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[Me-too]

Menopausal symptoms started at around 39 - hot flushes and night sweats, days of crying, and extreme mood swings which swung from suicidal to road rage angry type stuff.  GP told me too young to be going through the menopause but after about 2 years was prescribed birth control Loestrin 20.  Still didn't believe I was menopausal (they said Bipolar which I am not diagnosed with nor have been since the hormones kicked in).  Sanity was restored, all symptoms gone, and feeling more laid back and calm than I think I have ever been.

Now 49 and had some issues with high blood pressure so have had to come off the Loestrin.  The first couple of weeks were fine but then the flushes started and my mood started to drop.  Blood tests showed I am now post menopausal and no periods now for 7 years (I took pill back to back due to mood problems).  So the GP put me onto Femostan-conti 0.5 mg/2.5. Been on it about 4 weeks now and it has been the month from hell.  I seem to be stuck in a permanent hot flush, I feel exhausted, and nauseous with no appetite, night sweats worse than the hot flushes and have been crying for just about all of the 4 weeks.  At the weekend started to feel suicidal (and it's fine, I know it's hormones and not acting on it).  The rest of the time I just sort of sit there and cry.  My blood pressure is also higher which may just be stress I guess because boy is this stressful!!

I really want my Loestrin back because the thought of months of this is pretty unbearable.  And that's if the HRT actually starts to do it's job.  Without hormones I turn into a basket case, with them, well we shall see but right now it's just made it 10 times worse.  I have to say I really do feel like giving up.  I know I need hormones, I just need more of them I think.

[LostLady]

I have been taking Estelle Duet for one month. Within 2 days my moods improved, my hot flushes stopped and I felt so much happier in myself.  After starting the second packet my period started ( I hadn't had one for 4 months) and my stomach cramps were really painful and my period very heavy for the first day. However I am now on day three and things are much improved and I am feeling ok again.
I am looking forward to seeing how I am through this second month of being on the HRT.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Lost lady - have you introduced yourself on the NEW MEMBERS section? More ladies will respond if you do.
I'm afraid period cramps can be bad when on HRT but it's a small price to pay for feeling good for the rest of the month. The bleeds should be predictably so you can take some ibuprofen to relieve the cramps. Pleased you are feeling good on this HRT.  DG x

[linfit]

Hi Lost lady - have you introduced yourself on the NEW MEMBERS section? More ladies will respond if you do.
I'm afraid period cramps can be bad when on HRT but it's a small price to pay for feeling good for the rest of the month. The bleeds should be predictably so you can take some ibuprofen to relieve the cramps. Pleased you are feeling good on this HRT.  DG x

Does anyone have any advice for me about Evorel 50 patches. I have been using them for 2 months and am not sure if I can detect if they are improving my mood. I have VA and am on topical hrt but hoped that the patches would improve my mood. Am I expecting things to improve too soon? Felt very tearful today, most of the day. How will I know what to try etc. and what's likely to work?

[Dancinggirl]

Linfit - oestrogen can help with low mood but if the low mood isn't to do with hormones then it won't.  HRT is fro helping with flushes and nights sweats - it can improve depression and anxiety if this has started with the meno symptoms but it can take longer fro the oestrogen to work it's magic.  Someitmes women need an AD/SRRI alongside eth HRt to really deal with all meno symptoms. 
I suspect it is early days for you yet and you possibly need to concentrate on eating well, doing relaxation techniques and getting some exercise to help lift the mood - Vitamin D with magnesium in winter is terribly important, as low mood is a symptom of Vit D deficiency. DG x

[josie44]

hi there
i am on elleste duet 1mg but i am having terrible mood swings so i have been given a prescription for femoston. does anyone know if i can change straight away? 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM josie44.
It would probably be best to finish a whole month of the Elleste before starting the Femoston.  Are you using sequential or continuous versions?
The progesterone in Femoston is kinder so brings fewer side effects, so suing any of the Femoston HRT range can be good.  However taking any progesterone every day (Continuously) can bring problems.  Hopefully you are doing the sequential type of HRT which gives 2 weeks of oestrogen only, followed by combined oestrogen with progesterone for 12-14 days, but this will mean a withdrawal bleed each month - many women choose to stick with a sequi HRT well into post meno and put up with the monthly bleed, as there will be fewer progesterone effects.
Hope the Femoston works well for you. DG x

[Pinkfizz]

Hello everyone

I wanted to give any passing demented, hormonal, menopausal woman an overview of my experience on HRT.

I'm 49, career girl, married, slim, fit and generally a happy bunny. Looking back I have been peri for a number of years, periods regular but the odd flush, brain fog and a few aches. My periods stopped suddenly and I was having a random hot flush but nothing too severe. I read this forum and decided most of you were deluded and needed to get a grip, as this menopause thing was a doddle (you will have your revenge shortly)!!!

