Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MsUlysses]

Hello all. I was prescribed patches about 3 months ago in response to a few night sweats, general poor sleep and unhappiness. I don't have periods thanks to an IUS and I'm 48. It's been going ok but I'm getting a lot of breast pain and I'm starting to wonder if this is the right thing for me? Is it too soon for me to be on HRT? Should I 'save it' for later when menopause symptoms might be worse? My GP is not great and just told me to read this website and then tell her what I want. Talking again to her she just says 'your choice' and there's very little else in terms of discussion. Any thoughts are very welcome, feeling quite alone in this. Thank you.

[Dotty]

Hi no it’s not too early for you to start hrt. If you’re experiencing symptoms then now is a good time x

[CLKD]

Morning.  Ring the Surgery and ask for a referral to a dedicated NHS menopause clinic - better now because there are waiting lists.  [perhaps your GP should join us here too!]

Which HRT has been prescribed and how is it delivered?  How low/high a dose?

Browse round ;-).

[MsUlysses]

Thank you for the responses! I am on the evorel 25, having queried being started on the 50.

[sheila99]

Have you been on 25 for 3 months or have you recently reduced? It isn't uncommon to get breast pain with an increase in oestrogen but after 3 months I would have expected it to settle. You could cut a piece off the patch to reduce the dose though perhaps this will leave you with something that's hardly worth taking. Some people seem to need a slower build up than others.

[MsUlysses]

I did the first week on the 50's then I've been on the 25 since then. The breast tenderness came last month for a day or so, this month is been a week of 'don't touch me!!', to the point where I've taken off the patch. As you say, I was thinking of cutting off a chunk but then I wondered what the point would be of that small a dose and it made me question coming off and seeing how I feel. I feel like I had limited reasons for going on to start with and now side effects make me wonder if actually I was depressed, not menopausal, or only a tiny bit reduced in my oestrogens because of stress. I've taken significant steps to deal with the stress other than the HRT.

[Clarella]

I started at 44 and have climbed the patchers ever since.

I find I can get some breast pain after a couple if months on the next patch up but then it settles completely.

[Law]

I started at 43. I only last 3 & a 1/2 months on the patches. I couldn’t take the breast & stomach pains anymore.
I going back to the doctor this week to try & get a different form of hrt. I feel awful without it

[MsUlysses]

Thank you all for your thoughts and support. I spoke to the Dr this morning and we've agreed that I'll stop the patches and see how I go. She says it's ok to start and stop and we can review of menopausal symptoms return. The breast tenderness was just too much for me. If I do try it again I think I'll try a different delivery method in any event, I got a wee rash where the patches were and the amount of plastic waste worried me too. Thanks again. Great to have you there and I wish you all the best with your own journeys.

[CLKD]

I too worry about waste    . (in my case, getting rid of carpet)

Let us know how you get on.  Some find (I may have said already) that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.

[Minusminnie]

I too worry about waste    . (in my case, getting rid of carpet)

(As an aside….carpet makes a good weed suppressant for a veg patch during the winter better than thin black coverings you buy.  Just let it dry out & store in summer. It saves a lot of weeding come the spring before planting)