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[Alli8]

Hi and thanks for letting me join.

I am 51. Last year, after months of night sweats, hot flushes and zero libido I had two blood tests to confirm FSH levels indicated menopause. I was sceptical about HRT, being adopted and having no genetic history (increased cancer risk?) but after lots of research I felt the benefits would outweigh the risks.

The doctor asked when my last period was but I am on the Cerelle mini-pill (no bleed) and don't get a bleed. I suggested should I stop and see if my periods were there but the doctor said he would just assume they had stopped...?

I was prescribed Evorel Conti patches and started them at the beginning of October last year. Within a couple of weeks I felt so much better - the sweats and flushes disappeared and my libido reappeared, much to my husband's delight.

Everything has been fine apart from a little weight gain which could just be my age until a couple of weeks ago when my boobs became really tender. A few days ago they started swelling and have been extremely sore and I have had to wear a sports bra to help support them. I can see that breast tenderness is a common side effect but it seems to be in the beginning, not 5 months down the line.

Has anybody had experience of this? Should I be worried? I have tried getting in touch with my doctor but as we all well know, that's not an easy task these days!

Any advice would be much appreciated 

[Turkish delight]

 

Hia, and thanks for joining 

Sore breasts do seem to worry a lot of women here. I had engored ones whenever I increased my dose of estrogen and then they settled.
Can you remember back to when you had periods in your youth, and whether you had soreness then? It could just be the way your body reacts to the ups and downs of estrogen in your cycle as you may still have fluctuations going on of your own hormones aside from the patches.

TD

[CLKD]

HI! Did U feel supported during the 'phone call?  U could ask for a referral to a dedicated NHS Menopause Clinic - not a gynae - to get onto a waiting list with a list of queries.

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.  Is there a Nurse Practitioner in the practice who may know about HRT and can give Face2face advice?

Hormones rise and fall - so it may be that the HRT will affect breast tissue.  Does it say in the leaflet in the box?

[Taz2]

Hi Alli8 As Turkish Delight says you could still have your own hormones going on. At 53 when I started HRT I still had a fairly regular cycle and was prescribed sequi HRT. Are you still on the mini pill?

Taz x