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[CLKD]

 

[Me]

 

[Cookie25]

Hi Me

Sorry that you are having such a rough time. A few years ago when I tried a vaginal oestrogen I had the same rages as you and I also remember it when trying the mini pill after my first child. Now however that I need the extra oestrogen (am well into peri now) hrt is helping any of my usual monthly rages and certainly not adding to them. I'm on the same regime as you. Maybe you just don't need the extra yet? Or maybe your own hormones are just changing so often it's hard to get a balance.

I have been a migraine sufferer since my teenage years and during a particularly bad spell in my 30's I successfully took a daily dose of betablocker propanalol which I found fantastic. Not sure how this would work if you have arthritis medication but may be worth asking your gp? It would ease any anxiety you have too.

Good luck & dont lose hope! Keep reading up on your symptoms, keep a diary and keep asking for help
Xxxxx

[Floo36]

It may also be that you need to try a different type, spray, patch, tablet.  I don’t absorb any type well and still battling to get well.  It’s not straight forward for some of us.  Don’t give up. 

[CherrySG]

Is the HRT purely for the migraines?

Didn't know that was a treatment.

And honestly, for some of us, the much-hyped HRT miracle fails to materialise.
For me, oestrogel = crying in public and a depression I'd never before experienced. Oh, and hair loss. Quite severe hair loss.

Bioidentical, my arse! It may be molecularly identical but my own hormones didn't do that.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. It does sound as though non-hormonal treatments for migraine would be a better option for you. Hope you can find a solution soon.

[Nas]

Hey Me,
Cut yourself some slack lovely, you are having a tough time!

I totally empathise re living in the middle of no where, no family etc. I’m the  same except I have  a job which I am clinging onto!

We are at tough stages of life and hormonal upheaval can be brutal!

Gel makes me ill, dizzy, angry and deranged! There are patches and sprays to try, also tablets.

Sending support and empathy xx

[Me]

Hey Me,
Cut yourself some slack lovely, you are having a tough time!

I totally empathise re living in the middle of no where, no family etc. I’m the  same except I have  a job which I am clinging onto!

We are at tough stages of life and hormonal upheaval can be brutal!

Gel makes me ill, dizzy, angry and deranged! There are patches and sprays to try, also tablets.

Sending support and empathy xx

So I'm not the only one then!  I was supposed to start utrogestan tonight but I have decided that this has been yet another silly experiment and I should have trusted my instincts from the first time.  I honestly feel worse than ever.  I know only it's only been 2 weeks on the gel but I've twice had to take migraine meds and could quite happily go up to the woods, bury myself in the undergrowth and die.  That can't be right.  I was feeling crap before but I feel even worse now.
We have guests staying and they arriving this afternoon.  I gave my husband both barrels about inviting them even though I've known about it for weeks.  Everything feels like a massive task.  Doing the shopping.  The constant feeding people.  I've lost interest in food.  I have no idea what I'm going to talk about.  I'm not really interested in anything they've got to say. All that smiling.  I just want to go to bed.  I don't want them in my bathroom.  And I can't stay awake past 9:30. 

[Me]

It may also be that you need to try a different type, spray, patch, tablet.  I don’t absorb any type well and still battling to get well.  It’s not straight forward for some of us.  Don’t give up.

Hi
Yes I have tried propan.  turned out I shouldn't have been prescribed it as I already have ridiculously low blood pressure and Raynaud's.
Have tried 2 triptylines.
Topiramate
Pizotifen

[Me]

Is the HRT purely for the migraines?

Didn't know that was a treatment.

And honestly, for some of us, the much-hyped HRT miracle fails to materialise.
For me, oestrogel = crying in public and a depression I'd never before experienced. Oh, and hair loss. Quite severe hair loss.

Bioidentical, my arse! It may be molecularly identical but my own hormones didn't do that.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. It does sound as though non-hormonal treatments for migraine would be a better option for you. Hope you can find a solution soon.

Yes I'm worried about public meltdowns.  Avoiding going out.
Yes, hrt was purely for migraines although I am 50 and having irregular periods.  the idea was that as they got worse over the past 5 yrs or so, it might be hormone related (in the absence of any other peri symptoms). 
I wonder why, among all those videos on YouTUbe from Dr Louise Newson, Liz Earle, Dr Sarah Ball and others there is not a single one about side effects of hrt.  Surely we can't be the only ones.

