Print

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

[Rachelsquelch]

Hello, before taking hrt (Elleste duet Conti) which was now about 5 years ago, I had the most awful hip & back pain & had extremely limited mobility because of it. Within 2 weeks of taking the hrt I felt like my old self, no hip or back pains at all, along with all the other symptoms. It was almost liked my joints had been oiled from the inside. I felt great, & I have done for 5 years. However, within the last 6 weeks I have been experiencing a reoccurrence of the exact same pains in the hip & back region. I’m absolutely terrified that I’m going to be in the same pain without my mobility again. I don’t know what to do. I’ve had sports massages & several sessions of acupuncture, neither of which are helping. I know what this pain is, it’s lack of estrogen. Do I ask my gp for a blood test to check my estrogen levels? Or do I just go on reoccurring symptoms? Would changing to a patch help? I have no idea about different micrograms/milligrams. What would be the equivalent to what my tablets are? & how many more micrograms can you go up to? Any advice is appreciated.

[Nas]

Can't you just ask for an increase of the current regime you are on?
If your joint issues are back, it would suggest you are oestogen deficient again?

This chart may help you?
https://www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menopause/hrt-the-different-ingredients-brands-and-strengths-available#

Good luck

[Rachelsquelch]

Thanks for your reply NAS
My regime is just 1 hrt tablet each day. How do I increase this? Could I top up with Estrogel? I’m so confused with it all now. I’ve seen that chart on Dr Newson’s site before but to be honest I still don’t know what would be best to change to.
I’m on combination tablet Elleste duet Conti 2mg + 1mg, according to the chart, Everol Conti 3mg + 11.2mg - would this be a good a swap?

Maybe I’ll contact my gp who knows less than me🤣

[Nas]

I guess it depends whether you want to remain on oral HRT or swap to a transdermal delivery?
I would research different doses available for each product.

The gel pump is quite popular as you can titrate the dose accordingly.
If you have a womb, then you would need some form of progesterone.
If no womb, then it is just oestrogen only.

Or there is the patch, which offers a steady delivery of Oestrogen over 24 hours.

Minefield comes to mind! 

[pepperminty]

Hi Rachelsquelch,

I feel your pain literally. Same thing with me, aches in hip and back. Feel like a hundred. Maybe now is the time to change to the gel as you can increase as needed?  Let us know what you decide to do.

 You may want to get your bloods done to rule anything else out. But sometimes as our natural estrogen drops we can get symptoms back.

PMX

[Nairn]

Hi, this is really interesting.  I was on a 5 month break from HRT, trying to stop as at 54 my periods had stopped but the HRT brought them back.  After stopping, within a few weeks I had excruciating and severe muscle & joint pains and leg pain, causing me to walk with a stick and the pain was much worse at night.   Due to the joint and leg muscle pain I went to see a consultant who diagnosed extensive arthritis, and prescribed major anti inflammatory meds and pain killers.  My mobility and energy levels had dropped massively.  Meanwhile the menopause symptoms returned with a vengeance, especially at night.  At the end of my tether, I restarted my HRT on Monday and after 6 days, am almost pain free and feeling so much better, and I have now stopped most of the pain meds.  I still have widespread arthritis, but it’s now manageable.  I did not connect the 2 things at all, and now realise a bit like what has been said above the HRT is very necessary for my muscles and joints.

[Dotty]

Hi if you are on Elleste Duet Conti then this is the highest dose in tablet form. To get more oestrogen you would need to swap to a patch or gel with a separate Utrogestan. x