Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Dandelion on October 18, 2013, 08:47:57 PM
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Hi everyone and hope you are feeling as best you can.
I have an appointment with my GP on Tuesday regarding the results of my blood test and HRT, as I have been getting horrible moods, anxiety, flushes etc etc, you all know the rest.
I know what I want. After reading up and speaking to other women, I decided I would like to have bio-identical oestrogen, and bio-identical progesterone.
I got scared off synthetics because of the negative experiences of others.
I still get periods.
I also take valium, trazodone for depression and quetiapine for anxiety.
I am just paranoid that I am going to walk out there dissappointed and not get what I want, for whatever reason.
If I can get what I want, I imagine happier times ahead.
I hear such glowing experiences from women who started HRT.
One woman I know is temporarily off her HRT, due to an upcoming operation.
She said she really wished she could take it as she hated the anxiety and flushes without.
Maybe I am just over-fearing dissappointment, because of how painful it feels, as I have had a lot of dissappointment in my life.
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You are just going to have to see what the doctor advises - so try to chill. Hopefully your GP is good and knows you well. As you are already on so many drugs for other things you must be monitored regularly anyway. HRT may be great for you or it may not suit you - don't expect HRT to cure all your ills.
When you have had your appointment get back to us on MM.
DG x
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You are just going to have to see what the doctor advises - so try to chill. Hopefully your GP is good and knows you well. As you are already on so many drugs for other things you must be monitored regularly anyway. HRT may be great for you or it may not suit you - don't expect HRT to cure all your ills.
When you have had your appointment get back to us on MM.
DG x
Thanks, will do.
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I am going back to my GP soon to ask for the same. But lucky me, we have a temporary Doctor at the surgery at the moment, who is absolutely brillant, and Im off to see him. Went to see him about something else... and couldnt believe how thorough, kind and knowledgeable he is. First Doctor I have seen that instead of just writting a precription, took a range of tests to rule out other stuff. Tests that I have asked for before, including a Vitamin D and B12 test, but my other dr said there was no need to do!! He told me to come back to discuss Hrt when all the other stuff ruled out. I know when i mention bio identical hrt he will be understanding. Go armed with as much info as possible. let your doctor know you know what YOU want. Hopefully like dancing girl says your gp is good and understanding.... makes such a difference! good luck xxx
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I understand totally, I hope you have a doctor that is good some of the ones in my practice wouldn't even give you a plaster for a broken leg. Be firm write it all down. I would be really interested in what you get & if it works as I am currently on your current type of meds & know I need HRT as soon as i'm a bit better. Good look take something with you for the inevitable wait. B x
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I am going back to my GP soon to ask for the same. But lucky me, we have a temporary Doctor at the surgery at the moment, who is absolutely brillant, and Im off to see him. Went to see him about something else... and couldnt believe how thorough, kind and knowledgeable he is. First Doctor I have seen that instead of just writting a precription, took a range of tests to rule out other stuff. Tests that I have asked for before, including a Vitamin D and B12 test, but my other dr said there was no need to do!! He told me to come back to discuss Hrt when all the other stuff ruled out. I know when i mention bio identical hrt he will be understanding. Go armed with as much info as possible. let your doctor know you know what YOU want. Hopefully like dancing girl says your gp is good and understanding.... makes such a difference! good luck xxx
Thanks. :)
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I understand totally, I hope you have a doctor that is good some of the ones in my practice wouldn't even give you a plaster for a broken leg. Be firm write it all down. I would be really interested in what you get & if it works as I am currently on your current type of meds & know I need HRT as soon as i'm a bit better. Good look take something with you for the inevitable wait. B x
Thanks also. Maybe for you, doing HRT now will make you feel better?
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Hi
Only two days to go.
I came back on here, because I just realised what I wanted to say when i wrote this thread.
I wanted to know from other women in the UK, what I could expect when I go to my doctors.
Can I expect to be refused bio-identical progesterone?
This is the thing I am most worried about.
