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[appey]

Hi
Hoping that someone might have some advice for me...thank you..

My main issue is ongoing palpitations - ectopic/missed beats, rather than fast heartbeat. Having had an ablation in 2013 to sort tachycardia (fast heartbeat) I am used to living with the odd missed beat, but in March they started to get out of control and, to cut a very long story short, I ended up taking time off work in the with anxiety and depression because of them and was struggling to sleep.
I am 48 and had had irregular periods for a few years, aswell as bouts of thrush and had 2 ovarian cysts out in 2015. I had had a few hot flushes but they had been manageable. Once I had had many tests on my heart and told all was fine and it was 'probably menopause and the palpitations will go eventually' my GP put me on femoston-conti 1mg/5mg. The hot flushes went straight away. I did though have a few light bleeds. Over the summer I began to feel better and had fewer palpitations and generally thought I was getting somewhere. I am a teacher so having 6 weeks off definitely helped but after a couple of weeks back to work I seemed to be back to loads of palpitations again. I seemed to be exhausted all the time. I decided then to contact Diane Danzebrink from Menopause Support and she suggested taking utrogestan and evorel patches. So i went back to my GP and she was very understanding and prescribed those to me. She upped the oestrogen to 75, so the patch I'm taking is evorel 75 and I take the utrogestan at night on days 1 to 25 and then nothing on days 26, 27 and 28. I have now been on that regime for 9 weeks. The first month I didn't bleed at all, the second month I seemed to bleed for most of the month. I am now managing work, but that's about all and feel exhausted in the evenings when the palpitations are at their worst. Work has been very very busy, as teaching usually is and its been a very long half term, but I still feel like there is no resilience in my body and that something is out of sync. I am really hoping that 2 weeks off at Christmas and a proper rest will help. I probably need to give this new regime of hrt a bit longer, but just wondering if anyone else has had an experience like mine and has any advice? I have also been thinking about looking into acupuncture and whether anyone else has had any experience of that helping?
All thoughts very welcome
Thank you

[Hurdity]

Hi appey

 

You have been prescribed the regime for women who are post-menopause or those who have irregular bleeding. It could well be that the utrogestan is causing you to be sedated most of the time. Why not try using it on a cycle - which is what you should do until you are post-menopausal (and beyond if you want to - like some of us on here). You would take 200 mg for 12 days per cycle and then you would get a regular withdrawal bleed. Not sure what the palpitations are caused by - low oestrogen is often cited - but as youo are on a high-ish dose patch then this is an unlikely explanation. Maybe as you are peri-menopausal you are still experiencing the effects of your own hormonal fluctuations? I got ectopics in pregnancy and switched to decaff coffee. I haven't been bothered by them much since although recently they have just started again - I'm in mid 60's and do drink quite a bit of caffeine. Have you cut down on this as it could help?

Do you take the utrogestan orally? I take it vaginally and it deals with my womb lining very effectively - but you might not want to do this.

Acupuncture won't work as such - only in the sense that the placebo and "concentrating on you" therapy can make you feel better.

Do think about changing the progesterone dosage and let us know what you decide and how you get on - and yes hope you have a relaxing and recuperative time over Christmas!

Hurdity x

[appey]

Thanks for your advice Hurdity
I had been wondering about whether I was taking the utrogestan correctly as the instructions in the packet are different to what my GP prescribed- and she did have to look it up! Everything has felt a bit ‘trial and error'. I do still think I'm feeling the affects of my own cycle as some days I'm perfectly fine and then other days have loads of palpitations and feel shattered. I've started bleeding again today, like a period, which explains why I felt so terrible yesterday and this morning. I've only had a week though without bleeding. My ‘day 1' was technically last Thursday, so today is day 8. Should I see this month out and then change to 200mg on just 12 days next month? At the moment I'm taking the utrogestan orally - not 100% sure about vaginally, but at the moment I'll do anything to feel ‘normal' again.
With regards coffee- I've been on decaf tea and coffee for years, hardly drink any alcohol - none at the moment. I do need to get back to doing some exercise. Have taken up yoga which I love and the breathing does help, but I do know I need some aerobic exercise too which will help with the palpitations I'm sure.
I am thinking of emailing Dr Heather Currie with my story too.

[cazjen44]

Hi, this is exactly what I'm experiencing at the moment.  I went through the menopause surgically and early at 31 and I'm not 47.  I was on prempak C for a number of years and all seemed well but, prempak c has now been discontinued by the manufacturer and since May this year I have not felt right and GP has tried me on several different hrt.  I thought there was something wrong with my heart as was having regular palpitations and panic attacks and a general feeling of stress and doom.  My heart has been checked out and all is ok.  I have been under alot of stress with my elderly mum this year as she was having chemo, this is now finished and she has recovered.
I am still getting heart palps, although diminished in frequency but now having started another hrt last week Kliovance now feel light headed and last night had a really bad episode of palps.  I was getting ectopics as well earlier in summer but they have calmed down.  I'm all over the place with anxiety and just to say keeping it together.  I work part time as a medical secretary!  I'm going to ask the GP I think to refer me to a specialist clinic/get my heart checked out together.  I do feel as though I'm going crazy somedays and can't quite believe if the way I'm feeling is all down to hormones!

