Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Helen Green]

I am peri-menopausal and have had hot sweats for couple of years and very erratic periods. Two months ago day after period ended started with panic and anxiety attacks, never had them before,  which lasted for about a week then disappeared. Following next period exactly the same again, put it down to hormones and Doc put me on Prempak C low dose. Started to take it straight away as not told otherwise but then read leaflet which said to start on first day if next period. Rang Drs to confirm and was told to wait until next period. Said I had already started it, receptionist checked with different Dr who said to carry on.

I have carried on but feel bloody awful, having taken 4 tablets now. Not slept for the last 3 nights and other than waking in the night didn't have any problems before with sleeping, shakes and anxiety seem worse and just generally feel horrid.

Could this be as a result of starting taking them at the wrong time. I am 45 and don't know anyone to ask for help, I have searched the Internet for help in when I should start them but can't find any answer to my question, is there a right and wrong time, does it matter when I start them. Any advice, I would be so grateful, thinking if not taking it today. Thanks Helen

[KatieLiz]

You may find taking HRT in the evening will help with your sleeping and anxiety.  As you didn't start the tablets at the beginning of your period it may take a little longer for your hormones to settle - they do say give it around 3 months.

I found its best not to worry too much about every little symptom - just make a few diary notes about how you feel and if you don't feel better after 3 months you may need a different HRT. 

I just imagined I was taking a vitamin tablet and tried to feel positive.  I did need to increase my dose after 6 months and have been taking the higher dose for over a year.  I am taking Femoston 2mg/10mg - this has a different progesterone to Prempak C - sometimes this can affect things.  I do believe HRT is the best remedy for menopause as you are replacing depleting hormones.  But as with all hormone problems it is getting the balance right that makes the difference.

Welcome to the forum!

[Helen Green]

Hi thanks for the advice, will take tonight and see how things go. Has anyone else been told to start mid way through cycle or is it just me.

[Evenstar]

Hello. I have yet to start taking any HRT as yet so can't advise you I'm afraid, but just wanted to say hi and welcome xx

[Helen Green]

Thank you for welcoming me, I'm so glad I found this site, completely by chance too, everyone is so nice and helpful x

[Evenstar]

Its a lovely site Helen. Everyone is so friendly

[lesley998]

Helen....please don't worry.  I too was on prempak c and started my first pack at a random time when I was not bleeding. It took about a month for everything to settle down and for me to start feeling the benefit.  Please try to chill out a little and stop analysing every little thing. If you feel 'bloody awful' as you say it most likely has nothing to do with hrt, as you have only been on it for four days. Don't stop taking it!  Give it a chance to work.  Hope you feel better soon x

[Helen Green]

Thanks Evenstar and Sweetpea. I have carried on as thought I need to give it a chance and don't think the Dr will be keen to try anything else after only four days so am persevering with it, took it in the evening and slept till four but then had pounding heart until I got up, do take propranolol to help with  that, not sure if it was taking it later or because my daughter was away so I slept in her bed to give hubby a break from my tossing and turning, will have to see how tonight goes but still feeling very anxious and panicky. Think my biggest problem is Dr didn't explain anything about things like how long it takes to get into your system to start feeling the benefit or generally what to expect that's why I'm so glad I have got you lovely ladies for help.

[Hurdity]

Hi Helen Green

Welcome to the forum from me too.

Starting HRT put of sync with your cycle just means you may have some blips eg bleeding at the "wrong" time, but anyway once you are peri-menopausal you will have an irregular cycle so your own hormones may well break through. It is a tricky time.

Re that particular HRT. Are you on the low dose ( .625) or the high (1.2) ? The thing is in this one both the oestrogen and progestogen are new to your body (did you ever take the pill?). The oestrogens are from horses and the progestogen in a synthetic type - so anyone of these might disagree with you, and I imagine have some immediate effect on most women.

Yes medical opinion says give HRT 3 months to settle but if you continue to feel worse rather than better over the next couple of weeks then it could be this preparation doesn't suit you. It's the cheapest.

What you don't want to happen is for the HRT to make you anxious and then have to take other medication to counter that! If you haven't had other health problems then the HRT should alleviate most of the menopausal symptoms eventually.

With bio-identical oestrogen ( all the other types), most women tend to feel better within a few days, especially when it's used transdermally ( either patches or gel) - but often it is the synthetic progestogens in all the different types of HRT that causes the problems. (I use bio-identical utrogestan so that I don't have this problem).

If it doesn't settle and you need a different type then we can help with finding another. In the meantime have a look at the menu on the left where there is loads of information!
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatment.php

Good luck and keep us posted

Hurdity x

[Suzi Q]

Welcome xxxxxxxxxxx

[Helen Green]

Hi Suzi Q and Hurdity. Thanks for your posts.

I am taking the lower dose Prempak at present and yes I did take the pill, think it was called Minulet, but that was quite a few years ago, husband had vasectomy.

I don't feel as bad as I did, but still have this horrid anxiety feeling, am taking propranolol which I stopped yesterday as felt that I didn't need it but  during night and this morning felt very anxious so have started taking it again, perhaps I need to take it for longer than I thought.

Does anyone else here use it long term for anxiety??

On the plus side the sweats aren't as bad but to be honest I can cope with them, it's the anxiety, does HRT, take a while for that to settle, does anyone know?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

[Hurdity]

Hi again Helen Green

Anxiety is one of the symptoms of menopause and as you say if you have not suffered before and have no other situation in your life likely to have brought it on suddenly then it is probably declining hormones to blame especially oestrogen.

I haven't suffered from anxiety as such, but from what I've read on here these type of symptoms can take a while to settle - with the obvious physical symptoms like hot flushes and sweats disappearing first. Some women in peri-menopause have reported sometimes up to a year - but the important thing is you should notice a gradual improvement, and if you don't, then as I said below, better to try a different HRT, rather than take additional medication to treat the anxiety.

We are all different and some women love the Prempak while others have found it intolerable.

Re the pounding heart - did you have this before starting HRT?

I doubt whether many women would use it solely long term for anxiety - although I really don't know - but many women who use HRT for other symptoms or to improve their general long-term bodily health and functioning, also value its effect in reducing or eliminating anxiety. The important thing is to find the right product and to give it time.



Hurdity x