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[Teresa]

Hi All,
I hope someone can help….I’d been taking 50mcg of Estradot patch ( which I’d only started using, as progressed from 25mcg) and utrogestan 100 mg orally for 10 days and on Sunday, I took the patch off and stopped the utrogestan. I panicked as I’m not making very good decisions at the moment due to my severe anxiety. I now wish I hadn’t stopped and want to start again….is it ok to put a patch back on today and take utrogestan tonight as before and not tell my GP? My GP has given me the impression he is anti  HRT and will just agree with me to stop and not suggest I go back on. I have had no spotting or anything untoward.
However, I was on Elleste duet conti for 5 weeks and stopped due to side effects and then went on this regime of the Estradot and utrogestan after a week break. I did have spotting, but only lightly during that week.

It’s mainly the sleep I miss and also the fact I didn’t give it a chance. Have I messed up? I’ve just had three days break….many thanks in advance.

Teresa
X

[Suzysheep]

 I understand how the anxiety makes you do rash things… don’t be hard on yourself… you just want to feel better.

I’m no expert at all, but after only 3 days I would think it’s ok to pick up where you left off.

Why did you take it off in the first place? Do you think your gps negative attitude has influenced you at all?

Xx

[Teresa]

Hi,
Thanks for coming back Suzysheep …I’ve got some tenderness in my breasts and went to GP last week. There’s a little bit of swelling in each. I saw a locom, not my usual Gp and she didn’t say a lot about it, only that she didn’t think it was anything, but that she’s referred me for a  fast track mammogram to put my mind at rest. I’m still waiting for a call ( it’s been 6 days since she referred me), so I panicked about it all on Sunday. This HRT was really helping me and I suspect and hope that the HRT may be the reason for the swelling….I just wish I hadn’t stopped,
I should have waited until perhaps I know for sure,
Shall I stick it back on? Until I know for sure what’s going on?

Thankyou,

Teresa

[Gilla999]

Depending on what kind of swelling you're talking about, swollen/painful boobs are very common as a side effect of added or high estrogen, and if you'd recently gone up from 25 to 50mg this could definitely be the cause - it tends to settle as your body gets used to it. I'm referring to a general overall swollen / hardness of course and not anything outside of this, but it's great that your GP is getting you checked out for it anyway.

I agree with Suzy that after 3 days you should be fine to restart it.

Also echo Suzy's message - I totally understand the making rash decisions when you're feeling desperate or anxious. Don't be too hard on yourself, we've all done it 

[Michelle7474]

Hi
Do you feel worse for taking it off ?? If it wasn’t helping you could it be better to wait it out and start a fresh after your mammogram
It can be a side effect of the HRT as when I first started my boobs was swollen and painful & seem to grow actually went up 2 cups ( I’ve always been small on top so that came as a shock lol )
Since I’ve stopped HRT boobs are back to normal size … although whilst I was still on the patches they didn’t feel as swollen Etc since the beginning of starting it

You do what you feel best .. your body you will know .. making rash descions is what we are all good at during this time of peri/menopause & aniexty is something else

Do you know what’s causing your aniexty ..

Hope your ok and just think whatever you Want to do and do it … won’t hurt I don’t think putting it back on now as it will just restart .. so expect the unexpected kinda thing but majority of the things could well be side effects.

Xxx

[Teresa]

Thanks Gilla999,
I think I panicked about the fact the mammogram might not pick anything suspicious up, if there was as they have become denser so my mind went into overdrive. The swelling is only there when I raise my arms and smooths out when I lower. When she pressed on both breasts it was tender. She didn’t say a lot and I wanted her to say so much  she wanted me in and out.
I then worried that I’d always have swellings and I’d never know whether to get them checked out or not. I just wish I could have the mammogram as soon as possible and hope I don’t have to wait too long as it’s been put through as urgent.
I have 6 patches left out of a box of 8 and they’d never know I stopped.
So shall I do it, put one on now and then take the pill again tonight?

Thankyou,
Teresa
X

[Teresa]

Hi Michelle7474,
I’m worried that the longer I leave it as this is the second time I’ve stopped HRT after a short period the worse it’s going to be and I’ll cause more issues ( anxiety again). I’m seeing a psychotherapist for my anxiety too. I also tried two different Anti depressants but both had awful side effects and made my anxiety worse. I have health anxiety and it’s probably the pandemic tgat bought it on. I’ve had it just three months but it seems longer. It had been building up. It’s like I’ve been living someone else’s life.
Ive got a 20 min call with GP later today about some other things, but this GP isn’t my usual one, who is on leave and this is the one who is anti HRT. He is very formal and no nonsense. My husband said stick it back on and take the pill. He’s been through a lot with me, this past 3 months and I think he wants me to take anything that will help me.

I think I will….

