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[cheezel]

Tk you for ur replies. I dont know how to continue in same stream. Unfortunately we dont even have oestrogel in Ireland or any such things as menopause clinics. We dont have a system like NHS and have to pay for gps consultants meds etc ourselves if working. I wanted iestrogel and utrogestan but we dont have it. They use Provera in IVF treatments here. My autoimmune conditions are hypothyroidism and alopecia totalis. All my hair fell out at 27. My gynae just rang and said im to stick with the Evorel Conti for another 10 wks and maybe i need to go back to my gp for an anti-depressant. Im not sure about this from what ive read and i hate taking meds anyway. Ive never taken ADs or anti anxiety meds in past and my gp thinks i dont need them but im so down im not so sure. My gp said i will get worse on them before i get better and now im afraid to take them as she said i could have suicidal thoughts!!!!! Feel like im totally in limbo with no real help although i know its early days. Im only on consistent hrt 2 wks but have been coping, trying to cope, with this since Jan.....i appreciate you all taking the time to reply to me ladies x

[CLKD]

Your GP is giving a warning, but many patients don't become worse nor do they become suicidal!

Sometimes ladies need an anti-depressant or something to take to counteract anxiety surges in order to feel better as HRT can take a while B4 the body adjusts!

To continue here press the reply button at the bottom ;-)

[cheezel]

Ladies,
Thank you all for your replies. We unfortunately dont have that HRT either. We have femoston  prempak fematab patches estradot evorel...i had originally booked with John Studd and looked at Marion Gluck because i wanted natural hrt and thought dosage specific might suit my body better as im v sensitive to slight changes in my body..we dont even have utrogestan or oestrogel here and my original gynae didnt even know what bioidentical was..its archaic....i cancelled appointment with John Studd as i had no one to mind my kids and needed hubbie to come as too sick to go alone. Its also hugely expensive but if he could help me id beg borrow or steal. Yes i think my body ok on progesterone..never had bad PMS problems when pregnant or PND so i guess i need to see the positive in that. My thyroid has swung hyperactive so maybe my symptoms to do with that. Seeing endocrinologist next wk. My mum never had one symptom sailed through it all at 47. My 2 older sisters not even in peri......just thankful UK has this site as nothing in Ireland...my gynae trying to set sth up....

[Hurdity]

Hi cheezel

 

Sorry to hear about your problems. I think you would be better off with a patch for your oestrogen in your position with 3 young children and including a two year old - because of the time gel takes to dry and the transfer issue - if you use it at night you would need to avoid contact with your partner with that part of the body - for an hour.

The other thing is you said you missed a period or two - I wasn't quite clear about that? Unless you have been without a period for 12 months cyclical HRT is normally prescribed - so that you have a withdrawal bleed. That also avoids the problem of continuous progesterone. So - if you have been prescribed Evorel conti and you have had a natural period  within 12 months of first starting HRT then you are not yet post-menopausal and should not be on Evorel conti anyway! This is also likely to contribute to hair loss because norethisterone is related to testosterone. The one in Provera is also related to testosterone but not so much - look at the info on this website about the different types:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Progestogens which can be used cyclically are of 3 main types:

Testosterone derived - Norgestrel, Norethisterone acetate and Levonorgestrel.
Less testosterone related - Medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA).
Least testosterone related - Dydrogesterone and Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan).

Side effects are often experienced during the progestogen phase of treatment and can be reduced by using a product containing a different type or route of progestogen.

If you have hypothyroid condition then tablet HRT can affect/interact with thyroid meds so you would need to your doc to monitor thyroid levels for a while in case you needed to increase them - hence a patch would be better I think although as Stellajane says Femoston is a good tablet so you could try this one - as long as you made sure your thyroid levels were measured and adjusted if necessary.

The other alternative is to try one of the birth control pills - Qlaira if that is available. This one has bio-identical oestrogen, and regulates the cycle fairly well. I have no idea whether the progestogen in this is androgenic or not though!

If you decide to choose separate patch and Provera then Estradot are brilliant because they are very small and stick well and come in different strengths from 25 mcg up to 100 mcg.

I get that horrible tight head feeling sometimes when I come off the progesterone - like bad pmt, and sometimes while on the prog itself, but once the progesterone has gone from my system I feel much better again!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Ask your Gynae to contact Dr Currie who set up this Site/Forum ……… with support from Dr Currie ladies in your area may well get a better deal though it's unlikely to happen over-night.

Could you speak with Prof Studd's secretary about your situation and get advice?  With child-care requirements and probably an over-night stay for you, it would prove expensive???  plus the cost of the Consult?

