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[shellie 45]

Hello all 
please im so confused on what to do  . I'm 45 and started the menopause or could be the peri in 2011 when I was 41 . The doctor advised me just to use evening primrose  which I did for a few years . I was a very unhealthy eater and was a social drinker then  and didnt take the menopause seriously . The last year or so my syptoms were unbearable hot flushes , palpations, mood swings , hair loss , skin was horrible  and my bones were weak , i started to take more care and welcomed any advice i was a mess !! Went back to doctors and adviced me to take calcim tablets with vit D and  try HRT i was unsure as my dads side of the family have all died from various cancers , doctor said the cancers in  your family are not breast cancer or cervial you will be ok . So i went on the HRT ellestte duet 1mg and started having a period every month ..it was 6months the last time i had had a period before starting hrt . Every month i had my monthly period i was so ill , heavy bleeding and sometimes a very dry mouth to which i was  on a drip for ..i couldnt swallow . Anyway i have just bee  to docs to tell her to take me offHRT and ill try on my own without hrt . Sne has perscriped fluoxetine for anxiety ,but scared of taking them ... now i have lost 2 stone and are more healthy , but lack imformation on anything on menpause diet vitami ns ..anything !! Any advice will be helpful 

[spiritguide]

Hello Shellie,
I'm pretty new to this forum myself but everybody is so helpful and supportive. I'm afraid I can't give any advice but you've  taken the first step and I'm sure there are many here that can give you advice you need. All I can offer is a sympathetic ear and send you good vibes.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM shellie 45
Do read up all the info on this site and get really clued up.   I have to say that at 45 some HRT to protect your heart and bones would still be advisable.  While you were on HRT you were not actually getting a true 'period' but what is termed a 'withdrawal bleed' and this protects your womb lining from building up. Once you stop HRT, if you are still in peri menopause, you might get the odd erratic bleeding or you may find your don't get any bleeds again.  If you have a break from HRT for a month or two and then have a blood test this may show whether you are post menopause and then you could try a continuos HRT preparation which would result in no bleeds after the first few weeks or so.
I'm unsure why you would have got such a dry mouth during the withdrawal bleed each month - this is very odd - especially if you had to be hospitalised and have a drip!!!  Did you get bad cramps? Did you have a scan done to check for fibroids? 
It might have been a good idea to try a different HRT  (maybe Femoston 1/10 which has the kinder progesterone or have a Mirena fitted and have oestrogen from a patch) as your side effects may have been more to do with that particular HRT and you might do better on something different.
Fluoxetine is an anti depressant and sometimes helps with anxiety and other menopause symptoms but trying a different HRT might be worth considering as this AD won't help your heart or bones. Perhaps go back to your GP and ask for further advice about diet etc. and discuss the option of a different HRT first before trying the AD.
DG x

[CLKD]

   did the GP give you something to ease the heavy bleeds?

A dry mouth can be caused by anxiety.  What was in the drip, did you refer yourself to Hospital or was it the GP's idea?

Certainly browse the drop-down menus, top of screen and make notes.  HRT of some type will protect your bones as will exercise and a healthy diet. 

Ask away!

[Dorothy]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I have had a very dry mouth and throat continuously since starting peri.  Even straight after drinking a glass of water, it feels dry.  My aunt had the same thing - something to do with saliva glands not working properly.  Maybe your dryness is a more extreme version of this?  I am on BCP at the moment and the dryness is much worse when I come off it for my break.  Just had a glass of water 2 minutes ago and my mouth feels like I haven't drunk anything for days!