Teresa
X

[Michelle7474]

Put it back on if it helps you Teresa , no need to suffer if you know the patch and tablet will help ..
I wish I was that lucky to have somthing that helped me lol .. mine seem to make it worse

I do CBT for aniexty .. not sure yet if it’s going to help as early days but I do find it interesting

Aniexty is awful to be honest & Ive heard a lot of Antidepressants can make you feel worse .. ( I’ve never taken )

I hope you feel better soon .. put the patch on if you know it’s going to make you feel better and then when and if boobs get sore then remember it could be as simple as a side effect
Then once mammogram is done your mind just be at ease
Xxx

[Teresa]

Hi Michelle7474,
Thankyou…a new one is back on 
It helped me sleep the first night I took it, I think it was the utrogestan. I also noticed my night sweats came back literally the day after I stopped. I am also doing CBT or attempting to, but with worries and things it is tricky. I had to go private with a psychotherapist as NHS waiting list was so long and I’m currently signed off work as it’s affected that. I had bad insomnia on and off for past 3 months. It’s been a dire three months.
I’m sorry to read HRT didn’t help you - I haven’t been on mine quite long enough to get the full effect, but the sleep factor has really helped me decide it’s quite good for me initially but time will tell. Thankyou for all your help,
Teresa
Xx

[Michelle7474]

Hi Teresa
I’m glad you put it Back on and I hope it helps you again

Yeah I had to pay privately as waiting list was months and I needed something to help with the dealing of the aniexty ..
to be honest it’s not as bad as in that I mean not so intense as what it was .. so I’m taking that a good thing .. but I take each day as it comes

I’m also off work because of this .. mad how it can actually take over our lives like it does

I sleep poorly .. but I’ve never been the best sleeper anyway but sometimes I’m lucky to get a couple of hours .. some nights are better than others

I’m glad your regime helps you in some way .. some people are lucky and first time trying hrt strike it lucky .. some of us not so lucky
I would try again in the future I think .. but for now wanna try and give my body a break from adding things to it

I hope you sleep better tonight and I hope that your mammogram is soon and it’s nothing more than a simple side effect ..
xxx

[Teresa]

Hi Michelle7474,
I am sorry to hear you are going through the same stuff. It’s so horrid isn’t it? Have you had this long? Do you know what caused it? My psychotherapist also went right back into childhood as things happened there that also influence how we are. Like you, I take each day as it comes. Getting two hours sleep must be so bad - I know how you feel. Is your Gp helping? You mention about Anti depressants, have you tried any? It might work for you if not, as it sounds like you need something to help you.

I am also on beta blockers….have been for just a week. Long story, but last week I was also diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation  I suspected I had it. I’ve had on and off for about 10 years, but it’s finally been caught on an ECG. I didn’t want to take the Beta blockers, but it’s until they do more investigations ( which could take a few weeks yet) but they too seem to help with the anxiety as they stop adrenaline. Sometimes these are prescribed for anxiety symptoms.
I’m sorry to hear you are suffering too.
Teresa
Xx

[Michelle7474]

Hi Teresa
I don’t want to try any antidepressants to be honest , as of the past 2 weeks things have seemed slightly better as in not so intense .. so I believe the hrt as started to taper off out my system

Personally I thought hormones started it .. but coulda been covid ( I had this end January) or even my vaccines for covid as after l 1st jab 3 weeks later I had first aniexty ( but next day had period ) and after 2nd jab 12 days later had another aniexty but also a period
So it could be possibly both or all 3 lol
When I was on hrt it seem to get worse but again that coulda been me adding too much hormone into my system that maybe my body didn’t need ..

I’ve been off 7 weeks now and slowly things aren’t as bad .. but I take each day as it comes
I’m waiting for 24 hour ECG but waiting list again they jut wanted to rule out the palpitations ( I think are hormonal )

The beta blocker helped but I couldn’t handle the feeling of it and because I’m on warfrain i don’t want to add extra things to my body ..

Obviously in the future if this gets worse I would have to find things to help. As like you say quality of life is much better than struggling

Sleep is not always 2 hours .. sometimes I can get in 4-6 it just depends .. but I’ve always been like that .
I was probably worse with the aniexty as that had my brain working overtime where now .. I can drop off .. it’s just I know will wake at somepoint and can’t always drop back off
But it’s much better than it was .. as am I
I just hoping the coming weeks things improve more

Let us know how you get on xx


Hope you feel better in your self soon xx

[Teresa]

Hi Michelle7474,
It’s good to read you are feeling a little better and it sounds like you’ve got a good strategy now helping you try and get through this. I’ve been off work 10 weeks now. My work colleagues probably think I’ve had a great summer but it was far from that 
I can understand you don’t want to keep adding things to your body. That was another reason I stopped the HRT on Sunday. I’m glad you don’t always get 2 hrs sleep….it’s not great to get that amount regularly as you just can’t function. I need to sleep too as I’m keeping my husband awake as he can sense me tossing and turning.

It’s interesting about the Covid jab. I read the other post about it that’s on there today. My anxiety started probably March with the first and then worsened late May which was shortly after the 2nd vaccine, though I couldn’t swear it was that…though it has made me think. I was never happy having that due to the blood clot news and it may have been that too that was making me so very anxious as that is roughly when all this started to rear it’s ugly head. It does make you think.

I do hope you get some good rest tonight. Thankyou for taking the time to reply to me today and for all your help. Wishing you all the best and take care,
Teresa
Xx