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[JaneD]

I have begun to realise that I have suffered for years with symptoms that have gradually eroded my self confidence to the point where I feel as if I am disappearing. I have just been prescribed Elleste Duet 1mg for my symptoms of anxiety and hot flushes amongst others and Vagirux for vaginal atrophy.  I have completed a month and am now having a period - albeit light, which I hadn't expected and have a regular discharge which is strange after not having this for a couple of years.  I feel stupid because I haven't done any research and have ignored my symptoms for so long thinking that I just need to try harder and have even had therapy to try and sort out my lack of motivation, not thinking it could be hormonal.

I feel ineffectual and as if I have lost my power as a woman - like I am just going to fade into the background of life.

I don't know if this is appropriate on this forum and I apologise if it seems like a moan.  I plan to go back to the doctor because i think the hrt is lowering my mood, but another part of me thinks that I am just looking for an excuse for the way I feel or a magic bullet that doesn't exist so I should just work it out myself and stop being lazy.

Does anyone else get these feelings?

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Jane dudman. A warm welcome to the forum.

You are being so hard on yourself. Many women have had their symptoms dismissed and told to get on with it so I fully understand why you did not make the link between your symptoms and menopause. Even women who realise they are menopausal have to fight for HRT often.

I am very sad you are blaming yourself like this as none of this is your fault.

I think you are very brave for going to your GP and asking for HRT. That was such a huge step for you and something that you should take some pride in. It is so good to hear you have been given something for vaginal atrophy as the sooner this is treated the better. I would use this daily and ignore the guides which say to use it twice a week.

I understand you feeling low. It is a very difficult time both emotionally and physically. It is good you have found this forum as you will find much support on here.

You have nothing to apologise for. Please feel free to talk as much as you wish to on here.

With HRT it can take 3 months before you will know if that type is working. If you are feeling low then it could also be the progesterone. It can take time to find one that suits. With HRT it can help a lot of symptoms but it often does not give the wonderful feeling that celebrities seem to say they have.

[ange63]

Hello JaneD, I've just turned 59 and after 5 years post meno I developed serious meno symptoms 9 months ago so its hit me late.  I'm on 3rd version of HRT :   estrogel 1 pump and utrogestan PV.   But one of the things I'm experiencing is low mood ..... along with increase in other symptoms.  I have decided to come off the HRT and see how I go.
We all do what we can to try to help us deal with how we are feeling.  Its not an easy and I understand how you are feeling.    You are not lazy.    We have changes happening that are beyond our control and trying to find some way of maintaining some quality of life and being ourselves again.   If you are getting other benefits from the HRT then speak to your doctor  - could it be the progesterone lowering your mood?  there are other types you could try.  Wish you well.       

[CLKD]

Yep.  The Change - does what it says on the tin 

  ..... some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful.  Something to discuss with your Nurse Practitioner and to keep a chart on how many good days we get, as those can soon be forgotten!

Keep up with the vaginal atrophy treatment.  It can be essential.  4 me it was like razor blades  up there! 'ovestin' used regularly keeps symptoms away.

Ask anything, nothing is OTT here!

[JaneD]

Thanks so much for your replies everyone - I feel much encouraged.  I will try the diary and the daily vaginal oestrogen I think it might be the progesterone causing the low mood.  I am gong to try something more flexible even though it hasn't been three months yet, and have made another appointment with the gp. I can't find anywhere that recommends what I am taking for postmenopausal women.
Good luck with coming off hrt ange63, I hope it works for you.

[Flossieteacake]

I hope your GP appointment goes well. Please remember to be kind to yourself. We are all learning when it comes to menopause.

[KarineT]

Hi Jane D

If you haven't had a period for more than 12 consecutive months then the light bleeding you are currently experiencing cannot be a period.  I think bleeding in postmenopause is often caused by HRT.

[Truffles]

Hi Jane,

I'm sorry you're going through this.  I have no practical experience of HRT to offer (I'm waiting for my first prescription to arrive at the moment), but wanted to say that you're not being lazy - and there's nothing wrong with looking for a magic bullet!  We wouldnl't think of it that way with a broken leg; we'd just expect that modern medicine could put it back to the way it was. 

I hope you have a fruitful appointment with your doctor.

[discogirl]

Hi JaneD,

I've just seen this post so welcome to the forum.

 I am 57yrs, post meno and I was having night sweats, anxiety however not really connecting them to the menopause. The problem is I feel it's only now that menopause and symptoms are really being spoken about generally, thankfully through wonderful forum's like this one.

I developed tinnitus in february, I had bad anxiety prior to that, then my sleep was affected quite badly. My blood estrogen at the end of June, before I started hrt in august was <19 so very low.

I'm so glad I started hrt and although I still have a bit of a journey to go, the ladies on here so nice and helpful.

I just wanted to encourage you really.

[Stella2]

Hi JaneD,

It's so good that you took the step to end your suffering. I suffered from horrendous hot flushes for 5 years, I wasn't even aware that this affected my mental health so badly. All because I wanted to deal with menopause in the natural way and accept the aging process. My confidence was never high anyway but due to flushes in every social situation I feel awkward as I was sweating every half an hour. It was impossible to enjoy the sunshine and at home i was surrounded with fans and constantly researching the best clothing and possible natural cure. Nothing worked. Finally, at the age 55 I researched what HRT is least harmful and got it prescribed by my GP. Now 10 months in, all of this above has disappeared. It is not a magic cure, I do get low moods sometimes, I have to tweak HRT a bit when my breast get sore, but I enjoyed the summer after so many years. I still get wrinkles and the arthritis has not been cured. But the quality of life has massively improved.

It's always good to have a chat with the GP regarding adjustments and bleeding, they say the bleeding is normal within 6 months of starting taking HRT.

Wishing you all the best.

[Perinowpost]

JaneD I would go back to your GP and ask to change your hrt. I found elleste rubbish. Try patches or gel,  they’re the gold standard hrt these days and are body identical and very good. Wishing you well and let us know how you get on x

[discogirl]

JaneD I would go back to your GP and ask to change your hrt. I found elleste rubbish. Try patches or gel,  they’re the gold standard hrt these days and are body identical and very good. Wishing you well and let us know how you get on x

Hi Perinowpost,

sorry to cut in on your post. Ive been taking estraderm patches and seem to have settled nicely on them; went to get somemore but there's none in stock so they've given me estradot.

I have been battling insomnia and it's been slowly getting better. I'm just worried that by changing patches it might distrupt my sleep pattern have you had any experience with estradot?

[Perinowpost]

Hi there Discogirl

Yes I tried estrodot and didn’t like them as much as evorel (which I am on). You may be ok on them though, we’re all different in our biochemistry,  you won’t know until you try.

If you don’t like them you can always switch back to estraderm or evorel next time x

[discogirl]

hi there.

yes estraderm is out of stock atm.

can i ask why you didnt like estradot if you dont mind me asking xxx

[Perinowpost]

My body rejected it Discogirl and it made me feel very ill. Apparently estrodot is soy (silver birch family) and evorel is derived from Mexican yam - I felt poisoned on estrodot so can only assume I had a reaction 😞. My receptors are ridiculously sensitive  ithough, and that’s not to say you’ll feel the same. Also the delivery method is different in both patches. I feel very good on evorel so stick to that. Hope this helps x