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[Lexyb]

Hello, Im a newbie with this and have a bit of a strange case of HRT!

I have had full body radiation therefore leaving my body to not produce its own hormones therefore having to take HRT. I am 21 and have been on HRT for about 7 years. My doctor has tried me on a lot of different things increasing the dose on the way. I was on the pill as a type of HRT for 2 years and have recently gone back onto Evorel Sequi patches. The reason for this changing was becasue i was feeling very depressed and down within myself and experiencing really low sex drive. I have been with my partner for 3 years and feeling like this at my age has been a huge stress on our relationship.

From going on Eveorel Sequi the first two weeks i felt like a new person, the mood swings and angrness had gone and i finally felt more confident within myself improving my sex drive hugely!! I have recently gone on to the second patch for weeks 3 and 4 that contains progestogen and i feel awful again! Has anyone esle had this?

I still experience hot flushes and sweats regardless of being on HRT but i think this may be specific for my case.

Look forward to hearing from you. Lexyb

[Hotnbothered]

Hi lexyb,
 
sorry you have suffered so much at such a young age 
I am sure someone will be along soon to answer your query, I know that lots of ladies have problems with the different 'ingredients' in HRT.
I know that I took an hrt (tablet form) that had 2 different tablets in it & i felt horrendous taking the 2nd part of the hrt, wanted to kill or hit everyone & everything, so went back to the doctor & got it changed 

[Taz2]

Hi Lexyb 

The progesterone in Evorel Sequi is Norethisterone and this is known to cause bad pmt symptoms in some women. I was on it for a while but the mood swings and depression in the second half of the cycle were difficult to cope with. My doc changed me to Femseven Sequi which has a different progesterone and I have had no mood swings at all on this one.

Keep posting - you will find lots of support on here.

Taz x

[Rosebush]

Hi Lexy

I am also on Hrt Femseven Conti, and have not had bad mood swings, maybe your Gp would change you to F.S its worth a try..so sorry you are suffering all this at such a young age, i am 60 and think its the pits..

xx

[platte]

Hi Lexy, I'm so sorry you are suffering. It's horrible at any age, but at 21, I just can't imagine how you cope. You are obviously a very strong woman. Like the other ladies said, I don't know anything about what you're taking, but others here will. Good luck to you in finding yours answers.

platte 

[Lexyb]

Hi,

Just wanted to say thank you for all the recent replies, it is so nice to know i am not the only one going through this.

Look forward to hearing more.

Lexyb

[Trey]

Hi, This is my first post so hope I do it correctly.  I had a hyst at 32 years of age, went on Premarin at 41 years, went off Premarin when the big study came out, got a Cystocele (prolapsed bladder) almost immediately, went to gyn who was upset that I stopped taking HRT and we decided to try the patch as it might be safer.  Went on estradiol and my prolapse lessened immediately.  However, a few years later it worsened and I am now on a very small dose of the patch (cut it in 1/2) and am starting to add estrogen cream (estrace) to try and lessen the prolapse.  I wish I had *never* quit hormones as my friends are still on them (my mother is 93 and has NO prolapse and still on Premarin) and have no prolapse issues.  I think the study overplayed the danger and customizing the HRT is what matters.  I prefer the patch because it is not metabolized in the liver (although perhaps less effective??) and wish I had stayed on it because now the prolapse (2-3 degree) seems to be permanent.

Even in patches there is variation.  One patch caused me side effects but the Climara (USA) causes no side effects for me.  I will not go off HRT again unless there is a very serious reason.  I am 70, a retired registered nurse, and very active (except for the problems with prolapse).

Appreciate this forum and the opportunity to learn how folks handle many female issues.

[platte]

Hi Trey,

What an amazing story. You are 70, and your mother is 93? Both still taking an HRT, wow!! That's awesome!!! I'm sorry to hear of the problems you have had though. That study caused a lot of suffering.

My sister, (she's a yr. older than I am), had a hysterectomy when she was in her early 40's, and was prescribed Premarin. A few yrs. later, I was on it too. When the controversial study came out, she panicked, and stopped taking hers......so did I. The mood swings were quite severe....couldn't sleep at night, and the sweats made us look like we just stepped in from the rain. 

