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[Peroxideblader]

GrL ..I know what you mean about not changing your meds routine I'm the same with my escitalopram . I was so so low on the oestrogen only part of femoston hence why I'm scared about trying new hrt because the oestrogen part is the feel good part and by day 11 pre the progesterone I was ready to end things ..I will give this hrt a go at my next period in 2 to 3 weeks but I'm very scared . Nothing has helped my  sleep only zopiclone which I can only take every 4 days it's ridiculous.  As for my nana she was fine before perimenopause but she hit mid 40s and went off the rails and she was last sectioned she'd 60 I think way way afyer her periods stopped and although she stayed more sane after that she got ill with everything going and died before  70..it's not a good omen and they say it skips a generation. Can only hope I don't get to that.
Hurdity I discussed the dose I would like to try I. E 100mg utrogestan for days 15 to 26 as I'm only taking one pump or less of oestrigel with it affecting me badly so I don't think I need as higher dose of utrogestan but as I thought there was no leeway nhs wise that's the correct dose and that's all she'll prescribe and recommend.  I asked Dr currie in my private email but sadly it was very vague just said try the nhs way see how I feel which didn't exactly reassure me. Oh well like I've said if it's like femoston I won't get to the utrog stage if I'm as ill on the oestrogel





 

GRL - can I ask if you had your hormones tested before you decided on your regime? I am struggling with an increase in anxiety which I have had since my early 40s (periods still regular but erratic in length and days apart). My anxiety has gone through the roof the last 8 months to the point I am considering discussing ADs with my GP. I was put on Ellestre Duet back in May following a bout of insomnia but it gave weird side effects ( nightmares/much worse anxiety) so I came off it after 8 weeks.  My only sytmpton is anxiety but I am struggling with it so may give ADs a go. I feel like I have no idea where I am with hormone levels in all this as aside from basic bloods; thyroid/vits/iron etc (which were fine) they didin't offer hormone checks.  My anxiety used to be worse mid cycle and pre-period but now seems bad for a good week at a time.

[Mary G]

GRL, it's great to hear from you again and I'm so pleased that your regime is going so well.  Long may it continue.

Peroxideblader, why don't you try a similar regime to GRL?  If you suffer with hormonal depression/anxiety, high doses of progesterone are bad news and never going to work for you.  This is a specialised area of HRT and Professor Studd is an expert in this field and that is why he usually prescribes the regime he finds works best which is a high dose of Oestrogel (often 4 pumps of gel a day) and 7 days of 100mg Utrogestan each month preferably used vaginally to get maximum clearance and thinning of the womb.  He doesn't make regular womb scans a condition of using his regime but to be on the safe side it is sensible to have regular scans to make sure your womb lining is not building up.  That said, I have yet to hear about any woman on Professor Studd's regime who has had serious problems with womb lining build up. 

You won't get any NHS doctor to prescribe this regime at this dose (the low dose of progesterone being the key to success) but depending on how you are placed financially, you could make an appointment with Professor Studd (he does telephone appointments if that helps) and have regular scans.  He will write to your GP and you can then obtain your HRT via the NHS. 

Please give it some consideration, it has to be better than struggling on as you are at the moment and you may get the same great results as GRL.

[Peroxideblader]

Thanks Mary G...but with the oestrogen part of femoston making me so ill I only want the one pump any more and I think I'll get the same issues so 4 pumps would be no good and although the vaginal route for utrogestan sounds the best way I already have a diagnosed overactive bladder for over 30 years alot worse in peri so vaginal no way as I.read it irritates the bladder and could wee more and I couldn't face that it's on the hour as it is.
I emailed Dr Currie privately for the £25 fee for advice so I'm not sure prof studd would be any different.   Unless it's purely to ask him to prescribe one pump oestrogel and 100mg utrogestan for 10 days so I can take it to my gp and get it prescribed. Can you use just one pump of oestrigel with me having issues with oestrogen?