6 months on...I swear I woke up on a Monday morning and I was hit hard by the menopause train! I had; acid reflux which I had never had before, so bad I could not eat or drink (alcohol made me vomit), I have violent sinusitis, constant headache, I ached like an old woman and was gaining weight. However the worst was; insomnia (12 weeks of 3 hours sleep per night) anxiety/anger...I turned into a real charmer! And hot flushes were just every 10 minutes...they are just so bloody intense.

My mum and friends all said, you will get through it, we did!!! I gave it a go...12 weeks and then I went to the doctors (young amazing female GP). I ended up with Novofem and I love it...and it loves me!

Wow...3 days in and things started to improve, hot flushes were the first thing to ease...1 month I started to feel so much better, 6 weeks I had my first full night sleep in months! I've now been on HRT for 5 months and it was the best thing for me.

Ironically I was prescribed HRT by an idiot 5 years previously and I had such a bad experience with it, which put me off taking it again. However, at that time it turned out I was not menopausal, but my thyroid had left the building...so girls remember to have a look at your thyroid before you jump on the HRT. I think the menopause changes us and I would rather it didn't happen, however I'm 49 and I'm not going down without a bloody fight. xxxxxxxxx

[Kathleen]

Hello Pinkfizz and welcome to the forum.


Like you I had no idea of the joys that menopause had to offer, even at 49 I thought HRT was for wimps! Fast forward to 54 my periods suddenly stopped and the menopause arrived with a bang. I am 60 now and continue to experiment with HRT in various forms plus diet and supplements.

I hope your regime goes on working for you.

Take care and keep posting.

K.

[Pinkfizz]

Hello Pinkfizz and welcome to the forum.


Like you I had no idea of the joys that menopause had to offer, even at 49 I thought HRT was for wimps! Fast forward to 54 my periods suddenly stopped and the menopause arrived with a bang. I am 60 now and continue to experiment with HRT in various forms plus diet and supplements.

I hope your regime goes on working for you.

Take care and keep posting.

Thank you xx

K.

[SarahLiz]

Hi all
I'm a newby here and like most, I guess, looking for some advice.
I apologise if my questions have been answered before in this topic - I didn't read through 56 pages 
I'm 44 and blood tests confirmed my oestrogen levels were low, with accompanying hot flushes and vaginal dryness.  The doc put me on Elleste Duo 1mg and I'm nearing the end of month 2. The dryness and flushes have stopped but I have a couple of questions.  I've just come out of a week or two of possibly the lowest mood I have ever had - horrible depression and anxiety, feeling constantly tearful and just wanting to hide under a duvet all day, alternating with snapping at everyone around me and an inability to tolerate crowds and noise (with hindsight, Ikea at half term was probably a bad idea!).   I've suffered from PMT in the past but never as long or as bad.  Will it lessen off if I persist with the Elleste?  What surprised me was that it happened during the oestrogen part of the packet but I thought low mood was associated with progestogen.
My second question is about my period.  I have been used to some pain and a bit of bloating for a couple of days but the bloating and discomfort were off the scale during my first bleed at the end of month one and I had pain for 4 days.  Will this get better with time?  I'm a teaching assistant and it was really hard to do my job while feeling so bad.
Any advice will be gratefully received.
Thanks in advance 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM SarahLiz
I'm afraid the side effects you are getting are quite common with many HRT types - the PMT type symptoms are often to do with the type of progesterone or often as a result of the withdrawal of progesterone, as you are getting. You could try Femoston 1/10 as this has a kinder progesterone.
Many women find they get bad period cramps as well - this can be a real nuisance.
If Femoston isn't better then there are plenty of other options.
Some women do better with a Mirena coil and then use oestrogen alongside as gel or patch.  This will usually result in no bleeding after the first few weeks - also less cramps etc which is great. DG x

[Nairn]

new to the forum, but I though I would say that for me HRT has been positively life changing. - took courage and a few tries to find the right one for me, but I am now taking Femoston 2/10.  It has removed most of the symptoms and I feel like my old self - I have been on it for 18 months now and it's great  - quality of life outweighs risk for me.  Tried all the natural options, and after spendings £100s in boots and health food shops, and still feeling terrible I tried HRT and glad I did.  I have a really demanding full time job and can't afford not to be at work so could not 'live through it' - but everyone is different.  However, it has brought my periods back (not so good).

Does anyone have any suggestions for contraception for someone who is exceptionally sensitive to prostergone ? The coil is not suitable for me and most POP pills cause other problems on top on the HRT

[adysbabygirl]

Hi everyone
New to this site . I've just hit the menopause and wanted to know the best combination HRT . And what people recommend . Got DRS in the morning    thanks

[Dana]

That's a really difficult question to answer because there is a lot to choose from and there are numerous regimes. You can get estrogen in patches, pills and gel and there is also whether or not you need a progestogen as well (only needed if you have a uterus). My personal opinion is that the first type tried should be patches, but some women prefer tablets or gel. Everyone is different and will have their individual preferences.  Quite often there will be a bit of trial and error before you settle on something.

If you live in the UK there is a list of available HRTs in the menu above that might help you a bit.