Hi Everyone 👋
New to this forum & thought I'd introduce myself & see if anyone can relate & if have been prescribed the same HRT as me & would like to share their experience?
I'm 47 in a few days time and felt like I've been experiencing perimenopausal symptoms for the past few years. Tried several times to get help and support from gp in the past who obsessed over my age & blood test results & told too young to be perimenopausal and bloods tests showed no hormone changes and most likely related to depression and anxiety, which I have suffered from following pnd & taken medication for the past 16 years (currently taking Venlafaxine & Promazine) The last 6 months a variety of perimenopausal symptoms have ramped up in and I felt at rock bottom with depression and anxiety to the point of not being able to get out of bed some days & not leaving the house alone. Thank God for my husband for his unwavering support and encouraging me to visit gp (even took the stress out of getting an appointment by phoning for days to arrange an appointment for me, came with me too) Anyway had a face to face appointment with gp this morning and went prepared with a list of all the symptoms I was experiencing and the types of supplements, creams & meds I take to try help as suspected I wouldn't be able to relay all the info I needed to them as can be forgetful and tearful at the best of times!
GP was wonderful, she listened, questioned & explained, read my list & gave my tissues to wipe up the tears & prescribed me HRT patches (Evorel 25) & told me to return for a review in 3 months time. I came out feeling heard & relieved and after visiting 2 seperate chemists was able to get the HRT I was prescribed, although pharmacist unable to fulfill all the orders amount so came away with 4 months worth, instead of 6 due to stick shortages, which gp did warn me about. Came home read the medication box and information leaflet from inside & put patch on my upper thigh needing to change it twice a week. For my own peace of mind googled the HRT I'd been given and discovered that it only contains the oestrogen female hormone (estradiol) 1.6mg that releases 25mcg everyday. I'm aware that this is a low dose, but fine to begin on this with looking to increase it if required in the future, but was surprised that the patches don't contain progesterone as I'm sure gp said that she was going to prescribe that also with oestrogen as I have a womb, but doubting self as I was upset during times of the appointment. Have I misunderstood or has anyone else experienced being prescribed Everol25 oestrogen only patches at the beginning of taking HRT? Would also like to know if you benefitted from using the patches at this dose.
If you've read this far without falling asleep, then thank you & sorry to have gone on a bit, have no mum or female friends to confide in & just felt like I needed to give you some background & get stuff off my chest. Looking forward to being part of a community that is experiencing the same/similar. Lots of love 😘