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[winnie1967]

Hi all, thanks for your replies regarding my question a week or so ago, regarding how many of you have tests on the NHS,  and/or referrals to Gynae, or endocrinologist, or menopause clinic, on the nhs.
Is there anyone else please? I'm really struggling with my symptom, and seeing my gp within the next week, and really would like to be able to see that others get this on the nhs...I'm nowhere near the right dosage to help me, of oestrodose and utrogestan, after about 8 months, and feel quite desperate. And at moment gp not helping, or agreeing to any referrals.
Thanks in advance.

[Joaniepat]

Hi all, thanks for your replies regarding my question a week or so ago, regarding how many of you have tests on the NHS,  and/or referrals to Gynae, or endocrinologist, or menopause clinic, on the nhs.
Is there anyone else please? I'm really struggling with my symptom, and seeing my gp within the next week, and really would like to be able to see that others get this on the nhs...I'm nowhere near the right dosage to help me, of oestrodose and utrogestan, after about 8 months, and feel quite desperate. And at moment gp not helping, or agreeing to any referrals.
Thanks in advance.

I can only suggest you see another GP if yours refuses to refer you to a menopause clinic, or maybe make a complaint to the practice manager. I attened one and had all the necessary tests, although my GP refused to refer initially. However, he did refer me to the vulval clinic at the same hospital on the recommendation of a private dermatologist, and it was they who referred me to the meno clinic there. So not much help as I kind of did things by a back route.

JP x

[winnie1967]

Hi  thanks for your reply...dont think I'll have much joy with seeing another gp, as saw another one the other wk, who basically was saying I need to see original one as she knows me best etc, ie passing the buck really..I see an advanced nurse practitioner, who's very nice, but doesnt seem to realise how complicated this all can be!
Thanks 🙂

Hi all, thanks for your replies regarding my question a week or so ago, regarding how many of you have tests on the NHS,  and/or referrals to Gynae, or endocrinologist, or menopause clinic, on the nhs.
Is there anyone else please? I'm really struggling with my symptom, and seeing my gp within the next week, and really would like to be able to see that others get this on the nhs...I'm nowhere near the right dosage to help me, of oestrodose and utrogestan, after about 8 months, and feel quite desperate. And at moment gp not helping, or agreeing to any referrals.
Thanks in advance.

I can only suggest you see another GP if yours refuses to refer you to a menopause clinic, or maybe make a complaint to the practice manager. I attened one and had all the necessary tests, although my GP refused to refer initially. However, he did refer me to the vulval clinic at the same hospital on the recommendation of a private dermatologist, and it was they who referred me to the meno clinic there. So not much help as I kind of did things by a back route.

JP x

[winnie1967]

Hiya, I suppose if you seem to be getting on ok with the hrt, and its helping etc, then theres no need for extra referrals etc, but I can't seem to get a dose to help me, except for one symptom, and I'm giving each change 3 mths, so it's taking forever. And I'm getting quite desperate.
Thanks for your reply 🙂

My GP is really pro HRT and I never had any problem with him prescribing it, however he never ever mentioned that there was a menopause clinic I could go to.

I got my referral because I inadvertently made an appointment with a locum and was discussing with her possible alternatives to HRT for night sweats. She didn't hesitate in suggesting it!

The mysteries of the NHS.

[Baby]

As mentioned before I am on my first month of gel and utro.i am doing the day 15 to 26 on the utro and have started a bleed on day 24. Is this ok. Thought the bleed came a couple of days after finishing the utro. Only a light bleed.

[lillith112]

Baby, I have also just started patches and utro days 15-26 and my period has also arrived day 24. I carried on with the utro but I now have no idea when to start the utro again, do I count day 1 of my period or start counting day 1 when utro is finished ?. I've made a separate post but no replies yet.

[Baby]

So as I said I had a very light bleed for only a day. Then a couple of days later a bit of spotting. If i am nearing post meno would this mean i would have really light bleeding and would someone who was in early peri have heavier bleeding. I wish I had started HRT a few years ago when I suspected I was in peri. In the last six months I can see how my face has aged with many more lines. Also I have looked at my nether regions and they have definitely changed in colour and seem to be shrinking.

