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[ruthae]

Hello

Finally, my date with the HRT specialist at the Menopause Clinic arrived 

But I feel a little disappointed...  like we only got to the aperitif after waiting 3 months...

We talked through my symptoms, medication, that I was signed off work etc and then he said just increase the gel to 3 pumps a day instead of 2, and if that doesn't work after 4 weeks try 4 pumps for 4 weeks - if that doesn't work we can look at patches or the coil or an implant.  Come back in 4 months and have a look at the Menopause Matters website (!!!).  I said don't you need to do any tests, he said no it sounds as if you need more estrogen.  (Am currently on 2 pumps + utrogestan for 12 days at 200mg - as prescribed by my Dr following advice from this site).

Anyone else had this experience with a specialist...  I know blood tests don't give a complete picture but I was expecting more, and I am slightly suspicious that he is trying to save money...

Have had 2 days on increased dose and had a bit of a euphoric time, then hit the floor again today after a night with more intense hot flush...  I guess I have to let the dose settle as Dr suggests..  I thought I was a patient person, not any more     Sorry to moan, but just be interested to see if I should go back and ask for a more thorough investigation - or should go private??

Thanks all
Rx

[ruthae]

Oh - and the other thing he said which I thought a bit strange was that drinking caffeine is good too??  I've been cutting coffee/tea out, and don't drink fizzy pop.

He also made me laugh when we discussed excercise - I said yoga, swimming, walking - he suggested instead weight lifting - I thought maybe he should re-think that, giving menopausal women heavy objects isn't such a good idea...  (got to laugh...) 

Rx

[ruthae]

Me again!

Just read Tempest post on whether hormone levels should be tested, which kind of answers my question above - so I just need to keep on plugging on and try to enjoy being off work in the sunshine - I keep playing that Frozen song 'let it go'...  drives my OH mad

[Keepgoing]

Hi ruthae it just needs more time. I am on same regime as you I was still feeling a bit flat on 2 pumps so I upped it to 3 about a month before my docs check up so by time I got check up I was feeling much better...as I said to doc she would have told me to up it to 3 anyway so I just did it a bit earlier, she said as long as I don't go out the guidlines it's fine...hang in there xx

[Keepgoing]

Hi everyone just an update...my hair is growing back yay have wee short stubbly hairs all over my head. Sorry sounds like I went bald, I didn't but when I first started regime I lost a lot of hair, no one noticed but me as I have a thick head of hair but I felt it was really thinning. Now 3 months on I'm doing great and feel even better seeing the hair coming back because I was scared it was the gel or utro and I wouldn't be able to continue if hair kept falling out. I feel so good on this regime and so glad the hair falling out was just a temporary side effect of my body getting used to it.

If anyone else has this problem please stick with it as your hair should grow back like mine as I was scared I had found a regime that really worked but would maybe have to give up cause of hairloss...thank goodness that's not the case xxx

[Tempest]

That's great news, keepgoing! So glad you are doing so well😊

[ruthae]

Hi Keepgoing, great news!!  It does take awhile for things to settle i realise, it is just that I am now coming up to 12 months of trying different hrt regimes and those around me including work are getting a bit fed up...
Rx

[Keepgoing]

Hi ruthae didn't realise you had been trying for a year...fingers crossed this will be the one that works for you and you to tempest...it is a bugger xx

[Hurdity]

Oh - and the other thing he said which I thought a bit strange was that drinking caffeine is good too??  I've been cutting coffee/tea out, and don't drink fizzy pop.

He also made me laugh when we discussed excercise - I said yoga, swimming, walking - he suggested instead weight lifting - I thought maybe he should re-think that, giving menopausal women heavy objects isn't such a good idea...  (got to laugh...) 

