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[Tribbins]

Hi all

I just wondered if I can get some advice from others who have experience of taking HRT when they have suffered from issues created by hormonal changes. My last period was just over 7 years ago, I'm nearly 59 now. And what a ride it has been. On the way I have experienced night sweats, chronic migraine, rosacea, exhaustion, hair loss, complete loss of libido, everything has dried up and shrunk (!), digestive issues, 'adult asthma', constipation, insomnia, anxiety, lack of motivation, last time I went for a smear it was too painful for the nurse to get the speculum thingy in. She told me I should go to my GP as we shouldn't have to live like this. So anyway, the migraines have definitely lessened, much less painful but still quite frequent. Still having night sweats and poor sleep. The exhaustion is phenomenal. Feel like a husk, or a shell. I don't know where I went, if that makes sense. Doing anything requires an enormous amount of effort. I have made GP appointments but it's hard work - last time I felt like I was fobbed off with a prescription for Mirtazapine. I feel sedated enough as it is without extra help! I've had to cut my work days down to two, and even then I feel drained. I had to take two complete years off when migraine was at its worse, always being told by GPs that it wouldn't last. Well it has!  Every year I get full bloods taken but I'm otherwise in good health, last time was last month. I try to run a few times a week but just so knackered and unmotivated. I can't get excited about anything that I used to enjoy. Apart from food. Prior to menopause I struggled with painful, heavy periods and terrible PMS. I felt great when I was pregnant but had worse migraines.

I feel like I should have been offered HRT instead of a brain scan and a colonoscopy, but I also held back from asking for it as hormonal changes have caused me so many issues and maybe taking more will exacerbate migraine and rosacea again. Does anyone have any experience of these things getting better or worse with HRT? Also I'm hugely sensitive to a lot of medications, and did try Evorel Conti during peri menopause with not-so-good results (used a 1/4 of a patch then felt like I was on speed, got massive migraine and bled really heavily). Think I still had too much of my own hormones at the time. Not wanting to be negative, but this just feels like the slippery slope to death (sorry) and I feel like I have already watched 10 years go by from when symptoms started, whilst feeling like I'm only half alive. I've got a GP appointment this week and I want to know what to ask for - if I get something that doesn't suit me, it will be a while before I can get another appointment, and I don't want to be fobbed off again. Any advice please on how to tackle this?

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Squibbins and welcome to the forum. The symptoms you describe can definitely be addressed by HRT. With HRT it can take time to find one that suits and often the first one we try may not be the right one for us.

I am very sad you have been struggling for so long and clearly not been given any decent advice from your GP.

Vaginal dryness, constant need to wee, UTI type symptoms are caused by lack of estrogen and localised oestrogen taken vaginally will ease all those symptoms. It is frustrating that many GPs are not aware of this and it is easily treated.

I can understand why you feel so low. With all that you have going on you are bound to feel this way. You have come to the right place. You will find lots of support on here.

[Ayesha]

Welcome squibbins and what a rough ride you are having!

The first thing to ask for is Vaginal Atrophy treatment.
You mention side effects of medications but unless you again give systemic HRT a try you won’t know whether you will be able to tolerate it or not, it’s not always the golden ticket for a lot of women unfortunately. It will be trial and error at first and you might have to try other HRT meds before you get a regime that suits you.

Be assertive at your appointment because you definitely need help, particularly with Vaginal Atrophy that you no doubt are suffering from.
Do a search for Vaginal Atrophy on here, there are tons of posts on the subject, all very informative.

[CLKD]

Make sure that you ask for a referral to an NHS Menopause Clinic - there R waiting lists so sooner rather than later: not a Gynae as they often don't know any more than some GPs seem to!

Let us know how you get on.

[Kathleen]

Hello squibbins and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry that you have had such a rotten time.

I agree with the other ladies that you have a right to try HRT and some treatment for vaginal atrophy.

The most up to date form of HRT is Oestrogen gel that comes in a pump or a sachet and can be rubbed into your skin. As you know patches are also available.

 I assume that you still have your womb in which case you will need to also take some progesterone. The most often prescribed is Utrogestan which is listed in the GPs formulary as Micronised Progesterone.

You may be well aware of all the above but if you need to know more you can search for HRT products on this site.

Finally you say that your doctor arranged regular blood tests and I wonder if your Vitamin D levels have been tested?  Apparently many of us are low in this vitamin which is really a hormone.

Wishing you well and let us know how you get on.

K.

[DottyD68]

Hi Squibbins,

I'm so sorry to hear what an awful 10 years you have had. I can relate to some of the things that you have described and know how bleak the future has felt for me at times  But there is hope and you mustn't give up.

I dont know much about VA "yet"  but systemic HRT should alleviate many of your symptoms. It is not a magic bullet and may need some tweaking along the way but if you can improve some things life will seem brighter. If you get gel you can tweak the dosage a bit more easily than with patches but it's a very personal thing. Usually it is recommended to try for 3 months so may be get another GP appointment booked in for then if you can, if not earlier for a review.

If you haven't got the energy to run just get your trainers on and plan to do a short walk. Once you are out you then may feel like going further or running. Get out there in the fresh air but don't put too much pressure on yourself and go with the flow. Have you got a buddy who you could meet up with while you're out? Talking burns up extra calories too   

Good luck and let us know how you get on X

[Tribbins]

Thank you all for being so welcoming and supportive, I am definitely going to ask the GP for HRT, these telephone appointments aren't the easiest way of communicating personal stuff but I will mention the vaginal atrophy. I think what makes it difficult is never seeing the same GP twice and everything being done by phone, it is kind of awkward to talk about genitalia on the phone with someone I've never met - however - it has been several years since I was able to have an active sex life (not sure I could even if I wanted to) and feel a bit sorry for my poor husband. My sex drive disappeared almost overnight about a year after my last period, so I don't really miss it, but I miss the closeness.

