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[Alih21]

Hi I am new here so I hope I am posting in the right place. I have been taking elleste duet for the past 6 months bit for the last 5 or 6 weeks I have been getting what feels like sinus headaches, I have suffered with sinus problems in the past but not this many times, i have stopped taking them and doc has given me novofem but i haven't started taking them yet, just a few questions if this is ok, has anyone else had headache issues on elleste and does anyone take novofem and are they ok on it, i worry about taking new tablets in cas they don't agree with me, i will also say that since I hit 50 i have certainly noticed i don't have loads of energy like I used to and have more off days than good ones, is this just my age or the anxiety issues that I have. After reading my own post I am actually falling apart  , i hope you lovely people can help me 

[CLKD]

Hi!     Maybe put the names of the HRT into the search box here and make notes.  You'll get an idea of how others have got on with it.

Has your GP done a recent blood test?   Low VitD or thyroid function upsets can cause tiredness, or low iron levels. 

Some people keep a mood/food/symptom diary to chart feelings.  I have back ground headaches due to very busy dreams and the medication I take ........

 

[Alih21]

Hi
Thank u for the welcome, no blood test from doctors and i haven't been offered them either, not sure they are keen atm with the virus. I will try what u suggested about the forum thank u 

[CLKD]

Your GP should not put off any patients with health worries.  They should be providing a triage scheme with phone calls to support people.

Let us know how you get on!

[CrispyChick]

Hi. I can't help you with your hrt I'm afraid. I'm currently trying combined pill for my peri symptoms.

I just wanted to say, one of the pills I tried gave me bad headaches and even migraines. Took me 6 weeks to realise as I thought it was my sinuses.

Before I started trying the pill, and before any gp suggested my symptoms were hormonal, sinus headaches led me down the ENT route and I am now awaiting an op on my nose. Now, I do have nose issues, but..... I'm pretty sure my 'sinus headaches' were my hormonal headaches.

I think you do right checking it out!!!

[Alih21]

Unfortunately our doctors will only do the least possible, its a strange thing to have a sinus headache due to hormones but i do now believe it is very possible, i would never have thought the two would be connected but they seem to be, i have been off the hrt for 3 days now and so far the headache is getting better, i did read that the orange pills in duet are coated in food colouring E110 i think it is and that did say that it can cause congestion and sinus problems, i am going to leave it a few more says and see if the hot flushes and night sweats come back, if not i may not take the new ones, thank u for the replies by the way 

[CrispyChick]

I don't think my hormonal issues caused sinus headaches, I think they just felt a bit sinusy to me.

[Mogster71]

Hi Ali!

Welcome to the forum me dear I am sorry to hear you are experiencing headaches on your HRT, you have my complete sympathy as this has been totally debilitating for me as well.

Would you happen to know if the headaches appear at a particular stage in the pills? Is it in the oestrogen bit or in the progesterone + oestrogen bit? For me it was almost always as I changed pill packs from one to another (in the withdrawal bleed week). However, they have stepped up a bit and are now appearing throughout. I was originally on Novofem (but only for a month as the norethisterone did not agree with me). I notice that you have gone from Elleste Duet (also norethisterone) to another tablet with norethisterone in it. Maybe ask the doctor to try something a little gentler if you feel they aren't agreeing with you? I am on Femoston, which is a dfferent version of progesterone. It's the only one I seem to be ok with, but even I get headaches with it.

What I would also say is that these paste 5/6 weeks have been particularly bad. I was never a massive hayfever sufferer but my goodness it has ramped up no end. Could it on the outside chance be that do you think? (for me, I can feel nasal congestion and tenderness in face etc, even down to flecks of blood in tissue when I blow my nose). You may well have even thought about that already but I just wanted to flag it up in case it was something like that.

Anything you can help your case with is worth doing - like keeping a diary of when the headaches occur, what you've eaten, what day of the pill it was, climate, etc. If you have a pattern sometimes it can be easier to get to the bottom of. Of course, our hormones don't always comply lol they just prefer to take on randomness  . If smartphones are your thing you could try a symptom tracker app like Migraine Buddy, where you log everything there. It's free to use.

I hope you feel better soon and please, don't worry about contacting your GP. Are they fairly forward-thinking, do they have a way of sending a message through instead so you can initiate a callback or phone appointment? Wishing you all the best and here to help or chat if you need to xx

[Alih21]

Hi thank u for the reply, its its interesting that you mentioned the hayfever issue, i haven't as far as i know suffered from this but the last three times that i have been for a walk in the woods behind my home within an hour I could feel the headache starting, i did mention this to my gp but she said that without any other symptoms then she didn't think it was, not very helpful tbh. Atm i am not taking any hrt as i wanted to see how i felt without it, i have been getting period pain so i am hoping that i don't have a period l, especially at 50, i have a mirena for the last 6 years as my periods were very heavy, consultant said it will hopefully stop them till i go through the menopause, it did and ive been period free for the last 4 years which is great. I will be keeping a diary of symptoms and how i feel so hopefully I can see a connection with and without any hrt. I seemed to suffer more on the elleste when i was taking the orange pills or so it seemed