Hi Kathleen
Don't apologise for repeating yourself - as i will also be doing so since I have answered similar queries from you over the past few weeks in the same vein!!!
I do feel like a broken record - but just one word - norethisterone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't emphasise enough that is well known that any woman taking synthetic progestogens continuously may well suffer from continuous low grade progestogenic side effects, and this is recognised by gynaecologists. Lower endometrial cancer risk - but you feel rough..... Norethisterone is synthetic, and does cause side effects in some women and it is quite strong. There is some information I have read ( sorry can't lay my hands on it) which indicates that progestogens can interefere with the beneficial effects of oestrogen elsewhere than the womb where it is intended to - and especially the synthetic ones! They also have an effect on blood sugar metabolism and I seem to remember that norethisterone does.
So - from the start in post-menopause you have been taking this as well as oestrogen. As you rightly say you have been cutting bits off to try to minimise the progestogen as you thought this might be the cause - but to no avail because your oestrogen is also decreased.
Laying aside the issue of coming off at 60 - (please - you do not need to if you have no risk factors - it is up to you not your doc! You must have read all the info and threads on here about this?). If you want to continue with HRT for the next few years it is worth persevering.
Many of us older women (late 50's and early 60's) on here have chosen to remain on a cycle or return to one - simply to avoid the continuous progestogens. You mention the effect of utrogestan - but how long did you take Evorel conti for before starting this, how old were you, how long since last period, and how long did you use it for, and was it in a cycle or continuous? Sorry - lots of questions! Oral Utrogestan may not be absorbed so well as vaginal so some women experience spotting etc. Did you get initial bleeding at all when you started the Evorel conti?
I'm not sure about "jitters" but I would definitely recommend going back to utrogestan and increasing your patch to 50 mcg. Personally I would go back to a cycle and try 50 mcg for say 3 weeks at least before starting utrogestan - maybe even 4 week. Then you would take a course of utrogestan and get a bleed. OK this means a rise and then fall in progesterone - but it is the most natural one you can get. Try this for 3 months at least....
If this works and you feel generally OK and better - hopefully you will feel better on the oestrogen only part and maybe you could go to a longer cycle eg 6 weeks with permission from your doc and especially if you use Utrogestan vaginally. This wold give you longer on oestrogen alone which it sounds like you haven't yet tried?
If it is only mild anxiety - then there have been lots of posts on here with strategies and techniques how to cope with this range from Mindful meditation, yoga, relaxation, nomorepanic etc and these would pay dividends physically ( re stress) as well as mentally. perosnally I would go down this route rather than medicate anxiety.
Of course you are worried about major work starting on the house - who wouldn't be?! This is perfectly normal!!! I am a terrible worrier too - but I would never say I suffered from anxiety nor would I medicate it - but only you know if it is severe enough to prevent you from living a normal life and if it interferes seriously with what you are able to do.
In your position I would think about what I want to do re HRT and go to your doc with a plan rather than leave it in his hands as likely as not you will be prescribed ADs. I would not go down this route until I was sure my problems were not to do with the type of HRT I was using and I iad explored other options.
I do sympathise because those of us who still have a uterus have to continue with progesterone for ever if we want to remain on HRT long term - so it's put up with the side effects all the time, or have a bleed well into your 60's (like me - nearly 63).
If it's not the HRT then ADs may be your solution - but do please explore other avenues re HRT and thinking strategies before doing so.
Finally - how is your sugar intake - do you eat a lot of it? Cutting back on anything with sugar in including carbs will help stabilise blood sugar - spikes and falls in this can cause "jitteriness" !!
Oops got carried away as usual
but hope this helps
Hurdity x
