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Author Topic: Not enough choice in Conti patches for us older post menopause ladies??!!!  (Read 1564 times)

Julia Dizzy

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Hi, so just having a bit of a rant ???... why is there only a choice of 2 conti patches for us ladies over 60? Can we not have a campaign for more choice???

We are all told total transdermal is safer for us, yet there is only Evorel conti and FemSeven conti available.
I have tried gel/patch/Utrogestan regimes in the past 18 months and still struggling to find the best for me. (although I haven't tried the Evorel one yet so far, maybe that's the next one to give a go?)
 
I have just had a little break from it all to see how I went, but hot flushes came back after 2 weeks which I hate so I am currently trying again and am on week 3 of Femseven conti (which don't stick very well and they leave red marks on my skin which last for ages and are itchy - and hot flushes still not completely disappeared yet...).. and have just had a little pale brown discharge this morning, first time ever had anything in all the time on the other regimes. Not bled for 13 years so don't want to have a sequi regime. I know my womb is ok as I had an ultrasound scan for IBS issues about 2 months ago - he had a good look round at everything and said the womb lining was fine and thin.

I used Indivina 1mg/2.5mg tablets for a year in 2011 2 years after periods stopped and the hot flushes were horrendous.. and was brilliant on those, why can't they make a patch with that combination of estradiol and medroxyprogesterone??
(Gp wanted me to stop those after a year at the time when HRT rules were different....wish I had known then what I know now and stayed on it longer!!)

I know there are still lots of other ladies struggling to find the right balance. If I don't take HRT my hot flushes return and VA (am on Vagifem every other day too) gets worse so I want to stay on it. The Meno clinic Dr said I was one of the unlucky ones who will probably always have hot flushes seeing as they haven't disappeared after 12 years!!

Any suggestions/comments truly welcome, what's your success story if you have one? Thanks x
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jasmine5

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I’m 62 and feels exactly the same!  I’ve been on Evorel Conti for the last five years and now they have stopped working and my night sweats have returned, apparently because I’m low in Oestrogen.  I would like to stay on patches as I find them so convenient but Doctor says there is no higher strength patch so I have to change to Gel and tablets.  I’ve had experience in the past of Progesterone tablets and they gave me bad reflux so I’m not looking forward to it but it seems there is no alternative.  I’ve also tried other preparations including Femseven but unfortunately they did nothing for my joint pains.

Like you I have taken breaks in the past and within two weeks the night-sweats return along with a host of other issues like vagina dryness, itchy skin, dry eyes, joint pain, depression etc so I feel there is no way I can function without Hrt at the moment. x
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pepperminty

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I agree, there is little choice seeing as half the population are women and the menopause is going to happen to us all. We are all living longer. Here is a link to the different types and strengths. It is a lottery as to which one will suit.

https://www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menopause/hrt-the-different-ingredients-brands-and-strengths-available

Pepperminty x
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warwick01

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Hi - happy to contribute to this discussion.

I am 62 and still struggling to find the right continuas HRT. Only one ever helped called Angelique. Discontinued now. I lasted 11 weeks on Femseven Conti but the low mood arrived along with suicidal thoughts and OCD which I had post natal. So stopped 5 days ago. Still trying to lift my mood, luckily I still have some Oestrogel so will use that until I can speak with my GP.

I think my next option may be Indiva or separate progesterone?? 

Wx
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Night_Owl

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Hi there

I've been ranting inwardly about this for years, so agree that the choice is so limited for post-meno conti regime - in fact so limited I gave up on HRT.

In the end I threw in the towel c.2.5 years ago after c.12 long years of trying the range of HRT (via London Meno Clinic) except Mirena / Jaydess coil, at one time even considered a hyster so as not to have to take progesterone.  I'm progesterone intolerant, migraineur and hyper-sensitive to the slightest fluctuations -never found the right balance.

Patch/gel and Utrogestan (sequi and conti) is now banded around as the holy grail of HRT but it doesn't work for everybody.

Guess I'm also one of the unlucky ones as my night sweats have still not resolved after 15 years - although the day flushes are few and far between.

Hope you find a way forward - afraid I have no success story although I have had a certain degree of levelling out of symptoms, now I just take good quality vitamin supplements.

