should I have given the first prescription another few months?  Did I give up too early?

[RebJT]

Hiya

Also new, so can't help on the HRT, but just wondered if you'd had your thyroid checked, meno is a trigger, as is giving up smoking (weirdly smoking has a protective affect on the thyroid), the aches, tiredness, feeling low could all be meno of course, but the two often go hand in hand.  Don't be fobbed off by a 'borderline' or 'normal' answer from your GP, get a copy of your results, the UK has 'barbaric' thyroid thresholds - so much so my german endo emigrated, he left a very top spot in a London teaching hospital as he said 'he refused to practice medicine under these conditions'.  In Greece, where I am half the year, as TSH of 2.5 or 3 would get you a hypO diagnosis and thyroxine, in the UK, they don't treat until it's at 10, at which point most people would be dragging themselves around as if they were made out of lead.  It's cruel and nonsensical.

I'm also starting HRT, but I had my thyroid removed 8 years ago after a car crash of treacherous thyroid problems, it's a bit of a hobby horse of mine as 9 out of 10 thyroid patients are women (and we know, nobody really gives a sh*t about women and their hormones!).

Rapid weight gain is a bit of a give away, do you feel the cold as well, brittle nails, thinning hair, constipation (again I realise there's an overlap with meno)?

Might be worth killing two birds with one stone?

Reb

[PaperClip]

Hiya

Also new, so can't help on the HRT, but just wondered if you'd had your thyroid checked, meno is a trigger, as is giving up smoking (weirdly smoking has a protective affect on the thyroid), the aches, tiredness, feeling low could all be meno of course, but the two often go hand in hand.  Don't be fobbed off by a 'borderline' or 'normal' answer from your GP, get a copy of your results, the UK has 'barbaric' thyroid thresholds - so much so my german endo emigrated, he left a very top spot in a London teaching hospital as he said 'he refused to practice medicine under these conditions'.  In Greece, where I am half the year, as TSH of 2.5 or 3 would get you a hypO diagnosis and thyroxine, in the UK, they don't treat until it's at 10, at which point most people would be dragging themselves around as if they were made out of lead.  It's cruel and nonsensical.

I'm also starting HRT, but I had my thyroid removed 8 years ago after a car crash of treacherous thyroid problems, it's a bit of a hobby horse of mine as 9 out of 10 thyroid patients are women (and we know, nobody really gives a sh*t about women and their hormones!).

Rapid weight gain is a bit of a give away, do you feel the cold as well, brittle nails, thinning hair, constipation (again I realise there's an overlap with meno)?

Might be worth killing two birds with one stone?

Reb

Thank you RebJT
I'm afraid of more weight gain, so I will certainly ask the doctor about this.
I's one reason I have been reluctant to ask for a different HRT medication, worried that swapping and changing meds could have an effect on me.   I appreciate your reply, x

[ElkWarning]

Erm ...

That thing where you feel like you've sort of disappeared and you'd quite like your old self back, yep, familiar with that.  I think it's a sort of precursor to changing stuff up a bit.  In a way, it might be good - sorry, I might be in one of those silver lining moods today.

Lack of sleep will do stuff to you, and people don't sleep for a variety of reasons, but the needing a wee, I believe someone with a bit more experience than me will be along shortly to introduce you to the joys of the wonderfully named 'vaginal atrophy'.  I get up a couple of times a night, and even have a tube of unopened Vagifem in the cupboard, because the person who prescribed it didn't tell me how to use it and I've been too embarrassed to ask.

Re: the weight.  I guess I've put on about two stone in four years.  Also gave up smoking three years ago, with a dodgy back to smoking patch, before resuming the not smoking.  I eat less.  I eat better.  I really don't know.  A nutritionist explained to me that something happens with our muscle mass as we become older, like it decreases, and while muscle can burn calories fat can't.  I'm now going to the gym (cross trainer and weights) and just generally trying to move around a lot more, walking whenever possible.  I've only lost about 7lbs in three months, however, I do have more muscles and my waist is 2 inches less big (obviously, someone not going through the menopause would have used the word smaller there).  I'm also drinking way way way more water.

In terms of the sleep thing, I suppose that's my biggest struggle.  It just feels a bit grim to be in bed by 10pm so that I can deal with all the disturbance and get some good shut eye before up at 6.30 - 7am.  It's annoying.  It feels as if I don't get much time to relax.  I do feel less zombie-like though.

You're asking what you should be hoping to achieve.  You might already be achieving it, giving up smoking, thinking about your weight, realising your sleep pattern might be having an impact on your overall well being, but generally, I think it sounds as if you just don't want to feel so tired and flat.  HRT is certainly worth another go if this is the case, but you might want to combine it with some lifestyle changes.  In a way, it's like experimenting with your body, and that's OK.

[PaperClip]

Erm ...

That thing where you feel like you've sort of disappeared and you'd quite like your old self back, yep, familiar with that.  I think it's a sort of precursor to changing stuff up a bit.  In a way, it might be good - sorry, I might be in one of those silver lining moods today.

Lack of sleep will do stuff to you, and people don't sleep for a variety of reasons, but the needing a wee, I believe someone with a bit more experience than me will be along shortly to introduce you to the joys of the wonderfully named 'vaginal atrophy'.  I get up a couple of times a night, and even have a tube of unopened Vagifem in the cupboard, because the person who prescribed it didn't tell me how to use it and I've been too embarrassed to ask.

Re: the weight.  I guess I've put on about two stone in four years.  Also gave up smoking three years ago, with a dodgy back to smoking patch, before resuming the not smoking.  I eat less.  I eat better.  I really don't know.  A nutritionist explained to me that something happens with our muscle mass as we become older, like it decreases, and while muscle can burn calories fat can't.  I'm now going to the gym (cross trainer and weights) and just generally trying to move around a lot more, walking whenever possible.  I've only lost about 7lbs in three months, however, I do have more muscles and my waist is 2 inches less big (obviously, someone not going through the menopause would have used the word smaller there).  I'm also drinking way way way more water.

In terms of the sleep thing, I suppose that's my biggest struggle.  It just feels a bit grim to be in bed by 10pm so that I can deal with all the disturbance and get some good shut eye before up at 6.30 - 7am.  It's annoying.  It feels as if I don't get much time to relax.  I do feel less zombie-like though.

You're asking what you should be hoping to achieve.  You might already be achieving it, giving up smoking, thinking about your weight, realising your sleep pattern might be having an impact on your overall well being, but generally, I think it sounds as if you just don't want to feel so tired and flat.  HRT is certainly worth another go if this is the case, but you might want to combine it with some lifestyle changes.  In a way, it's like experimenting with your body, and that's OK.

Thank you, sometimes you need and want to hear some pleasant common sense, thank you.

[jillydoll]

Hello Paperclip...

Please don't hesitate to post, we're all here to help each other, and give support, someone's always on for that..🙂....and we have a good old laff sometimes aswell.
In regards to the smoking, WELL DONE, massive achievement.....👍🏻
You should stay on any hrt for at least 3 months to see if it suits you, and it's normal to have a little bit of bleeding in this time.....and it should settle down.
I think if the hrt does work for you, and relieves you from meno symptoms, because you'll start to feel better, you can work on your weight gain after...? ....at the moment you have symptoms and are struggling, so inturn, you have no motivation to do anything, and I'm with you on that, I was exactly the same, who wants to do anything when they're suffering from fatigue, depression, anxiety, oh the list goes on, and on! , it's a vicious circle, but if you give hrt a chance you may find yourself feeling better and be able to address everything else then....feeling better in yourself has to come first..
Keep posting, and let us know how your getting on, like I say, we're always here....
Jd xxx