So sorry to hear you are still having problems Marie62.
I am wondering if the reason for your continued issues might be to do with the fact that all the HRT types you have been taking contain a synthetic progestogen to be taken continuously. For many women - these can give rise to continuous low-grade progestogenic side effects - low mood, anxiety, headaches, fatigue - some of the very things that HRT is meant to help with.
The other thing is that the oestrogen dose is quite low with Angelique and if you are having digestive problems you may not be absorbing it well and would benefit from a higher dose oestrogen? Some women need a higher dose of oestrogen to feel at their best than is needed to get rid of flushes and sweats.
The main thing is that if you don't want to take a progestogen all the time, then you will have to put up with a bleed - unless you go for a Mirena coil - which delivers progestogen directly to the uterus with far less systemic absorption ( although some women may be affected initially).
I have been taking HRT for over 10 years - from late peri-menopause to post-menopause and I can honestly say it's the best thing I've done - I don't have low moods ( just the normal worries that everyone gets about things), nor anxiety or depression on this regime. I take it on a long cycle (with agreement of my doc) - oestrogen patches (50-60 mcg) and then take progesterone (Utrogestan) vaginally) for 12 days every 6-8 weeks. I know from scans that this is OK for me. This gives me the benefit of oestrogen only for as long as possible, a couple of weeks of a bit of fatigue and the odd headache, a small bleed and then back to oestrogen again.
It's a pity your doc has only suggested tablet HRT and in fact both Elleste Duet conti and Kliovance have the same ingredients ( estradiol and norethisterone) but one is half the dose - when there are other ways of delivering oestrogen into your system!
Please do not despair and think about giving it another go. Can you ask for a referral to a specialist - or menopause clinic? Maybe e-mail Dr Currie ( £25 for a consultation - website home page) in the meantime?
If you can bear to have a bleed then I would personally recommend oestrogen patch (or gel) with separate progesterone or if not a bleed then Mirena coil. Either way you would be able to increase the oestrogen dose slowly and is much gentler on the system as oestrogen is absorbed through the skin - until your moods improved, but without the progestogen nagging away at your moods!
All the preparations are listed in the top Treatments tab - look under HRT preparations.
Hope this helps and do ask if you need to know any more
Hurdity x
