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[sidse]

Hi All,
Well, I have tried the St Johns Wort and phyto - oestrogens and they reduced my symptoms for a little while but now I am back to the severe night sweats, insomnia, brain fog, probably don't need to go on.....
So, I am going to go to the GP with a list but I am not sure what needs to be on the list.
I am 53 and a half - last period was Feb and no period for 6 months before that. The main things that I want to achieve are : some proper sleep, a reduction in anxiety and reduction in the night sweats, oh and I would like to have my brain back, especially as I am having to up my game at work.
I want to go down the HRT route, I was offered Ads last time. To all of those who have been here before me, what would you do?

[rebelyell]

I was offered ADs initially - I had a hysterectomy but kept my ovaries about 15 years ago, so had no real idea when menopause actually hit.  I refused them and waited another six months.

I then had HRT and that stopped the sweats but after 6 months the anxiety started big time and turned into panic attacks.  I thought it is was the oestrogen causing the anxiety so stopped the HRT for a couple of months.   But unable to handle the anxiety I re-started and I then had citalopram for four months aswell - it did stop the attacks but made me rather flat overall.  However, having come off I now have anxiety big time, so perhaps I came off them too soon as I felt cured.

I know ADs help a lot of people through dark times, but I would start with HRT first as ADs can upset your digestion and take a while to come off. 

In hindsight I wish I had paid and gone to see a sympathetic specialist earlier, but I am the product of parents who felt 'making a fuss' was one of the worst sins in the world.  My dad died recently of prostate cancer, having been fobbed off five years before diagnosis...   I should have see the light then!

Good luck - loads of people will come on and give you sage advice on here.

[sidse]

Thank you. Yes, I too am the product of parents who frowned on making a fuss and my dad also died of late diagnosed cancer.
Yesterday, I had my brother ( aged 50, not hormonal obvs) tell me that I needed to be more stoical! I don't take any notice as I have learned that you need to look after yourself - no one else will and asking for help is a strength. I just wish that my colleagues of a certain age were more honest/supportive but maybe they are just being stoical too?

[rebelyell]

To be honest I think the menopause is one of the last great taboos.  I watched 'Sensitive Skin' with Kim Cattrell recently, it purports to be about a menopausal woman but she looks gorgeous, lives in gorgeous apartment, wears gorgeous clothes and works in a art gallery.    She appears never to sweat, have bad hair days, suffer from palpitations, dry skin, etc, etc.  I don't think that kind of representation helps as it trivialises the issues.  Strangely enough my OH likes the programme, which actually makes me feel worse as I am sat on settee near him wearing old PJs and fretting about my receding gums  or imagining I am having a heart attack.    [I am actually beginning to hate Kim C and yet I used to think she was a fab role model!!].

On the surface at work and socialising, I am the same old me.  Fiesty, witty [I like to think!], gregarious and reasonably stylish [gums allowing...].  I don't let it show, so wonder how many others of a certain age do the same?   I like to think even Kim herself has the occasional off day!

My Dad did not even allow the three women in the house to leave tampon boxes in the toilet, and he banned Cosmopolitan magazine as it was subversive.   I loved him but left home as soon as I could!

[sidse]

Having seen Kim being interviewed, she came across as being quite down to earth so it's a shame that the programme was so glossy. I did wonder whether it might be wise to see a specialist right from the beginning (reading the stories of the awful time many women on this site have had) but I don't think that I would be able to afford it. Maybe it would be money well spent and would save a lot of hassle in the long run?
You sound like you have managed well at work. I struggle to hide how I am feeling, particularly after a bad night but I bet people at work haven't noticed, at least the ones who don't know me well. Hate the fact that we have to put up this pretence though...

[rebelyell]

I'm lucky work wise as I do a lot of different projects and work from home on several.  I think my advice would be to see a specialist, if you look at the info on this site there might be a menopause clinic at your local hospital - there is at mine and I wish I had just insisted on going there.

But a lot depends on your GP - if you have good one, you may be fine there.

[pepperminty]

Hi Sidse,

I asked my GP to be referred to a specialist on HRT , and I have the appointment coming soon. I would rather this than spend months flailing around without expert advice. GP's seem to offer AD's at the drop of a hat still. If they work for you great , but they are by no means the panacea to all evils.
I hope you find a solution that works for you soon.

Peppermintyxx

[Hurdity]

Hi sidse

You sound at exactly the same stage that I was when I started HRT - I had had a couple of periods in a year and the last one 5 months previously - and the sweats and flushes were beginning to get me down and mainly interfere with my ability to work properly in my job, and not get enough sleep either.

I read up about HRT on this website (back in 2007) and decided I wanted to try it having not wanted to do so initially. From the things I'd read I knew I wanted transdermal HRT so I went to the part-time GP in the practice who specialised in gynae issues (I'd been to her for years for contraception) and started straight away on Evorel sequi patches. The progestogen didn't agree with me so after 3 months I changed to separate oestrogen patches and progesterone and have been on this combo (slightly different preparations/dose from time to time) ever since.

I would find out which doctor in your practice specialises in women's issues and is positive about HRT and go to him/her. Do your research as to which kind you want and go and ask for it. Make a list of your symptoms, and the reasons why you want that particular type of HRT and stick to your guns - because undoubtedly, even if they are sympathetic, from what I've read on here many docs will give women a different type than the one they asked for.

The good news is that as you periods are so infrequent then you are in a very good place to start HRT as your hormones may well have stopped fluctuating madly, and therefore it will be easier to find an HRT type that works as hopefully you will not experience huge mood changes.

If you wanted to you could start straight away on separate oestrogen and progesterone (Utrogestan) but as many women are - you could be fine with the Evorel sequi. This will give you a monthly withdrawal bleed - that's the only downside - and a bit of pmt - but you should get your brain back and some sleep as well as a clearer head and reduction in anxiety!

Focus on the physical symptoms - the night sweats and lack of sleep (dayitme flushes?) rather than the brain fog/anxiety and hopefully you won't be offered ADs - I suggest you refuse these as you need to try a hormone solution for your hormonal symptoms!

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[sidse]

Thank you everyone, for all your kindness and knowledge. I have a week off next week , thank goodness, so I will be on here doing my research. I had a slightly better night last night - waking at 6 in a massive sweat instead of 4. As I have read, there does not seem to be a pattern to the symptoms, especially when you have already( sadly) cut down on the alcohol, caffeine ..
Sidse
Yes, I am a fan of Borgan. I wasn't sure about her in the new 1864 though.

[rebelyell]

I gave up caffeine last year and had no side-effects/withdrawal at all.  I just have decaf from my lovely machine in the morning.   On Sunday night I had a coffee in the evening and an hour later had the most awful palpitations/ indigestion/panic attack symptoms.   No surprise when I took out the coffee pod in the morning I had accidentally had full caffeine.

I am amazed but it does make a massive difference!