Rx

Not sure about weight-lifting as such but some sort of body-conditioning is good at this stage in our lives because our muscles degenerate gradually as we age - partly due to decreased testosterone - maybe also to do with thyroid ( ?bit hazy about the latter) - therefore we need to put more effort into keeping them strong and in the long term should help to reduce muscular aches and pains. It also helps to speed up your metabolism because weight for weight muscle burns more calories at rest than fat!!! So - he wasn't taking complete rubbish. Not sure about the caffeine though - except of course it energises you - I  must say I love my caffeine

Hurdity x

[ruthae]

Keep going, yes it sure is a bugger... We willl get through it, but some days that is harder to believe than other isnt it..

Hi Hurdity,

Oh he is rightt just his choice of specific sport made me laugh, My yoga practise is strength building as we do quite a lot of lifts, but some more wouldnt harm.  I guess use.of caffeine depends how you feel, energizing can be good but maybe not if you are anxious, which seems to be my main problem. 

I think he frustrated me as he was telling me stuff I knew and I was expecting him to offer me tests which would help find a solution...  Oh well...

[Callisto]

Now, this is a challenge - utrogestan at night on an empty stomach. I never have an empty stomach at night!! Also instructions say take it at the same time as theOestrogel hrt- but I have been taking that in the morning...at a loss and this is my first night to take the utro.. Didn't really want to take it vaginally- bit worried and confused and miserable that I will have no more suppers- my treat-time of the day : (  C🐾

[Callisto]

Thank you Stella Jane,

Usually I have a few biscuits and maybe an instant hot choc if not decaf tea - never a 'proper meal'. All this feels like a bit of a minefield at mo with my brain ( reduced as it is ) hardly able to focus on anything else.
Thinking (due to the instructions on the packet) maybe I need to incrementally maneouvre when I apply the gel into the night time to match the utrogestan delivery hour and still pondering whether I need 200mg for 12 days of utro if I only take one pump of estrogel a day... Ho hum. Need to go now..  cystituslike wrenches to bladder have not stopped yet but still only 15 days in to HRT.
Sorry for moaning and indecisive wranglings! Pretty exhausted with this meno lark today and it is not even 7am!
C🐾

[Callisto]

Thank you StellaJane,
Will shunt my timings around to the early evening for the gel and 9ish for utro( a bit earlier as I am still zonked after having it at 11pm and it is now 10am-this is actually a very pleasant feeling after so many months of sleeplessness but need to go to work!)
Will stick to my doses for the mo as I, should give my body a chance to compute what is happening to it before shifting anything about. Just being impatient and nervous! Off to have cup of tea and denied biscuits from last night for Sunday breakfast : )
C🐾

[Tempest]

Hi Ruthae! I've had pretty much the same experience with the Consultant I saw at my Menopause Clinic (minus the advice about caffeine and weightlifting,)! I dont need Utro. though as I've had TAH/BSO.

In my case, this milarky has been going on too long for me. I've had a year of what can only be described as hell after having no HRT post op, and no HRT for the approximately 3 years I was in peri before that. I don't think I'm being impatient - just very worn down and getting distressed now so for me, I have decided to try to consult with Professor Studd (I'm hoping to hear about a possible telephone consultation on Monday, fingers crossed).

As I understand it, this is how it goes anyway with HRT. We need to trial doses/delivery for 3 months and if no improvement, up the dose or change the type. In my case, I'm kinda thinking I need 'something else' to add in in the form of Testosterone and I'm not keen on adding more estrogen in at present - hence why I would like Professor Studd's opinion. I tried phoning both my Consultant who did the surgery last week and the Menopause Clinic for advice, and was told they would phone back. They didn't. So this is why I'm now willing to pay.

Sorry if none of this sounds positive, but this is just my experience and I really hope you see an improvement soon! 💗💗

[Hurdity]

Studd puts everyone on oestrogel, progesterone and testosterone from what I can make out! Personally - as I suggested before, I would want to get my oestrogen levels higher and stabilised before adding testosterone due to the possibility of androgenic side effects. I still think you need to wait longer - you've only been on the gel for a month and if this is not sufficient it would be better to increase oestrogen before adding in testosterone - but that is my personal view. Why not phone the clinic again? I can understand your frustration though!

Hurdity x