[appey]

Sorry to hear you're having a bad time too. It is so hard to stay logical!
I've been trying to just get on with life and pushing through the days but my body has given up again and I went down with a virus on Friday so feeling very rubbish and having loads of palpitations. I keep having to take the odd day off work which is not like me and I hate being unreliable.
I'm glad I had my heart completely checked out as that does act as reassurance when I'm feeling logical. There are also some really useful videos on YouTube that I saw mentioned in another thread on this forum by Dr Sanjay Gupta. Well worth searching out and watching. I'll see if I can find the link again for you.
I still believe mine all began with hormones, which I still feel aren't right, but I think stress has also played its part and I feel like I'm at the bottom of a hole again and need to get back to basics and start the climb out.
Hope you are feeling ok today

[appey]

Go to YouTube and type in Dr Sanjay Gupta York Cardiolgist for the videos.
All very reassuring

[Hurdity]

Thanks for your advice Hurdity
I had been wondering about whether I was taking the utrogestan correctly as the instructions in the packet are different to what my GP prescribed- and she did have to look it up! Everything has felt a bit ‘trial and error'. I do still think I'm feeling the affects of my own cycle as some days I'm perfectly fine and then other days have loads of palpitations and feel shattered. I've started bleeding again today, like a period, which explains why I felt so terrible yesterday and this morning. I've only had a week though without bleeding. My ‘day 1' was technically last Thursday, so today is day 8. Should I see this month out and then change to 200mg on just 12 days next month? At the moment I'm taking the utrogestan orally - not 100% sure about vaginally, but at the moment I'll do anything to feel ‘normal' again.
With regards coffee- I've been on decaf tea and coffee for years, hardly drink any alcohol - none at the moment. I do need to get back to doing some exercise. Have taken up yoga which I love and the breathing does help, but I do know I need some aerobic exercise too which will help with the palpitations I'm sure.
I am thinking of emailing Dr Heather Currie with my story too.

Appey - sorry I missed this - been busy so not looked in to this section! Did you sort out about taking the utrogestan cyclically in the end? Hope you manage to get it to work with your cycle and do let us know the outcome?

Hurdity x

[Hurdity]

Hi, this is exactly what I'm experiencing at the moment.  I went through the menopause surgically and early at 31 and I'm not 47.  I was on prempak C for a number of years and all seemed well but, prempak c has now been discontinued by the manufacturer and since May this year I have not felt right and GP has tried me on several different hrt.  I thought there was something wrong with my heart as was having regular palpitations and panic attacks and a general feeling of stress and doom.  My heart has been checked out and all is ok.  I have been under alot of stress with my elderly mum this year as she was having chemo, this is now finished and she has recovered.
I am still getting heart palps, although diminished in frequency but now having started another hrt last week Kliovance now feel light headed and last night had a really bad episode of palps.  I was getting ectopics as well earlier in summer but they have calmed down.  I'm all over the place with anxiety and just to say keeping it together.  I work part time as a medical secretary!  I'm going to ask the GP I think to refer me to a specialist clinic/get my heart checked out together.  I do feel as though I'm going crazy somedays and can't quite believe if the way I'm feeling is all down to hormones!

Hi cazjen44

 

What type of HRT are you taking at the moment? It may well be that the oestrogen dose isn't quite right to deal with your symptoms? Perhaps you need to revaluate? Let us know the different types you've tried too. The closest to prempak C is taking Premarin oestrogen (same oestrogen - the equine one) only along with Provera as the progestogen.

Hurdity x

[appey]

No problem Hurdity its a busy time of year!
I haven't done anything yet about changing when to take the utrogestan as wasn't sure that I could suddenly swap mid cycle and I'm on day 13 today.
So thought I would have to wait until day 1 again- is that right?
I'm also laid up with a virus so feeling fairly rubbish and exhausted and having loads of palpitations again. I just want to feel ‘normal' again'
I have paid my money to send Dr Currie an email but haven't had the return email yet to then send my question to her.

[appey]

Hurdity- I tried to quote your part, but obviously didn't manage that, so hope you're following the thread!

[Hurdity]

No problem! Day 1 is supposed to be the first day of your bleed and when you start to take the oestrogen only part. Of course when you get further into menopause your own cycle might pop up at different times rather than every month but hopefully the HRT will begin to override it anyway. If you start to bleed late on during the progesterone part you still continue to take the whole course and don;t readujust your cycle. It would only be if it is totally out of sync that adjustment might be needed I would say? Hope you get it sorted!