[cheezel]

Again tk you all for taking the time to reply. As i mentioned previously i have autoimmune hypothyroidism. Its now swinging hyper. I just spoke to a friend who is Lab Manager of Immunology and she reckons my Problem could be due to my thyroid being so all over the place as it effects metabolism and that it could be metabolising it v quickly one day and not the next so im all over the place. I agree with the Evorel Conti query. My original gynae basically put me on that cos i wanted bioidentical and then said you wont have a period on that!! After some research i realised i shouldnt be on it either. My new gynae wants to put me on a tablet as feels it gives more stability ?? Of dosage in younger ladies so i presume that will be cyclical. Im just on the Evorel Conti at the mo as i had put that on and got good symptom relief. I had tried estradot and was v nauseous on it at a v low level....but i think thats because i was so progesterone def at the time. She doesnt want to put me onto tablet until i see the allergist in case my hives etc are due to sth in patch. I dont think it is and either does she she said yest...i had awful hives last yr with Prempak C and thats why she is concerned. I have seen alot of ladies in Ireland say positive things about Femoston and the progesterone component seems to be less harsh to the system. Anyways i will update you all on my journey and thank you for the support. Hoping my gynae will prescribe sth for my  nonexistent libido too as my poor hubbie is only 41 although its been hiding away for yrs now!! I had researched Qlaira myself and will discuss with my gynae as i know its available here! Tks again ladies!!

[CLKD]

Do keep in touch!  Sometimes people have reactions to the fillers or outer coating of medications so it isn't the active ingredient, some medications can be given in liquid form ………..

[cheezel]

Stellajane they are the ones i developed hives to as well!! Girls im having the worat day. Just went to bring my sons library book back and felt like i was going to have a nervous breakdown!!! I really cant take much more of this. My gp had given me prescription for 2mgs diazapam and i had to go into pharmacy crying asking for it to be filled. What the hell is wrong with me? My last thyroid bloods were hyperactive and im wondering if my thyroid has gone into a hyperactive storm eventhough ive been underactive last 15 yrs!! Im just feeling so sick.....i feel so worthless to my hubbie n kids n wonder will it ever get better....i have no life at all since this started...meant to be going on hols in 8 wks with my kids....im so upset and just feel like my once so great life is over.....sorry for the depressive rant but i just cant take much more.....

[CLKD]

You are starting 'the change', not called that for nowt!

Take the Valium! sit and rest. This too will pass. 

[cheezel]

Thank you CLKD!! I needed to hear that. Think im stressing myself out now worrying im never going to get better. I need to remember its temporary or a few yrs anyway. Took the valium but still felt crap. My psychotherapist rang and did some breathing techniques with me to stop the panic attack and is ringing again later. She is fantastic. Starting to think maybe i should think about taking some anti anxiety meds until i can get a regimen sorted. Ive never suffered with anxiety or depression before so think im under the impression i cant be now!! Ive always been a mega strong person so finding it hard to deal with being such a stressed out mess now!!!

[CLKD]

Have you never been ill  ……..

[Hurdity]

Hi again cheezel

It sounds to me like you really need help sorting out your thyroid levels and then finding the right HRT for your stage of menopause - before you medicate with all this other stuff ie valium etc. Your hormone surges and fluctuations in both of these will result in all sorts of physical and mental symptoms which you will just mask with other medication.  Perhaps just once or twice if  you really can't cope at all - but not on a regular basis until you've sorted out your other hormones.  If your thyroid bloods are hyperactive no wonder you are panicking and feeling anxious - you really need expert help on this!

If you felt nauseous once on Estradot that would have been due to the initial surge in oestrogen - this is quite normal and not due to any problem with Estradot - it is just pure oestrogen stuck to your body! This type of nausea usually settles quite quickly. Also nothing to do with being low in progesterone either! That is also normal (ie v low prog) during the first half of the normal menstrual cycle, and any time you are not ovulating - especially during part of peri-menopause and post-menopause.

For libido - some women find that boosting oestrogen alone does the trick (if they have some of their own still). Other than that only a small amount of testosterone (in addition to full HRT) or the tablet Livial can have this effect.

Hurdity x

[cheezel]

Hurdity,
Thank you for the detailed reply. Yes i agree with you re extra meds. Im going to a consultant endocrinologist nxt weds so just a wk to go. I really cant figure out what is working and what isnt and im clutching at straws. Ive read so much but seem to then hop on sth that i think is me i.e. the progesterone def as off hrt i had nonstop severe nausea and diarrohea and couldnt fxn at all. Thanks for info on oestrogen. I felt fantastic first few days on Estradot 37.5 and then developed severe nausea and headaches and just couldnt tolerate it. I couldnt get out of bed and had to rip it off. I was developing hives too on a daily basis and swelling of my face and eyes. Im determined to stick with this Evorel Conti for as long as possible and see what happens....im wondering if the continuous progesterone along with the type is my problem causing low mood and anxiety and head pressure around the eyes? Hurdity you are so knowledgeable on all this. I guess im so desperate to feel better im clutching at straws. Im heading into my 5th mth of this and was hoping to feel slightly better by now but my gynae says im a complex case with my autoimmune issues and we will get there eventually!!

[CLKD]

Morning - Do you keep a journal, i.e. jot down moods/food/general feelings? sorry if I've asked B4 

[Hurdity]

cheezel - there are several of us on here who have been around a long time, or been taking HRT for some time and are late 50's early 60's - so between us we have read a lot about HRT as well as tried a few! We like to help others if we can

Hurdity x