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[michele]

Hello my name is Michele and I am new to the site, I have been taking Elleste Duet 1mg for horrible mood swings and anxiety as well as hot flushes, my doctor has just increased it to 2mg - feeling sick in the mornings and painful boobs, still suffering with the anxiety, my doctor has suggested a mild anti-depressant really not sure about this can anyone give some advice.

thanks

[lillybee]

I have been on premique low dose for 3 weeks now, no change. I am as hot as ever, weeping all the time and not sleeping. I have been keeping a diary for a while and there is no change in the number of flushes. I read somewhere it can take 3 months for HRT to kick in, I am thinking now I could try for 3 months then start again with something else and it might not work. It is so depressing. I was on anti depressants for 12 months to calm me down, I decided to come off them and wish I hadn't they were taking the edge off my stress and bad temper. It is hard to believe such a natural process can be so horrific to live with.

[Rivadan]

Sorry you're not feeling any benefit yet Lillybee.  Its very frustrating. I think we started on the HRT tabs about the same time. I'm three days into the progestogen phase now. As I said in an earlier post, my flushes have reduced and while the weather was cooler I was finding it tolerable. However, this last few days while its been hot I've really been uncomfortably warm.  Flushes aside, I feel as if my entire body thermostat's been turned up too high! So how come I'm not burning up fat??

We usually take our holidays abroad at the end of September and my hope was that I'd be feeling more normal by then. As it is I don't think I could stand the heat. I'm just hoping that as the weeks go by and my body gets used to it, things will improve. Like you, I'd hate to end up trying one thing after another, and I'd like to avoid going onto a higher dosage. I think patches would be my next choice - although Im reluctant to go that route because of my history of skin allergy.

Anyway, hang on in there, and let us know how you get on.

[michele]

Hi Lillybeen

I can really sympathise with you in relation to the HRT not sure of the dose you are on but my GP has just increased my to 2mg - hot flushes slightly better still trying to deal with mood swings and anxiety.

Hopefully you will start to see some improvement really soon

Michele

[juliamd]

Hi lillybee
Hang on in there! Im now on my third month of hrt initially on evoral sequi, and it has taken much longer than i expected to get the relief from the hot flushes. in fact i still get one or two a day but no where near as severe i can cope with these, the anxiety and tearfullness has also taken a while to settle but again at a more copeable level. I have just changed to femseven sequi, same dose of oestrogen, but lower progesterone as i was having a terrible time on that, so im hoping this will help. like you im on holiday in sept and was hoping id be feeling fine by then. heres hoping
love julia

[Rosebush]

Hi Lilly, really hope your HRT kicks in soon, i am not on HRT now but did take it for 6mths, dose was made higher last tree months but no difference, however i wish to god i had kept trying other types, just for hot sweats, i have coped with them now for 6.5yrs, and they are still ruling my life. ..... sooo please give HRT a little longer, and sooo hope it works for you

[Rivadan]

Oh Rosebush 6.5 years!  I used to think it would be just a few months either side of periods stopping and that would be it!  I now know differently. My sister's been enduring flushes for about 5 years - she can't take HRT because of endometriosis. I also have a work colleague who hasn't had a period for four or five years and is STILL experiencing some flushing and night sweats. 

I can't help feeling we women must have a design fault when something as disruptive as this comes along just at that time between parenthood and old age when we could be really enjoying ourselves!

[lillybee]

Thank you for the replies, this is one place I don't feel like an alien  . I will keep on with HRT as four years of this is really getting to me. I am exhausted, it has taken over my life. Keeping everything crossed and will keep you posted.

[christie61]

There's so much conflicting information these days about HRT. Tell us what you think--is it good or bad? My feeling is that for most people it's good when used appropriately and reviewed but here you can have your say!

I had a hysterectomy when I was 42 after suffering years of maniacal PMT. I tried one or two different pills which didn't agree with me but then I was put on oestrogel. I am now 61 and I am still using oestrogel. No one could imagine the difference this has made to my life. I still have hot sweats, even when using the oestrogel but it has always helped with the mood swings making me a much more placid person than I used to be.
None of my doctors has ever suggested I come off it so I have never offered to come off it. I look years younger than 61 (so I'm told) and I certainly don't feel anything like that age. I am hoping to keep using it forever and I will be the eternal teenager!!!!!!!!

[lillybee]

I am hoping the mood swings will even out when I get some relief from the flushes. I am either screaming at everyone of sobbing for no reason. I was on anti depressants and came off them as I thought they were not helping, I was wrong. I am thinking of asking to go back on them as I am not coping very well at the minute. I did read somewhere hrt doesn't help mood swings so not sure. My weight is going up and up and I am now puffing up in my fingers, feet and ankles. I look like the michelin man, my lovely hubby says I am voluptuous bless him

[Rivadan]

Lillybee I would go and consult your doctor if I were you. Coming of anti-depressants can be pretty tricky at the best of times, and just now you already have enough to cope with. Have you noticed any improvement at all in your hot flushes?  I've just taken tablet 28 of my first pack of Elleste Duet. My flushes have reduced and I'm sleeping better. During the daytime I'm still feeling very warm and my forehead and neck often break out into a sweat (its so becoming!). I'm just waiting now to see what the 'period' will be like.

[lillybee]

No change at all yet apart from puffy feet and hands. I have kept a diary for a while and the flushes are the same, 1-2 every hour. My doctor did say it can take 3 months to take effect so I will wait and see. I feel I am never away from the doctor these days, fingers crossed it settles soon. Thankfully have not had a period for over 3 years, that is the one good thing

[Taz2]

Lillybee - have you consulted your doc about your puffiness? I don't think that it is a side effect of HRT. Don't want to worry you but I would get it checked out 

[lillybee]

No I haven't been back, it only started this last week so I thought it was a side effect. I will get an appointment Thanks

[LynS]

I haven't posted on here for ages but I'm hoping to get to see a female doc at my surgery at some point this week. Hot flushes started in the new year, fading out when I got a period, which arrive about once every 2-3 months. Earlier in the year (around April) I got horrendous headaches which definitely seemed linked to hormonal fluctuations. The male doc I went to see blithely assumed I should take HRT but was persuaded to try something else first. He gave me 3 months supply of Propolanol for the heads, and it did improve.

However, the hot flushes are a fixture again at the moment and waking me in the night, with the familiar sleep deprivation, lack of energy etc that goes along with it. In themselves the flushes aren't bad but having several a day and at night is wearying. I have had the occasional bout of headaches but not as bad as earlier in the year. I've been taking Menoherbs since January which have alleviated the flushes somewhat but I'm starting to run out of the energy to cope with them. I've been off Uni since 20th May and so far haven't had the energy to do very much on my 'to do' list at all! I'd hate to think I'll look back on my lovely long summer break and think it was a waste.

To add to the mix, I've just done one year of a degree course at Uni (the headaches were no help at exam time!) and we've had a particularly stressful year in other ways too. So I find it difficult to ascribe symptoms purely to the menopause as opposed to stress. Oh, and the amount of Ibuprofen I took for the headaches gave me oesophago-gastritis: I've just finished medication for that and am waiting for blood test results for 'unfriendly' bacteria in my gut!

The upshot is that I'm starting to think about HRT whereas before I was exploring alternatives. I know I'm the only one who can make the decision but I would be grateful for any comments.