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[DS68]

Sorry to be bring but I need a little advise

I'm 51 still having periods - had anxiety and some depression for the past 2 years - had no idea where it came from - until my eldest commented it may be the menopause
I really hadn't considered that as an option in fact the word had never been considered.  I just thought work stress etc.
Then I thought hang on a sec..... I'm 51 maybe he's right!
Skip forward - prescribed everel conti and improved for 12 months but then supply stopped,  so was put on femiston 1/10.  now on month 3 but has been awful, anxiety up depression up mood very low  - after 3 months waiting to improve returned and doc said femiston and patches are different strengths (of what I have no idea) so she suggested a gel and tablet  oestrodose gel ( one and half pumps a day for 2 weeks) along with utrogestan caps 100mg 2 be taken each day for 2 weeks after the gel.

Any ideas whats different about these femiston and the gel/tablet combi.

I'm sat staring at the new gel and tablets but have no idea whether to change ! What if I get worse or even more depressed or anxious? What if it's a mistake to change. It's all so blimmin confusing.  I can't figure out which helps the mood even gel or tablet 😔

Any advice please please xx

[Dotty]

Hello... it seems you have been given a lot of conflicting advice.

Firstly , you were on Evorel Conti which is a continuous HRT and then you were put on Femoston 1/10 which is a Sequi HRT and contains half as much oestrogen as the Evorel Conti.

Now you've got Oestrogel and Utrogestan which is a very good regime . To get the equivalent oestrogen as Evorel Conti you need to use 2 pumps of gel and you use it every day. You don't have a break from it. Either rub it into your inner thighs or your shoulders and outer arms in a morning . Allow to dry and then put clothes on.

The way you take utrogestan depends if you are peri or post menopause . Before HRT did you go 12 months without a period ?

If you are post menopause then you take 100mg of Utrogestan every night before bed on an empty stomach.

If you are peri menopause you take 200 mg of Utrogestan on days 15-26 of your cycle . An easy way to remember this is just to start the Utrogestan on the same date every month and take it for 12 days.

Hope that makes sense xxx If you've got any more questions then just ask xx

[Dotty]

Hello again I've just read through your previous posts and it seems you were on a Sequi regime and still having periods , so you need to take the Utrogestan for 12 days every month.

Use the Oestrogel every day. Don't be scared. it's worked wonders for me xxx

[sheila99]

Just to add to Dotty's advice - oestrogel doesn't have to be taken in the morning but it does need to be the same time each day. I use it at night so I don't have the wait in the morning. Utrogeston can be used orally or vaginally (push it up as far as you can just before you go to bed), the theory is you have fewer side effects vaginally as it's used locally where it's needed.

[DS68]

Dotty and Sheila - that has meant so much to me thank you so very much. Yes I am still having regular periods and I have written down your advice as I'm forgetting things quickly lately.

I can't tell you how reasurred I feel now and I will start the new regime. I'm just finishing last 3 femiston in a pack so shall I wait till finished then start new plan?

And finally do you think the switch to femiston could have contributed to my change in low mood. Very big change indeed. Became very low.

Much love and gratitude x

[sheila99]

If you bleed that's day 1 of your new cycle. If you don't then just use gel the day after you finish your old hrt. If femseven is sequi (I've never used it) I assume the final 2vweeks are combined oestrogen and progesterone? So you can start just on gel. It's most likely you feel bad because you've been on a lower dose of oestrogen.

[DS68]

I've just looked at my patches prescription and it says everel sequi not conti ! Are these the same ?

 And if not would the change from sequi to femiston 1/10 have had an impact on my anxiety and low mood ornate they the same ingredients ?

Thank you in advance x sincerely x

[Dotty]

Hi the Femoston you have been given contains half the oestrogen of the patches . So it is likely the drop in oestrogen that has caused your symptoms. X
There is a Femoston 2/10 which would give you the equivalent dose to the patch. X

[sheila99]

A conti routine is used only by post menopausal women. You take oestrogen and progesterone every day and do not have a bleed. If you're in peri (or if you're meno but choose to) you use a sequi regime. You take oestrogen only for the the first half of your cycle followed by combined oestrogen and progesterone. You'll have a bleed a couple of days after stopping progesterone.
Different brands use different carriers and progestins so you may find you get on with one brand but not another. But in your case you've been on half your original dose of oestrogen so it isn't at all surprising you've seen a return of your symptoms. Using 2 pumps of gel will put you back on your original dose so it's very likely you'll feel OK again.

[DS68]

Sorry but are everel sequi and conti one of the same or 2 different types of patches?

[sheila99]

They're different types. If you get evorel sequi you have a box with 4 evorel 50 patches which are the oestrogen only ones, and 4 evorel conti patches which contain oestrogen and progesterone. If you're prescribed evorel conti you get only the conti patches so you get oestrogen and progesterone every day. As you're in peri not meno (which is one year without a bleed) you need to be on a sequi regime.

[DS68]

Thank you that's clear now 

Do you know then if the everal sequi is a lower dose than femiston 1/10. As I'm trying to understand why my mood dropped so low when I was swapped to femiston.

It would explain a lot of the dosages are different and somewhat a relief to know.

I've just started the pump today and am really really hoping I feel better with this new regime.

Thanks for taking the time to answer me - helps me a lot x

[Dotty]

Hi Evorel Sequi is a higher dose than Femoston 1/10. The lower dose of oestrogen that you have changed to is probably why your symptoms have come back. X

[DS68]

Thanks so much. I can't you what a relief it was to read that!
I was so afraid of my sudden dip in emotions and mood.

I'm surprised the doctor did this - and a little annoyed at myself for suffering for 3 months before asking myself why I felt so low.

I really hope that 2 pumps of the gel will bring me back up to previous feeling.  Started today - is it pretty quick to get into the system does anyone know?
Hope at last 😘

[Dotty]

Hi you will need to be patient as it could take a while to see a difference. It won't be instant. I'd been on HRT tablets for 3 months before I went on the gel. I began to see improvements within 3 - 4 weeks on the gel. And the improvements continued in the next few months . I found it helpful to keep a diary of my symptoms so I could see any small improvements. Be patient xxx