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[Kiwi Fran]

Hello Everyone, I am so pleased I found this page. It’s very hard to find any kind of menopause expert in this country, my GP seems only to have a basic knowledge but on a positive, all the patches and pills are subsidised by our health department.

I have just turned 50 and have been on patches and progesterone since august.  I have always had really heavy periods and fairly regular, but in the last couple of years I found they could sometimes be a week or 10 days late . Then I missed one and I swear my insides started to feel like they were drying up like a raisin.  Needless to say, nobody here talks about it. I eventually hit up some friends who admitted they’d been dealing with it for years and were too embarrassed to say.

I researched and figured it out but can’t find a good website that is a bit more … “if your hormones read this number, then take this dose”. I really want a paint by numbers approach. Seems I’m dreaming.

Since being on progesterone 24/7, my first period 2 weeks later was just as heavy, without the clots,  my second a month later was like being 13 again and since then…. Nothing…. 48 days late.  Due to getting really spotty on my face and neck, after 6 weeks on it,  I cut my 5mg tablet in half, my skin cleared up, I’ve now cut them in to 1/4 and it’s almost back to where it was. I do feel a pull cramping feeling like I’m going to get my period every night when I crawl in to bed and relax.  Is there any kind of indication on how much progesterone you should have with a 50 patch?  I don’t want to drop the patch as I couldn’t bare the dryness to come back.

So the worst I have is a lack of motivation, and a new invigorated pubic hairline. I now have zero discharge which is a new thing but I don’t feel dry and my light bladder weakness literally went overnight on starting HRT.

So, winning!  Just hoping someone might explain progesterone ratio to me, or point me in the direction of decent websites that explain in more detail. Or add any great bits of advice like how to keep having a period so I’ll know when I’m in menopause.

Thanks, sisters!

[CLKD]

   morning.  It's 9.50 a.m. and I am sitting down to breakfast.  Too chilly to venture from the warm bed 

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful, sounds like you know your cycle well.  My periods waxed and waned for several years B4 finally ending.  I had heavy, painful, clotty periods - for many years on a 10 day bleed, 10 day off cycle.  I then went on the contraceptive Pill which improved matters.

Browse round.  Make notes. 

Do read the 'bladder issues' and 'vaginal atrophy' threads.  As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out; skin, deep in the ears, nostrils, eyes, scalp, vagina ..... so appropriate VA treatment may be required.  The sooner started the better!  VA very often presents as repeated urine infection-type symptoms.

[Hopeful]

hi kiwi fran
welcome
it seems that you are still in perimenopause, is this correct, if so you should not be taking progesterone everyday(unless using the mirena coil,i think)
if you could give more details of your current regime someone might be able to give more help.

[Hurdity]

Hi kiwifran

  from me too

If you have a look at the menus on the main site it gives all the preparation and dosage.

Taking 5 mg daily seems like a lot and I am thinking it's either MPA  norethisterone - probably the former at that dose? But yes you shouldn't really be taking it daily for HRT during early peri-menopause unless you've been prescribed it for medical reasons eg heavy bleeding.

Here are the preparations in UK for peri-menopause:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

and separate oestrogens and progestogens:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

Just to clarify - once you start taking HRT if this is before menopause, then you will never know exactly when you reach menopause - the average age is 51 approx and according to this website 80% of women have gone through menopause by age 54 but a few continue on into mid and occasionally late 50's though may have underlying conditions eg fibroids if bleeding very late.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

I believe that there is an on-line magazine to read.

[Kiwi Fran]

Hi kiwifran

  from
Taking 5 mg daily seems like a lot and I am thinking it's either MPA  norethisterone - probably the former at that dose? But yes you shouldn't really be taking it daily for HRT during early peri-menopause unless you've been prescribed it for medical reasons eg heavy bleeding.

Thanks for the links. Yes it’s norethisterone. I am assuming this is why I have zero period?  She Rx-Ed before she knew I was severely iron deficient. I’ve been trying to figure out if I I should stop taking it for half the month or maybe go on the mini pill. She offered that too.  This is probably the thing I’m struggling with most. Even though I’ve cut it back to 1/4 oft
 The tablet, it still feels like it’s doing too much.

[Kiwi Fran]

  morning.

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful, sounds like you know your cycle well.  My periods waxed and waned for several years B4 finally ending.  I had heavy, painful, clotty periods - for many years on a 10 day bleed, 10 day off cycle.  I then went on the contraceptive Pill which improved matters

Do read the 'bladder issues' and 'vaginal atrophy' threads.  As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out; skin, deep in the ears, nostrils, eyes, scalp, vagina ..... so appropriate VA treatment may be required.  The sooner started the better!  VA very often presents as repeated urine infection-type symptoms.

Thank you! I’m thinking mini pill might be the way to go. Shall go read those threads. Thank you for your help.