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[jacig1957]

Hi ladies
Can anyone help me with my new HRT problem.

I’m 66 and been on a really great cyclical HRT programme for years , that worked well for me without a problem , until 6 months ago.

I use 1 pump eustrogel every night and 100mg utrogestan vaginally for 12 days only every 3 months.

The last couple of times I’ve had no withdrawal bleed whatsoever after stopping the utrogestan. I have the normal sore breasts etc as if I’m going to bleed, but nothing.
Around 5-6 days after stopping the utrogestan I also have the most horrendous night sweats, lasting around 3 hrs every night. I’m literally soaking wet and need to change the bed every night.

This lasts for a couple of weeks before things return to normal.

I’m really worried/ paranoid about cancer and can’t understand why things have changed.

I’m sure I’m not the only one to have this and hope some of you ladies can help?

[CLKD]

 

Hormones.  It. mayB that your regime needs a tweek.  I am sure that some1 will be along with advice. 

Browse round.  Make notes.  Ask away.

[sheila99]

The ovaries carry on doing 'something' for some years post meno so it isn't unusual for symptoms to return when you think it's all settled. The good news is that it's usually bleeding rather than the lack of it than indicates avproblem but imo I don't think half the normal utro dose every 3 months is a safe option. I'm on long cycle sequi but it's 6 weeks not 3 months. You're on a low dose of oestrogen that makes it safer but personally I'd get a scan to check. Some women don't bleed on sequi and it may be OK for you but without the scan you don't know. The sweats would indicate you'd benefit from more oestrogen. Do you know when your last body induced bleed was?

[jacig1957]

Hi ladies
Thank you for your replies. I’m not quite sure how to work my way round this site or indeed have a clue what I’m doing…it’s an age thing 😂 Aplogies if I’m not replying correctly.

I’m not sure what you meant by body induced bleed. The last time I had a withdrawal bleed after Utrogestan was 6 months ago. In effect I’ve had two 3 month cycles now with no bleed.

The sweats never occur when taking the eustrogel on its own, only after I’ve stopped taken the 12 days of utrogestan. My breasts get sore and then the sweats start around 5/6 days after stopping utrogestan.

I dread taking it now due to being soaked in bed every night .

Where would I arrange a scan to have a test? I’m a bit concerned about asking my GP coz they’re of the opinion that I don’t need HRT now I’m 66 😱 … I do NOT want to stop taking it.

[CLKD]

If that's your GPs' attitude then get a referral to a dedicated menopause Clinic: there are waiting lists both in the private sector and in the NHS.  U could ring round your local hospitals to see whether they have Clinics: not a gynaecologist even if they claim to have 'knowledge' about menopause  . 

There is no age limit if HRT is helping symptoms.  GPs seem not to be able to grasp that nettle!

[sheila99]

You can continue hrt for life now. The NICE guidelines used to say stop at 60 but transdermal hrt is so much safer than the old type. Body induced  - I was just trying to find out how long you've been meno for but as you're on hrt you may not be able to tell. Is there a reason to stay on a sequi regime rather than conti (where you take 1 utro every night)? It seems to be the withdrawal from utro that causes problems so perhaps this would suit you better? And it's safer as the risk of endometrial cancer is less. I'm not sure where you can get a scan. There are posts on it but if you can't find them you could post as a separate topic.

[MrsMitch]

Hello Jacig. I'm not sure if this will be of help but when I was given the oestrogen gel, I was also given the utrogestan.  Initially it was every other week but then when my symptoms started to return, like yours, the GP said I was probably post Menopause by then and so needed Utrogestan every night to protect the lining of my womb. Plus each time my symptoms return, my GP tells me to increase my dose of gel. I've just seen a Menopause consultant at the hospital who has told me to increase the gel again. Maybe you do need more gel and continuous Utrogestan.  The only way to get rid of your night sweats is an increase.
As the other ladies have said, if your GP isn't helping, you could have an email consultant with Dr Heather Currie on here. If you do that and make sure one of your questions is 'my GP says I should no longer need HRT,  how long can I stay on it' then you can email the reply to your GP and they will have to take her advice on board. That is the quickest way to get this sorted - I did it and had the answers I needed in just over a week.
Otherwise as above either private specialist or NHS but I had to wait 18 months on the NHS. 
You definitely need to have your HRT looked at.

[Ayesha]

Just to add here that Dr Currie's online consultation has been suspended until further notice.

[Abc123]

Hi I hope it's OK for me to share this. I'm not post menopausal (went 9 months without a period so was nearly there!) but was exploring the various forums.

There is a very interesting thread discussing whether Oestrogel is as effective as it used to be. I'm going to link it here: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,67309.0.html in case that may be the issue for you with symptoms showing up again.

It's a long thread but worth a read. In summary though lots of women had been stable on it for years, then when the bottle shape changed, found their symptoms returned. Some had blood tests showing levels had dropped even though they'd increased dose. Many have since changed to a different product such as patches or Sandrena gel and have settled down again.

My GP kindly changed me to Sandrena yesterday because my bloods show lower levels than would be expected for the dose I'm on.

Best wishes.