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[PeriWhat?!]

Posting to remind future me that I started the new Tridestra HRT pills today, after ditching the Evorel 50 oestrogen patch a week ago.

[Cookie25]

Let us know how it goes
Xxxxx

[PeriWhat?!]

Update time: Day 51 of the Tridestra oestrogen phase (it tells you on the pill packet, I haven't been counting!).

The positives from the oestrogen that I had previously are still there. I'd still like to get more sleep - I'd consider anything over 6 hours a night to be life-changing - but there's no doubt it's better than it was.

I am putting weight on. Clothes that were fine before Tridestra don't fit now so I wonder if the pills make you more prone to weight gain than the Evorel patches? But that's not too much of a worry, because moodwise, I feel stable so far, dare I say, positive. That'll be all the oestrogen! I was also fine with the oestrogen phases of the patches when I was on those, it was just the progesterone phases that were terrifying. I'm trying not to worry too much about how I might feel in the progesterone phase when that time comes.

I'm in the middle of a huge period/bleed that arrived without the dark PMT mood swing (haven't had one without THAT for a few years). Very heavy bleeding for three days - bleeding through a super plus extra tampon, plus a pad/period pants, plus clothes every couple of hours - but it is starting to slow now. I don't know how to tell if it's a natural body period, or something else, all I know is it can't be a progesterone withdrawal bleed, as I'm not up to that bit of the Tridestra cycle yet.

Not much else to report as the Tridestra was prescribed to "keep me going" until I got my first NHS menopause clinic appointment and I'm still waiting to find out when that will be. I'm on the list.

[PeriWhat?!]

Do you still need to take the progesterone part of Tridestra if you've had a bleed in the progesterone phase?

[KaraShannon]

Hi PeriWhat?!

It can get confusing but sequi is the right HRT for you at the moment. As you say you won't know when you reach post-menopause so the general guidelines are that you can swap to conti around about the age of 53/54.

The mistake your doctor made is surprisingly common - scarily - which is why it is always good to arm yourself with as much information as possible and not just trust what is given to you - well that's how I see things anyway with anything medical related 

I hope the Evorel helps with your symptoms. At your age then HRT is considered necessary as lack of oestrogen before the normal meno age of 51/52 can have a detrimental effect on both your heart and bone health. You are merely replacing what your body would have been making naturally.

Taz x

Taz2, I didn't know this either, so good to hear!  I'm on Evorel Sequi atm.

PeriWhat?!  love the name and great thread question, relevant to me too I think.  Although I'm 51, I started sequi 2 years ago, and this month I've not felt so good, symptoms I remember from a couple of years ago, I guess that means it might be time for a change, or an increase in the oestrogen patch.

I haven't read the whole thread, so just responding to the earlier posts  :-)

[PeriWhat?!]

News! I've finally got my first appt at the meno clinic. Tomorrow. It's only a phone call, but it's a start. I just have to find somewhere private where my kids can't overhear all the gory details now, which is the real issue with telephone appointments. It feels like it's been such a long route to get to this point, it's crazy. Feeling very positive.

[PeriWhat?!]

A positive day... the start of a new HRT regime as recommended by the specialist at the menopause clinic, so I'm all full of hope and trying not to think that it might be another three months before I feel human again, lol.

This time it's Oestrogel; Vagifem; and in a week I will get a Mirena coil fitted.

I'm trying not to think about the Mirena coil procedure either.

A prescription for Citalopram is also waiting in the wings for me if I need it as they suspect my anxiety isn't just down to perimenopause and I suspect they are right. I'll give this new HRT regime (fourth one this year!) a good try first though.

[Cookie25]

Gooooooood Luck PW!

Sending love & good vibes!

Cookie25
Xxxxx

[PeriWhat?!]

Thanks, Cookie. Every time we start a new one we think, maybe this one will be The One, don't we?! We have to get there sooner or later. Or at least to a better point than we're at now. xxx

[PeriWhat?!]

I'm feeling really positive about this new regime.

