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[katebird]

Morning all

Hope you're all ok. I'm new and in a terrible place this morning. I'm under 40 and had to have my ovaries and Fallopian tubes removed in October for health risk reasons.  This caused me to have a medical menopause which I was expecting. Straight after the op I was put straight onto Everol conti patch 50mg. My doctor told me I'd be getting back on my feet in 4 weeks or so post op. (Was laparscopic). 10 weeks later I had to go back to work as I ran out of sick pay and I've been bleeding, headaches, waking up in the night, upset and so so tired.

I got so fed up with being fobbed off that I demanded to see an HRT specialist. Took a month to get the appointment. I went for the appt yesterday. He was lovely, but told me I should never have been on the Evorel patch and that I will have to go on the Estoril duet tablets (which are the ones that mean you have a regular bleed). I will need to stay on these for a good chunk of time to stabilise all the symptoms.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that I got to see this guy and got the advice but I am livid that the doc who did the original op was so laissez faire about this. And I'm livid with myself for not listening to myself and allowing myself to be fobbed off with "oh it's post operative, take it easy and you'll be fine".

So here I am, starting from blinking scratch again having woken up at 1am unable to sleep with a full day's work ahead of me. Arrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Phew, I feel better for that. Thank you.

KB xx

[Woodlands]

Hi there.
Others will be along to help with advice.....
For me.....i send you hugs and more hugs.
Woodlands xx

[Dancinggirl]

Rant away catbird - we understand.
Technically your first doctor wasn't completely wrong with the patches - I assume they were a continuous HRT patch?
You were plunged into post meno so you could have used this type of continuous HRt  - but I expect this simply didn't suit you.
The problem was using progesterone all the time - many women get bleeding, headaches and all sorts of problems when using progesterone all the time which is what continuous HRT brings. Many women stick with a sequential HRt , as you are using now, well into post meno.   Finding the right HRt type that suits you is trial and error and you should have been taken through your options and told you could try other types of HRt - not left in the dark.
Do look under TREATMENTS at the top of this page to see you options.
If your current HRt regime works for you then do stick with it.
DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi katebird

 

Dancingirl is right - if you have a uterus and are post-menopause you can use either continuous combined HRT ( no bleed) or the cyclical one.

At your young age though I definitely would not want to be on continuous progestogens all the time as they can give rise to continuous low-grade side effects, as you have experienced. If you don't mind a bleed ( which you would be having anyway had ti not been for your op) much better to go for a cyclical regime which mimics the menstrual cycle.

Which dose of Elleste Duet have you been given? At your age you would need to have 2 mg dose ideally. If these don't suit you then you could go for Femoston ( better tolerated progestogen) or separate patch and progesterone (like Utrogestan or Provera). As your ovaries have been removed you may also need Testosterone - you should be able to gauge where you are with this by changes to your libido and response first and foremost.

I hope you start to feel better soon and have a good night's sleep tonight!

Hurdity x

[katebird]

hi

thanks both.  Well the specialist guy I saw yesterday was very clear that I should never have been put on the patches - it may well be something specific to do with my very particular set of circs as I too know other people who have had the same op for the same reasons (BRCA 1) who have had the patches and been fine.  But anyway, patches are off the menu for me whatever the reason!

Went to see my GP this am and she did me a prescription for the Eleste Duet tablets there and then.  Taken one already (which feels good to have got on a different track so soon)  but feeling v nauseous with it (which is not so good but I think is a common symptom at least at first).

Hopefully I will start to see an improvement in the symptoms and the bleed will (hopefully!) come at the predicted time as opposed to weekly as I've been having.  Felt better for just having had a bit of a rant on here this am so am very glad of that.

KB x

[katebird]

Hi Hurdity

Thanks for the note, it came through while I was sending the last one.  I am on the 2mg of the Eleste Duet and yes the chap I saw yesterday said that I may well need testosterone as well once things have settled down. 

Thanks for the advice on the other options, I will bear all that in mind in case these don't work.  I am literally praying that the Eleste works as I feel like I am starting from square one all over again.  Hopefully I will feel a bit less dramatic after a decent kip.  Ideally I wouldn't be having "periods" as that was one of the few silver linings to this whole situation but if it's that vs feeling awful the rest of the month then there's no choice to make really.  Hey ho, onwards and upwards.

KB x

[dahliagirl]

Hi - it might be worth seeing if your GP will do a vit D levels blood test.

I had an operation one January (not long after coming off the combined pill) and struggled to get over it and back on track for several months afterwards.  My levels were low, and it was the same for a friend who had an op at the same time.  I found that after about 6 weeks it gave me that bit of joie de vivre I had lacked for those months. (Still no get up and go - it has gone over the horizon  )

This is the time of year when our reserves are lowest.  In March, the sun should be higher and we can make our own, so plenty walks in the fresh air will help