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[jacquiellen]

Hi all,
Just wanted to post to update that finally my GP referred me to the menopause clinic as i was going round and round in circles with trying different HRT coming on and off it, they didnt really know that much.
The menopause clinic was a breath of fresh air, finally someone actually taking notes on "my" history and circumstances and they seemed to know what they were talking about and were very reassuring.
I am now on Elleste Solo and UTROGESTAN continuous, I have to continue with this for 4 months and then go back.
They said at the clinic that it takes 4 months to improve things completely.
I have been taking these tablets for just over a month now and don't seem to have any nasty side effects only feeling a bit bloated and sore breasts which I was told would happen but I do seem to have gone back through a worse place with the hot flushes before they improved and at the moment they are certainly better not completely gone but I will continue and come back and post around the 4 months to let you all know if this magic time scale is true.

[Joyce]

Onwards & upwards sohot. Hope your symptoms continue to improve.

Starflower capsules with min 250mg GLA will help your sore boobs. Takes a few weeks, but helps.  I took for a few weeks as my boobs were really painful, after that I was fine & stopped them.

[jacquiellen]

Thank you, Stellajane, I have some 1000mg starflower (got about 20 left) as I was taking before because this is what I was taking to help with symptoms so I will use them now to help, thanks for that advice 

[jacquiellen]

Ooops sorry it was Cubagirl who suggested the starflower! Thanks.

[jacquiellen]

Hi all,
I have been taking the HRT now for nearly two months. I have found improvement in flushes, however still wake at least once a night feeling very hot but am generally too tired and get back to sleep! The HRT seems to be tiring me, which is what I found before so although I feel I sleep more still wake up feeling tired but the clinic said that in my case the tiredness was caused by endometriosis which has flared up again and giving me lower pelvic discomfort alot of the time. My breasts are still tender so this is over a month now and can make me quite irritable, especially last week having to go for my first mamagram.
So at this halfway point, would I continue with the HRT (taking into account the possible side effects/risks) No I wouldn't because at this point the improvement is not enough and the HRT has caused me other discomforts I was not suffering with before but I will continue for the 4 months and write again my conclusion as I have to return to the clinic to review.
I hope this helps anyone considering or suffering and I would love to hear of others experiences on HRT and time scales. Do things improve ?

[Hurdity]

Hi sohot

Sorry to hear your new HRT is not everything you want it to be - sadly it often isn't but what most of us hope for is that we feel better overall on it than off it.

I can't remember what you were on before but maybe you could think of trying a transdermal method ie patches or gel where you would likely get a more consistent dose. Hopefully your sore breasts will settle with suggested treatment but ideally these should settle on their own once your body is used to the HRT.

One thing I would say is that some women do find the continuous dose of progesterone does cause continuous low grade side effects - and this is well known - progesterone itself is a sedative.

Some of us who encounter this, but want to use bio-identical hormones as you have - decide to opt to remain on a cycle. Not ideal when you are over 60 - but in my case the lesser of evils, if you see what I mean!

I do hope things improve for your soon!

Hurdity x

[Joyce]

Did the starflower not help your boobs sohot?  Sorry to hear you're not getting the relief you had wished for. Everyone is so different. Oh & the mammogram with tender boobs, I really so sympathise. Sore enough getting mammo at the best of times. I do hope that as you continue with your HRT regime that you start noticing a difference soon.

[jacquiellen]

Thanks cubagirl, I think there is a slight improvement with the starflower, I have been taking 1000mg because I had some left from before but only been taking them for couple of weeks and yes the mammogram was bit more uncomfortable than I had expected having never had one before but hopefully alls well and won't need another for 3 years.
Hurdity, I have tried various HRT, had patches before but I always go throught the worse, its like symptoms go through a whole reversal process where it gets worse them the flushes improve but normally I would throw in the towel at this stage, I think you're right about the progesterone I feel so fatigued even after what I think is a reasonable nights sleep but am going to perservere this time because the lady at the meno clinic maintains it takes 4 months!! not 3 months but 4. She even said some women go back after 3 complaining they are not feeling better and she tells them to take for another month and they feel better. I really hope this is the case with me  Thanks for your replies will write again at the 4 month time if improvements seen.

[jacquiellen]

Oh yes  Hurdity I am reluctant to have a bleed as I have endometriosis and fibroid and it would aggreviate this. 

[jacquiellen]

So now been on the Elleste solo and UTROGESTAN HRT coming up for 3 months. My findings so far are hot flushes improved apart from the odd one. However I have now had sore breasts the whole time apart from the very first two weeks. I am constantly fatigued even though I feel I sleep at night but have nasty dreams. My bowel seems very relaxed since I have been on this HRT (something I have never experienced before) sometimes needing the loo with urgency!! I have had a reoccurance of the three day headaches I used to get in peri which had gone so all in all i have another month to struggle on until my return to menopause clinic as I was assured i would feel good after 4 months lets hope the next four weeks bring some joy otherwise I must say all in all I think I might prefer the hot flushes than all these other undesirable  side effects  anyone else had any of the side effects i suffer i definately havent had sore breasts for years as i havnt had a period for 3 years 

[jacquiellen]

Thanks Stellajane, it has been hard putting up with all these undesirable side effects and in the past I would have stopped for sure but I am keen to know if this four month timescale has any truth in it and will definately report back!