Apparently my vit D is within the ok range this year, although it registered as low previously. I have been supplementing over winter but coincidentally when I started with the exhaustion it was in January 10 years ago - and it lifted in the summer months. Then same thing every year until it became a permanent thing a couple of years ago. I even tried a light box one year which triggered migraines so I couldn't continue with it.

I didn't even know there were any NHS menopause clinics! I thought they were all private. So I just googled it and found out there is one in Kendal, so not far from me. I will definitely mention this to the GP.

Big thanks and I will post an update after the appointment.

[DottyD68]

Good luck Squibbins. I totally agree that telephone appointments are more difficult than F2F and also it's harder with different GPs. Maybe you could ask this GP for a follow on call with them (if you feel happy to do so and it's possible). I've recently managed to have 3 calls with the same GP who I think is good and it's really helped me have continuity.

Write everything down before your call so you can keep focused and cover everything you want to.

Let us know how it goes. X

[Julia Dizzy]

Hi Squibbins, so sorry you have been through some awful symptoms, you are definately not alone! I put up with all of the horrible symptoms like yours for 9 years after my last period before going to see my GP in 2019 at age 63 to ask for HRT. He refused and said I was too old (!), but I insisted on a referral to the local NHS menopause clinic which he did. I saw a consultant there who put me on HRT straight away (gel and Utrogestan) and have been on it ever since. He sent a letter to my GP who put all the HRT on repeat prescription which is still the case today. I have also been on Vagifem every other night for years now.

I have tried Femseven conti which he also mentioned at the first consult which wasn't available at the time. I tried it when it was back in production, but the adhesive irritated my skin so had to stop that one and went back on the gel. I have also tried Estradot 50 along with Utrogestan which were fine for me, but have now gone back on the gel due to supply issues of the patches. I also tried Evorel conti for a while but I had a few light bleeds so stopped that.

I was also given Tostran gel after 3 months. I use one blob twice a week and it has all managed to improve my libido and response quite a lot much to my surprise! No longer have the awful pain that I previously had which ruined my sex life.

I still have anxiety, joint pains and tiredness which the HRT still doesn't seem to have "fixed", but I have been recovering from a bowel cancer op and chemo for 18 months so it has all taken it's toll and not sure I'll ever be quite the same!. HRT is the only thing that has ever got rid of my hot flushes, and whenever I've tried a break from HRT they come back within 2 weeks, so am staying on it as long as I can.

So I hope you manage to get an appointment with a meno clinic and start on the road to a better you in the future. Good luck! xx

[Tribbins]

Thank you Dotty, I am going to sit down this evening and write out what I want to say to the GP, as I'm already starting to feel anxious about the call. I don't want to end up getting fobbed off again, it's gone on for so long.

Julia - how long did it take from referral until you got a clinic appointment? I think the gel sounds a better bet as it seems more flexible in the amount you use, I'm glad it has given you some symptom relief. It's the tiredness that I am really struggling with - at the same time I am terrified of HRT exacerbating the migraines as they have definitely calmed down, only get a couple of 'mild' ones each week now. Did the clinic or the GP prescribe the Tostran gel? Sounds like it has worked well for you :-)

[CLKD]

Oh I love the Lakes  except when it's raining ;-)

R U able to take a cancellation appt in a Clinic, if a lady doesn't turn up for example or rings in that day and isn't keeping the appt.?  U could ring the menopause clinic, some take self referrals.  Do take a list of your concerns to any appts from now on in, my GP takes mine from my hand, reads it and we go through to prioritise.

Altering the delivery of HRT can impact on absorption and reactions.  I wish that GPs/manufarcuters were aware that it might not be a simple swap!

As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry inside and out as well as muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  GPs often don't join those dots!

Let us know how you get on.

[Tribbins]

Hi CLKD, I will definitely update on the outcome and will have a look at whether the clinic takes self-referrals. Unfortunately I can't give the GP a list as it's phone consultations only, which I struggle with (think it's brain fog that stops my brain absorbing information unless I can see someone).

I've had so many menopause related complaints over the last 10 years - shoulder pain, tendonitis, IBS, neck pain, bowel issues and the bloody migraines - but they have all been treated as isolated issues, not one GP has ever mentioned menopause or HRT.

Off to write my list :-)

[CLKD]

Tick!

MayB ask for a face2face with the Nurse Practitioner.

[Julia Dizzy]

Hi Squibbins,

It was back in Sept 2019 my first appt with the Meno clinic, so pre covid. Think it took about 6-8 weeks or so after the referral. I got the Tostran gel after 3 months on HRT  from the clinic, which appears to the standard practice, and it is now on repeat prescription "as per specialist" as don't think Gp would have prescribed it. I have tried a few breaks from the Tostran as did get sore boobs initially, but have been back on it since last September, seems to have settled down and can really tell the difference!

During the pandemic the clinic closed down and I have never been called back since. I have to discuss any changes with my Gp now.

I wish you well and hope you manage to get some symptom relief if you do decide to try HRT, these flippin hormones are a real pain!! x

[CLKD]

It's off licence for women