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[Mandy-Joe]

I've decided to give up on HRT and try to ride the storm with menopace and red clover 

It might be a daft question but how do I stop taking it?  I've two more tablets to take of my first strip, so should I take those or not bother?  I presume I should have a period soon, would it be a problem if I didn't?

I'm a bit fed up about it TBH, my flushes have finally stopped completely but I've turned into bitch from hell, I'm covered in spots, my left breast hurts so much I could cry and I can't stop eating.  I also have really bad stomach cramps and itch from head to foot.  It doesn't seem a good symptom swap at the mo 

[peegeetip]

Hi

sorry your having such a hard time on this first month.

But this is your first month.

Your body is just getting used to the higher hormone levels again.

As I've posted before it took me 6 month's plus to get into the swing of things.

Sore breast and heavier initial periods were a small price to pay for how I feel now
The cramps are just your womb and the endometrium awakening and working again.
I had this and it was painful first few months.
After 1 year your are supposed to be allowed to transfer to a conti option and that will actually stop your periods and is actually healthier for the endometrium.

You've already said you've tried the "natural" route for longer, so why not give this a try longer.

Seems unfair not to give HRT the same degree of effort.

Your fears stem from the BC part and how that affected others in your family.
Sorry to hear that but did they both have the same type and were they on HRT?
As others have posted the main scares on this resulted from HRT thats not the same as what your on now!

There are also breast friendlier routes like gels and patches you can ask for.

The main use of tablets first is for ease of getting used to it as gels and patches can be a bit trickier for some.

I hope you manage to give it some time to work through and start to feel better.

It will improve and the above list you mention will reduce as the days go on.

Just give it some Time first.

 

[Mandy-Joe]

Thank you for your lovely reply.
Do you think the side effects will get easier?  I expected it to be tough, but this is crazy, I've literally spent all weekend in hiding doing 'very important cupboard sorting' so I don't kill someone.  Even the cat nearly got it!

I have no idea what sort of cancer my Mum and Grandma had, Mum's was 25 years ago and my Grans before I was even born.  I'm not sure the told you back then?  Neither of them took HRT.

[peegeetip]

My experience, yes each month got easier.

I got really weepy in the first month or so and emotions were heightened.

Still get a bit of a cramp in the days leading up to my period but very bareable compared to the first couple of months.

Just to warn you the first few periods were longer than normal.
Again this is nothing to worry about and it will improve to a few days or next to what you used to have normally.

As a followup note.

Did you know that alcohol is much worse for our breast health than HRT.
Even eating smoked meats is worse.

If people have concerns as you do then perhaps we need to look at other parts of our life too or stop being so concerned about one aspect in isolation.
Just trying to put things in context and certainly not trying to stop anyone on HRT, having their fave wine or some sausage this weekend

Just putting this out there as a means of comparison for you.

Too often we focus in on the HRT being a problem in our lives.

One earlier post joked how their heavy smoking friend tried to warn her off HRT whilst puffing away on yet another cigarette

I'll leave you to make your own mind on that one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZSztD9p4co&index=4&list=PLAjwoYuItHS-4jvjL6gJgM7o-vpr0PVk6

[Mandy-Joe]

I'll watch that when I get home 
Do you think I should talk to my doctor, or stick with it for another month?

I know you're right about the wine, I need to ease off my weekend consumption.  It always amuses me the way heavy smokers give health tips.  Both my Mum and Gran smoked heavily - I don't so I have that in my favour 

Are you taking elleste duet?

[peegeetip]

My situation has been close to what you've experienced.

I got sore breasts initially too. This has calmed down and is no more than the tenderness I used to get on a "regular" period time prior to needing HRT.

Are you on 1mg or 2mg Elleste Duet btw?

If your on the 1mg then the doc may just push you to the higher dose which might be unnecessary. That tends to be part of the process (flow chart) a lot of them follow.

You say give it another month but my advice is to wait till the end of month 3 or 4 and look to decide whether to keep going or stopping at the end of month 6.
The other option at the end of month 6 would be to try another tablet hrt or go onto the patch or gel options.

Hope that helps you further and that you can stick with it and feel better soon.
 

[Mandy-Joe]

Thanks again, you've made me feel so much better.
I'm taking 1mg and it's certainly done the job with my hot flushes.  The doctor said to go back before I'd finished my 3rd pack for a review.

[honeybun]

It could very well be the type of progesterone in this HRT that does not suit you. There are lots to choose from.

Many women struggle with moods on the norethseone (sp).

Have a look at the menu on the left to see what's available and importantly what type of progesterone they contain.

I know it's recommended to stick with it for six months but if you are sensitive to this kind of progesterone it's never really going to change much.

I would see my GP soon to discuss switching to something that does not make you want to kill the cat 


Just my opinion of course, it's a very personal decision to make.


