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[meenaruss]

Hi I am 59 years old and have been on the progesterone tablet at night and 2 pumps of oestrogel in the morning for the last two years - very successfully.  However my night sweats have returned with a vengeance - I wake every night from 2 am onwards and rarely get back to sleep.  I am exhausted and having just moved house with lots of building going on I feel I am going under.  Can anyone help?

[sheila99]

I think you need more oestrogen.

[Mary G]

What dose/type of progesterone are you taking?   It could be too high which would cancel out the benefits of the oestrogen.

Alternatively, it's possible that your oestrogen levels have suddenly dropped further and you need to increase the gel.   

Have you changed to a different brand of gel recently?

[meenaruss]

Hi I am on Utrogestan 100 mg tablet - one at night.  Haven’t changed the oestrogen.  I am on Oestrogel 2 pumps in the morning.

[Paz23]

I’m having a similar problem. I started HRT a month ago. I have a Mirena coil fitted and started with 2 pumps of gel. My night sweats have actually increased since starting HRT so I’m thinking either I’ve not given it long enough to work or I’m not taking enough oestrogen - I’ve upped it to 3 pumps to see if it makes a difference.
The gel is good for varying your own dose but there’s so much of it - you’d have though they could have made it more concentrated so you didn’t have to use so much.

[Taz2]

Have you had any blood tests recently? Night sweats are not only caused by menopause - sometimes you can have a low grade underlying infection which can cause them or thyroid problems.

Taz x

[meenaruss]

Funny you should say that because my night sweats and cough have just been put down to the menopause by my GP but last Christmas I had an awful virus and haven’t really felt right since.  So will ask for blood tests maybe.  Thanks for advice

[Taz2]

I know that an underlying low grade chest infection can cause night sweats so maybe this is the cause. Let us know how you get on.

Taz x

[meenaruss]

Hi I have now had full bloods checking for everything including thyroid and iron levels.  All is normal, if anything my thyroid levels are low.  This past week I have had 3 full days of the worst headaches and then a day of diarrhoea.  On Tuesday I started a heavy painful period out of the blue so am now thinking it is definitely menopausal symptoms.  My GP agrees and is sending me for a scan and to see a Consultant.  She says it is not normal to have a period out of the blue at 59 after no bleeding for circa a year.  Why has my hrt stopped working?  I feel like I am back at the beginning.  Literally every symptom has come back - night sweats, anxiety, headaches, aching joints, hair loss and severe insomnia.

[sheila99]

Perhaps your ovaries are producing less oestrogen so you need to increase it? Have a look at the post on post menopausal bleeding, there some research uptick has posted which says 5% of over 50s have a period more than a year after their last one. Being 59 doesn't mean you're meno, I had 3 'proper' bleeds when I was 59. I'm on 4 pumps, I started on 2 in peri but have had to increase twice as my ovaries produced less and meno symptoms returned. If it was me I would increase and see what happens. I don't think you have anything to lose by trying and you can reduce again if it doesn't help.