I had my Mirena coil fitted at the menopause clinic yesterday and that went a lot better than I expected. The nurse clearly knew what she was doing and I was so grateful I was having it done there and not at a GP surgery where I haven't had the best experiences. There was a bit of local anaesthetic, which helped, a very odd sensation when the wings of the coil popped up and then nothing really except a tiny bit of blood spotting afterwards and mild period-type aches for a little while.

Keeping everything crossed that Oestrogel, Vagifem and Mirena will be the magic combo that works for me. No exaggeration, getting this right is going to change my life.

[PeriWhat?!]

An update on the Oestrogel, Vagifem, Mirena coil regime.
It's been going well. The horrible, crippling anxiety and dark mood swings have been improving a lot. I am still getting surges of it, which I think must be linked to my own hormones, but it's happening less often and is less extreme. No suicidal thoughts. 
Sounds very dramatic now, which is a good sign, I think.
The meno nurse was 100% right about trying Mirena coil - I couldn't cope with any of the other types of progesterone I've tried.   
At my review, she upped my Oestrogel dose to 4 pumps (update: a few days in and I am *buzzing* off this, feeling amazing, like a completely different person! Enjoying it very much for as long as it may last) and also recommended a low dose of Citalopram for the hormonal anxiety (I'll start this tomorrow).
The only downside is there appears to be a supply shortage of Oestrogel in pharmacies, but if it becomes impossible to get, I could try switching to Evorel 100 patches.
New regime is: 4 pumps Oestrogel, Vagifem, Mirena, Citalopram.

[jay_ne]

Thank you so much for this thread, read from start to finish and relieved to know I am not alone.  Started the evorel sequi patches back in August 2021 and the relief and improvement of symptoms was so great that I somehow managed to ignore the downsides.  I have now reached the point of needing help though, I am fine and happy on the 50 patch but as soon as I switch to the conti my mood hits the floor, life is not worth living, no enthusiasm for anything, no energy just nothing and I have zero concentration.  This seems to be getting worse as each month goes by but I have been in denial and scared to approach my gp in case I am taken off them completely as the benefits of sleep is just amazing. I no longer have the awful itchy skin like ants are crawling all over under my skin and the night sweats have gone. Most importantly for two weeks of every month I actually feel like I am worth the air I breathe. 

Does anyone know if it is an option to use the 50 patch continuously? I feel when I ring the dr’s I need to have some ideas of options in my head and this forum has helped me scribble some notes down.

Thank you for reading sorry I am not the best at explaining things xx

[sheila99]

Assuming you still have a womb you need the progesterone. You could use the evorel 50 patch with a separate progestogen such as utrogeston.

[PeriWhat?!]

Thank you so much for this thread, read from start to finish and relieved to know I am not alone.  Started the evorel sequi patches back in August 2021 and the relief and improvement of symptoms was so great that I somehow managed to ignore the downsides.  I have now reached the point of needing help though, I am fine and happy on the 50 patch but as soon as I switch to the conti my mood hits the floor, life is not worth living, no enthusiasm for anything, no energy just nothing and I have zero concentration.  This seems to be getting worse as each month goes by but I have been in denial and scared to approach my gp in case I am taken off them completely as the benefits of sleep is just amazing. I no longer have the awful itchy skin like ants are crawling all over under my skin and the night sweats have gone. Most importantly for two weeks of every month I actually feel like I am worth the air I breathe. 

Does anyone know if it is an option to use the 50 patch continuously? I feel when I ring the dr’s I need to have some ideas of options in my head and this forum has helped me scribble some notes down.

Thank you for reading sorry I am not the best at explaining things xx

You're definitely not alone! There are options - I feel like I've tried most of them before reaching the one that works best for me (fingers crossed).
If you're intolerant to the progesterone part of HRT in patches, you could try Utrogestan pills as Sheila99 suggests. Another option is local progesterone like a Mirena coil.
In hindsight, I wish I'd been less scared of having the coil fitted and done it when it was first suggested to me. It would have saved a lot of upset and trauma from the other regimes. But you just don't know how you're going to react to something until you try it.

[jay_ne]

Thank you after putting it off for what feels like forever I have just had a dr telephone app. Changing to Estradiol Gel and Utrogestan pills in 1.5 weeks. Feeling low and deflated and Googling shall I stop altogether can’t remember if I felt this bad before but I know I did 😢