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[Spidergirl78]

Hello ladies, Ive been gone from the form for a while, I hope members old and new are doing well.

Quick recap before my question - I was 33 when I was told I was officially in menopause, really struggled at the time with loss of fertility as I hadn't had any children. Had those struggles along with the other delights of meno!

Im 41 now, Ive been off HRT for a couple of years as I never really found one that suited me - the last 4 years Ive been living in Spain and my GP was in Gibraltar (where I work) and with no disrespect for her or the GHA, they didn't really have the best advice / much experience with early meno (one GP I saw on first getting here said he 'didn't believe' it was early meno and I had to get my GP records from UK to prove it...who would make that kind of thing up  )

Anyway, went to gyno (privately) for regular smear few weeks back and after hearing medical history said he wasn't comfortable with me having no hormone intake and I had a full set of bloods done to see what hormones I am producing if any.

Turns out none at all, which I pretty much knew but he said the 'tank is completely empty' and wants me back on HRT - I have actually felt better since NOT taking it, less flushes and no more weight gain, however I am tired all the time, like ALL the time to the point its become the norm -  but he has asked me to try Duavive - he said its relatively new - I have seen a few threads about it on here from mid-last year and wandered if anyone taking it has further insight? Can't find much out there!

Thanks in advance

[Hurdity]

Hi Spidergirl - yes I remember you if you had the same name! Re Duavive - yes there have been several threads. I think it has been discontinued in UK now. I don't think there was much call for it. It is made from Premarin (the conjugated equine oestrogens ie the horse urine stuff!) together with a substance that prevents the womb lining thickening but without the side effects of progestogens. Personally in your position I would want a higher dose of oestrogen than that due to your still young age.

Strange that you have fewer flushes off HRT but then they might have been declining anyway - perhaps the oestrogen dose wasn't high enough? What types did you try and how do you feel about having a bleed - which is normal for someone of your age anyway, although I can imagine anyone would prefer not to have them! However if you were able to have oestrogen only for a couple of weeks maybe you would feel better?

If we can help suggesting other regimes then do ask!

Hurdity x

[Sammiejane]

hi spider girl 78

i?m a bit like you in that i was 35 at menopause although mine was surgical induced i?m now 40 soon 41 i didn't have hrt for 4 years as i felt fine no symtoms and then what hit with dampness down below watery discharge or urine no one knows all bladder test normal but from no discharge and feeling great to that with also emotional crying for no reasons i decided to imbark on hrt however over. a year on and have still not managed to find one that suits and like you i feel better off hrt more alert less fatigue less headaches less flushes etc although have been using ovestin vaginally.
i am now trying a combined regime which u will need as you have a uterus of gel and utrogestan only day 4 but getting headaches back plus back ache and hot flushes in the day which i never suffered with even when i was on the gel estrogen in its own i didn't have this so i know it's the progesterone causing this i?m going to see how it goes as prior to this i stopped hrt as i was fed up of feeling bloated weight gain headaches mood up and down hairloss and rubbish overall when i stopped hair improved bloated went headaches went mood stabilized but weight didn't shift and my sleep was poor but even though sleep better in hrt i?m so tired x

[Spidergirl78]

Sorry to hear that Sammiejane. Its horrible isnt it.
There was no known reason for the early menopause with me, just happened I don't if thats better or worse ha ha. Hope your new treatment starts to help soon.

[Ladybt28]

Hi Spidergirl78 - As Hurdity says it is slightly different from most HRT because it contains a drug which works on similar lines to progesterone but isn't mixed together with oestrogen and it is for women who are post menopausal. It is designed for women who have problems with severe progesterone intolerance who cant' deal with anything else.
It was only approved and put on the NICE guidelines for prescribing in December 16.  I think it only got its uk licence in August 16 although it had been available in Europe before that.  I was offered it around February 18.  I raised it with my GP who said "oh that's new and I keep forgetting about it, but you can have it if you want".  She did suggest that she would prefer it if it was the last thing to try after I had tried everything else!  So that's what we did, I had other things to try and did find something that worked. So I was never prescribed it so can't tell you if it actually works.

I am not sure that it is "discontinued" Hurdity, although I can't say for certain, its just not widely prescribed.  Primarily I think because GP's are so clueless about hrt anyway and something new and novel doesn't tend to feature on their horizon.  Most of the time they have no idea of some of the older stuff and what it does let alone something only on the market just over 3 years!  If your private Gynea wants to give it to you spidergirl87 and you have come to the end of the road with everything else, I'd give it a go!  That was my plan anyway but I never had to get to that point.

[Hurdity]

Hi there - according to the BMS statement the other day it has been discontinued - in UK I presume there just wasn't much demand for it. Such a pity that a similar product was not made with estradiol rather than equine oestrogens - it might have been more popular otherwise. Hopefully another manufacturer might see the attraction of a simnilar product?

"Duavive. Conjugated equine estrogen 0.45 mg + 20 mg bazedoxifene. Discontinued August 2018. Stocks expected to be available into early 2020"

https://thebms.org.uk/2020/01/british-menopause-society-further-update-on-hrt-supply-shortages-27th-january-2020/

So - this is unfortunately not an option any more....

Hurdity x

[Ladybt28]

Ok sorry missed it Hun, when I looked it up. x
Yep agree Hurdity, it probably was the equine oestrogens putting people off.  Idea of bazedoxifene somewhat on the right tracks for those who can't deal with progesterone though.  Its a shame because this type of thing needs more research and promotion and if this sort of thing is short lived because of lack of knowledge of docs or lack of demand then other manufacturers wont think it worthwhile bothering.
Launched 2016 - discontinued August 2018 - that's a shame!!

[Hurdity]

I know so frustrating? (I did have to look it up again to check in case I was making it up  - you know what it's like, I think I've read something and then maybe elaborate a bit ). I wonder if Pfizer have a monopoly on using Bazedoxefene (sp?) in this way? Hopefully not and someone else is onto it. However these things take years - it was developed and released in US long before UK so who knows when something similar will be developed? 

Hurdity x