Print

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

[jazzfunkanne]

Hi all, hope every one is well, i had a early menopause at 43 my gps never discussed hrt with me, i am now 50 and my bone scan said my bones have 20% less density for someone  my age, i am now getting urine infections, is it too late to take hrt, plus can i take hrt and have a oestrogen cream or pessaries at the same time x anne

[Dancinggirl]

HI AND WELCOME jazzfunkanne
It is absolutely NOT TOO LATE to start taking HRT. How appalling that you had an early menopause and was not advised to take HRT - I would say your GPs were negligent as the long term consequences to your heart and bones could be a real issue.
I would ask to be referred a.s.a.p. to a gynae or menopause clinic for advice and help.
You are obviously suffering from Vaginal Atrophy - hence the UTIs.  I had an early meno and took HRT but I still suffered from burning urethra and vaginal problems because the doctors assumed systemic HRT would be enough and it wasn't!!!!
Many ladies on here use both full HRT and local oestrogen.
REad up all the info under the headings to the left of this screen and perhaps print stuff off to show the doctors.  Don't' be fobbed off with the cheapest HRT (e.g.premique) - go for Femoston if you want to try pills or Oestrogel with Utrogestan if you want the bio identical combination - many GPs are very ill informed about the bio identical HRT so you do need to print this off to show them.
Hopefully Hurdity will be along to tell you all about the bio identical regime - she is using it and is very well informed.
For the local oestrogen most women find Vagifem the best and yes you do need this as well as the full HRT.
Hopefully others will be along soon with advice - we get of angry when we hear about women being left to struggle without HRT.
Good luck  DG x
 

[jazzfunkanne]

many thanks dg, you have made me feel better already, its strange i feel like i am having my periods all over again, (that feeling of slight cramp in the stomach and the way it dragged  you down) do you think this is a menopause symptom , 7 years with hormones it catching up with me x

[Hurdity]

Hi jazzfunkane

I answered on your other thread - there seem to be two the same from you going on!

By the way welcome from me too!

Hurdity  x

[jazzfunkanne]

hi hurdity, many thanks for your advice, would bio identical combination help me and can you have a hrt pessary with this kind of treatment x ps is it available on the nhs x

[Hurdity]

Hi jazzfunkanne

Just to add that this type is called "continuous combined HRT" for post-menopausal women - ie the no-bleed type.

Some women find that after a long time without oestrogen, there is some irregular bleeding at first on this type which can continue for up to 6 months or so.

You may prefer to start off by going onto to cyclical or sequential HRT which is designed to give a regular predictable bleed every 4 weeks - which you might find easier to cope with after so long being post-menopausal (ie rather than random bleeds). This also has the advantage of allowing you to distinguish between the side effects (if any) of the oestrogen and progestogen, before settling onto the type you will eventually stay with for some time.

As Sarah2 says - the info is on the menu - cyclical types here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

and continuous combined types here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php

Good luck!

Hurdity x

Hi again

Since you answered on this thread I've copied my post about HRT above.

Dancinggirl mentioned the bio-identical HRT - which means taking or using hormones that are the same as our bodies make. It is all available on the NHS - as estradiol ( patches, gel or pills) and (micronised) progesterone - marketed as Utrogestan.

Here is the info about the oestrogens ( patches and gel you need to scroll down)
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

and here are the progestogens:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php

I'm not sure what you mean about HRT pessary but you can definitely use vaginal oestrogen pessaries at the same time and many of us like to have both.

I use Estradot 50 mcg patches and Utrogestan (vaginally), together with Orthogynest pessaries or Vagifem pessaries.

I agree with Dancinggirl - read up as much as you can and get along to the GP - if they show resistance make another appt with someone in the practice you know is sympathetic or ask for a referral to a menopause clinic if possible.

Hurdity x

[jazzfunkanne]

Hi hurdity, am really slow when it comes too all this hrt lol does the bio identical HRT mean your taking two different tablets or patches for (progestogen & estrogen) instead of taking the one combinded pill x

[Hurdity]

Hi jazzfunkanne

You're not slow - it's a lot to take in at first - I knew zilch to start with!

You cannot take bio-identical HRT as one combined pill because progesterone (the "natural" one) is unstable as a molecule and it can only be taken orally as "micronised" progesterone (Utrogestan) - which means it's been ground down to very small particles. It also has to be taken in a higher dose than the synthetic progestogens because of this too ie breaks down quickly in the body.

It can be taken as pessaries (Cyclogest) - which can be used a suppositories if preferred, but this isn't licensed as part of HRT so you would be hard put to find a GP who would prescribe it. There is also a vaginal progesterone gel Crinone, but again unlicensed in UK and from what I've read on here, rarely used. Utrogestan seems to be the preferred option.

I think it's already been said if you just want to go for a combi pill then the closest you'll get to bio-identical HRT is Femoston. Even so, some women (who don't tolerate progestogens well) still get more side effects than on their natural cycle with this type.

Hurdity x

[jazzfunkanne]

Thanks again, i cant get a gp apt for two weeks so I will try and read up as much as i can before i go, she will be doing a exam at the apt too check the bladder (which am not looking forward too), i know they give you premique in my surgery, but i will ask if i can try Femoston as its the closest  to bio-identical HRT . wish me luck xx

[Dancinggirl]

jazfunkanne - Why not print off the info from this site to show the doctor - they sometimes need to be lead by the nose if they are not up to date on HRT.
You can actually say you have printed it off from a website created by a British gynae (Dr. Heather Currie) who is part of the team putting together the new recommendations for Menopause and HRT management.
Premique is the the old style HRT but happens to be the cheapest!!!!!
Give Femoston a try and if it doesn't work for you there are other options.
Good luck  DG x

[jazzfunkanne]

Thanks DG, i meant too also ask how long can i stay on hrt for, and should you be given any blood test before starting and bp taken?, am 50 and 7 years post menopausal x

[Hurdity]

Hi there

You should always have your blood pressure taken but a blood test isn't needed to confirm menopause, as these are unreliable. Doctors tend to go more on symptoms.

You should be able to stay on it without question until age 60 and by then hopefully the guidelines will mean you can stay on it indefinitely (if you want to) provided there is no medical reason why not, and you understand the risks as you get older.

Hurdity x