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[Hurdity]

Hi pinkdove

A belated  from me too - I've been away.

I would give a cautious agreement with some of what the others have said - and in particular starting HRT over 60. It is imperative that you use transdermal HRT to reduce possible stroke risk and especially if you are a long time since menopause. When was your last period and was it a natural one ( ie no mini pill or Mirena coil)?

At your age you may well find that a very low dose is all you need to feel a lot better so this would be the best place to start - not a good idea to wade in with a high dose.

Personally I would not start with gel, but I would suggest a low dose patch such as Estradot 25 mcg - and you might even want to cut this to start with if your body has been without oestrogen for say 10 years - although you might be OK starting with this. You only have to change it twice a week so it's much easier in terms of remembering. I have always been fine on 50 mcg patch since age 54 approx.

Re the progesterone - you won't want to have a bleed at your age if you've been without periods for so long, but do be prepared for the progesterone (Utrogestan) to have some side effects too. You won't be able to distinguish between the effects of the oestrogen and progesterone if you take them continuously too. I'm not sure about long term vaginal use of progesterone either - most women who take it this way have a cycle including me at 63 (been on HRT for 9 years). It is not licensed for use vaginally so unless your GP agreed to reduce the dose the standard dose for continuous use orally is 100 mg per day. However if you are on a very low dose of oestrogen you would be able to manage a longer cycle so for example have a withdrawal bleed every 6 weeks or so or even two months.

Can you have the telephone consultation with your GP and at the same time ask to be referred to a menopause clinic if you want to do anything out of the ordinary?

Make sure you are absolutely sure of the type of HRT you want to try and why and stick to your guns!

When you feel better you should be able to start to lose the weight through a combination of diet and exercise.

Good luck

Hurdity x

[pinkdove]

Thanks Hurdity, I just feel so bad at the moment, and i am looking for a quick fix in hrt, which I know will not happen, I will be advised by my gp, as i know we are all different, on the plus side, everyone tells me i will feel a lot better, but at 62, i dont really relish having a bleed again, but reading through this great forum, you are right, the patches seem to be the way to go.

I had my gallbladder out a couple of years ago, and can have a dicky tummy at times, so would rather not have tablets, but again i will listen to my gp.

Cant believe i have been treated for anxiey and depression fr 6 years, and all this could and probably is down to the menopause, so here's hoping i can feel better, and finally reduce my ad's and get my life back xx

[CLKD]

However: you may have depression and anxiety un-related to hormones.  What symptoms took you to the GP who then prescribed them?  For me, if my brain feels low for more than 3 mornings when I wake I up the dosage for 5-7 days to support the brain.  I also take a betablocka to ease anxiety surges as well as having an emergency tablet for when anxiety grounds me.  My hormonal depression was totally different to what I suffered in later years [from the late 1980s].

Can you remember back how you felt each month?   I would cry a lot the night B4 a bleed began, even if a period wasn't due - sure enough, it would present itself the next morning  .  I would get irritated 48 hours prior to a bleed, my Husband could see the warning signs and learnt to duck. 

Perhaps keep a mood/food diary, did I suggest this already?  [meno brain here  ]. Lack of recall is a common meno symptom! 

Have a list of symptoms and questions by the 'phone to ask when the GP rings and jot down suggestions from her.  Let us know!

[pinkdove]

Hi CLKD, Thanks for taking the time to answer, I ma prone to suffering anxiety and depression, and have been on effexor at a low dose for 6 years, i have also used beta blockers, but only for a short time.

However this feels different, I am completely exhausted all the time, really bad sweats, bloated, and anxious, so my GP ran a load of blood tests, they came back normal, except pv level which was high, went to see a different GP, a female, and she said she thought my symptoms were hormone related, and suggested i try a low dose HRT/

Before the menopause i suffered badly with PMT, but had very regular periods/

I really hate going on about this, as i am a get on with it person, but i am really feeling so bad at the moment, just hoping that HRT will help me, I will write down some questions for the GP before she rings, and thanks again xx

[CLKD]

Give yourself some slack!  This is 'the Change of Life' with associated niggles, symptoms, upsets.  HORMONES    .

Put that list by the phone  .  Rest when you can, exercise gently and eat regularly.  Keep posting!  PMT can be eased by eating every 3 hours ;-).

[pinkdove]

Hi again, my GP is ringing me this afternoon, prior to my appointment next week, to discuss HRT, well i am all read out scare stories, good stories, should or should'nt take at my ag.......the list goes on.

