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[shoppingqueen]

Hello again ladies

I hope you are ok!

I’ve posted a few times recently and the upshot is I’m completely confused about what my body needs and what to do about it all.

Brief history: post meno (I think) 54
Had a terrible initial experience in peri menopause at 46 and tried a few things before I eventually got good control with Femoston 2/10 and felt really well. I was stable for 2.5 years.

I was then diagnosed hypothyroid and started Levothyroxine. A meno specialist said she thought I wasn’t absorbing enough from the tablets (I had no flushing or noticeable symptoms) and think my levels were about 236 pmol. She said to add a pump of gel. This is when things went wrong. I moved from the tablets as was worried about Levo absorption to 3 pumps of gel. I didn’t have flushes but didn’t feel great- fuzzy eyes, fatigue, headaches, spaced out etc reducing to 2 pumps and my night sweats returned so went back up, but I stuck with this for 18 months.

I then bounced about to patches after the shortage on gel and did use 100mcg Estrodot for 5 weeks at one point and felt ok. But I then checked my levels (I shouldn’t have) which were 50 pmol and then 100 pmol. It panicked me and set me off on the back to gel- patches- back to gel madness.

I have had my coil removed (to rule out bloating and headaches, which has worked and immediately my tummy flattened) so would now need a prog if I were to go back to Estradot. I’ve not felt quite right on Everol and had a lot of unbearable breathlessness. Utro doesn’t suit and I don’t like Provera so not many options there.

So, here’s my quandary- do I go HRT free for a couple of weeks to see what happens and go back to baseline?

Or do I go back to Femoston 2/10?

I am scared to go HRT free, but I really have no clue what’s going on and no wonder with all my changes! I know my symptoms are still there as they’ve spiked here and there with changes I’ve made.

Thank you for bearing with me on this long, confused post. I wondered if anyone else has gone HRT free to see what’s what before adding in a new regime? Is it a good plan or is it utter madness?

I think my options are Femoston which suited me very well as did the prog. I know it’s 2 years since I stopped and may have less of my own estrogen now.
Or do I try to tolerate the Provera with Estradot when 100mcg is available. I preferred Estradot to Everol, although the Everol gave higher bloods, but they made me feel utterly breathless and the gel makes me tremor and feel jangly.

Eek! Any thoughts/ help would be lovely.

Best wishes

SQ xx

[Dotty]

Hi Shoppingqueen
What hrt are you using at the moment?

Blood tests don't really tell you anything as there isn't a magic number where everyone feels fine. x

[Kathleen]

Hello Shoppingqueen

I am sorry that you have had all this trouble but you are not alone, I could jangle for England lol.

I haven't tried all the products you mention but for progesterone I now use Cyclogest pessaries and I don't have any problems with them.

I am post meno and did an HRT reset a few years ago. I had a return of a few physical symptoms which were manageable but my moods didn't stabilise and I decided to give HRT another try. That is when I became a patient of Newson Health. I am still with them but actually following the advice of an NHS consultant, with mixed results it must be said.

From memory I believe it was only a few weeks of being completely HRT free that I noticed which symptoms were returning. Perhaps you would have your answers quite quickly of you decided to try a reset.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[shoppingqueen]

Thank you Kathleen and I’m
So sorry you are also jangly like me! It’s so unsettling! I’ll look into the Cyclogest so thank you for letting me know. I hope you are doing well now? Do you mind my asking what you are using for the estrogen and what dose,  and have you settled on this too?
I hope all is well 🤞 x

[shoppingqueen]

Ps Kathleen
Is it the same as Utrogestan? X

[Kathleen]

Hello again shoppingqueen

For Oestrogen I am using half of a 1g sachet of Sandrena, so about 50mcg in fact. Halving a sachet is a bit messy but I make it work lol.

The Cyclogest is a waxy pessary that is used in fertility treatment apparently. Once again the dose needs to be changed so I have to halve one 200mcg pessary and use it alternate nights.

All a bit of a faff but both treatments were prescribed by Newson Health although I decided to reduce the Sandrena on my own.

All of the above is still not quite right as I still have the Jangling to contend with but I live in hope lol.

Take care and wishing you well.

K.

[shoppingqueen]

Thanks Kathleen
I have an appointment pending with Newson but have delayed it a while. I might need to get it booked in.
I’ve not tried Sandrena. I hope the reduction works for you so I’ll be keeping fingers crossed! Thanks Kathleen and take care too x

[Kathleen]

Hello again shoppingqueen.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Perhaps book your Newson Health appointment sooner rather than later. I know they have employed many new doctors to meet demand and you don't want to miss out!

Wishing you well.

K.

[shoppingqueen]

Will do Kathleen and thank you! Take care too x