I still have periods, and I'll be 57 in November UGH!!! To make a long story short, after extensive research, a few yrs. ago, we both decided to go back on it... I feel so much better, and she said that I saved her life. Her husband jokes it saved their marriage.   

I am going to tell her about you. She will be so happy to hear of another  HRT success story.

I know that just because other ladies made it safely through menopause while taking HRT, it doesn't mean that everybody will. It's just nice to hear the stories of the women who do. 

Thank you for posting, and I sincerely hope everything works out for you.

Take care.

Platte

[Crescent]

Hi, another newbie joined last night!
Your story really is fascinating, Trey.   I was on HRT, first tablets and then patches (Prempak, I think?) for 9 years from 45 - 54 due to fainting attacks.  They used to come out of the blue, extreme nausea followed by blacking out.  I was told this was due to dips in hormone levels.  I was frightened it could happen when I was driving as it was very very quick so went on HRT.   I came off HRT because at that point - 9 years ago - the advice was mostly for only 10 years maximum.  I am now wishing I had never come off it as over the last 3 years I have had such problems with cystitis and kidney infections which I am now thinking might be from the vaginal atrophy.  I am currently in the middle of my second attack in 3 weeks and using Ovestin cream.
I came off HRT reasonably quickly and didn't find it too difficult although I do still get some daily hot flushes.

[Hotnbothered]

Hi to Trey & Crescent
welcome to the forum  for some reason I can't get the 'more' button to work so have put a smiley!
HRT at 70 & 93, wow!! I saw a doctor the other day about going back on it (only took it for 8 months to help with anxiety & panic) becasue i am worried about osteoporosis, but she wasn't keen for me to go back on it (it was my own male doctor that recommended it before!)
After reading your post I am seriously thinking of going back & insisting 

[Crescent]

Thanks for the welcome, Hotnbothered
Yes it does make you wonder about going back on it, doesn't it?   If I thought it would definitely help stop these cystitis attacks, I'd be very tempted as they are making me not only feel rotten but also very anxious all the time.   Particularly if I go on holiday.

[Trey]

Hi all, Thanks for the wonderful welcome to this friendly, helpful forum.  I have another friend 77 yrs old (young!) who is still on Premarin (5 days/week, smallest dose).  She has survived a burst aneurysm (1999) where her heart stopped four times on the way to the hospital.  Her doctor told her, after her hyst at 40 years old, to stay on Premarin and don't listen to those studies that seem to come out every ten years.  She has no problems at all with her gyn parts - she also had ovaries removed, which I did not at time of hyst.  I take precautions very seriously and do have a mammogram (digital) every 12-18 months and do have a gyn check every 12 months.  So, it is not like I don't worry, but honestly I think that Lipitor and tons of other prescription medications are dangerous as heck for many people.  My theory is quite simple: our bodies have not had time to mutate to compensate for our longer life expectancies and therefore we are left with outliving our estrogen levels.  I tried dhea twice (stimulates many hormones) and quit after it gave me acne (yuk) and also sent my heart racing.  So, again, use caution and make sure any hormone replacement is made to fit your needs.  Thanks again for the welcome and kind remarks.  Oh, for the record, I don't feel a bit different at 70 than I did at 45 (maybe it is hrt-who knows?). Trey

[Taz2]

Hi Ressurection - welcome to the forum 

I am interested that you are on testosterone. Are you in the UK and have you had a total hysterectomy?

Taz x

[Trey]

Hi Resurrection,

What an excellent point you make in the replacement of other hormones.  My son has been diabetic since 36 months and would not be alive without insulin.  I cannot believe I am a nurse and I did not make that very appropriate analogy.  Somehow it feels like studies are manipulated to scare women or to push a ton of anti-depressant drugs but take diabetes and because it is gender neutral you hardly hear anything about whether replacement therapy is good or not.  Maybe Addison's or rheumatoid athritis would be even better comparisons because one does not have to take therapy for those to live. 

Anyhow, thanks a bunch for adding to my confidence.

BTW my mother still drives at 93 and has no sign of any type of dementia.  She's not my favorite person (TMI) but I am grateful for seemingly good genes (expect for the prolapse).  Had I not gone off the Premarin I'd be willing to bet anything that I would not have this miserable cystocele.

[Taz2]

I have a cystocele Trey - have you considered surgery for it if it is making life miserable? I put it off two years ago but fear that eventually I will have to have it done.

Taz x