I have now researched eleste duet, and femoston,and thinking of asking her about them, i am overweight at the moment and the thought of putting on more weight fills me with fear, but as i have said i am so tired at the moment, i cant be bothered to do much, and i crave junk food at night, so am hoping that i might have more energy on HRT, and maybe be able to stick to a healthier life style.....what a mess i feel like just now, to try HRT or not , Please help xx

[dazned]

It really is your personal choice . Just bare in mind as I have said before on here thousands and thousands of women are happily getting on with their lives on hrt ,these women don't need to go onto forums like this they have found what suits them . Femoston is a good one to try most do well on it. If you do decide to go a head please keep an open mind,be positive and dont go looking for problems 

Be prepared to stick at it for at least two cycles and dont expect miracles overnight. Try also to look at getting more active as and when you can I'm sure you will be surprised at the results. Keep us updated on what you decide.

[Hurdity]

Hi again pinkdove

I'm probably too late for your phone call - but I wouldn't start on tablets as I mentioned. Transdermal HRT is really the way to go at your age - especially if you are 10 years or more since last period. You didn't say when this was?

Another member Ju Ju also started HRT at age 60 and I am sure would be happy to share her experiences with you.

As you say - your weight increase could be partly due to the Effexor, and also how appalling that you may never have really needed this but instead should have been offered HRT if your depression was cyclical/hormonal - only apparent at menopause or pre-menstrually. This is classic hormonal depression/anxiety.

As I said before it would be best to start on something like a low dose patch like Estradot 25 mcg - as the absorption is very consistent and not dependent on the area you apply to your body as with gel. You would need a separate progesterone but of course - as I mentioned in my post below.

The only other alternative is for example a conti patch - like Evorel conti or Femseven conti cut in half - but this means having the progestogen all the time and some women do have problems with some of the synthetic ones. Could be worth a try though?

Do let us know how you get on.

Hurdity x

[pinkdove]

Me Again, Thanks for all your replies i really appreciate all the advice, bit of background I am 62 years old, had my last period about 10 years ago, i had bad PMT. a week before a bleed, and was very regular,

Update, my GP rang and she says she will be happy to prescribe a low dose HRT, needs to check my blood pressure, so will do that next Thursday when i go in for appt.  she says i can use patches, would probably need to use two differnt patches, which i dont understand, she says she's thinking of a sequential dose, so i would have bleeding again,

I asked about the continued HRT, and she say's if i do want that she would consider it, but would have to do some more research before i go in again next week.

Anyone else have to use two patches ?? or any advice on what she said would be appreciated.

Thanks again ladies, you are all brilliant xxx

[Hurdity]

Thanks for letting us know

How bizarre! Why would she need to check. Continuous combined HRT ie the no-bleed type is the norm for post-menopausal women! To opt for a cycle is not the norm but as we suggested might be best in the first instance.

What she will be referring to are the combi patches - Evorel sequi and Femseven sequi.

I will explain about the Evorel sequi: this consists of two types of patches - Evorel 50 mcg (oestrogen only patches which you take for two weeks) followed by the combi patches - ie which have oestrogen and progestogen combined - these are called Evorel conti patches. The progestogen in them is called norethisterone. Both types ( Evorel and Femseven) are listed here: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php (scroll down to transdermal).

I think several of us have mentioned there can be side effects with norethisterone but why not try? It would be good to try the cyclical type of HRT to give you a bleed at first, because at least you will know whether you feel better on the oestrogen. You might find 50 mcg a shock to your system to start with after so long without oestrogen so if you do start the patches you might want to start with half a patch and build up gradually.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

It's good that the GP is prepared to put in some leg work - not all know much about menopause and easing of symptoms do they ……. taking a list of symptoms and what you would like to try may well help too.

Let us know how you get on!

[pinkdove]

Hurdity, thanks for that, with all the research and the help on this forum, i thought that the continuous combined HRT is the best for post menopause,so i am going to print of the page on MM on HRT for post menopause and take it with me.

She is a really nice GP. and i do think she is trying to do the best for me, she did say she would further research, and i am grateful for that.

CLKD I will take a list of symptoms along with the print out on post meno HRT, I will let you know what happens next week,  OMG another week of this, but hey ho i've come this far.......

Thanks again xx

[CLKD]

Yep.  Now that you are building a working relationship with your GP you should eventually find something which suits.

[pinkdove]

Today i have reduced my antidepressant by half, of course i feel ok as it's early days, but i'm determined to get this weight off.

When i see my GP wednesday night, i am hoping to start a low dose HRT, i just hope the HRT wont make me gain any more weight.

Still feeling tired, loads of sweating, but i really must take control and hopefully get my life back xx

[CLKD]

Little steps!  Smaller portions?  More fresh/frozen veg., grilled chicken or stir fried ……… fish once a week? - Himself makes lots of rissotto-type meals which means lots of filling veg..  Grazing helps, also eating B4 one is hungry so that 1 doesn't 'stuff' the wrong types of foods ;-).  Also, don't give up on treats ………

Exercise [says She, sitting on the sofa watching sport]  . 

Does your Surgery have a dietician available?  I go to our Surgery twice a year for them to weigh and note where I'm at.