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[sharon1958]

Have just discovered this forum and been reading through some of the posts - it's so nice to know we're not alone in our suffering the various symptoms!
I started on HRT just over 6 years ago - EVOREL SEQUI/CONTI and found it helped me enormously with relieving the hot flushes which were starting to take over my life somewhat! All was going well until a few years down the line I started to get quite heavy bleeding so on the advice of my gynae I changed to FEM SEVEN CONTI which seemed to be ok and stopped the bleeding (only problem was the adhesive on the patches - I often found them coming off before the end of the week). Several months ago though I started again with night flushes and horrible palpitations which unfortunately now are a nightly occurrence and driving me potty. They last a few minutes but can happen several times during the night and are generally making me feel rotten the following day. I have been back to my GP just to rule out anything heart related and all came back fine. I don't get them during the day. I am wondering whether a higher dose HRT might help with this perhaps? Would welcome any advice and am willing to try anything. My GP gave me a low dose of Amitripyline to help with the sleeping but it knocked me out the following day plus I was still waking up with the palpitations so I gave it up after a few days. I've tried Kalms, Rescue Remedy etc to no avail.
Recently it has been hard to get hold of FEM SEVEN CONTI - the suppliers aren't sure when it will be back in stock. My GP gave me PREMPAK C 0.65mg but it seems quite a low dose and I'm not sure how it compares with the FEM SEVEN. I have a few patches left before I run out - would welcome suggestions to an alternative please presumably tablet form as I understand EVOREL and FEM SEVEN are the only HRT that come in patch form.
I've read on another thread about people finding Starflower oil beneficial so I'm going to give that a try. Has anyone had any luck with reflexology, acupunture etc to relief symptoms? I'm willing to give anything a go to get a decent night's sleep at the moment!

Sharon

[Joyce]

Hello & welcome.

I'm only on oestrogen, but found higher doses gave me palpitations.  Amitriptyline was prescribed for my sleep problems a number of years ago. It was waking with a dry mouth that I hated. Would need to drink water during the night, then would waken needing the loo. Defeated the purpose of them really.  Kalms, Rescue Remedy don't do it for me either.

I'm currently using 1000mg starflower capsules as I'm trying to come off my patches, however, not completely convinced they have made much difference. I will persevere though.

[sharon1958]

Thanks for the reply. I should also add that I would love to come off HRT altogether and did try and while back cutting the patches in half but the flushes came back with a vengeance. I worry about the long term risks of being on HRT but then again quality of life at the moment is more important.

[Hurdity]

Hi sharon1958

 

You can have a higher dose of oestrogen by using oestrogen only patches with separate progesterone - either the synthetic Provera (tablets) or micronised progesterone (Utrogestan) which is the same progesterone as we have in our bodies ie more "natural" to us.

Here is the info:

Progestogens:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

Oestrogens:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

Did you get heavy bleeding on the Evorel conti  and was it investigated?

There is no higher dose combi patch although some gynaes prescribe one and a half patches of Evorel because the progestogen in that is a powerful one.

However taking them separately means you can adjust the dosage so if the progestogen was insuffcient to stop the bleeding a higher dose can be given ( if this can be tolerated).

Re tablets - many women find Femoston works well with few side effects, but the conti one does not come in a higher dose than 1 mg which may be insufficient.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

Hurdity x

[sharon1958]

Hi Hurdity and thanks for the nice welcome 

Yes when I had the bleeding with the Evorel it was investigated by my gynae - all was ok but that's when she advised a change of patch to the Fem Seven which hasn't caused any breakthrough bleeds at all. I'll admit I'm clueless when it comes to understanding about the different hormones but will read some of the suggested threads to get more of an idea. Thanks for the suggestion of Femoston - I'll mention it to my GP.

Sharon