I absolutely don't want any more worsened anxiety, because i have just come through a horrible tranquiliser withdrawal type anxiety and I never want to go there again, for whatever reason.
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GPs may well refuse requests. About any medication the patient thinks may be suitable. Make a list, ask the GP to go through your symptoms and "how would you approach this problem" rather than appearing to demand. A non threatening conversation is often better. "I know my symptoms are pointing towards menopause and now I have gone through the withdrawal I feel I ought to address these, what can you advise with ............ " you may need several appts. to work through something which will suit you, considering the other medications you take.
Let us know how you get on!
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CLKD - what great advice for Dandelion - and, in fact, for anyone going to the doctor.
When I was looking after my darling mother-in-law when her dementia was deteriorating, I got into the habit, when taking her to the doctor, of writing down the questions etc. I needed to ask and giving them to the doctor at the start of the appointment so I a) didn't embarrass my mother-in-law b) remembered everything that needed to be addressed c) actually made the doctor address many of the issues that they often didn't want to tackle. If it's in writing they can't deny something has been requested.
So many women have very poor experiences with their doctors over meno symptoms etc. and I have to say I experienced some really shocking appointments with my poor mother-in-law regarding her dementia - very frightening indeed :cuss:
Wording things in the right way can produce a more positive outcome.
DG x
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:thankyou: sometimes I don't get the answer I want or expect from my GP so make another appt. the next week, going in with "Last week I had my head in the clouds so didn't hear everything you told me" ;) ......... sometimes if the GP has his/her mind on the previous patient etc. they might not come across as completely certain that they have listened .........
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We mustn't forget that doctors are human too - they have off days like everyone else :-\
Dg x
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Hi everyone and thanks so far.
I was listening to Dr Elizabeth Vilet on menopause, and she seems really upto date.
I presume UK doctors are as knowledgeable as her, especially the female ones.
My doctor is only several years older than me, so she should be or have been going through the same thing as me?
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Don't presume that GPs know about menopause. They have Surgery budgets to keep ::) and like with anything, sometimes need to learn more about various conditions. Women know best ;)
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Sorry to say Dandelion but I agree with CLKD - many GPs do not know much about the menopause. As others have said you must go armed with a list of what your symptoms are and what you want and why. Dr Vliet is a US specialist gynae, just as there are eminent UK specialists like Dr Currie here on MM, and all the other board members of the British Menopause Society and many more.
Many of us have had to politely tell our local GPs what we would like to be prescribed with and have had to insist or sometimes get second opinions.
You should not be refused progesterone if that is what you want for that part of the HRT. The most usual type marketed in UK is Utrogestan but it will be prescribed as "micronised progesterone" and comes as capsules. If you say you do not want to take a synthetic progestogen (which is what all the others are) then there is no argument. You want to use the compound that is biologically identical to the compound your body makes. Full stop!
How often are your periods?
Have you been on these other medications for long or only since becoming peri-menopausal? You may find that oestrogen will help deal with your anxiety and depression, or cope better - if it is a fairly recent thing?
Hope this helps and good luck with the doc
Hurdity x
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When my dog was very ill if I didn't understand what the Vet. had told me at her weekly exams, I would make an appt for a catch up chat taking a list of those bits that required clarification
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Sorry to say Dandelion but I agree with CLKD - many GPs do not know much about the menopause. As others have said you must go armed with a list of what your symptoms are and what you want and why. Dr Vliet is a US specialist gynae, just as there are eminent UK specialists like Dr Currie here on MM, and all the other board members of the British Menopause Society and many more.
Many of us have had to politely tell our local GPs what we would like to be prescribed with and have had to insist or sometimes get second opinions.
You should not be refused progesterone if that is what you want for that part of the HRT. The most usual type marketed in UK is Utrogestan but it will be prescribed as "micronised progesterone" and comes as capsules. If you say you do not want to take a synthetic progestogen (which is what all the others are) then there is no argument. You want to use the compound that is biologically identical to the compound your body makes. Full stop!
How often are your periods?