[Julia Dizzy]

Hi ladies, I have now been on 2 pumps estrogel 100mg utrogestan every day for 5 months. I have also been told by Meno clinic to use one pump Tostran 2% gel daily and have been doing so for last few weeks. I don't feel any better at all, the only positive thing is hot flushes have gone. Negatives are dreadful global anxiety still, very sore boobs more recently which feel like they are burning and swollen behind the nipple, not made much difference to the VA, tired, grumpy, bad reflux, not improved skin or joint pain. Think am just about ready to pack it in, as I feel worse that I did before, apart from the hot flushes!! Any thoughts please, am fed up of waiting to feel wonderful like I've read other ladies do!

[Hurdity]

Sorry to hear this JuliaDizzy - that's a high dose of Tostran though. Have you had any blood tests or have these been recommended? You should be tested for testosterone and SHBG, to ensure your levels are within female physiological limits.

I get sore boobs when on the progesterone phase of my cycle so it could be that daily use is not agreeing with you? For this and other reasons (sdie effects) some of us take it cyclically, but the downside is you have to have a withdrawal bleed.

If you have ongoing VA then you will benefit from some local oestrogen which targets vaginal tissues - if you are not already taking it. Grumpiness could be due to too much T? Joint pain and tiredness - could be down to the continuous progesterone, but also inadequate oestrogen. I think your regime may need tweaking?

Can you go back to your doc and make some changes?

All the best

Hurdity x

[Sammiejane]

hi julia dizzy

i?m on the same regime as you and same dose i?m using progesterone as a stabilizer as i've had hysterectomy but estrogen well the gel didn't cut it for me yes flushes went but my mood aniexty hairloss was unbelievable i was crazy felt sucidal then full of rage so i?m taking progesterone but like you has helped mood and a little aniexty sleep flushes but i now feel nausea each morning joint pain bloating boobs a little sore but bearable it seems hrt gets rid of flushes and helps with VA somewhat but everything else takes forever and in the meantime changing doses or different brands a pain in my backside i felt great off hrt and had my op over 5 yrs ago and went hrt free for 4 yrs felt fine i introduced hrt and have a whirlwind of side effects and it's been over a year and feel no further forward but as i?m only 41 this year 35 at op i just don't know health aniexty still there as question and worry over every little thing for me i feel as though i may need more estrogen but before when i increased to 3 pumps on the gel alone i felt worse . i do believe tesosterone can sometimes be the missing key and women have found once taking this there VA improved aniexty energy libido and pelvic floor strength but again trial and error .

it does make me wonder whether synthetic hormones are better at given less side effects i had no issues when i took the combined pill got on with it all through my 20s till i was 32 only stopped to have kids but i have had a host of issues with hrt maybe the gel just dosent suit but what else is their to take they don't want me taking tablets of hrt yet there fine for me to take progesterone and patches are non existent x

[Norny]

Hi ladies have never posted on this site before. I am post menopausal five years now main symptoms have been anxiety, low mood, VA & very low libedo. Have tried various HRT. Couldn't tolerate evorel conti due to northisterone making me very depressed. I have been using estriol which has helped with VA. Have recently been prescribed utrogestan 100mg per day and two pumps estrogel. Been on it a month, feeling a lot better symptoms improved the the only issue is significant pain in one breast. Had this in past on everol had mamo scan nothing of concern noted.
My question is should I continue for longer period and see if it settles this is only issue? Change to vaginal route utrogestan? I have been taking evening primrose oil and rubbing some ibuprofon gel on breast.

[Clovie]

Hi all

i have posted recently about having Utrogestan stopped as it is 'unsafe to use for HRT' but only apparently in the NHS Lothian area of Scotland or the UK. I cannot use other progs as I am intolerant,

My husband and i have raised a complaint and it will take time to be looked at, meanwhile my HRT is running out and now the surgery have told us the Estrogel is being not prescribed for me either.
We do intend to escalate the complaint as and when.
This is all extremely unfair and extremely upsetting.
Unfair not least because another member on here has said she still receives the utrogestan on NHS prescription and she is in the same Health Authrority.

Meanwhile, as I cannot do without HRT and I cannot take synthetic progs I am going to have to look at a private precription.

Have any members got a private prescription for this bioitentical HRT?

I have questions -
can I get the Estrogel on NHS if I get a private prescription for the Utrogestan?
Or do I need to get a prescription for both?

Could any member say how much per year it costs to have a private prescription for this type of HRT please?
I'm worried about the cost

Thank you so much for anyone who can help with these questions, thanks.

