Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jean50]

Good Morning
I am age 50 peri. Symptoms for going on HRT. Low mood, anxiety, dryness below, no sex drive. Been on Femoston 1/10 for 3 months now, no improvement in sex drive, dryness, little improvement in anxiety/ low mood, seem to feel low more days than I feel happy. Not sure if it is worth trying gel or patches?? Which is the best to ask my Gp for?? I don't know if I bring on my low mood anxiety with being worried about taking HRT I seem to be on a wheel going round and round, thank you

[Salad]

Morning Jean50

Have you been back to the GP for a review visit of how you are getting on? It's a good idea to have a follow up chat when starting new medication, as it does sometimes need tweaking - HRT can be like that.
It comes down to personal preference really, I have found the dose is more consistent using patches as I absorbed the gel too quickly. Definitely trial and error a lot of the time. Good luck on your HRT journey 

[Hurdity]

Hi Jean50 - one of the side effects of oral HRT can be decreased libido (due to its effect on increasing a compound known as SHBG for short) so this route is not ideal if your libido is already low. I have only ever used patches but others prefer gel. It is a matter of preference and which you absorb better. Gel needs to be taken with a separate progestogen, as can patches, but there are also combi patches eg Evorel sequi or Femseven. Have a look at what other types there are under Treatment above (top pale green banner).

If you have dryness then you may also need Vagifem or estriol cream - many women require both (local oestrogen and systemic = full HRT) to feel comfortable. Also listed above! Worrying will only make things worse so do try to look upon taking HRT as a positive step you are taking to improve your health and try not to dwell on the risks (which are small) and side effects - which all have to be listed and can make the products seem daunting!

Let us know what you decide, and hope you manage to sort out a regime that works for you soon

Hurdity x

[Jean50]

Good Afternoon

Thank you Salad & Hurdity for your reply

I have booked an appointment with my GP for next Tuesday, I am going to ask about going on patches, I think the tablets are bringing on PMS Symptons, I will ask for Femseven Sequi, but after looking at the green banner Femoston 1/10 what I currently take is classed as low dose and the Femseven is classed as Medium does 50mcg so not sure if he will give me them. But can only ask, I will let you know how I get on. thank you ladies for taking the time to anwer my question.xx

[Joanne pegna]

Hi jean I prefer hrt patch and I take testogel for low libido and muscle tone I am also having a problem with palpitations as I think I am on conti 50and need 75 as I also believed every other week , I think a matter of trial errror and we all individual

[Hurdity]

Hi Jean50

The combi patches don't come in low dose but considering they are the standard post-menopausal dose also  for women of any age then I can't see the doc refusing unless you have a medical reason only to be permitted a very low dose? Otherwise - it is your right to choose the HRT type you feel appropriate ( with your doc) and if you have good reasons for choosing transdermal (absorbed straight into the bloodstream and does not have to be metabolised by the liver), then your wishes should be respected - in an area where there are many preparations to choose from. I have only ever used transdermal HRT from the start.

Hurdity x

[Jean50]

Thank you Hurdity & Joanne

Hurdity could I ask, do you think I should ask for a different Patch than Femseven, I really don't know enough to make a decision with only being on HRT for 3 months, I value your advise (to be honest over my GP), should I try a lower dose Patch and seperate pill first??Thank you

[Hurdity]

Hi Jean50 - sorry no-one answered your question!

It's really a question of trying out different types yourself based on what you think you'd like and how you've reacted to other types, then giving it 3 months to see how you get on. No-one can say what's best for you - although at certain ages and stages and with certain health conditions one treatment might be preferable over another.

How did you get on at the doctors? Do let us know the outcome and more to the point how you fare on any new treatment. I do hope your appointment went well and that you feel better soon

Hurdity x

[Jean50]

Hurdity

Thank you for your reply, I'm afraid my appointment is next Tuesday so will let you know next week how I get on x

[Hurdity]

Ah - OK - well now there is a bit more time then I can answer a bit more! Why not try the Femseven and see how you get on? The thing is there are lots of women out there happily taking or using all the different types of HRT and never come on here because they are fine so you tend to read the horror stories. As you will be using a sequi HRT (as you are peri-menopausal) then you will be able to tell whether you are OK with the progestogen on the second two weeks. The first one I tried ( more than 10 years ago!) I didn't get on with and have been on separate patch and progesterone ever since. It also partly depends on convenience and how you feel eg using a patch/gel and separate prog.  If your mood is still low then hopefully the increased oestrogen will help

Hurdity x

[Jean50]

Hi Hurdity

I though I would reply, my Gp has not been in work for sometime since my post infact, I did see a Locum Dr but she did not want to change my HRT as she said that would be down to my own GP, I do have an appointment this coming Wednesday, since I last posted I still have more low mood days than good days, also please can I ask I finished my third month ( a week ago) and I have not had a bleed? is this something to be concerned about, I am 8 days into 4th month and I find that I am crying this week alot, so confused about HRT (should I come off it and see if I feel better without) sorry for sounding so soft in head but am really confused. thank you

on Femeston 1/10 just started 4th month

[Dotty]

Perhaps you need a higher dose of the Femoston if the low dose is not taking care of your symptoms x

[Hurdity]

Hi again Jean50

One thing I'm not clear about is what your periods were doing before you started HRT - you say you are peri but how often were your periods ie cycle length and were they heavy, light etc? This will determine approx where you are in menopause. It sounds to me like it just isn't a high enough dose as I mentioned before - especially if it's been a long time since your last natural period? The lack of bleed means there isn't any lining building up which implies to me you must have been skipping periods otherwise your own hormones would have kicked in and you might have expected some bleeding. It is a very low dose.

As Dotty - says! Femoston does come as 2/10 so you could ask to try that before changing to a patch if you prefer? PMS symptoms are normal  when you start the combi tabs and also for a few days after you stop them ( until the prog has cleared from your system) - but the main thing is you should feel better for most of the rest fo the time - not worse or still low!

Do also ask for some vaginal oestrogen - in addition to the systemic HRT ( the tabelets) as mentioned before.

Good luck with your appt and keep us updated

Hurdity x

[Jean50]

  Thank you ladies for your reply. Prior to going on HRT my periods came every month but started coming closer together and lighter but I never missed one. 1st & 2nd month on Femeston 1/10 I had a bleed 3 days into new month, but nothing this month and 8 days into pack. I think I want to try the patches as I still have no sex drive ( poor hubby) so I was hoping a different progesterone might help xx

[Jean50]

Hi Ladies, one more question before I see GP on Wednesday. By Friday I will have finished the 2 weeks of estrogen tablets on Femoston 1/10, if he gives me Femseven patches on Friday should I carry on with Femoston Progesterone & estrogen pills for 2 weeks or should I go on to the patches?? Thank you.