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[Margery-Daw]

Hello everyone

I'm so pleased I found this forum and it's been great to read through some of the posts.  It certainly helps to feel that you're not alone.

I'm 48 and started HRT last October.  I think I had been suffering with peri-menopausal symptoms for a year or so before the penny dropped.  I am an avid reader and had been reading about the menopause for a couple of years, but it still took me a while to realise what was happening.  One of the worst symptoms for me is my low mood/depression.  For months, I just felt so low, no joy in my life at all and felt that they was a grey shadow following me all of the time.  I would spend the day at work trying not to cry and would then be so exhausted when I got home, I just wanted to sleep.  When I first went to the doctors they said it was depression and wanted to put me on anti-depressants, but I knew that wasn’t why I was feeling like that, but they dismissed the idea that it was the menopause.  I went back a couple of months later after a period of extreme sadness and basically demanded to be put on HRT, which they did! (I think I just scared the Dr with my knowledge, that she just wanted me out of the door. I seriously felt that I knew more about it than she did!) 

Within a couple of weeks of starting HRT I felt absolutely great.  My mood was so much better, I was smiling and laughing again and felt joy for the first time in a long time and thought that was me set now.  But the low mood has returned over the last couple of months.  The same feeling of no joy and a shadow of sadness following me.  I even had to take the day off on Monday, as I just could not work; I just wanted to cry all day. 

I take two pumps of Estrogel in the morning, but had increased this to three over the last couple of weeks to see if that would make me feel any better, but it hasn’t.  Should I continue with this?  Or increase even more?  Stupid question but what is the “normal” amount of pumps people take (I know, there is no “normal”, but it would be good to hear how many pumps people take). 

I eat healthy, don’t really drink at all, sleep really well and try to look after myself as best I can.  I have just started taking A.Vogel Menopause Support, hoping that that will help as well.

Any advice, tips and reassurances that I’m not going mad would help.  Thank you!

[CLKD]

Morning.  Well done for putting foot down with firm hand.  NOPE not going mad.  Hormones 

How about increasing the pumps two nights a week ?  Every night maybe too much so HRT needs to be delivered gradually.  The body doesn't usually get where it is, suddenly.  Put the product name into the search box on the Forum and see what pops up - take notes 

Some find that keeping a food/mood/symptom diary useful. 

Is the low mood every day or cyclic?   Maybe an Anti-depressant would help, some need to take one along with HRT. 

[Taz2]

Hi Margery-Daw. Can you tell us which progesterone you are using and also the advice on A.Vogel Menopause Support is that it can't be used if you are using any type of HRT so I don't feel this is suitable for you?  From the A.Vogel site "Take one Menopause Support tablet twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) with food. This product should not be taken by those on hormonal medication such as HRT or the contraceptive pill"

Lots of support and advice on here by the way. Sorry for the rushed reply but I just wanted to make sure you knew about the Menopause Support advice!

Taz x 

[CLKD]

Interesting Taz  it's a Mine Field 

[Margery-Daw]

Hi Margery-Daw. Can you tell us which progesterone you are using and also the advice on A.Vogel Menopause Support is that it can't be used if you are using any type of HRT so I don't feel this is suitable for you?  From the A.Vogel site "Take one Menopause Support tablet twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) with food. This product should not be taken by those on hormonal medication such as HRT or the contraceptive pill"

Lots of support and advice on here by the way. Sorry for the rushed reply but I just wanted to make sure you knew about the Menopause Support advice!

Taz x 

Thanks Taz.   

I've just had a look at the website and you can use it along with HRT, but not the Mirena coil.  Why didn't I see that!!!   

They did have interesting points on their website with how the Mirena coil can increase menopausal sympotoms

Here is an extract
"When you're going through the menopause, it's not so much about how much hormone you have of each one, but it's about the relationship between oestrogen and progesterone. So if your progesterone levels are quite high and your oestrogen starts to fall, then you can end up experiencing low oestrogen symptoms. And the main ones will be things like anxiety, flushes, sleep problem, joint aches and pains, stress palpitations, mood swings and irritability. It's usually at this point that the women contact me to ask what they can do to see if they're going through the menopause.

So, that may explain some of my symptoms, who knows??? 

[jillydoll]

Hi Margery Drew.

Glad you've found us. 

x

[Margery-Daw]

Hi Margery Drew.

Glad you've found us. 

x

Me too!  Thank you xxxx

[CLKD]

As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out; deep in the ears, nostrils, eyes, skin, vagina  .  as well as muscles may become lax = aches and pains.

Moods can dip too ......... HRT and/or anti-depressant medication can help and nothing is forever unless necessary.

