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[Badga]

Hello everyone

I haven't posted in a while.  Have spent some time on Estradot 50ug and oral Utrogestan 100mg.  Can't tolerate the Utrogestan (legs like tree trunks, fingers like sausages, boobs like melons, constipation and fibromyalgia) so my consultant has put me back on Evorel Conti. 

I am happy about this as, although I have problems with it staying stuck, I seem to be absorbing enough of the estrogen to stop the hot flushes ( ) and do not have the awful side-effects I had with the Utrogestan.  However, I have noticed that since I started on HRT in the summer (Evorel Conti to start with), that the initial elevation in my mood, joint/muscle pain, ability to sleep and energy levels, seems to have slipped back to pre-HRT.

I discussed this with my consultant who said that these symptoms are 'age related', i.e., there is not much I can do about them.

I feel rotten, I really do.  OK, so the horrid 20-or-so-per-day hot flushes have gone, but I am still exhausted all the time, in a constant state of fatigue, ache all over, and feel very weepy and depressed.  I am worried that it will impact on my job.  I am doing all the things the literature suggests are good for me.  However, taking a nap at work would be frowned upon.

Will it get any better, or am I stuck with it?

[honeybun]

I have been using Evoril both sequi and then conti for four years now. I was fine for three years, in fact I felt quite good and then for me my main problem was anxiety. I changed to utrogestan but it made no difference.

I really don't know the answer to this one. You could perhaps try a stronger dose. At one point I was wearing an extra half a patch and although I felt a bit better it made me feel sick.
Perhaps worth a try though as we are all different. My hormone levels are lower now than they were when I started and perhaps the same is true for you.


Honeyb
X

[Badga]

Thanks Honeybun

That's really interesting to know.  Have you had your hormones measured by a blood sample?  Do you know what your estrogen level was and now is?

I do not think that my consultant will want to up my dose as they always want you to be on the lowest dose possible to minimise risk of cancer.  My consultant seemed to poo-hoo my symptoms as 'age-related', i.e., put up and shut up

[Hurdity]

Badga
You may well be intolerant to several types of progestogen (if you also reacted badly to utrogestan - the bio-identical one). and the norethisterone in the Evorel which you are having every day - could be making you feel like this ie weepy and depressed etc. Other women (including myself) have negative side effects from it (norethisterone in the Evorel conti) including headaches and pmt symtpoms  The fact that the patch has stopped your flushes implies that the oestrogen part is working.

In your position I would go back onto a cycle with a shorter than usual course of prog (which is what most prog intolerant women do) - and get along to a specialist who will monitor your womb lining to check for build up. If you find you are fine for most of the oestrogen part ( once you've stopped and got rid of the prog in your system) - then that's what the problem is. You could try Evorel sequi to start and see if you notice a difference (maybe you've already tried this?).

There are other types of HRT you could try but it sounds to me as though the prog may well always cause you difficulties.

Some women swear by the Mirena whereas others hate it - the idea is that less prog is absorbed systemically, but in practice it too can have bad side effects in some women because of too much absorption.

Did you take utrogestan orally? Some women find there are fewer side effects when used vaginally.

Hope this helps.

Hurdity x

[Badga]

Hi Huridity - great to hear from everyone on here.  Fell quite isolated in all of this.  Partner says 'he feels tired too' and it's all down to age.  Line manager at work is a young bloke and I work with. Load of young women, none of whom will understand menopause and what it can do to you both physically and mentally!

My big problem is the absolute crushing fatigue, I think.  Was really bad this time last year before my GP found that my estrogen was through the floor and my FSH was through the roof, and packe me off to the menopause clinic!

At first the Conti was fantastic, I had soooo much energy.  However, I am not sure that I was driven on by the excitement and adrenalin of a new job.  The reason I went on to Estradot/Utrogestan, was that the Conti do not survive my sweating during heavy exercise - which, I might add, I am now struggling with due to fatigue.  I did continuous Estr/Uto for about six weeks and was lie a blow up doll. I then tried it, as you suggest, cyclycally.  When I was on it, I blew up, when I was off it, I deflated.  I eventually came off it and went back onto Conti, that I have been on for a month.

I am back at clinic in 6 months when my consultant will discuss a Mirena with me, if the Cont isn't suitable.

The thing is, I no longer have the hot flushes, which is fine, I just feel so incredibly exhausted which, I think, is what is giving me the low mood.

I am considering going to see my GP, but not sure wha they can do?  I just want to stop feeling so tired and sad/anxious all the time, spending the weekends sleeping.