Honeyb
X

[peegeetip]

The review is just really to check on your blood pressure.
In some of us there can be a raise in BP when we start HRT.
However I've actually had the reverse effect and my blood pressure reduced.

I understand Honeybun's point and what she is getting at.
However it could just as easily be the Bio identical Estrogen in this HRT thats making your emotions bit hyper

So unless your multiples of bad side effects or its making your physically sick then best to sit tight and see how things settle.

Bottomline is that your on a good starting point and your seeing improvements already.

 

[honeybun]

It's just this kind of progesterone is notorious for causing upsets, but who knows.

A visit to the GP rather than being miserable for another two months. Yes it does take time to settle onto HRT but symptoms should generally improve not get worse.


Honeyb
X

[peegeetip]

Hi Honeybun,

my sweats and flushes were better very soon like Mandy-Joe.
However I felt emotional for longer like her too.
Some of the other items she mentions on her problem list got better for me too but all took longer.
So the 6 months being best point to give a true review on where you are.

Part of my initial anger was related to my feelings of being a failure for taking HRT.
Something that I no understand was wrong and partly due to the attitude I got from my doc.

Had I swapped early onto another HRT or stopped then I would have missed out on the benefits I see now with my HRT.

Not saying your wrong but most HRT that increases our declining hormones suddenly will illicit a "hormonal" emotional response as we get used to them. So Mandy Joe may find she has similar response on other HRT's if she swaps so soon.
Its a bit like puberty II "the revenge" for some of us at the start of HRT

 

[Hurdity]

Hi Mandy-Joe

I agree with some of what both peegeetip and honeybun have said! You have had great encouragement to continue with HRT in principle! It is your first month and most GPs recommend you to try a particular HRT for 3 months (not 6) to see if it suits you.

That's not to say all your menopausal symptoms will necessarily have been totally eliminated after 3 months, because as peegeetip says these can take a while to settle - for some up to a year even for emotional symptoms after finding the right HRT.

However the side effects that some women experience would become apparent and persist after a very short time, and if they don't settle - and if you can last 3 months this would be ideal (but not essential if side effects are very severe!) - then time to try a different HRT. If very severe though I would say 2 months would be enough to know.

You haven't said how old you are or when in menopause - eg what's happening to your periods, so I can't say whether your body is used to oestrogen or not, also what dose you're on?

However as honeybun says the progestogen in this HRT type is norethisterone- which does cause side effects in many women - which might not settle. Specifically it is one of the androgenic types ie most like the male hormone testosterone so can cause male type side effects eg hair loss, spots etc in susceptible women.

Here is some info from this site:

Progestogens which can be used cyclically are of 3 main types:

    Testosterone derived - Norgestrel, Norethisterone acetate and Levonorgestrel.
    Less testosterone related - Medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA).
    Least testosterone related - Dydrogesterone and Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan).

Side effects are often experienced during the progestogen phase of treatment and can be reduced by using a product containing a different type or route of progestogen.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Stomach cramps - do you mean stomach ie digestion or period type pains? Some women do find that tablet HRT upsets their digestion - and if this is the case  and it doesn't settle then a transdermal type might suit you better ( ie patch or gel).

Also - you haven't said if it's Elleste duet or the conti type. If it is just Elleste Duet then you are likely to get a bleed at some point anyway - either just before or just after you finish the combi tablets. if it's the conti type then it stops the bleeding.

By the way it is not oestrogen per se causing you to become the "bitch from hell" ! Breast pain is a normal side effect but this should settle, but uncomfortable while it lasts.

Hope this helps 

Hurdity x

[peegeetip]

Just to clarify I had more problems with my stomach prior to HRT start.

This seems to be related to estrogen receptors being in all sorts of places in our body we'd not normally consider.

Mandy Joe already outlined her position in an earlier post btw.

She also mentioned the 5:2 diet. This involves two days with very little food.
This in itself can cause stomach pains or colic as the gut has less to do and move about.
I'm sure this would be something Mandy Joe is used to on that regime.

Any new pains is more likely to be related to the HRT and getting things moving back to a regular cycle again.

Mandy also mentioned that she's on the 1mg Elleste Duet option which there is no equivalent for in Conti.

 

[honeybun]

Perhaps an email to Dr Currie.

She is the expert after all and can give far better advice than anyone.

Well worth it in my opinion as I have done it and the help was wonderful.


Honeyb
X

[TropicalVon69]

Can I just add that I'm only on day 3 of elleste duet 1mg and I feel very anxious, scared depressed and angry.....not sure as obv am on oestrogen pill....unsure whether to continue...I understand from you experienced ladies point of view that I need to continue but has anyone experienced this?...sorry to hijack your thread but emotions are all over the place