Hurdity x

[appey]

Hi everyone
Any more advice would be fab please as life feels like hell at the moment!
Since I last posted in December I have seen a consultant and he suggested the mirena coil and sandrena gel. Although the ectopic beats were still a pain during the day my main symptom from January to March was sheer exhaustion. I was a bit unsure about the coil, but having spoken to a couple of friends who have it, decided to go ahead.
He said to stop the utrogestan - i initially thought that migth be causing my exhaustion - so i was just using my evorel 75 patch from January. desperate for an answer my GP allowed me to change to 0.5mg of sandrena gel which I started on February 12th. Round about this time I actually had 3 pretty good weeks, but this was because I was sleeping like a baby every night, Then on February 26th i suddenly stopped sleeping, being woken up by raised heartbeat. Nothing too fast, but enough to wake me up and keep me awake. I think I am so heart aware that i notice any change. Since then sleep has been hard to come by. I had my coil fitted on March 6th and my consultant said i could up my gel to 1.5mg. I decided I would do it gradually so for a few days just used 1mg. I then saw my GP in my desperation re sleep and she said to up it to 1.5mg. I did this for a couple of days but just felt like I was getting an initial hit and then it would wear off. I was thinking - not sure if this is right- that the gel then had come out of my system by the nighttime and so causing hormone fluctuations and so palpiations. I have a tall and then and have a high metabollic rate and need to eat little and often. I then decided to change back to my evorel 75 patch last Friday, as thought that was giving me a continuous amount and might be better. I slept pretty well on Friday, Saturday, but that may have just been coincidence as I was so shattered. I'm really at a lost to know what to do. My nights are just awful I go to sleep ok, but then generally wke up an hour and a half later with a raised heartbeat. At times it feels like a real adrenalin surge on and off all night. If I'm lucky I then resettle and sleep for another hour. Last night it just felt like I had palpitations all night. I'm signed off work at the moment as can barely function and feeling quite panicky at night sometimes. I know I'm in a real spiral of anxiety so its hard to now how mch is anxiety and how much is hormones. I'm also not sure if the coil is actually making things worse - althoug my sleep had fallen apat before that was fitted, but evertyting seems to be getting worse. My GP did give me mirtazapine at one appointment, which I took for one night, It did the job and I slept through but then felt really odd the next day and had a raised heartbeat all day so didnt want to take that again. I also have beta blockers 10mg propanolol which I have taken in the past, but they also make me feel odd.
So do I just stick with the patch which I have on now. Shall I supplement the patch with say 0.5mg of gel, maybe at night, or should I rip the patch off and give the gel a proper go. Or should I just strip back to nothing- which has gone through my mind on many occasions- athough I know my GP's not going to want to take the coil out so soon!
I have had blood tests to check everything and all is fine and I am definitely perimenopausal. I have read other posts on here about the adrenalin surges at night so I know I'm not alone.
In the meantime I am seeing an acupuncturist which has helped with keeping the adrenalin in check, although abviously not at nigth. Am wondering now if should actually see a hypnotherapist as I'm sure my anxiety is having an impact at night too. I live in near Staines in Surrey - can anyone recommend anyone? Has anyone ever used hypnotherapy?
Thanks everyone x

[appey]

PS my estradiol level in January was 576 pm/L
Serum FSH level 11.7 is/L
Serum LH level 4.1 is/L

Not sure if that makes sense to anyone. My GP just said it showed I was perimenopausal

With regards palpitations - when menstruating regularly I would have palpitations just before a bleed but then my body would calm down when I actually started bleeding.
I did speak to Diane Danzebrink at the beginning of all this and she did query whether the palps were due to estrogen dominance but I've never really had pmt and don't serm to have other symptoms. My consultant thinks I just can't function on a low level of estrogen. I tend to think it's more about the balance for me. But just completely lost at the moment.
Sorry to ramble on x

[Annie0710]

Hi

I haven't read all your story but I've had a nightmare with palpitations especially during peri which must be the hormone fluctuations.  It has lessened considerably since post meno and I was diagnosed with arrhythmia years before peri.  I had a 24 hr monitor and it showed ridiculous arrhythmia, going so fast from 40bpm to 140bpm even during sleep, missed beats, double beats.  They were considering ablation but a scan fortunately showed a healthy heart.

For sleep I used phenergan, that worked a treat, and since I'm now on amitriptyline for nerve pain that works great for sleep.  I take mag and vitD and feel this helps.  I'm still get the occasional jumpy heart just as I'm falling asleep which is annoying as I have to start from square one falling asleep again

[appey]

Thanks Annie
I used to have phenergan as a child. Didn't know it was still around!
Have taken magnesium on and off so probably need to take that again. I take a multi vit with extra vit d.
Have been trying to nap this morning but just as I'm falling asleep I feel panic and wake up! Off to do a bit of yoga now and some mindfulness. Hoping that will help the anxiety