Print

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

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies, I hope you don't mind but I'm in need of a rant.

I'm so fed up and don't know what to do for the best. I am 58 and post meno and for the last eighteen months I've been using Evorel patches ( 37.5 mg which is 75 mcg cut in half ) and Utrogestan. I started off taking Utrogestan orally then tried vaginally but due to continued spotting I recently went back to taking them orally. I don't know if it is the Utrogestan but I've developed tender breasts, which I never had before and I am very low in mood. I am also very irritable and tearful, still have mild flushes and sweats and the last few days I've developed a headache. I'm due to meet a friend tomorrow and I don't want feel like this.   I've spent the afternoon laying on the bed feeling sorry for myself.

I'm tempted to give up on HRT altogether as quite frankly what is the point if I feel like this, but I'm afraid that without it the horrible jitters will return and I couldn't face that. Oh what to do ? At 58 I don't really want to increase my patch but I'm wondering if I'm getting too much progesterone or even if I'm progesterone intolerant and any amount would be too much ( I haven't had a hysterectomy so I need to take it ).

Sorry to go on but I just want to feel better and I don't know how. I barely recognise myself these days and the constant tension is really getting me down. My choices seem to be carry on as I am, try and increase the  patch or give up on HRT altogether !

Thanks for reading this ladies, I know you'll understand.

Best wishes to you all.

K.

[Hurdity]

Sorry to hear about this Kathleen

You are on quite a low dose of oestrogen so theroetically you shouldn't need a very high dose of progesterone.

Have you been checked out eg scan, and possilbe hysteroscopy to check out reason for spotting - maybe fibroids or polyps causing this?

Did you start developing the flushes some days/weeks/months after changing something ie the oestrogen dose? If you are still getting mild flushes then to me this suggests theoestrogen  dose is too low. I have to say when I reduced to 37.5 mcg last year (age 60) my flushes and sweats started to return over 3 months so rather than let them get really bad I went back up to 50 mcg and I have no problems. I take my utrogestan vaginally on a long cycle.

Personally I would firstly get your oestrogen dose to where your flushes are eliminated and then work out whether it is the Utrogestan continuing to make you feel as you do. I take mine on a cycle so I don't get the progesterone side effects.

I do get fairly regular headaches and usually when on the progesterone phase or just after stopping - but sometimes I get them the day after alcohol whether on oestrogen or progesterone - even if it's only a little (alcohol that is!).

The last thing you want is to feel like that - could it be a bug also?

Hope you feel better soon!

Hurdity x

[Dancinggirl]

As usual Hurdity has given good advice and asked relevant questions.
Are you taking the Utrogestan continuously? If so then you may be getting some side effects from this continuous use - I had sore breasts from using conti HRT.  Perhaps go back to using the progesterone sequentially and having a bleed would be a good idea? I am 58 and I'm doing a very similar regime to Hurdity - 6 weeks on oestrogen only then 14 days of Utrogestan. 
Just another thought about the headaches - I am getting a lot of sinus headaches - I find that changes in temperature and humidity can make my sinuses play up and I get pain behind my eyes and forehead. I am using a saline nasal spray each night and this really seems to help.
Dg x

[CLKD]

Why worry about your age?  If you can get relief from symptoms by upping your dosage  ………

[Kathleen]

Hello Hurdity, Dancinggirl and CLKD and thank you all for taking the time to reply.

I am considering going back to my GP and asking about trying a long cycle. In the meantime I have upped my patch to 50 mcg and have gone back to using Utrogestan vaginally.

As for the headaches, I have had a cold and the dry air from central heating doesn't help so I will buy a nasal spray and give that a go.

Once again ladies I appreciate your comments and wish you all well.

Take care.

K.

[Ju Ju]

Kathleen, I am 60 and use both oestrogen patches 25mg twice a week and tablets 1mg daily, plus I used Provera every 3 months for 12 days. If I have problems with the progesterone cycle I could opt to twice yearly, but have regular scans each year. I saw a gynaecologist privately, but get my repeat prescriptions though my GP, who is supportive. Is this a way you could go?

[Kathleen]

Hello Ju Ju.

Thank you for your very interesting post and I will certainly consider what you said.

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

Don't use too much nasal spray as it can dry out the passages!  My Mum used to put her head over a bowl of hot water with Vick or Friars Balsam in and breath in the fumes 

[Dancinggirl]

As CKLD says steaming is good but I do recommend using a saline nasal spray - don't use the powerful ones with a antihistermine in them as this can make things worse.  You can get Saline nasal sprays online - it's a natural way to keep the nasal passages free from dust and irritants which can cause sinus pain etc.  Dg x

[CLKD]

So is Vaseline stuck up the nostrils but I don't fancy that either