1 doesn't 'go through menopause'  .  One approaches menopause : end of monthly periods : via peri-menopause.  Which is when the hormones rise and fall and affect some ladies quite severely.  Once 1 has had the last period, usually having had a gap of at least 12 months since the last bleed, they are into menopause.

Browse round.  Make notes ;-)

[Taz2]

The information regarding using menopause support with HRT seems very confusing as I have found it on the A.Vogel site under Our experts top picks for management of the menopause and that states not to use alongside HRT but on another part of the site it says you can use it with HRT.

Do you have the mirena coil as your progesterone element then? I can see how you missed the fact that you can't use it alongside hormonal contraception as it is not made clear on the site. Under the questions part it says that you can't use it with the Mirena but on the main site this is what it says.

A.Vogel's Menopause Support tablets are specially formulated to alleviate common menopause symptoms including night sweats and hot flushes. Menopause support tablets contain soya extract to help support through all stages of menopause.

Menopause Support tablets also contain magnesium to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. Hibiscus extract, vervain essential oil and soy isoflavones from fermented soya beans are included in the formulation for nutritional support through all stages of the menopause.

Benefits of A Vogel Menopause Support:

Made from fermented soya beans which are rich in phytoestrogens
Also contains magnesium and hibiscus to help support energy
Supports for all stages of the menopause and symptoms of menopause
Supports pre-menopause symptoms
May be used with HRT
Unique formulation
GM Free, suitable for vegans
Dosage: Take one tablet of Menopause Support twice daily with food

Very confusing especially if it stops contraception from working! 

Taz x

[CLKD]

Some find soya products upset the gut too 

[Margery-Daw]

The information regarding using menopause support with HRT seems very confusing as I have found it on the A.Vogel site under Our experts top picks for management of the menopause and that states not to use alongside HRT but on another part of the site it says you can use it with HRT.

Do you have the mirena coil as your progesterone element then? I can see how you missed the fact that you can't use it alongside hormonal contraception as it is not made clear on the site. Under the questions part it says that you can't use it with the Mirena but on the main site this is what it says.

A.Vogel's Menopause Support tablets are specially formulated to alleviate common menopause symptoms including night sweats and hot flushes. Menopause support tablets contain soya extract to help support through all stages of menopause.

Menopause Support tablets also contain magnesium to help reduce tiredness and fatigue. Hibiscus extract, vervain essential oil and soy isoflavones from fermented soya beans are included in the formulation for nutritional support through all stages of the menopause.

Benefits of A Vogel Menopause Support:

Made from fermented soya beans which are rich in phytoestrogens
Also contains magnesium and hibiscus to help support energy
Supports for all stages of the menopause and symptoms of menopause
Supports pre-menopause symptoms
May be used with HRT
Unique formulation
GM Free, suitable for vegans
Dosage: Take one tablet of Menopause Support twice daily with food

Very confusing especially if it stops contraception from working! 

Taz x

Hi Taz

So confusing.  As if this time of life isn't confusing enough!!!!

I have used the Mirena coil as contraception for the past 15 years and had the last one fitted 3 years ago.  I've never had a period with it fitted, so hard to know what is actually going on, but have gone by all my other symptoms.  I'm 48, so could possibly need it as contraception (not unknown for women to fall pregnant at this age and I'd rather not take the risk).

I'll just not take them and save them for when I have the coil taken out (whenever that is). 

[Margery-Daw]

Some find soya products upset the gut too 

That's really interesting CLKD.  Yesterday afternoon I got the most horrendous bloating and could not for the life of me work out why!  I didn't eat anything that would bloat and didn't eat anything new, apart from taking the tablet.  I honestly looked like I was 6 months pregnant!

[Kathleen]

Hello Margery-Daw and welcome to the forum.

I wonder if the fermented soya beans in your supplement are causing your stomach issues because you don't yet have the gut bacteria required to digest them fully.

As I've mentioned on other threads I'm a fan of Sauerkraut which is fermented cabbage and is very potent. When I first began eating it results were extreme so I reverted to eating a little at a time and increased my consumption gradually. It wasn't  long before I could eat lots  without any problems.
I wonder if you could cut your tablet in half or take one every other day in order to give your gut bacteria time to adjust.

Hope this helps in some way and wishing you well.

K.

[Lindyh]

Hi Margery-Daw, Like you I have days like this, when all I want to do is sit & cry, but I put it down to other reasons that are going on in my life, ( a lot of horrible family stuff) so I wonder if it could be this menopause. I've not yet spoken to the doctor, but also not sure if I want to take any more tablets, I also have high blood pressure, so not sure if I could. It IS a relief to know that other women are also suffering. Hope you feel better soon.