Have you been on these other medications for long or only since becoming peri-menopausal? You may find that oestrogen will help deal with your anxiety and depression, or cope better - if it is a fairly recent thing?
Hope this helps and good luck with the doc
Hurdity x
Hi Hurdity
I've been on the other meds a few years.
I'm glad that utrogestan can be prescribed, because that's what I would like.
Thanks for the help it has reassured me.
Oh, one other thing, I get spotting, but i don't really want to make a big thing about it. i am not spotting at the moment. Hoping it's just another part of peri-menopause.
Luckily my doc is female and is only several years older than me, so she should be able to empathise with me.
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Let us know how you get on! Spotting should be mentioned, it could be a polyp which needs dealing with, although mine shrivelled away without intervention as I hit peri-menopause ::)
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Hi everyone
Well, I went to the doctors and told her everything including spotting.
I have a smear booked on the 30th because my doctor forced me to make an appointment and turn up for it, so I cannot get out of it.
She gave me femoston. A natural oestrogen but a synthetic progesterone. (dydrogesterone)
I know its an oral HRT, but I don't know if I have to take it every day.
The info from netdoctor.co.uk says this:
Femoston is a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) preparation. It consists of two types of tablets; the white tablets contain the active ingredient estradiol hemihydrate (previously spelt oestradiol hemihydrate in the UK), and the grey tablets contain two active ingredients, estradiol hemihydrate and dydrogesterone.
She said that it was recommended that I have a repeat blood test as I am probably perimenopausal, but she was happy to give me it.
I was hoping for a bio-identical progesterone, but she looked a bit blank when I said bioidentical and asked what I meant by it.
She asked me my age and I said 47.
Dunno if mine is femoston conti or just femoston, or, even if there is a difference
I read a another post on these boards that seems to suggest femoston is normally given to older women, who are not getting a period. I am getting a period still, doc knows this, and she also knows my age, so she must be happy prescribing me it, so I am happy to take it.
Utrogestan was not available.
I asked if she could give me the estradiol on its own and I could buy the utrogestan but she said they are not allowed to prescribe oestrogen only to women who still have uteruses, like me.
It seems that my fears didn't all turn out to be wrong.
The chemist cannot get it in till tomorrow, so I don't know if I can take it straight away (day 18 in cycle - not that it means anything as my cycle lengths vary)
I hope the synthetic progesterone does not cause me depression or anxiety as I fear those the most, however, she said that it was best among her other patients.
I see that migraine is one of the side effects, (reading netdoctor.co.uk) I think I told her on the phone a couple of weeks ago, that I get migraine auras, and I think I said I only started getting them with tranquiliser withdrawal. I forgot that I got one at 12yr old, but didnt know what it was.
Does this mean that femoston will give me full blown migraine?
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Worrying that she didn't seem to know about bio-identical HRT. But to try to put your mind at rest I take Femoston 1/10, this was the first HRT I was given and I'm lucky in that it suited me very well. The nurse that prescribed it for me did say that the progesterone was a more "friendly" type than some others and I have to say I actually feel better while I'm on the 2nd part of my pack. Like you I was mid-cycle when I started it but she told me to start it straight away. I normally get a bleed each month, towards the end of the pack but once in a while it will happen when I start the new pack. So far I haven't had any side effects from it and have been taking it now for almost 3 years - hope this helps.
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Dandelion
Greyhoundgal is right. I know many women are happy on Femiston and do really well.
There are two types of Femiston - you have probably been given the sequence one because you are perimenopausal. There is a continuous Femiston for women who are post menopausal.
You will be taking the the oestrogen only white ones to start with and then the progesterone + oestrogen grey ones later (the grey ones will induce a withdrawal bleed). I suspect it doesn't really matter when you start as your cycle is all over the place anyway.
Try not to look for problems - you may find you feel fine. The instructions read like a horror story and should be taken with a 'pinch of salt'. Headaches can come for a number of reasons and may not necessarily be as a result of the HRT. I got terrible headaches because I was peri-menopausal and the HRT helped to reduce them.
