Print

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

[Nairn]

Hi Ladies

I'm 3.5 months into using the 100mg daily utro (oral) and gel combo - have to say it's not really helping and I'm still feeling very tired, down and emotional - plus I'm retaining water like crazy, and as dry as ever down below - despite daily vagifem.   I'm due for a review soon with the consultant but has anyone experienced lip twitching as a side effect? It started about 2 weeks ago and now it's all of the time and it's driving me nuts- never had it before so wondering if it's the HRT .  I've had loads of blood tests done recently for all sort of stuff and they have all been clear  - the only thing which has changed is the HRT meds.

I'm thinking of asking to switch to patches  - if I can get them.  I did ask about if I could insert the progesterone but was told not to by the meno consultant.  Unfortunately the coil is not an option for me, and combined tablets don't agree with me.

Thanks for any advice

[Hurdity]

Hi Nairncat - it seems like no-one on the forumn in last few days has experienced the same side effect re lip-twitching?

Sorry to hear you are still feeling tired and low, as well as still dry. I would say you may well be feeling tired and low either due to the daily utrogestan (it has a sedative effect which can be depressive and fatigue inducing for some women). Alternatively it could be the gel dose is too low for you - but if you were experiencing sweats and flishes and they have disappeared it indicates that you have reached the minimum level for symptoms. Perhpas you can try an increase in the gel.

Re vaginal use of Utrogestan - most women would not want to use it like this on daily basis - but your meno-consultant is wrong not to let you use it this way without good reason. (Does she think it will not help your VA symptoms for instance?), The capsules are designed/manufactured for vaginal or oral use - it's only in UK that they are not offocially licesned for use as part of HRT in this way - although the same capsules ( the 200 mg ones - used also to be licesned for HRT) are licensed for fertility treatment in UK.

Maybe the daily Vagifem is not suiting you. Have you tried the estriol cream (generic or Ovestin)? There are various other treatments and frequency can be varied. Maryjane is the expert and there is a thread in private lives called "The Burning Club" which might have dropped off the first page but is fairly close to the beginning - which might have some helpful hints.

Re water retention - this surely needs investigating by a doctor - I thought this was indicative of circulation/heart problems, if you mean body-wide retention rather than bladder.

Anyway hope this helps a little and you manage to work out the best regime for you.

Hurdity x

[Nairn]

Hi Hurdity

Thanks for your reply.  I think that the progesterone is the culprit - stopped it for a couple of days and feel so much better, clearer head and the fluid is coming off - had this before with HRT.  The dryness also feels better

Could I ask which patches you use? I'm thinking of trying something else and hopefully have a call tomorrow with the consultant.  I know that there are lots of different patches which are out of stock

Thanks again

Vicki

[squeaker99]

Nairncat - Hi. Just to say that I had a phase of various muscle twitching - my eye and finger for a while. It went on for about a month in total. I did mention it to a GP (along with a few other health anxieties I had like muscle aches and brain fog) but he thought it was just anxiety/hormonal swings.  It did fade away just like he said it would when I felt less anxious.  Looking back 'normal' hormonal churn we have during Peri can throw up a lot of these weird things and when feeling anxious you tend to focus on them more. I am worse in the week up to a period although my periods are getting  much further apart now.

[Hurdity]

Could I ask which patches you use? I'm thinking of trying something else and hopefully have a call tomorrow with the consultant.  I know that there are lots of different patches which are out of stock

Hi Nairncat - sorry I didn't reply - been busy and not on forum. There are plenty of patches available. I used to use estradot but been unable to get them for some months so was put onto Estraderm and then these unavailable (at local dispensary attached to GP practice) so now on Elleste Solo MX. They all work well but I would just say Estraderm are huge so given a choice I wouldn't go for these!

Glad you're feeling a bit better and good luck with it all

Hurdity x