[CherrySG]

Is the HRT purely for the migraines?

Didn't know that was a treatment.

And honestly, for some of us, the much-hyped HRT miracle fails to materialise.
For me, oestrogel = crying in public and a depression I'd never before experienced. Oh, and hair loss. Quite severe hair loss.

Bioidentical, my arse! It may be molecularly identical but my own hormones didn't do that.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. It does sound as though non-hormonal treatments for migraine would be a better option for you. Hope you can find a solution soon.

Yes I'm worried about public meltdowns.  Avoiding going out.
Yes, hrt was purely for migraines although I am 50 and having irregular periods.  the idea was that as they got worse over the past 5 yrs or so, it might be hormone related (in the absence of any other peri symptoms). 
I wonder why, among all those videos on YouTUbe from Dr Louise Newson, Liz Earle, Dr Sarah Ball and others there is not a single one about side effects of hrt.  Surely we can't be the only ones.

Oh no, it does sound tough! I'm sceptical about women slathering themselves in oestrogel and wondering if it's going to be the next big prescribing scandal (like antidepressants) But of course the women you mention are medically qualified, and I'm not 

Having said HRT is bad for me, I have to admit my anxiety is much less bad than it was prior to taking it. But that could be down to being able to work from home and not having to present myself in public, keep a face on, deal with people, because I went on it in January 2020.

It's such a tricky time, isn't it? I had migraines myself till mid-50's, never get them now. I know it's not much of a consolation but maybe they will disappear post-menopause?

[CLKD]

Nowt wrong with antidepressant treatment!  I wouldn't be here without mine!!!

H.Replacement.T - replacing what we should have been making but levels have dropped off and some symptoms are unbearable.  It can take 3 months B4 the body begins to feel 'well' however, it's Trial and Error for many.

[CherrySG]

Nowt wrong with antidepressant treatment!  I wouldn't be here without mine!!!

H.Replacement.T - replacing what we should have been making but levels have dropped off and some symptoms are unbearable.  It can take 3 months B4 the body begins to feel 'well' however, it's Trial and Error for many.

That wasn't intended to pill-shame anyone, CLKD. Some of us do well on  them, and they have saved many lives. But they do seem to be over prescribed i. e. one in ten of us take them. And they are hell to get off of, and have debilitating side-effects for some people. Anyway, I digress...

Maybe patches would work better for the Op, as a consistent dose might avoid fluctuations.

[CLKD]

' over prescribed '  - I have had no problems getting off a couple with GP supervision.  It wasn't pleasant but quite doable.

[CherrySG]

' over prescribed '  - I have had no problems getting off a couple with GP supervision.  It wasn't pleasant but quite doable.

Well, I'm still not convinced that one in ten of us in England has a mental health problem. I got put on them when I was overwhelmed at work, my friend when her mum died. My son needs them though, but I do wonder if he could have received different help.

'Anatomy of an Epidemic' is an interesting read on the subject. Also, the website survivingantidepressants.org for people who have struggled to get off them and had debilitating side-effects. I've been trying to come off them for years and had severe withdrawal symptoms. I will never be what I was before I went on them, nor will many people left with tardive dyskenesia, TMJ, facial tics, PSSD, bowel and bladder problems, brain fog.

Look, I'm glad they work for you, and for my son. But I wish I'd never taken them, and believe that GPS should not hand them out so readily. But all this is not really for a forum on menopause symptoms.

[Nas]

I have to agree Cherry, I think GPs these days are very quick to prescribe anti depressants. They do have their place definitely, but should not be the first line of treatment for menopause symptoms.

Even my specialist is telling me to trial an anti depressant as my HRT is not sorting my hormonal anxiety. And because I'm a breast cancer survivor, she doesn’t want me to take large doses of hormones. Now, for all I know, it could be the large doses which fix the anxiety, but I will never know now!

It’s very difficult and everyone is different. But I know that most GPs seem quite happy to prescribe anti depressants without question, rather then delve into the rather complicated world of HRT! And that is down to education.

Sorry Me, completely digressed there! Really hope you aren’t feeling too bad this weekend? X