[Mary G]

Peroxideblader, Professor Studd would not prescribe the same dose of Oestrogel/Utrogestan as Dr. Currie because he does not stick to the NHS guidelines, that is why so many women end up going to him.  He would prescribe 100mg Utrogestan for 7 days each month (not 10 days) if you have problems with progesterone and you could take it orally if you prefer.  There is no reason why you can't use 1 pump of Oestrogel if you find that dose works for you. 

From what you have said, it sounds like you could benefit from a proper consultation with a menopause specialist who understands hormonal depression and anxiety.  You need an in-depth discussion about your history and the other forms of HRT you have tried and why they have failed. 

You could try using 1 pump of Oestrogel every day with the 7 day Utrogestan and then have a scan after a few months to make sure it is working properly.  Alternatively, if you are post menopause (sorry can't remember), you could try the new Duavive which is progesterone/period free - I am about to try it myself!

I hope that helps.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi Roseneath

I did have my hormones levels checked a few time but really it is always inconclusive because they only tell you what your levels are at that moment in time. If I remember my oestrogen levels came back around the 300 p/mol mark each time. So not very low but not very high either. I know Prof Studd likes his ladies to be up near the 800 p/mol mark for maximum benefit. But a 'one size fits all' approach to oestrogen doesn't work. So someone might feel perfectly well on 300 p/mol but someone else might need 800 p/mol to feel okay. I haven't had my levels tested for over a year now though. I do know my testosterone levels were very low which is why he prescribed me testim gel and I use a blob of it per day. Before starting this regime I had terribly achy ankles and joints when I woke in the morning, but that has pretty much disappeared. I 'think' the aching is a sign of low oestrogen?

I do know that anxiety and low mood are classic symptoms of low oestrogen though. For example, for the last 3 days I have felt pretty flat and despondent again and it arrived out of the blue on Sunday morning which was the 24th. Now, back before Prof Studd's regime properly kicked in my natural period would start around the 25th of the month. So I think this month my own cycle is trying to rear it's ugly head again, despite the HRT and high dose of oestrogel. On this regime I take 100mg of Utrogestan on days 1-7 of each month and I get a very, very light withdrawl bleed from around the 12th-16th.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi MaryG - lovely to see you to 

Annoyingly have been feeling very flat again for the last 3 days, but think it's just my 'old' cycle trying to kick in as my periods used to start around the 25th of the month. Luckily I don't seem to get any side effects from the Utrogestan days at all. I am surprised that my withdrawl bleeds remain so very light, when I'm on 4 pumps but Prof Studd wasn't concerned at all, just said that the Utrogestan is doing its job.

[Annie0710]

Hi

During peri I suffered low mood and social anxiety (I'm now post meno and continued with those symptoms) they really were affecting my life.  I don't need progesterone but in may I started 2.5 pumps oestrogel (started at 1 and worked up to when aches/night sweats disappeared) and I blob testosterone.  It's made a huge difference to me, social anxiety can still creep in but at a much calmer, manageable level

Sometimes women need the whole caboodle....oestrogen + testosterone + ADs (and prog if applicable)

It's just trial and error unfortunately x

[CLKD]

Which is SO tiring 

[Annie0710]

It is tiring, and soul destroying for many women

[Peroxideblader]

Thanks everyone..I'll give the nhs way a try and if as I suspect the dose is too high I'll try to make a telephone appt with Prof studd. To confuse things totally there is a strong possibility my inability to get to sleep could be not hormonal but a circadian rthymn problem. I've read up about it for the last 2 years with it not being cyclical but constant. And when I've asked on here and Googled there were only a small handful of ladies who had this sleep problem during menopause it was largely waking up early and inability to get back to sleep which I don't have.  This would be the worse outcome as sadly there is no cure or drugs to alter your circadian rthymn just things like light boxes and melatonin to try to alter slightly both of which I tried without success. The outcome is grim basically learn to accept you will not sleep til around 4am and to get sufficient sleep you don't get up til 12 lunch and most people with delayed sleep phase disorder DSPD live like this all the time. I can't do that I've got a business to run kids to sort a dog and life...plus suffering all my life from depression if I slept til lunch I'd just never get up at all as I'd feel a failure and I would be letting everyone down.
The reason I've put all this is just so no one thinks I'm not trying hrt quick enough with enough variables as as much as I hoped it was peri the stats don't point to it compared to other people...I do have late periods now 32 to 40 days not 28 but the 2 I missed in summer I think we're due to ovarian burst cyst. I don't get sweats much and although my depression and anxiety and foul mood are much worse that could be lack of sleep.  I'm so confused disillusioned and peed off I'm sick of this..so sorry to rant can't you tell I have no friends or family lol..