Also remember it takes time for your body to respond and settle with HRT. While you are still going through the peri stage of menopause your hormones will continue to fluctuate so you HRT may need to be adjusted at times.
Give Femiston a good try and get back to us if your having problems.
Good luck DG x
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:thankyou: for that information! Such good support!
Any queries when you collect the prescription? Ask the Pharmacist; they usually have a private room for medical discussions.
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Hi Dandelion I assume she will want you to progress with the AD & benzo's too? How will she know which is doing the job if you get better or have you been on the other meds long enough for them to reach full effect now? Some progress through getting something hormonal! well done to you ;D
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Worrying that she didn't seem to know about bio-identical HRT. But to try to put your mind at rest I take Femoston 1/10, this was the first HRT I was given and I'm lucky in that it suited me very well. The nurse that prescribed it for me did say that the progesterone was a more "friendly" type than some others and I have to say I actually feel better while I'm on the 2nd part of my pack. Like you I was mid-cycle when I started it but she told me to start it straight away. I normally get a bleed each month, towards the end of the pack but once in a while it will happen when I start the new pack. So far I haven't had any side effects from it and have been taking it now for almost 3 years - hope this helps.
Hi Greyhoundgal
Thanks for posting and giving me your feedback on femoston.
This gives me confidence.
I am almost looking fowards to taking it.
I am looking forward to putting my fan away, and being able to lie in bed and listen to the owls etc, instead of the noisy fan, which also wakes me up when it blows my hair across my forehead. I get tickled by my hair, by the fan air, which wakes me up.
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Dandelion
Greyhoundgal is right. I know many women are happy on Femiston and do really well.
There are two types of Femiston - you have probably been given the sequence one because you are perimenopausal. There is a continuous Femiston for women who are post menopausal.
You will be taking the the oestrogen only white ones to start with and then the progesterone + oestrogen grey ones later (the grey ones will induce a withdrawal bleed). I suspect it doesn't really matter when you start as your cycle is all over the place anyway.
Try not to look for problems - you may find you feel fine. The instructions read like a horror story and should be taken with a 'pinch of salt'. Headaches can come for a number of reasons and may not necessarily be as a result of the HRT. I got terrible headaches because I was peri-menopausal and the HRT helped to reduce them.
Also remember it takes time for your body to respond and settle with HRT. While you are still going through the peri stage of menopause your hormones will continue to fluctuate so you HRT may need to be adjusted at times.
Give Femiston a good try and get back to us if your having problems.
Good luck DG x
Hi Dancinggirl
Your post also gives me confidence, especially as you know many women happy on femoston.
I think mine has got 2+mg of didrogestone, or however you spell it.
I intend to start it tomorrow. Funnily enough, I am more looking for imporovements, and will be watching out for them once I have started taking them.
The doctor didnt tell me when to start so i thought it would be ok to start tomorrow when I get them.
I will give femoston a good try, and will report back with how I go.
Thank you.
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:thankyou: for that information! Such good support!
Any queries when you collect the prescription? Ask the Pharmacist; they usually have a private room for medical discussions.
Yeah they do in our chemist, and theyre always happy to talk to customers.
Thanks
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Hi Dandelion I assume she will want you to progress with the AD & benzo's too? How will she know which is doing the job if you get better or have you been on the other meds long enough for them to reach full effect now? Some progress through getting something hormonal! well done to you ;D
Hi
I eventualy intend to come off the ad meds in time.
Doc is happy for me to still take them.
she thinks I am doing well with my valium.
Thanks
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Hi Dandelion
Dydrogesterone is the synthetic progestogen that is most similar to our own progesterone so of the tablet types, that would be the one I would go for and hopefully you will be fine. In fact because of this and based on women's experiences on here I would recommend it out of all the combi tablet types!
