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[karenja]

 Day three and weird symptoms just when I was starting to feel much better on the white tablets the last few days! Getting nausea, cramp funny sensation down my arm a bit like numbness and leg and arm pain oh and I feel shaky, no mood swings or depression yet tho this is getting me down and making me want to come off hrt, I'm Also v tired and anxiety is back a big mainly in the morning - on a plus side flushes are fewer ANd night sweats which were reason for starting hrt although main reason was anxiety panic attacks etc, any advice please 🙏

[Hurdity]

Hi again karenja

Progestogens of any description often make women tired - for many this is an echo of what happened during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Progestogens are known to have a sedative effect. The following are listed as common side effects of norethisterone which is the progestogen in Elleste duet:
General: fatigue, drowsiness or insomnia, headache, fever, dizziness

The difference with HRT is that the progestogens are given daily at the same dose whereas in the menstrual cycle levels rise from their normal low level to a peak and then fall. The sudden increase (as for HRT) can lead to side effects in some women. See if these feelings settle after a couple of days. It may turn out that these tablets are not for you - but there are many types of HRT that you can try before settling on the right one.

At least you know that adding the oestrogen is helping - as you have found from the reduction in night sweats and flushes - just need to make sure the progestogen doesn't counteract this in the second half of the month!

Hurdity x

[karenja]

Hi Hurdity, thanks for your reply, sooo glad Ive gound this site I haven't taken a green tablet today as I don't want to feel awful in work, Im also going back to gp to see if I may need to go on a different hrt, will let you know, take care x

[Hurdity]

Hi karenja - you shouldn't stop taking them though when you are on the progesterone phase. You need this to change the lining to a different structure, and then when you stop, the lining will come away. You may well feel pmt after stopping the progestogen anyway - which is normal at the changeover from the combined tablets to the oestorgen only and just before the period.

What will probably happen now is you may get a bleed because the progestogen levels will drop as you didn't take the tablet. However not all the lining will come away as you didn't take it for long enough. If you really don't want to take any more then best to stop HRT completely, but mention to your doctor about how long you took it for and how long you took the green tablets for.

If you think it is the norethisterone in the green tablets giving you these side effects then a milder progestogen is dydrogesterone found in Femoston. Many women get on better with that. Ideally you should really give a particular type at least one cycle to work. The side effects may take a few days to settle. If you are going to try a different one - ask for this one - not Prempak which also can cause bad side effects in some women.

The different types are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Hurdity x

[karenja]

Hi Hurdity, the doctor was very unsympathetic, but had a point in some ways, I told here I had nausea, numbness in my arms cramp etc, she said how do you know its the hrt and not just your anxiety?, I did ask to change to femoston as Ive read a lot of positive things about that but she is not happy for me to change as I will never know what works and what doesn't, so even though I normally take the hrt in the morning, I haven't today so am going to try taking one tonight after a meal to see if that helps and try to at least get to the end of the pack. it no fun this menupause malarkey is it x

[gladys]

I just stopped green tabs and bk on white tomorrow my GP told me to give it 3months to see if it works must say symptoms are not as bad but I sometimes feel sick and light headed not fun at all

[karenja]

Hi Gladys, no I sympathise its not fun, I hate all this, just want to feel normal again as do we all x