Print

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

[luv2laff]

Hi, I'm 49 and have had the mirena coil for 18 months and am no longer having periods.  I've been having terrible night sweats for the past 6 months or so and feel I'm now entering the menopause.  The nurse at my clinic sent me for blood tests and recommended I take oestrogen-only HRT (as the mirena provides the progesterone side of it).  My question is .. can anyone recommend the best way to take oestrogen to combat the night sweats?  I'm reluctant to take tablets but I know there are patches/gels/pessaries etc.  Can anyone give me any advice please, just to give me some ideas before I discuss it with my GP?  Many thanks in advance for any help you can offer 

[CLKD]

   I'm sure someone will be along with advice!

[bramble]

Welcome to the forum. Have a look at the left side of the screen. Under HRT preparations, you will find a list of all the current HRT available. Have a good read of them and you will get plenty info. Everyone is different in regard to their reactions to medication and it is often a case of trying a few before you get one that suits.
Bramble

[Sarah2]

Most drs will offer pills as they are cheaper and supposedly 'easier' to take.
However you also have the option of patches or gel.

I've used gel for 5.5 years and it was the first choice of my gynae specialist. As I see him privately, cost is not the issue with prescribing anything and what I pay for the gel is not much more than a prescription cost anyway ( though I pay per item) .

I'm very happy with it because you can adjust the dose easily until you get relief- I was advised to try a pea- sized amount for a couple of weeks then go up if need be. I now use between 1.5- 2 pumps. (Starting dose is given as 2 pumps)

Hope this helps.

[Hurdity]

Hi luv2laff

I use patches and have never used anything else - now over 7 years. I prefer these because you just put it on and forget about it until a few days later - and there is no room for individual variation in dosage which can happen with gel ie the area you cover can be less precise and therefore absorption can be variable.

The oestrogen only HRT types are here (scroll down for patches and gels):
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatafter.php

The best way to start taking it to minimise initial side effects is low dose (eg 25 mcg patch) - as Sarah2 said, and then gradually build up to the optimum for you - which for patches may be as much as 100 mcg.

Also to add that the pessaries you mentioned are local oestrogen - for the vaginal areas which many women find they need in addition to systemic (full) HRT as they get further into menopause.


The pessaries and different types are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

Hurdity x

[luv2laff]

Thank you so much Hurdity x