--------------------

Diane asks specialist Nick Panay what new treatments could be on the horizon for menopause:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xRf6NSkQLc&ab_channel=DianeDanzebrink

So it could be that neurokinin receptor antagonist medication and genetic blueprint 'hormone recipe'  could be the future of HRT, in our lifetime though .... ?  Will menopause medication research ever be given the funding.






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Julia Dizzy

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Thank you for the kind comments, good in a way to know there's not just me frustrated with it all and struggling with the choices.
 
warwick I had thought about asking for Indivina again, but thought I would get refused an oral tablet because of my age?? Are there any ladies in their 60's still on oral and been told to change to transdermal I wonder??

Night_owl you sound very similar to me, my flushes when off HRT were mainly first thing when I wake from sleep and get sweaty all over, quite a few one after the other - and then late in the evening...but not too many during the day. (what's that all about ???)
These ladies who sail through it or don't have symptoms for very long are extremely lucky! I had heard of the new research but guess as you say there will be along wait.
Which vitamin supplements do you take if you don't mind me asking? I find that also a minefield :-\
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Diamonds and pearls 53

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Hi Julia, in answer to your question l am still on tablet hrt (Femoston conti) and am 68 (just!)  l have never been offered transdermal but every 6 months or so ( or whenever l am asked to  have my blood pressure checked) l have to argue my case for staying on hrt. However l just point out the benefits over the risks and direct the G. P. to the NICE guidelines!
 I did  ask to go on to the patch and Utrogeston about 4 years ago, as this was deemed to be better for older women, but  quite quickly something triggered lower abdominal pain and a slight bleed. I felt the progesterone in the Utrogeston just didn't suit me either. Of course l had to come off  hrt whilst they investigated. l had a scan and blood tests but all were negative although the abdominal pain took about 4 months to abate. (The spotting had stopped quite quickly.)
 After a break  of about 6 months my symptoms and my anxiety had returned and  l asked to go back on hrt. l was put on the lowest dose Femoston which served me well until a year ago when l self diagnosed  the beginnings of Atrophy. (2 G. P's misdiagnosed this and treated me for cystitis, admittedly it was during lockdown but neither even suggested it could be Atrophy.) After 2 lots of antibiotics l asked for some Ovestin and that worked almost straight away.
About 6 months ago l  asked to have the  dose of Femoston  increased  in strength as l thought that might help the atrophy, my G. P agreed and since then l have hardly needed the Ovestin.
So if you want to go back to tablet hrt and your blood pressure is OK l don't see why you can't try it and see how you fare. Good luck!

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Patricia

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Hi ladies - I will be 67 in a couple of weeks, I use Estrogel and Mirena coil, and the Vagifem vagina tabs. I have just had my third Mirena inserted but I went private.  It is so difficult to get into gp and I felt I needed to be able to speak with someone rather than just be dismissed because of my age at the first hurdle - the online plea/request bit!  So I’ve forked out just under £1000 but I’m good now for the next 5 years.  It’s not ideal I know and not everyone can do it. I do worry though that one day somebody at the surgery will notice my gel when I’m doing my repeat prescriptions online and then I will have a problem because I would find it hard to pay big bucks for monthly gel prescription. 

I’ve been on HRT since my 40’s - I used to be on Elleste Duet.  HRT has been very good to me and I would hate to have to stop. It was great to see it being openly discussed on tv at last. 

I find the gel great to use. I’ve no experience of patches but with the gel you have more control. I use 2 blobs a day and that works for me. I don’t think about the coil at all. I asked the gynae about my womb lining and he said it is protected with the coil. He was happy with what he could see in there 👀.  I have had the usual investigations over the years, polyp removed and another one vanished so I’ve had the usual poking and prodding we’ve all experienced and thankfully - for this moment - all is good 🙏🤞

I’ve not been to the menopause clinic for about 10yrs now because I felt a vibe even there about my age - would I not consider coming off it now because I’d been on it a long time etc.

This is my experience but maybe it might be worth considering for yourself Julia?  Hope this is helpful anyway. Night Patxx



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Joaniepat

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Good luck to you Patricia, nice to hear you are doing well. I have the same fears about future supplies being interfered with (I'm 71) but will go down fighting!
JP x
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