Print

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

[skye17]

Hi,

I'm 6 years post meno and thinking of trying either Femoston conti 1mg or oestrogen patch/gel along with 2.5mgs of medroxyprogesterone.

I have a history of migraine with aura (brought on after 18 months on everol conti) and intolerance to most progesterones I've tried so far.

My symptoms continue to be debilitating and in particular I am finding it hard to cope with chronic TE hair loss triggered by menopause.

I'm now under a menopause specialist who has suggested trying either of the above. I'm worried about starting HRT again after 6 years in tablet form (Femoston) and I'm 59 this year but this would be my preference as I've read it's the most hair friendly type of progesterone other than micronised which I can't tolerate.   Does anyone have a view on this? or think I would be better to try the patch/medroxyprogesterone route first?  The specialist would monitor me if I decide to go ahead with either of the above because of my migraines but I'm otherwise fit and healthy. Thanks so much to anyone for reading 

[Dotty]

Hi i would go for the Oestrogen gel as it's easier to change the amount that you need. x

[Sgtvhilts]

I am on Femeston 1mg.  I am also topping up oestrogen with patches.
I have to say Femeston is the best i've Tried. Me and progesterone have never been ‘friends'. The utrogestan and northesterone -drove me nuts and sick, so this progesterone is defo the best for me.

[Wrensong]

Hi skye, I recently tried Femoston Conti Ultra Low as my first ever oral HRT regime, with some trepidation as I'm a migraineur (both classical with aura & ocular) & oral HRT is not usually advised with migraine due to the peaks & troughs in levels it gives rise to.  However, I'd just about exhausted other options so it seemed worth a try.  After 3 weeks, I started having daily headaches with some other migraine features, though the headaches were thankfully not migraine strength.  This, combined with unwanted slowing of digestive function, made it feel very much as though the Femoston was not going to work for me & I stopped after a month, anxious to avoid the return of full blown migraines.

I've recently been prescribed 2.5 mg MPA with 25mcg Estradot patches (both at my request as MPA is new to me) but have yet to start the regime.  I would say that if you are a migraineur, the steadier release of hormones that comes from patches might be better tolerated than the spikes you could get from gel, though after a while a constant level is supposed to build with gel.  I found one pump of gel did not relieve my symptoms & like you, I could not tolerate the Utrogestan I was using with it.   I'm not sure how hair-friendly MPA is, but the 2.5mg is very low dose, so you may be OK with that.

I was on Evorel Conti for 2 years & this did not cause me to have migraines, but it also didn't relieve symptoms that well (poor absorption).  Sorry to hear it worsened your migraine & I imagine it may not have helped your TE as the norethisterone it contains is testosterone derived.

I'm 57 & 7 years postmenopause btw, so in a similar situation to you.  I hope you manage to find something that helps. 

[skye17]

Thanks everyone - so hard to know what to do 

I can totally relate to you Sgtvhilts when you talk about being nuts and sick on certain progesterones! and am really keen to try Femoston because its the most hair friendly... but I'm listening to what you're saying Wrensong about your experience as a migraineur and in a similar situation to me. From what I've read MPA is not as hair friendly as Femoston but not one of the worst. Maybe this is the best route for me to try first.

I hope it works for you too.

[jillydoll]

After suffering daily headaches, some migraines, others, just headaches, mine have definitely calmed down. I've been on Femoston Conti since feb 2018... ( or there about, )
I still get the odd headache, but no where as bad as the migraines I used to get...
I have no trouble with my hair, only normal shedding.

Good luck in whatever you decide........xxx

[Perinowpost]

Hi Skye17

I can't comment on mpa but currently trialling femoston and doing really well. It's the first prog I've ever tried that I've been able to tolerate (and I've tried them all) so I'm really pleased with it x

[Wrensong]

Skye, we are all so different that if you prefer the idea of the Femoston, please don't be put off just by my experience.  You can always try it & still have a patch & MPA as a future option if your gut feeling now is for the Femoston.  Like you, I really wanted the Femoston to work, as Dydrogesterone is said to be the kindest prog after Utrogestan, which frustratingly is like poison to me.  Just felt I had to point out that oral HRT is not recommended by migraine authorities & my experience did seem to tally with that.  The 2.5mg MPA is very low dose if you do go for that with patch first, so might be OK for you.  Fingers crossed for whatever you decide to try.