[Butterfly22]

GRL meant to say my mum sailed through her menopa use had nothing at all but my maternal nana went psycho literally stabbed my grandad jumped out of windows ended up being sectioned and was in and out of psychiatric unit's for over 15 years the length of her menopsuse looking back so it's pretty scary for me. And I'd love to follow your posts but I don't know how to search a persons posts by name..because we are so similar and especially femoston how strange is that 

I was the same on femoston, I tried it a few months ago but two weeks in was getting those thoughts and I also suffer depression the doctor said not worth the risk to continue. I felt awful I knew it was that as each day was getting worse, I stopped before my doctors app as was getting worrying. Within a couple of days I was getting back to my normal. Xxx

[Butterfly22]

Peroxideblader, Professor Studd would not prescribe the same dose of Oestrogel/Utrogestan as Dr. Currie because he does not stick to the NHS guidelines, that is why so many women end up going to him.  He would prescribe 100mg Utrogestan for 7 days each month (not 10 days) if you have problems with progesterone and you could take it orally if you prefer.  There is no reason why you can't use 1 pump of Oestrogel if you find that dose works for you. 

From what you have said, it sounds like you could benefit from a proper consultation with a menopause specialist who understands hormonal depression and anxiety.  You need an in-depth discussion about your history and the other forms of HRT you have tried and why they have failed. 

You could try using 1 pump of Oestrogel every day with the 7 day Utrogestan and then have a scan after a few months to make sure it is working properly.  Alternatively, if you are post menopause (sorry can't remember), you could try the new Duavive which is progesterone/period free - I am about to try it myself!

I hope that helps.

Hi Mary I'm on day 10 of Duavive, I really hope it works for you and hoping it will for me as tried everything else, I'm keeping a diary so I can see how I'm going, I'm feeling a little anx in morning but this could be mixed with my AD's but I do seem to be doing a bit more. Fingers crossed for us both xxx

[Peroxideblader]

Thanks butterfly you must be post meno are you with taking the new hrt I'm still perimenopause. So strange to not be good on femoston I had such high hopes my neighbour was on it for 17 years loved it and it's been recommended on here so it was such a shock to be so deoressed and low on it especially just the oestrogen part. Like I said I think sadly my DSPD is the cause not perimenopause as apart from irregular periods and the lack of sleep I don't have the other main factors like the hot
sweats so I don't think it's hormonal.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi PB

I have suffered with very few physical manifestations of the peri menopause. Have never had the flushes or hot sweats. No VA or vaginal dryness. No issues with hairiness etc. For me it has all been about the mood swings, anxiety and depression.

[Butterfly22]

Thanks butterfly you must be post meno are you with taking the new hrt I'm still perimenopause. So strange to not be good on femoston I had such high hopes my neighbour was on it for 17 years loved it and it's been recommended on here so it was such a shock to be so deoressed and low on it especially just the oestrogen part. Like I said I think sadly my DSPD is the cause not perimenopause as apart from irregular periods and the lack of sleep I don't have the other main factors like the hot
sweats so I don't think it's hormonal.

Hi, yes I'm post menopause, I'm 43 but started at 25 my first symptoms were periods fizzling out and horrendous hot flushes (which I've got atm😩) it's so strange one pill is amazing for one and hell for another. Weird how a few after two weeks felt horrendous on femeston though.
I hope you can find out though, sending hugs xxx