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[Momo]

Hello Ladies
it  has been a while since i was on here, but you are always so helpful, thought i would post again. After about a year of not getting on with Evoril sequi or conti i have now come off the patches altogether, with Docs advice, we came to the conclusion that there isn't much else i can take, as the Mirena coil made me so ill when i used it before. So i cut down to half a patch for about a month and on New Years Eve stopped all together. I am hoping that by coming off A) the flushes and terrible anxiety won't come back and B) the bi weekly migraines will stop.
Just wondering how long it might take for the hormones to flush out of my system? Any experience from any of you lovely ladies?

My menopause specialist at my practice has left now, and there isn't another in my county any more - how ridiculous is that? But the other female doctor at my surgery is pretty good. I might have to go back and try estrogen only HRT with a new type of synthetic progesterone but really reluctant to try anything else at the moment.

I am 48 now and have been going through this for about 5 years.

all the best Momo

[netty114]

Hi - interested to read your post as I am also going to come off the combined HRT patch so look forward to reading any answers you get but can I ask, you said you cut your patch down to half while you weaned yourself off the patch.  Was that the combined estrogen/progesterone patch as that is what I am on and wondered how best to reduce it?

[Dancinggirl]

Momo
The patches you tried have the harsher progesterones.taking a break from HRT can be good to see how you feel without hormones. Flushes etc may take 2-4 weeks to return   You are still young to be oestrogen deficient so it would be worth trying a kinder HRT regime.
I had a premature menopause and in my 40s I stuck with a sequi regime which was one pump of  Oestrogel per day with 10 days of progesterone each month.  I would suggest you try this after taking a 4 week break from all hormone treatment.  I suggest you try either Utrogestan or Provera for the progesterone part - you may need to try both to see which suits you better. DG x

[Momo]

Hi ladies
thanks for the responses , appreciate that you take the time.
netty114 - i was on the combined patch, i literally cut the patch in half with a pair of scissors, that is what the Doc recommended, it seemed to stay on ok, even at half the size. i did that for about a month , then was ready to stop. My doc did say that i could stop cold turkey style but i thought i would take it slow - good luck with your experience. X

Dancing girl, thanks for your comments, i am hoping the flushes will be bearable when compared to the awful migraines that have driven me off HRT. When you say pump what does that mean? is it a gel you rub in? The Doc suggested Utrogestan if i find i want to go back to HRT.
I did have Depo-Provera way back when i used contraception - is it related ( sorry i am so ignorant of how all this works!) I was steralized 12 years ago because i couldn't get on with any contraception, but the word Provera rings a bell. On the Depo-provera (an injection as i recall) i had terrible migraines/acne and mood swings, which makes me think that progesterone and I don't get on
take care and stay well M x

[Mary G]

The wretched progesterone, yet again.  Sorry to hear that you have had to give up on HRT altogether because of this.  It really is time that something better came along.

Correct me if I am wrong but it would appear that your migraines are caused by the progesterone component in HRT/contraception?  I also suffer with the same problem but didn't have any problems with my own progesterone pre-menopause but like you, I did struggle with birth control.

If your life is a misery without HRT and your symptoms return, I suggest you try a different HRT regime like Oestrogel (you rub it on your skin) which is very flexible and you can quickly and easily adjust the dose and the 7 day 100mg vaginal (it has fewer side effects when used vaginally) Utrogestan regime.  Because of your history, you should be able to take this low dose of progesterone with regular uterine scans and you might find you can tolerate this regime better.  To be honest, if you have had problems with the Mirena coil and progesterone based contraception in the past, you should never have been put on an HRT regime which contains norethisterone. 

A high dose of oestrogen together with very low progesterone is definitely worth considering. 

[Momo]

Hi Mary G
thanks for that info, i am hoping that i can tolerate the hot flushes if it means i don't get any more migraines.

it is interesting to hear about the gel but i have another condition that means i really struggle use anything vaginally, so i always have to find a work around - makes for an interesting sex life  but we manage. And at my last smear i had to be upgraded from practice nurse  to the menopause specialist because the nurse could not get the speculum (?) in because i had very strong muscles  think i nearly fired the thing out across the room.
anyway, it is all an adventure isn't it? it is great to get the support from everyone here, it does makes a great difference. In fact my Doc always suggests i come on here to get support and advice. Especially as she is leaving the practice and there is no other menopause specialists in the county any more apprently at GP level anyway.  So you are plugging the gap in the NHS ladies!
take care yourselves and all the best Momo