Print

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

[yeahrightmorris]

Hi guys,

I started HRT a month ago (Elleste solo) and so far, so good, although the nagging abdominal pain continued.

Brief history: several laparoscopies in between 2000 and 2004 looking for endometriosis, none found, zoladex attempted, two failed ablations, followed by a total abdominal hysterectomy in 2004 aged 27.  Adenomyosis assumed from womb appearance, but samples were inconclusive.  Was told that it was 100% not endometriosis after all this.  In 2008, I had an ovary removed because it had a 6.8cm chocolate cyst/endometrioma on it - surgeon said my insides were covered in adhesions, but it was still not endo (?).  Same surgeon all these times.

I've since moved area, and recently have had what i thought was several UTIs, turns out it wasn't, so my GP tested me for menopause, and although the blood tests came back normal, the symptoms and history were enough for her to say that it was early stages.  She referred me for a scan to see if I had another cyst because of the lower left abdominal pain (I thought this was bladder pain).

Had the scan today, and the ultrasound lady says I have three endometriomas - small but hemorrhagic on my ovary, which is exactly where the pain is.

I'm going back to the GP on Weds for a review of how HRT is working, and for ALL the other symptoms it's been a lifesaver.  I've had a huge reduction in hot flushes, in fact none in the last week or two, I'm sleeping better, I'm not as tired, and I'm not having any more lady part dryness lol.  The only problem I've had is this pain is getting worse, and the patches keep coming unstuck.

If it turns out I've had endometriosis all along, does it mean I can't have HRT?  I'm so scared of going back to feeling like crap, but I'm also scared they're going to say they can't operate on the ovary because of the scarring (the surgeon who took the other out said that he couldn't even get to it for scarring/adhesions, and it was stuck to the top of my vagina and bladder).

Any advice?  Also could use advice about a change in patches if I'm allowed to continue.  I need some that aren't crinkly clear plastic like the Elleste Solo, as they just don't stick to me properly - I need some either smaller or more flexible.  Any suggestions?

TBH I'm really really gutted that I've been told so many times it wasn't endo and was all in my mind, to find out from two different scans 6 years apart that I have endometriomas!

[Dancinggirl]

Hi yeahrightmorris
What a tough time you are having.  It is really unsettling and worrying when you get conflicting opinions and advice from the professionals.
I am certainly not qualified to give you the type of advice you really need.  I think there have been other ladies posting on MM who have endometriosis, have had a hysterectomy and have still had HRT.  I believe that combined HRT is usually given (oestrogen + progesterone) when endometriosis is present after a hysterectomy but this may be depend on a variety of factors.
If you can afford it, you could do an email consult with Dr. Currie - it costs £25. You have outlined your problems really well in your post and you could simply email this to her and she may be able to give the professional advice from a gynaecologists view point - which is what I think you need right now.  DG x

[Linsey44]

Hiya, sorry you are having a hard time.

My understanding is that you should have continous combined hrt due to endo / adenolyosis issues.  Thats what my gynae consultant prescribed.

I had a few years if gynae probs, also had adenomyosis, so had hyster then 11 months later had ovaries out.  So far so good. I am on 100mg utrogestan and 2 pumps oestrogel.  This works for me.

No reason for stopping hrt but will just be trial and error, like what most of us have.
Good luck x

[Hurdity]

Hi yeahrightmorris

So sorry to hear about all your gynae problems.

To answer your specific question about patches - I use Estradot which are much much smaller than all the others, the plastic is thicker and they stick better. They are too small to be crinkly. If due to your endometriosis you have to take a progestogen you would need to take this separately and I imagine in your case it would probably need to be a powerful synthetic one, rather than just progesterone (Utrogestan).  It would be a great shame if you should have been taking a combined HRT all along due to the endo not being diagnosed - but better later than never.

You will see from this link http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/to_progestogens.php there is only one synthetic progestogen licensed as part of HRT, but gynaes will also prescribe norethisterone to stop heavy bleeding and it may be that this one could also be given along with an oestrogen patch.

Good luck at the docs and keep us posted.

Hurdity x