Btw absolute rubbish that Utrogestan is not available if you are in UK, if that's what they are telling you!!. The docs are able to prescribe micronised progesterone which will turn out to be utrogestan. Just because they haven't heard of it does not mean it is not available. If femoston does not suit you (and I do hope it does) then you will need to go back and insist with reasons.
I hope you won't get headaches with tablets - transdermal methods are generally recommended for migraine sufferes but as dancing girl says HRT may well reduce them.
You did not say what your pattern of periods is like or has been over the past few months. If you get spotting - do you get this every month approx around period time? If you are still having a cycle it would be best to sync the HRT with this if possible - but if it really has gone completely then it doesn't matter when you start. If you are on Day 18 - for expample, how long before your last period did you have one? I would probably be inclined to wait if you are having any sort of regualr cycle - if you could bear to! If not then maybe prepared for the odd bit of spotting if the artificial cycle (induced by the HRT) is a bit out of sync!
Good luck with this and hoping you will feel better really soon!
Do let us know how you get on!
Hurdity x
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I would continue with the medication for anxiety etc. otherwise you won't know which is working/not ::)
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Dandelion you made me laugh because I have recently downloaded a fan app noise on my phone. I sleep better with a fan on the go & our last one broke this Summer. Since September I have been unable to sleep & was prescribed sleeping tablets as my AD is one that makes it hard to sleep. Pre all the extreme hormonal madness I had diazepam 2mg at times of need but could do without. As things got worse in September they upped me to 8mg a day & then when they upped my AD I have the choice of taking up to 15mg per day but I try not to. Is this a high dose of diazepam? I am frightened of becoming addicted. I have also never taken a sleeping tablet in my life until now & I know they are addictive too. I am just going with it in the hope I can get stable & then fight the hormone battle with the GP's.
I really hope your hormone treatment is going to work for you. B x
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Hi Hurdity
Looked like I picked the right one :)
Thanks for letting me know that it's the most similar to our own.
After watching Dr Elizabeth Vilet and reading about bioidenticals, I wonder why my doctor looked so perplexed when I mentioned them?
I hope femoston does work for me, but I will be back asking for advice on how to 'insist'. My relationship with my doctor went a bit rocky when I tried to tell her I needed valium to taper from 4 years ago. I am a bit nervous about insisting for medication off her.
Luckily I don't get migraine headaches, but I went through a phase in Summer where I was getting quite a lot of normal headaches, every few days.
My periods seem all similar, except for one really heavy one a few months ago. They are sometimes early sometimes late.
I do get spotting, but it is not happening now or for the last few days.
I haven't a clue when my next period is due. It could happen tomorrow, or in three weeks time, literally.
I had a period which started sept 18th, and then on the 4th Oct. The one before that, the cycle lasted 43 days.
I don't mind a bit of stray bleeding if I start the hrt immediately, cos I am really keen on getting rid of these horrible sweats which make my clothes have smells which are difficult to get out in the wash. Sometimes i have to spray vinegar on the armpits of tops to kill the smell before washing.
How long does hrt take to start working?
I'll be back, watch this space.
Thanks
D x
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Headaches can be hormonal or because we are not hydrated ;)
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Thanks.
Has anyone started combi HRT in mid cycle?
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Yes - if you have an erratic cycle it's the only way. You could wait months otherwise!
Taz
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Yes - if you have an erratic cycle it's the only way. You could wait months otherwise!
Taz
Thanks, great :) I can get cracking with it today.
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Dandelion you made me laugh because I have recently downloaded a fan app noise on my phone. I sleep better with a fan on the go & our last one broke this Summer. Since September I have been unable to sleep & was prescribed sleeping tablets as my AD is one that makes it hard to sleep. Pre all the extreme hormonal madness I had diazepam 2mg at times of need but could do without. As things got worse in September they upped me to 8mg a day & then when they upped my AD I have the choice of taking up to 15mg per day but I try not to. Is this a high dose of diazepam? I am frightened of becoming addicted. I have also never taken a sleeping tablet in my life until now & I know they are addictive too. I am just going with it in the hope I can get stable & then fight the hormone battle with the GP's.
