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[ducky ducky]

Thanks dancing girl, it's all abit confusing isn't t it, just got back fron the dr and she was really good checked blood pressure, asked lots of questions, family history etc, has suggested I take kliovance. 3 months supply got to go back befor then to see how I ve got on, I don't know if I'm doing the right thing in taking them, I ve sort of built up a barrier really about  " doing the menopause "without help, I know it's silly really, but I feel as if I ve let myself down, common sense tells me that if it's not right then just stop taking them, but feel abit disappointed with myself, o well we all know life's not black and white. Will let you know how it goes.

[Dancinggirl]

Oh ducky,ducky - There is no such thing as a natural menopause - everyone is different.  A hundred years ago you were lucky to get to 50 years old so menopause wasn't really a problem. I feel you have fallen down the hole that many new mothers also fall into.  When I was pregnant for the first time and attended NCT classes etc. everyone was so determined to have a natural birth and fully breast feed for months. The expectation and pressures are so great that somehow you feel a failure if you have had pain relief through labour, end up having a caesarian or are unable to breastfeed for whatever reason. This is soooo bonkers - as long as the mother and baby come through ok and the baby is thriving nothing else matters.  It's the same with the menopause. If you are one of the 25-30% of women who get bad meno symptoms why on earth should you restrict your life.  Feeling hot all the time, sleepless nights, atrophy etc. often result in depression, anxiety & general ill health. Just because many women get few, if any, bad symptoms and often boast about it, this doesn't make you in any way a failure. I believe you are failing your family and yourself if you don't address the problem.

I'm am little concerned you have been given kliovance as the progesterone sometimes gives PMT.  I think this is a continuous HRT which means you should get little or no breakthrough bleeding once you have been on it a few months. Give it a go but if you do find it doesn't suit you do try either Femiston (which has a kinder progesterone) or go for the bio-identicals like Oestrogel or patch with Utrogestan.  There are lots of threads about various HRTs so do some research.  Keep us posted about your progress and stop beating yourself up.  DG x

[ducky ducky]

O thanks, dancing girl, I see what you mean about having baby's and breast feeding, I'm gonna give it a go and stop beating myself up about it, had lovely talk with my other half, and like they say life's too short, I'll let you know how things go, thanks again, keep you posted ,thanks

[Rowan]

This is interesting information about progesterone, Dr John Lee in his books talks about it.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/26/This-Natural-Hormone-Can-Help-Heal-Your-Brain-Injury.aspx

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22635678

[libbyloo]

Fascinating reading your personal experiences, soup dragon - Libby......I'm just 8 weeks into this new phase of life, probably peri.. For two or three yrs but now no libido, that one dropped in two three weeks before I married on Dec 28th last yr! Weirdest feeling having no arousal, with a gorgeous hubby in the romantic setting of St.Ives. last cycle December, sticky glows, not hot flushes yet, wrecked sleep. I'm going to keep reading this section on hrt whilst I attempt the natural route. Must try it first whilst symptons bearable, I've slowly shared it with my husband, was weepy. I'm never weepy, a great sense of humour from him made me end up laughing. But if my symptoms become as wretched as some I'm reading, this section is going to be so valuable. Your right, lady who said after suffering for a long time, day in day out you have chosen quality of life now. Thankyou menochicks. Libbylou

[louie2]

I am into my 2nd week of evorel conti but am still suffering with terrible night sweats, I am wondering how long it takes to kick in? I have noticed that my mood has lifted slightly and the bouts of tears are less frequent, I have suffered for over a year with awful symptoms as am sure many of you can relate to and succumbed to HRT kicking and screaming as was worried about side effects etc but I had reached the point where I could no longer cope with anything, am just hoping these awful sweats stop soon.

[Limpy]

I was told then starting Evorel Conti that it can take 3 months to start fully working.
Meanwhile enjoy the improved mood, the sweats may take a bit longer to reduce.

[cashewitt]

I took HRT for about 15 years on and off but had to stop when I reached 60....thats when my life took a backward step.  The palpitations, memory loss and the hot flushes all returned with avengance.  18 months later there was a defining moment when I decided the doctor needed to take me seriously, and this is a young woman doctor.  I was in the bank at the counter and I had a serious hot flush, the sweat just ran off me, and I thought to myself it might look dodgy, as though I was up to no good.  I had put up with night sweats and very embarrassing daytime ones.  So I made an appointment to see the doc again and was determined I wasnt going to be pushed off with 'have you tried black coash, red clover etc'  which I had previously tried.  She prescribed me Gabapentin with a start of dose of 1 x 300mg daily and was told to gradually increase to 3 x 300 mg daily.  She told me to go back and see her in two weeks, which I did and when I told her how they had worked she actually jumped up and punched the air shouting YES YES.  Needless to say the drug had worked and I cant believe what a difference they made to me wiithin a couple of days.  She has added them to my repeat prescrption.  I am about 4 weeks into taking the max dose 3 x 300mg and although I have small flushes they fail into comparision to the drenching sweats I used to have.   

[Limpy]

Hi Cashewitt

Welcome to the forum.

It's good that Gabapentin has helped with your sweats and flushes.
It isn't HRT but it can help a lot to reduce hot flushes, as you have found.   

You say the max dose is 3 x 300mg - I have heard of people on much higher doses but this might be for epilepsy or pain control. If you decide you want to reduce the dose for whatever reason, make sure you do it gradually, like when you started taking it

[Pandora57]

HRT changed my life. Now my GP wants me to come off it( I've been on it 6 years) and I can't bear the thought. Without it I was a sleep deprived, sweating, snarling harpy with nil interest in sex ( it definitely contributed to the breakdown of my 22 year marriage) I now have a new partner who is ten years younger than I am and without the HRT I am frightened I'll return to how I was before. Comments, anyone? Who has come off HRT successfully?

[Hurdity]

Hi Pandora57
 

There have been lots of discussions recently about coming off HRT. If you go to the homepage of the forum and then put in appropriate search terms eg "coming off HRT" or "Stopping HRT", this should bring up some recent threads.

Unless there is a good medical reason why you should stop, and you are happy to continue - there is no reason not to carry on. There are several of us over 60 on here still taking it! I have been on it for over 7 years and I'm almost 61. Some have been on it for much longer.

Hurdity x

[Pandora57]

Thanks for that -  I'll go back to the GP when I need renewal and insist. I don't have any significant risk factors and as many people here have said, there are times when quality of life has to be the guiding force.

Pandora 57 xx

[Taz2]

Hi Pandora - I was asked to come off it last August after six years due to almost being 60 so agreed to give it a go. I lasted eight months but have restarted three weeks ago (only because I had one packet left in the cupboard) and now have to go back to my GP and confess. If you are aware of any risks etc. then it is up to you whether you decide to stay on it. I felt that I gave coming off it a good try but the symptoms were too much for me to cope with.

Let us know how you get on at the docs.

Taz x

[Kpnuts]

Can anyone shed any light on my symptoms of extreme wheezing and chest tightness.  I started Elleste Duet approx 28 days ago - over last 2 weeks been wheezing like an old man -spirometry/peak flow normal - oxygen stats fine they sent me for chest xray today.  I don't suffer from asthma or hay fever so this is really new for me. 
my daughter made a passing comment about allergic reaction and I wondered if anyone else has heard of this.
getting a wee bit worried
kpnuts

[Rowan]

Interesting read

http://www.geocities.ws/menobeyond/goingoffhrt.html

No matter what the date!