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[Millykin]

Good to hear, hope things keep improving you'll be back to yourself in no time x

[libra62]

Hi Bryoni

I've been reading your thread,very interested to know how you are getting on with the qlaira ? As I'm considering hrt and seeing what my optons are ATM. Has it been successful?
Tricia x

[Briony]

HI Tricia
Psychologically, I am definitely feeling better with this higher dose of hormone. It's funny, I was anxious about moving up from a 50 mg patch (equivalent to 10 tablet I believe) yet taking 20 and 30 of estrogen doesn't seem to be affecting me as I thought it would - no sickness etc. Only slight issue is my hair shredding. I think this is the progesterone doing it. Others have advised me to hang in there if I can so that's what I intend to do.
What sort of HRT are you considering? x

[libra62]

Hi there
I visited doc today to begin hrt as I'm 52 and so feel its needed now for an array of symptoms .had a meltdown last week that threw me as didn't have a period for 8 months an thought yayyy no more periods then bammmm I got one with avengence and bad anxiety. Tears anger you name I had it . so that's what led me to seek out hrt .
The doc has prescribed everol conti I'm having to wait until tomorrow to collect from pharmacy as it needed to be ordered so fingers crossed I hope it works for me . like yourself I feel OK with progestone as I was on mini pill years ago which was progestrone only and got along fine I'm just hoping I'm OK with estrogen with the everol patches.
X

[Briony]

I really liked the Evorel 50 patches (no progesterone in them as I took that separately). They do take time to work - months rather than weeks for me. The conti has one of the less well tolerated progesterones in it, so if you do get problems, consider switching to a bio identical progesterone like Utrogestan (v popular on here) x

[libra62]

Hi B

I noticed that the everol conti has the same progestrone used in micronor mini pill which isnorethisterone and I was OK on that but it's lower dose in the everol .
X

[Briony]

Now onto month two of Qlaira and feeling so much better psychologically. Theoretically on day three of period but only had a tiny drip of a bleed - and no pmt so far. Am beginning to realise that what I thought were high estrogen symptoms were in fact still symptoms of low estrogen - just different variants, if that makes sense?!! Now I am on a substantially higher dose, most of my physical symptoms have calmed down and I feel calmer mentally. Has taken a good three weeks for this to become obvious. So far, I can only say I wish I'd tried Qlaira earlier. The hormones are higher than HRT but still very low compared to most COPs. I seem to be better now my own hormones are suppressed rather than randomly fluctuating. If you're contemplating it - but nervous- hope this might give you some confidence .

Just hope I haven't spoken too soon! X

[peegeetip]

Wonderful that its helped you.

I'm sure it will be a help to others knowing they have a "free" alternative in Peri

I'd mentioned this approach before on posts because some ladies were not able to get HRT and also the cost of 2 prescriptions.

I just wish I'd done what your doing in my peri years and been better for it.

Look forward to hearing more progress

 

[Briony]

Several months in, so thought I'd ad an update. Yesterday, someone asked at work randomly told me I was 'more like my old self'.  I guess this sums up how, overall, I am feeling. It hasn't been plain sailing - it took three months for things to settle and I still get a few mild side effects (spotting being the main one, plus itching limbs for one day a month - day 8 for some reason!) but this is a small price for getting some quality of life back. The anxiety has noticeably decreased, I have a little more confidence and I do feel in control again. There is the odd day of 'that feeling' - you know the sorts of days I mean - but it seems to just disappear, unlike a year or two ago now when I'd have weeks of that scary, 'what's happening to me?!!'  feeling. GP thinks the continued spotting is a sign that I actually need a stronger pill - though I really don't want to switch yet as I like the fact this has bio identical estrogen  and is a lower  dose, compared to regular pills. (Plus I like the fact that with only two non estrogen days, you don't have such a 'dip'/headaches, like I had with the normal pill years ago).

I know this won't work for everyone and hope I don't sound like I am 'pushing' Qlaira. I just want to share my experience as I know how hard it was for me deciding whether to take it - there seemed to be no one who knew about it and that worried me (have since found out the price and the newness of it deters some GPs - it's better known in America where it has a different name (Natazia). All I would say is if you're at the younger end of the menopause range and feel you need something more controlling than HRT, yet don't want a traditional pill, then it's a consideration.

[robotwars]

I have been reading this thread with interest, as I have tried 2 different HRT's (prempak and Cycloprognova) and on both I have suffered with headaches and nausea and just feeling dreadful, wondering whether to go back to the GP and ask if I can try this....

[GypsyRoseLee]

The more I read your posts Briony, the more I am tempted to go back to my G and ask for Qlaria.

I am into my 8th week of HRT and I have just checked back through my Mood Diary, and I have still had far more bad days than good days.

Granted, it's very likely that my body wasn't absorbing any oestrogen this last week due to my (stupid) spray tan and then my patch fell off. So I have been feeling very low and some anxiety since last Sunday.

But I have been wearing a new patch since Thursday afternoon and I STILL feel very low today, and can't be bothered to do anything. I feel hopeless and desperately miserable inside, though am putting a brave face on it for the sake of my family.

Yes, I know that this will lift at some point over the next few days, it always does. But I will have lost YET MORE days of my life to this horrible low mood/anxiety. I dread to think how many days I have lost over the last 18 months 

I want something that will lift my mood considerably and then RELIABLY keep it lifted. I don't mind getting the occasional 'off' day. But I am still getting long runs of 5-6 days at a time where I feel just awful, very low and despairing and with ridiculous anxieties about silly stuff such as it getting dark outside.

These mood swings are killing me by degrees. I can't plan anything. I can't look forward to anything.

[Briony]

I empathise with you both.

Looking back, I am annoyed with myself that I wasn't more proactive earlier on - but you get to to the point where everything, including even visiting the GP, is an effort (especially when you don't know how you'll be feeling in an hour, let alone a week!). I knew I had to do something when I realised I was avoiding 'real life' (anything beyond simply existing) and waking up already wishing it was bed time. Not how a 40 year old is meant to be, especially one who, up to that point, had been so enthusiastic about life. I even got to the point of being scared to go shopping (not quite sure what I was actually scared of!) and started ordering clothes online.

I would hate to mislead you in saying everything is back to normal. I think, realistically, that will never happen. However, the balance has now shifted so that the bad days no longer dominate/dictate my life. The spotting is a pain, but it's only very light, and if it means I need a stronger pill eventually, then so be it. I must add that Qlaira took a good three months (plus) for me to feel like this, so if you do try it, then persevere. 

Good luck xx