I really hope your hormone treatment is going to work for you. B x
Hi Bev
Sorry i am not clear, you downloaded a fan app on your phone, or just the noise?
Does the noise soothe you?
I would say 15mg per day is moderate dose.
Be very careful, that is what I got physiclaly dependent on, and I did not even take it every day. It has a long elinimiation time.
It's taken me four years to get from 15mg a day to 1mg.
Im an extreme example, and for the last year, I thought I was having diazepam withdrawals, when in fact, it was meno.
Don't panic though, right at the end of my diazepam taper, I discovered a way to taper off safely with no symptoms.
It's a new protocol and it is designed by Jana Hill, there is info on it over at benzodetoxrecovery.com
With normal tapers, you can feel symptoms, but not with Jana Hill's taper, I just wished I had found it sooner.
Contact me if you need to talk more, cos I am happpy to help.
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MY GP told me that I could take 10mg x 3 Valium daily when I was at my worst. That was until the AD kicked in.
Tapering affects people in different ways .......... when I stopped an AD it took 9 weeks and I had to remind myself each reducing dose that those feelings of panic will pass: and they did!
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MY GP told me that I could take 10mg x 3 Valium daily when I was at my worst. That was until the AD kicked in.
Tapering affects people in different ways .......... when I stopped an AD it took 9 weeks and I had to remind myself each reducing dose that those feelings of panic will pass: and they did!
Hi
Yes, different people react differently to tapers, but you never know how you will react until you either stop dead (not advised) or taper.
My doctor knew they were addictive, but she thought she was prescribing in such a way that would not get me addicted, i.e. told me when to take them and only gave me so many.
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I think my body was feeling the withdrawal which immediately affected my head, i.e. woozy and weird which gave me the 'what if I feel worse than this' thought pattern >:( ......... I would lay on the settee for the first 24 hours of the next reduced dose unable to function. Due to fear and worry. Towards the end of the tapering I began to accept that I didn't feel any worse once my brain had accepted the reduction. It seemed a long haul at the time <sigh> better now!
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I got my HRT today, but I got femoston-conti instead of femoston.
IT says in the leaflet accompanying the pills, that it is for POST menopausal women, and not to be taken less than 12 months after last period.
I am 47, and I am still very much having periods, and dunno when they will stop.
The thing is, either the doc or the chemist has made a cock-up, and I cannot be bothered being bounced between the surgery and the chemists, each one referring me to the other.
Is this ok?
I don't want to delay taking HRT, as I wanted rid of the symptoms as quick as possible and have delayed enough what with taking two weeks to get an appointment.
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Sorry Dandelion - it is not ok for you to use this HRT as you could end up with a thickened womb lining which can then lead to endometrial cancer which you don't really want to risk I am sure. You need to phone the doctors surgery, explain and get them to leave the correct prescription out for you to collect. It has happened to a few of us on here - it shouldn't but it does.
Taz
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Dandelion - I just can't believe this - your doc refuses to give you what you have asked for and gives you something totally inappropriate!
In fact it is OK to start now take it for the time being but get back to the doc and ask for the proper one - hopefully you shouldn't have to pay again.
If you start with this one it would be like the second half of the cycle (ie the combined oestrogen and progestogen) so actually it's quite good since you said you are on Day 18, so you are just over half way through a normnal cycle anyway. You would take this one for a couple of weeks and then immediately start on the Femoston sequi oestrogen only - you should get a withdrawal bleed either towards the end of the two weeks or just after you go onto the oestrogen only.
The progestogen dose is lower in the conti but would be fine for a couple of weeks.
Hurdity x
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Dandelion - I just can't believe this - your doc refuses to give you what you have asked for and gives you something totally inappropriate!
In fact it is OK to start now take it for the time being but get back to the doc and ask for the proper one - hopefully you shouldn't have to pay again.
