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[prestige]

Does anyone else suffer from nausea and fatigue?

I'm not on any HRT. I used to be on Elleste duet sequential (1mg but upped to 2mg), but after 6 months I had to come off it as my symptoms were magnified and I felt so poorly

[Dotty]

Yes and yes.

Nausea is my worst symptom and I am exhausted.

Why do you think your symptoms got worse on hrt?

[prestige]

Hi Dotty

Thanks for the message.

I initially went to my GP as I would suffer bouts of dizziness, fatigue and nausea (felt like morning sickness). Initially, I was prescribed anti sickness tablets and was told the fatigue and nausea would go after a while.

I then went back to my GP after the symptoms did not go away and by then I  had night sweats which prevented me from getting any restful sleep. I was given a blood test and it was confirmed I was peri-menopausal (I had had a period in the last 12 months). I was put on Kilofem which was subsequently changed to Elleste duet 1 mg. It was then upped to 2 mg as I then developed terrible anxiety and insomnia.

I persevered with the HRT for 6 months but all my symptoms (apart from the night sweats) seem to get worse and I seemed to gather more ailments like anxiety and insomnia -both of which I had never had before. My fatigue and nausea were off the scale and I felt like a 90 year old woman, given that I was 46 at the time.

Since coming off HRT  my anxiety and insomnia have gone away. It is now 10 weeks since I last had my HRT tablet. My fatigue and nausea are still with me, but I can have 1 or maybe 2 weeks of feeling relatively normal . Then BANG it comes back again

I'm sure HRT has done wonders for other ladies, but for me at this precise moment in my menopause journey, it definitely made me feel worse.

[Dancinggirl]

We all experience menopause differently and respond differently to HRT so it's not ‘one size fits all', I'm afraid.
The first thing to do when meno hits is to really look at lifestyle - so diet, exercise and relaxation. Whether you use HRT or not, it is vital to adjust your lifestyle to cope with the changes that happen as we go through this time in our lives. HRT will not suit everyone but it is worth trying the various options before deciding whether it is appropriate for you or not.
Nausea can be reduced if you eat simple foods and small amounts often - in my experience, lack of oestrogen really does effect the digestive system so try cutting down on fat and high sugar foods. I have found that soya now suits me better than milk!!!
If you want to try HRT again then I suggest you try oestrogen as gel or patches and take progesterone for 10-12 days each month longside - this would be either Provera or Utrogestan- you may need to try both of these to see which suits you. Both Utrogestan and Provera are kinder progesterones so often better for mood.  You have only had the harsher progesterones so far. 
Try adjusting your diet, get out for brisk walks and maybe do some yoga or Pilates and practise some relaxation techniques eg mindfulness first and see if this helps - it's amazing how simple changes can make a big difference. Life is stressful and this can be very damaging.
DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi prestige

Dancinggirl has given you some good suggestions already.

I would just like to add to that and re-iterate that if you suffer from nausea then transdermal HRT is recommended (ie patches or gel).
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/route.php

 Indications for non-tablet route.

    Individual preference.
    Poor symptom control with tablet HRT.
    Side effects such as nausea with tablet.
    Bowel disorder which may affect absorption of tablet therapy.
    History of migraine (when steadier hormone levels which may be achieved with a patch may be beneficial).
    Lactose sensitivity (all tablet preparations of HRT contain lactose).
    History of gallstones.
    Current use of medications such as anti-epileptic medication which may interfere with the break-down of tablet HRT.
    Variable blood pressure.
    High triglyceride levels.
    Risk factors including Body Mass Index greater than 30, family history or past history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus, after full discussion and specialist advice when necessary.

In addition when you were taking a continuous combined HRT (Kliofem)  ie the no-bleed HRT type - then you were taking progestogens all the time which can give bad side effects as Dancinggirl has said. You also reacted badly to Elleste ( same prog) even when taken cyclically. Personally I would suggest going back to a cyclical HRT ( that gives withdrawal bleed) again to see if you can tolerate the progestogen. The only combi patches are Evorel sequi (which contains the same prog as you've tried) and Femseven ( different prog but some find problems with sticking), otherwise the suggestions that Dancinggirl has given - but definitely try them cyclically first!

You will see the different types listed under Treatments (top tabs pale green banner).

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[prestige]

Thank you DG and Hurdity for your wise words. Can I just add that whilst on HRT, I would often fill poorly on both progesterone days as well as the oestrogen part? So, I'm slightly confused as to why I just could not get on with the treatment? I so wanted it to work, so that I could feel normal again

At the moment, I'm just taking a day at a time. I have changed my diet and incorporated lots of brisk walks in the park.

What's so weird is that my night sweats have disappeared since coming off HRT

Can I also ask the wise ladies on here.... what happens at the end of the menopause journey. If my symptoms are due to a lack of oestrogen produced by my ovaries. What happens at the end of the journey when the ovaries pack up for good?

[Dancinggirl]

Hi again prestige

Firstly, if you felt unwell on both the iestegn and the combine oestrogen/progesterone part of HRT, either you are super sensitive to any hormones (which would be very rare) or there is something else going on - maybe an allergy to the fillers in the HRT. Unfortunately it is not uncommon to develop allergies and extra sensitivy to all sorts of things when meno hits. If you were already feeling unwell and nauseous before for you started HRT, taking HRT orally might not have helped.
Are you still peri meno? Do you still get the occasional bleed? How old are you?
You were put in a sequential HRT so I am assuming you are peri meno, so your hormones may well be fluctuating so the fact that your Night sweats have stopped could be because you oestrogen levels have gone up again for a while.
The other thing that should be checked is your thyroid function - perhaps ask for another blood test to look at thyroid, FSH and oestrogen  levels.
As to what happens after menopause - I'm sorry to tell you that, even when flushes and night sweats subside, the lack of oestrogen can continue to cause deterioration of urogenital issues, joints, skin etc. Essentially oestrogen helps to maintain many things and without it our bodies will suffer. I believe many will find a more balanced way forward once the body settles over the approx 2-7 years of the menopause journey but for some, meno symptoms never truly go away. Being post menopausal is a permenant state of being and bottom line, it is all part of the aging process. How badly this lack of oestrogen effects each of us will vary greatly - after all around 40% of women sail through with few, if any, problems.
This is why HRT alone is simply not enough - we have to adjust our life style to compensate for this lack of oestrogen.
DG x

[prestige]

Thanks for (always) the excellent info DG and Hurdity!

I am 47 and my menopause journey started precisely this time last year. I have not had a natural period in 12 months, although I had a "forced period" whilst on Elleste duet sequi.

The past few days I have added another "joyous" symptom to my menopause journey - horrible stomach churning adrenalin rushes in the middle of the night.

The last time I visited my GP, he was trying to get me to take AD's, which I'm petrified of taking as I could not bare to suffer more ill effects than I am already havinh to cope with.

I can't blame the tiredness and nausea on the HRT, as I was already experiencing bouts of this before I went on HRT. I only stopped taking it as 6 months down the line my symptoms had got worse- no better.

Today I feel very fed up and tired and most of all very lonely  . I see plenty of women enjoying life and mine seems to have stopped. I have a very supportive husband, but I wonder how much he really understands.

I just don't know when this nightmare is going to end....