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[Angelasurrey]

Hello all,

I’m struggling and need some advice. I feel so alone with all of this  :'(and feel thankful that I can send a message on here.
I’m aged 43 and have many severe perimenopause symptoms (for years) with sleep being the worst. I have tried patches before and went up to 150mcg but they didn’t absorb.

I had a chat with a meno consultant today who said they could only prescribe HRT within certain limits ( eg a maximum of 4 pumps of gel) and not increase dosages. I thought they were able to prescribe off licence amounts if needed?

I’m on the waiting list for Newson Health but don’t know when I will get seen.

Please can you recommend any meno specialists I could see via video or phone call?

Thanks

Angela

[DottyP]

I have been on the Newson waiting list for 4 months!  In despair I tried the Menopause Care site which is run by Dr Naomi Potter who I believe is where Lisa Snowdon went.  I got an appointment for video chat on there within a week.  Same price as Newson though.

[sheila99]

Not impressed with your specialist, I was told max 6 (in peri). GPs often seem to be limited to 4 but a specialist should be able prescribe more. You could try the BMS website.
Are you certain your symptoms are meno related? Because there's such a long list of potential meno symptoms it's easy to assume that's the problem but most of them can have other causes too.
I know blood tests in peri are notoriously unreliable but it might be worth getting tested before going on a higher dose. It might show if the problem is with absorption or something else.

[Angelasurrey]

Thank you so much Dotty. I have tried contacting them and the availability with the sleep Meno specialist looks to be available in March.

Sheila thank you so much. I’m certain it  is Meno related and definitely Perimenopause. There’s a pattern to all the mayhem. Have had all other issues ruled out eg thyroid etc checked.

Xx

[Sooty]

That goes against what a lot of other menopause specialist agree on. Im on a higher dose myself.

Diane Danzebrink (Menopause Support) does telephone consultations for £75. So much more reasonable than others specialists. Its awful that quick treatment is dependent on having the funds.

[Angelasurrey]

Just struggling a lot  .  Thank you Sooty. I will contact Diane. xx

[Hurdity]

Hi Angelasurrey

Sorry to hear about your ongoing sleep issues.

Could you tell us how long you have been using HRT and what your periods were doing in terms of cycle length before you started HRT? If your periods were still regular then you would not be peri-menopausal and I can see that adding oestrogen may not necessasrily help. What was it that led you to say you have been peri-menopausal for years? As you are young have you thought of one of the contraceptive pills such as Qlaira or Zoely which contain the same oestrogen as HRT and designed for younger women coming up to  menopause?

When you say sleep disturbances - is this due to flushes and sweats? I agree with shelia99 that maybe your symptoms are not meno related but hopefully you have or will be able to discuss other possible causes with your doctor?

Do you also take a progestogen?

Hurdity x

[Angelasurrey]

Hello Hurdity,

I tried patches in summer 2021 but they didn’t seem to absorb.

On the gel now since Dec 2021.

Before HRT my cycles were around 31 days then became 28 days.

My last most recent period was 2 weeks late.

I tried Qlaira it didn’t help.

I’ve had symptoms since aged 38 all blood tests ruled out thyroid or other issues.
Yes night sweats and all my other symptoms are cycle related.

I’m supposed to take progesterone ( Utrogestan) from Day 15-26. I don’t seem to have ovulated yet was hoping to before I started Utrogestan..

Thanks so much,

Angela