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[donnafloyd]

Hi,

Am new to this group so hello to everyone. I am really after some advice so hope you can help... so I was told February 2022 I was peri menopausal. So I was put on estrogel 2 pumps and Utogestan 1 tablet 25 days... everything was fine til 6 months after i noticed symptoms coming back 🙄 so they up my Utogestan tablet to 2 daily for 14 days the 14 days off. All symptoms had gone apart from the worse moods swings ever, constantly crying or angry so after 4 weeks of my family telling me I wasn't right. I rang the gp and she told me to come off HRT for 6 weeks see how I am..well that was the worse ever! I was fine for 3 weeks, they all symptoms came back especially the osteoporosis in my knees struggled to walk up stairs and the worse was extreme thinning of my hair 😞 lost at least 50 percent volume, absolutely depressing 😢 never experiencedthis before.. ive spoke to GP last week who has prescribed me Evorel Sequi patches for 2 months, having read the side effect I noticed **Hair loss** which is worrying the hell out of me, I've not taken the patches yet, has anyone had bad side effects with taking the patch. Really cant seem to get the balance right ...Menopause absolutely sucks!

[CLKD]

Hi! Many Gps don't know much about peri-menopause so there's quite a. lot of conflicting info..

Hopefully someone will be along with HRT advice.  Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.   

[donnafloyd]

Hi,

Thank you, yes this does seem to be the case.

I think I will start a diary 🤔

[Fusseh]

Hi!
Just to put your mind at rest...I've been on Evorel sequi for 4 years and my hair has never been better! Its not perfect and HRT seems very individual in that it affects different people differently. Overall it has helped alleviate many symptoms.
Good luck

[sheila99]

I think you need a more educated gp. Changing from a conti to a sequi regime was never going to cure the symptoms of oestrogen deficiency you experienced. It isn't at all unusual to need more oestrogen as you progress towards meno anf you produce less yourself. The sensible option would have been to increase to 3 pumps gel. I've been on evorel and it didn't cause hair loss but the dose is equivalent to 2 pumps gel so is unlikely to resolve your symptoms (though I'm sure you'll better than you do now). As it's a different product you may absorb differently so you could get a slightly higher or lower dose than gel. If it was me I would ask for 3 pumps gel with utro, if you try the evorel sequi and you still have symptoms you could ask for a 75 patch with separate progestin such as utrogeston.

[donnafloyd]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your comments 🙂 I feel like a banging my head again the wall with my gp she dont seemed at all bothered just keeps switching my medication and, i  feel absolutely dreadful 😔 the balance isnt right, she wants to put me on the coil if the patches don't work, although I did ask her why is it so difficult to get the balance right her words were it takes years to get it right 🙄, I asked for a blood test to  check my hormone level but was told they don't do blood test for menopause, think I have no choice to go down the private route as am definitely lacking something and it could be I need more estrogen I did ask for 3 pumps on estradiol gel was yold 3 is dangerous and I don't think she's listening to me, i dont want to have the coil. My husband was furious she took me of HRT completely for 6 weeks trail to be then put bk on it and she's supposed to be a HRT specialist GP.

[sheila99]

Have a look at the NICE guidelines, I think they say up to 4 pumps is OK. Most GPs will prescribe 4 but any more needs a specialist. I would see a different gp as she seems to be clueless, how is a coil going to address your oestrogen deficiency? Or complain to the practice manager. The other possibility might be an email to Dr Currie who runs this site if your gp will prescribe based on her recommendation, for £30 it's the cheapest specialist advice you'll get.

[donnafloyd]

Hi,

Thank you for your comments that i really helping me! After yet another emotional break down last night I think i definitely need a second opinion and my supportive husband total agrees too, having started the patches on Monday I didn't realise until i read the leaflet that the first 2 weeks of the 4 patches is just estrogen only (evorel 50) the the last 2 weeks is combined (evorel conti) something else she didnt tell me! I am now lacking the progesterone which I've been on since Feb 22  and is now suffering again like i did when she took me off hrt completelyfor 6 weeks, I will email Dr Currie and seek advise, and Google private specialist that deal with menopause so I can get the help I need x