[CLKD]

There are pastilles that can ease a dry mouth ……. of course, meno brain can't remember the name of them 

[shellie 45]

thank you spirit Guide , Dancing girl , CLKD and Dorothy
When I was admitted for two days (home  one day then ,back in as the symptoms got worse ) in the hospital for very dry mouth they gave me a saline solution because i was unable to take much fluids I didn't have any stomach  cramps or pain  . Looking back my palate was starting to change about a year previous, as anything with a skin on eg peppers , tomatoes etc i would choke on the skin , then 2 months ago the very  dry mouth just came on me as I was going to bed ,it was if my throat had given up ,very scary no anxiety at all  at the time ,but the dryness of my mouth made me more anxious and made it worse !  . I was given a mouth spray and eyes drops for my dry eyes  and had blood tests and various tests done for sjgeons disease (sorry Cant spell )  . I can eat a lot better but the dryness is still there at times , i will give the pastilles a try too, thanks  .I think with HRT im a little scary of the cancer linked due to having cancer all on my dads side . The doctor did say i was quite safe on the estelle duet 1mg , but if you are getting side affects every month  try another HRT as in patches etc . My mind is so baffled  in what to do for the best as i know i need something . Also while i was in the hospital the girl next to me was getting treated for a stoke from being on the same HRT of only 3 months  and that scared me more ! I will have a break for a month and ask for a blood test and go from there .. i will keep you informed   

[CLKD]

Which blood test?  My Gynae doesn't do them for hormone levels because hormones vary throughout the 24 hours.

Try the pastilles - sorry I can't remember the name  .  When did you last have a dental check up?
Stick with the HRT ……. if you keep altering what you take your body won't know if it's flying a bike or riding a kite 

Forget the links to cancer.  Listen to your GP!  Quality of Life is important, the proverbial bus might be along in the morning  !  The girl in the next bed may well have had other health problems, so put that memory to one side.  It's is YOU that needs the treatment.

I have problems with eating jams and some chocolates, my mouth begins to burn immediately.  Bananas sometimes affect my mouth too …….. not every day but I avoid certain foods could be the pectin?  ……..

[spiritguide]

That's sage advice CKLD. My sister was on Femoston for 10 years and she got breast cancer, but we think it was the unusual stressful circumstances that she was under that were the main cause. She had to have a mastectomy in the end-earlier this year in fact, and reconstruction. She , however whole heartedly recommend the HRT route, and said she would do it again regardless as it's the quality of life that's important. I feel I'm starting to live in technicolor again rather than being as shadow in black and white, and I don't want to go to the dark side again.

[spiritguide]

Sorry CLKD, got your letters mixed up!

[CLKD]

That's OK! sometimes I have to think about which way the letters should go 

Even if HRT is muted as a cause for cancer, what's a woman to do if it eases meno symptoms    ……… I had taken HRT for 3/4 months a few years prior to finding a breast lump which had 'changes' in the margins - would I change it, nope.  For me it's quality of Life.

How are you this morning Shellie ?

[shellie 45]

Hello all 
 catch up ...Ive been back to the doctors and decided to give the HRT another go The doctor gave me the System Sequi patches to try as i came off the other HRT on the 25 h July  . I havent tried the patches  yet as im on my monthly withdrawal bleed from the HRT elleste duet tablets  . Question though after my monthly bleed which will be wednesday  shall i go straight on the patches or get another blood test in a weeks time to see if im peri or post menopausal ? shellie xx

[Taz2]

Hi shellie.

Are there any instructions with your  HRT as to when to start? I think that you don't have to finish your withdrawal bleed before starting this new pack because the bleed is due to the withdrawal of progesterone  and there wont be any progesterone contained in the first lot of patches in the new HRT. When you think about it you continued to use your old HRT even when bleeding - it's continuous - so, in my opinion, you can begin this HRT as soon as you want.

As for finding out whether you are post or peri while on HRT - the only sure-fire way to find out is to stop HRT altogether and then wait to find out if you have a bleed over the next year or so! If you are over the age of 53ish then most GP's will put you onto a conti HRT as you are presumed to be post. Blood tests are not reliable to find out where you are in the meno journey.

Hope this helps.

Taz x 

[shellie 45]

Hi Taz2
Thanks for replying .Im 45 started the menopause in 2011 , only started the estelle duet 6 months ago , i  found every timei was on my monthly withdrawal bleed i was ill with it , i was torn between trying the patches or going herbal . I thought ill give these patches ago , the side effects do scare me though   

[Dancinggirl]

shellie45 - At your age the HRT will be important to protect your heart and bones until you are at least 50.  There are many different HRT preparations so it is a matter of trial and error until you find the right one for you.   It sounds as though Norithisterone doesn't suit you - which patch have you been given? DG x