Hello again ladies and an update for anyone interested.
I have just had an appointment with Dr Sarah Ball of Newson Health. The results are a bit mixed actually and she tells me that she is leaving NH soon so any future appointments will be directed to a colleague.
We established that my current HRT regime (half a 1 mcg sachet of Sandrena gel daily plus a 50mcg pessary of Cyclogest alternate nights) is controlling my physical symptoms but is not addressing the emotional ones. I didn't want to increase the gel and risk a return of breast pain and bleeding so instead she recommended a psychological approach. She is writing to my GPs and I will contact them shortly to see what they suggest. Off the top of my head I'm guessing it will be CBT but I could be wrong. In the meantime I will continue with my HRT and I will schedule a follow up appointment with NH in six months.
Dr Ball also mentioned a company called LifecodeGX who can analyse your DNA and suggest lifestyle changes that can improve your health. Apparently some people struggle to metabolise oestrogen effectively so medications need to be tweaked. I said that I will look at their website and I mention it here for anyone interested.
So ladies no magic bullet or special potion just keep taking the drugs, do the best you can and see you in six months (with your current credit card of course). Ho hum and on we go!
Wishing you all well ladies and take care.
K.
Sorry things have been mixed with the appointment and things being difficult Kathleen. I am wondering if it might be a good thing to have a change of doctor. Not because that doctor was not good, she clearly was and you liked her, but different perspectives sometimes stumble on things.
I'm also wondering whether you might benefit for a herbal oestrogen, like red clover? You'd have to check with your doctor that it's ok, but it might be gentle enough not to bring about the physical issues, but effective enough to lift mood? I'm not taking it, I was just thinking about it as I remember it from years ago, before I was menopausal, I used to read about herbs etc.
I'm having a really bad day today. I think my period is due, my cycle hasn't stopped yet, I started hrt while still having periods, so it's possible I'm still naturally having them, they are just more regular. But I've got ringing in the ears, heart flutters, a horrible empty feeling (emotionally flat). I'm also exhausted. I'm still dealing with a close friend who's having problems, so I'm drained, but it's more than that, this is hormones. Usually it lifts the next day, I don't get two in a row of this complete flatness. But meanwhile it's just horrible.
I'm thinking of making an appointment with NH when I can justify the payment, at the moment I have to get another car, etc. But I do want to have a more thorough check over as my surgery can't cope with anything right now.
