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[Confused123]

I haven't been on here in quite a while, but need people to talk to who understand.

I'm 52, have not had a period for 5 years, I struggled  during peri-menopause with flooding, hot flushes and tearfulness as Drs kept saying I was too young to be going through it in late 30's/early 40's. Once my periods stopped my mood really dropped and combined with hot flushes, insomina and foggy brain I plucked up the courage to go back to Drs. I was put on everol conti nearly 2 years ago and I started to feel a bit better as hot flushes eased a bit and my mood eased.

Over the last year, my symptoms have got a lot worse. Hot flushes aren't too bad, maybe a couple a day, but during the night I get hot sweats, my insomina is bad, on a bad night I get half an hour on a good night maybe 4. On average I'd say 2 hours. I dread going to sleep as I'm so tired but just can't sleep. I don't drink caffeine after midday, just herbal drinks, I listen to sleep music, put lavender spray on my pillow. I am so tired I struggle to concentrate, my brain feels like mush, I cry a lot, my mood is all over the place and over react at stupid things, I repeat myself, my joints hurt, especially my knees and neck and shoulders, I get cramp in my legs. My legs feel like jelly, i get a lot of 2 day headaches sometimes with vertigo. I'm struggling to get my ibs under control. My libido is zero!

Last week, I went back to my Drs with a list of how I feel as I felt like I can't go on like this and Dr seems to think my oestrogen levels are still too low and so she has prescribed an extra patch of everol 25 to put along side my everol conti. She's told me that if I don't feel any better in a month then I can increase it by another 25 if need be. I'm to then go back in 2 months to see how I'm getting on.

I'm a little confused as I thought if you increase the oestogen you have to increase the progestigon too?

I hope this makes sense, I'm tired and am struggling to get down what I mean.

Thank you.

[squeaker99]

I've sent you a private message as I have struggled with sleep issues too.

[sheila99]

I agree with your doctor, your symptoms do seem to be those you get with low oestrogen. I think - but not certain - the prog you have is sufficient, perhaps someone else will know. If you're worried about it you could ask for a scan in future to check. If gp won't do it I don't think it costs a fortune to do it privately.

[Wrensong]

Extra oestrogen in the form of Sandrena was added to my Evorel Conti by a well respected gynae a couple of years ago, but I couldn't continue with it long term as it didn't suit me, so went on to trial other forms of HRT. 

I would just see how you get on with the higher dose initially.  If this resolves your symptoms, you will know your oestrogen on EC alone was not high enough & you can then either change to another type of HRT with separate progesterone for the long term, or stay on this new combination if you get no adverse effects.  For peace of mind, I think I would ask for a scan to check the uterine lining after a few months if you decide to do that.  If you don't have any associated bleeding you may have to have this done privately though.

It's possible you are not absorbing well from the Evorel Conti - when my levels were finally tested after 2 years of only partially resolved symptoms, it showed I was only getting half the expected amount of oestrogen.  A menopause clinic later told me many women struggle to absorb well from EC.

I hope you soon start to feel much better.  I really struggled with very troublesome symptoms for more than a decade before even starting HRT, so in common with many women on here, know how debilitating & demoralising it can be.

 

[Confused123]

Thank you for your replies,  it helps to know others have the same experience.

Squeaker99 - thank you for the message, I was going to reply back but can't see how.

That's a relief that having the extra oestrogen is ok being added to my evorel conti without more progesterone. I think I just over worry about things. If this helps I will ask in a few months for a scan to to be on the safe side.

Hopefully another day when I'm not so tired and my brain works normally, I will be able to contribute to discussions more.

[Wrensong]

You weren't overworrying - it was a very sensible question.  I asked the same of my doctor when Sandrena was added.  While you should be OK with the extra oestrogen short term, as an experiment to see whether insufficient is the reason for your symptoms, there may not be enough progesterone in your EC to balance the extra oestrogen in the longer term, especially if you are absorbing poorly.  So I think it's sensible to check with a scan if you feel better for the increase & your doctor is happy for you to continue on the 2 combined rather than swapping to a separate progestogen/progesterone with only an oestrogen patch or gel.

[Hurdity]

Squeaker99 - thank you for the message, I was going to reply back but can't see how.

If the rules are  still the same then you can't send pm's until you've made 10 posts on the "useful" boards ie not This and That chat board threads or funny section, so members can send messages to you but you can't reply!

Hrurdity x

[CLKD]