Hi again,
Wow, thank you so much for all this info...
Some details about me... I'm 47 and started having issues in my very early 40's. Both my mum and my grandma went through menopause at 40 and 37. I tried to manage for a few years but felt like I was losing the plot plus I went nearly a year without periods so went to my GP. Now - my GP surgery we're very hit and miss with hormonal bloods etc but finally they did a set and said I needed to go on HRT to try and ease my symptoms and also protect my bones as I was too young to go through the change etc...
I started on Evorel Sequi around 2 years ago and at first all was ok... then the progesterone started to give me issues after around 3 months, I carried on for a further 3 months until it became unbearable... after that we started trying other HRT's as listed in my previous post.
I've been back quite a few times to my GP surgery who refuse to do any more bloods to check my levels as they say the levels change throughout the day anyway so no point and they go off symptoms rather than blood work, they also won't discuss testosterone even though I tell them it seems to help so many with my symptoms, no libido AT ALL! Exhaustion through the roof...
(I've just started to cry as I just feel so upset at the way I am now when up to 6 years ago I was so happy with no issues.. and I'm not a cryer).
Ok, so the last time I went to see them my GP said she would contact a consultant to see if I could use the progesterone for 7 days each month, he agreed (it is utrogestan pessaries), so I have done that this month to try it and after day 4 my breasts are so painful and thrush so bad and my period never comes until 7 days after stopping the progesterone but when it does come it's a very healthy period lasting 3 to 5 days...
I just don't feel well at all these days but any blood work they do (routine, not hormonal as they won't do that) is always normal and so I feel as if they just think I'm mad, my friends don't really understand how bad it is so I just always put a happy face on and try to be upbeat but it's so hard when I just feel so crap all the time!
I live in the UK and so I think if I get testosterone gel I'll have to order it myself to try... Out of those you mention, which one would you recommend and I guess I'll have to mention this to my GP too... surely I should be tested for testosterone levels first?
So at present I use evorel 60 oestrogen only patches adding in the progesterone for 7 days each month... do I get bad side effects as the progesterone is too strong as when I read up it does say that bodily overload of this can lead to these symptoms? I'm scared of putting too much into my body I guess... as you've all said up there, it's so trial and error.
Gosh, I'm so sorry for all this info and so many questions! Can you tell how desperate I am to feel well?! I have two children, one still at primary, and just want to be the mother I once was.
Thank you all so much, I promise you I am a normal girl. I feel you may all think I'm mad too now!
xxx