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[Kathleen]

Hello again Wrensong.

I have never taken testosterone.  A while ago I used Livial ( Tibolone ) which I believe has androgenic effects but I wasn't troubled by dry eyes at that time.

Hope this helps and take care.

K.

[Wrensong]

Hi Kathleen, thank you for the info about your HRT history.  When you say you weren't troubled by dry eyes at the time you were on Livial, I take it you mean your dry eye condition hadn't started beforehand, rather than that Livial helped the dry eye?!

Foxylady - sorry to know you had the runaround to get your menopause symptoms treated.  Thyroid conditions can rather muddy the clinical picture - certainly did with me, especially during the peri years.  Have just had to arrange a TFT today as suspect my new HRT is making me under-treated.  Again!  Will get there in the end.

Copy of Ophthalmology clinic letter arrived today (nearly 10 weeks after the clinic was held!) asking GP to prescribe the heated eye mask.  I had no idea these were available on the NHS, so had bought one the day after my appt!

[Kathleen]

Hello Wrensong.

My dry eye condition hadn't started before taking Livial so I have idea if that HRT helped or not. I must say my eyes are fine now, no itching etc even though I am lowering my dose of Oestrogel.

  Unfortunately other areas are very dry and once again I am noticing my episiotomy scar that came with my darling daughter nearly thirty years ago!

Swings and roundabouts with dryness and my moods on a rollercoaster, this meno feels like a veritable funfair but without the fun!

Wishing you well.

K.

[Wrensong]

Hi Kathleen, glad to hear your eyes are better.  A thought I'm still getting my head around - but maybe because of lowering Oestrogel rather than despite, considering studies showing women with dry eye on oestrogen alone (less so on combi regimes) fared worse than non-users.  The idea that androgen deficiency is linked with dry eye rather than oestrogen.  Will be interesting to hear what the Sjogren's expert has to say about HRT & dry eyes, but 6 month waiting list Cons said & his clinic letter referring me to her only written last week (though I saw him in April), so could be 2020 before I get to see her!

What are you using topically for the dryness down below?  I find I need Vagifem 5 nights a week plus Estriol externally, as well as systemic HRT, to manage the VA.  The Estriol, though very weak, I find makes a huge difference to comfort.

Are your mood swings cyclical i.e. according to your HRT regime?  Sorry - can't remember whether sequi but think so?
Wx

[Kathleen]

Hello Wrensong.

I am not on a cycle with my HRT and my regime is two pumps of Oestrogel and 100mcg of Utrogestan vaginally. My consultant offered vagifem but I didn't need it at the time.

I've been a bit naughty and stopped Utrogestan for a while and lowered the gel to about a quarter of a pump. I suppose I'm gearing up to coming off HRT altogether to see how I feel. I noticed the tender breasts disappeared when I stopped the Utrogestan and the very worst of the mood swings faded as well. However declining oestrogen means that my flushes are back and I noticed vaginal dryness creeping in so maybe I should have opted for the vagifem after all! Even so my vagina seems to have calmed down a little. I never had any burning  only itching and my bladder function is okay. Noticing the scar has become an issue though and I've been experimenting with sitting in a shallow bath with water laced with  Oilatum which is an emollient used to treat dry skin. So  far this seems to be helping so I plan to notify the forum if the results are good.

To be honest I'm a devil for experimenting with my menopause treatments but this is because no matter what I have used I've never had full symptom relief. I mention this because I would hate you to draw too many conclusions from my experiences which may then lead you down the wrong path.

At the moment my plan is to take a break from HRT and then take stock of the symptoms that remain. I'm hoping that some early nights will at least help my anxiety so that I can feel less wired and tired during the day but we'll see how it goes. A little normality is of course my aim and I'm sure that is shared by everyone on the forum.

Wishing you well.

K.

[Wrensong]

Sounds like a sensible plan, Kathleen.  It does get demoralising when whatever the regime, some stubborn symptoms remain.  Before having an 18 month break from HRT in 2018-19, I spent 2 years trying to find one that worked better than the Evorel Conti I absorbed poorly, but to my disappointment, given its reputation for probably being the least harmful form of prog, cannot tolerate Utrogestan whatever the route.  So now on my 4th form of prog. 

Would you consider trying Vagifem &/or Estriol to nip VA in the bud if there's a chance you may be coming off systemic HRT for good?

As I get the impression you favour a natural approach, have you tried meditation for the anxiety?  Practised regularly, it can reduce reactivity for a more serene default state.

[Kathleen]

Hello again Wrensong

Despite my cynicism I would definitely consider vagifem if things get worse. I haven't tried meditation yet but I am using some deep breathing techniques to see if that can reduce my tendency to anxiety. Time will tell!

Thanks again for your comments and wishing you well.

K.

[Wrensong]

Ooh Kathleen - you don't come across as cynical.  I love that you've found natural ways of helping your health & have had amazing success from carefully changing your diet.  Really shows what can be achieved by learning about nutrition & taking responsibility for health.  I've tried to do the same virtually all my adult life but menopause has been a challenge beyond what I could manage!

VA caused me probs for some years before I knew what it was & I've been surprised by how much HRT I've needed to begin to manage it.  I'm sure you know that the Estriol cream contains a weaker form of oestrogen than Vagifem (I use the 0.01% formulation, not the stronger Ovestin) & I find this used externally makes a big difference to comfort if you are suffering there.  Unfortunately I can't use it internally, so use Vagifem instead.

The breathing exercises practised for long enough can really help settle jitters & a racing heart & restore calm.  I found that gave me a sense of control during the worst years.  Still have to do the focused breathing technique at times now - especially to bring heart rate down when too hot at night & in stressful situations such as hospital waiting areas!  I hope you soon start to feel consistently better.  The withdrawal from HRT can be an endurance feat & if you are down to 1/4 pump I'm not surprised you're feeling the effects.  Sending positive vibes & a hug.
Wx

[Kathleen]

Hello Wrensong

I can certainly relate to your quest for improved health using nutrition and other natural methods. My Ulcerative Colitis hasn't been a problem for over six years and my last colonoscopy about four years ago showed a normal colon. Rather naively I thought that a better diet would also help to balance my hormones but, as you say, the menopause is proving more of a challenge!

After one night of less disturbed sleep and  feeling calmer during the day I wondered if most of my anxiety issues were as much related to sleep deprivation as fluctuating hormones. The difficulty is that hormones are still the main culprit as they are the cause of poor sleep. You just can't win can you!

I'm going to continue with the breathing exercises and I'm pleased that they have helped you so much. I think feeling in control is so important at this time in our lives.

Thanks again for your interesting comments and take care.

K.