[Hurdity]

Hi Clovie - I replied on your original Utrogestan thread about 10 days ago here:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,45779.msg759384.html#msg759384

Not sure if you saw it?

I don't think I have anything to add to that reply except to express further sympathy for your plight in the face of doctors spouting nonsense about safety. It's a licensed medication in UK FFS! Not some unregulated hormone from a random clinic (we've had discussions about these too    .

Um why won't they prescribe oestrogel? I mean there is no reason for this if it is the licensed oestrogen that you use and prefer. What are they suggesting in its place?

You absolutely should NOT have to go to the expense of geting these licensed medications privately when they are available on NHS, and there is no good reason not to prescribe for you. PLEASE spend ?30 write to Dr Currie as an e-mail consultation if you have not done so already - briefly setting out what you have been prescribed and where (which authority), your appoimnets and reasons for their decisions, and ask her firstly what the position is in Scotland re prescribing utrogestan (when formularies do not have it on their list) and how to go about making sure you continue to get what is your right. She is based in Scotland (Dumfries) and will have the information at her fingertips and will be well aware of what goes on

Please look at the documents I posted on the other thread ( from last year) re the flexibility to prescribe something not recommended if it is in the patient's interest.

All the very best Clovie and if we can help further in writing the e-mail please let us know.

 

Hurdity xx

[Clovie]

Hi Clovie - I replied on your original Utrogestan thread about 10 days ago here:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,45779.msg759384.html#msg759384

Not sure if you saw it?

I don't think I have anything to add to that reply except to express further sympathy for your plight in the face of doctors spouting nonsense about safety. It's a licensed medication in UK FFS! Not some unregulated hormone from a random clinic (we've had discussions about these too    .

Um why won't they prescribe oestrogel? I mean there is no reason for this if it is the licensed oestrogen that you use and prefer. What are they suggesting in its place?

You absolutely should NOT have to go to the expense of geting these licensed medications privately when they are available on NHS, and there is no good reason not to prescribe for you. PLEASE spend ?30 write to Dr Currie as an e-mail consultation if you have not done so already - briefly setting out what you have been prescribed and where (which authority), your appoimnets and reasons for their decisions, and ask her firstly what the position is in Scotland re prescribing utrogestan (when formularies do not have it on their list) and how to go about making sure you continue to get what is your right. She is based in Scotland (Dumfries) and will have the information at her fingertips and will be well aware of what goes on

Please look at the documents I posted on the other thread ( from last year) re the flexibility to prescribe something not recommended if it is in the patient's interest.

All the very best Clovie and if we can help further in writing the e-mail please let us know.

 

Hurdity xx

thank you Hurdity 
I don't have any fight left.
Ive given my hubby permission to deal with this with the surgery etc on my nbehalf.
i feel sick with it all. I feel ve been treated very unfairly indeed.

Thank you for your other reply too, we did use some of that and some other links Ive been given in our complaint letter.
They replied to that saying the doctor I need to see (who is head GP who will decide) is unavailable until early April and is looking into it all.
however, we were told today that I  ccannot haveutrogeston OR ESTROGEL now even though t is not our fault we cannot see the reqd doc until mid April.
I thought it would be only fair to continue prescribing it until then  
I do have some Utogestan left but its no goodi if they won't give me the gel either! Why?
I cannot do without HRT, and I cannot take synthetic prog and even if I could surely itw would be bad form to expect someone to mess about changing HRT medications just because of such a delay

I am worn out with it all and already have anxiety and now panic attacks have returned and not had them for years.  I feel so helpless.
 
I would very much appreciate help with wording an email to Dr Currie, and would happily pay the ?30 -ish to get her thoughts.
Sorry for any typos but I am so upset about the unfairness of all this. 

Thank you so very much Hurdity xx 

[MicheleMaBelle]

Oh Clovie. it's an absolute disgrace how you are being treated.Your GP practice are being total dickheads. Sorry but I just don't get why they are being so entrenched in their views. Doesn't help you in the meantime though.
Professor Mary Anne Lumsden at Greater Glasgow Health board operates a menopause clinic . Is there any way you can get a referral outwith your area? Have you checked out Dr Perera at the Nuffield in Glasgow who was happy to write to my GP and prescribe both via the NHS? it's a total disgrace the way you have been treated so I think Hurdity has made a good suggestion in contacting Dr Currie in the first instance. Key fighting as much as you can ! Lots of love and good luck x