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[riap]

I am now 61. I started peri-menopause age 48. I spent several years trying all the ‘natural’ remedies to no effect: soya-based foods, red clover, evening primrose, black cohosh, menopace tablets, the expensive silly magnet attached to your knickers, mindfulness, cooling mats, weight loss etc. Then I was prescribed anti-depressants I didn’t need as they were supposed to control hot flushes, but didn’t so I got rid of them. Eventually I got a sympathetic doctor and was allowed HRT. With trial and error of brands, I finally found life bearable again (my main problem out of all symptoms is the hot flushes, 20-30 a day). Then the manufacturers had difficulties, so I had to change. For a few years I’ve been on Premique low dose which were just magical for me; I was normal again. However, I faced constant pressure off various doctors (same practice but rotating staff) to come off HRT as it was frowned upon to be on it more than 6 or so years. I’ve never smoked, but do weigh 15.5 st and have always presented with high blood pressure in the clinic. Each time I wore the 24 hr bp monitor to show my bp was normal. When covid hit I decided to try to stop HRT, and over a year weaned myself down to half a Premique tablet a day, felt mostly ok, so stopped totally. I thought I’d cracked it but 2 weeks later the hot flushes returned. I suffered for 8 months, then gave in and tried half a tablet again and they ceased.  I saw a new doctor 11 weeks ago, who was lovely, hoping to renew my prescription. However, she said my bp was high, I was obese and over 60, so I couldn’t have Premique. I was devastated. I again proved my bp was normal, so she asked me to try Evorel Conti patches for 3m. One week in and I felt pregnant, swollen inside with period like cramping. Sitting and standing had to be done slowly as I felt my indies would burst! I’ve not had a bleed in over 7 years, but so far it hasn’t happened thank goodness. 4 weeks in my breasts became really sore (I thought swollen too but my hubby and bra say not). This I hate as I had a breast reduction 25 years ago due to size and pain – would do that again tomorrow as it was the best thing I did in my life! 11 weeks in, no hot flushes YES!! no internal pain, no bleed, feeling a bit more amorous with hubby as was becoming worried my interest in passion was waning with age, but the breast pain is continuous, feeling like two bruises I can’t bear lying upon.  My doc still refuses to allow me back on oral Premique and we’ve agreed I will try a half patch for a while. I would like to know if other users on this Conti Evorel patch have solved new breast pain by altering the dose? Did halving or increasing the size of the patch work? Either way, if the pain remains, I will stick with it as it is preferable to the severe hot flushes.

[CLKD]

Hi! welcome.  Im not familiar with HRT but I do wish that GPs would stop telling women that we need to stop HRT when it's actually working!


Have split your thread to make it easier for me to respond to .......



I am now 61. I started peri-menopause age 48. I spent several years trying all the ‘natural’ remedies to no effect: soya-based foods, red clover, evening primrose, black cohosh, menopace tablets, the expensive silly magnet attached to your knickers, mindfulness, cooling mats, weight loss etc.


Then I was prescribed anti-depressants I didn’t need as they were supposed to control hot flushes, but didn’t so I got rid of them. Eventually I got a sympathetic doctor and was allowed HRT. With trial and error of brands, I finally found life bearable again (my main problem out of all symptoms is the hot flushes, 20-30 a day).  [some ADs can relieve hot flushes ........ for a few women]



Then the manufacturers had difficulties, so I had to change. For a few years I’ve been on Premique low dose which were just magical for me; I was normal again. However, I faced constant pressure off various doctors (same practice but rotating staff) to come off HRT as it was frowned upon to be on it more than 6 or so years.

I’ve never smoked, but do weigh 15.5 st and have always presented with high blood pressure in the clinic. Each time I wore the 24 hr bp monitor to show my bp was normal. When covid hit I decided to try to stop HRT, and over a year weaned myself down to half a Premique tablet a day, felt mostly ok, so stopped totally.
. we have a home BP monitor as DH has white coat syndrome

I thought I’d cracked it but 2 weeks later the hot flushes returned. I suffered for 8 months, then gave in and tried half a tablet again and they ceased. 

I saw a new doctor 11 weeks ago, who was lovely, hoping to renew my prescription. However, she said my bp was high, I was obese and over 60, so I couldn’t have Premique. I was devastated.
. did she offer any advice and support regarding weight loss?


I again proved my bp was normal, so she asked me to try Evorel Conti patches for 3m. One week in and I felt pregnant, swollen inside with period like cramping. Sitting and standing had to be done slowly as I felt my indies would burst! I’ve not had a bleed in over 7 years, but so far it hasn’t happened thank goodness.

4 weeks in my breasts became really sore (I thought swollen too but my hubby and bra say not). This I hate as I had a breast reduction 25 years ago due to size and pain – would do that again tomorrow as it was the best thing I did in my life! 11 weeks in, no hot flushes YES!! no internal pain, no bleed, feeling a bit more amorous with hubby as was becoming worried my interest in passion was waning with age, but the breast pain is continuous, feeling like two bruises I can’t bear lying upon. 

My doc still refuses to allow me back on oral Premique and we’ve agreed I will try a half patch for a while. I would like to know if other users on this Conti Evorel patch have solved new breast pain by altering the dose?

Did halving or increasing the size of the patch work? Either way, if the pain remains, I will stick with it as it is preferable to the severe hot flushes.

Could there be adhesions where the breast reduction was done, irritated by the HRT?  MayB U need to be referred to a breast surgeon familiar with this type of surgery, even the Consultant who did your operation?