If you start with this one it would be like the second half of the cycle (ie the combined oestrogen and progestogen) so actually it's quite good since you said you are on Day 18, so you are just over half way through a normnal cycle anyway. You would take this one for a couple of weeks and then immediately start on the Femoston sequi oestrogen only - you should get a withdrawal bleed either towards the end of the two weeks or just after you go onto the oestrogen only.
The progestogen dose is lower in the conti but would be fine for a couple of weeks.
Hurdity x
Hi Hurdity and others, and thanks.
I am not in the second half of my cycle yet. Even though I am now on day 20 (sorry I said 18 in error), I do not feel like I have ovulated.
I normally get a warning in my right breast, a tenderness and that is not yet there.
This is not unusual for me, I have had cycles of 43 days before.
I don't know if the chemist made the error by ordering the wrong one, or, the doctor made the error, and I am worried about being bounced between the two.
I may not get to see my GP for a few weeks as it is half term and she is a part timer, and a mum.
Given this info? Will it still be ok for me to continue taking this wrong pill until I get my femoston sequi, many thanks.
I had a feeling something like this would happen, as I have been looking forward to feeling better, and right from phoning the surgery initially to make an appointment, I have had lots of un-necessary hassle trying to just get my right HRT.
Also, oddly, the pharmacist today said it is ok for me to take femoston conti, when i asked her about it being for post-menopausal women only.
While I await your advice, I will continue to take these pills. I am ok about taking a small risk with cancer, rather than feeling this grumpy and depressed.
Thanks
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Morning everyone.
Rang doctors first thing, my GP is booked to call me back at 2.15 this afternoon as she has a meeting.
Will just tell her she has given me the continuous progesetone not to be taken until 12 months after the last period.
Will be back after she calls.
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This could be a medical negiligence claim :o ........ should not have happened without an explanation to the patient. If the GP changed his/her mind inbetween the consult and writing the script, then discussion should have taken place. I would want to know exactly who had made the mistake :cuss: ...... this is another day your body has had to wait before you can begin treatment!
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My doc prescribed conti twice instead of sequi. Doctors are only human and mistakes can happen which is why it is good to be on the ball and always ask about what you have been prescribed when filling the prescription. I admit it shouldn't happen but it does.
Taz x
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Hello
Well, my doctor called back and I explained what had happened. She sent the script to boots and told me it will be ready for collection on monday.
Meanwhile she said I could keep taking the conti so no gap in hrt. (just like Hurdity said)
No flushes today, and that's only after one pill. :)
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I just sent you a ranting post Dandelion but you must have been typing as I was & it got lost in space, just as well really. Glad you got a solution though but I am still annoyed for you. B x
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Glad you got the right sort in the end. I hope the doc apologised for getting it wrong. How awful (for the doc) that you only found out by coming on here?!!! But good for you at least.
Hope you really start to feel much better soon!
Hurdity x
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I just sent you a ranting post Dandelion but you must have been typing as I was & it got lost in space, just as well really. Glad you got a solution though but I am still annoyed for you. B x
Hi Bev
LOL at first I thought you meant you sent a ranting post at me, and I thought, "Oh no, I've only been here 5mins and I am already upsetting people" lol, but I soon realised I was wrong. hahahhahhhha
I guess my doctor must be overworked, hence the errors. (She has made a couple before), but I guess all doctors, nowadays are so busy there are more errors, scary thought though.
I've had two days HRT. The flushes have gone, but I had to put the fan on in bed last night.
I'm loving the improvement in mood.
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Glad you got the right sort in the end. I hope the doc apologised for getting it wrong. How awful (for the doc) that you only found out by coming on here?!!! But good for you at least.
Hope you really start to feel much better soon!
Hurdity x
Hi Hurdity
Thank God I've got this place.
It seems that my doctor is still convinced by that scare-mongering in 2002, which is a shame, because if she was educated a bit more, I wouldn't need to worry about being on hrt for a long time.
I'm really appreciating the lift in mood though.
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No I was ranting at the GP as mine have been so rubbish too. It made me so cross for you. I ring mine now & say do you have my prescription & what is on it before I send my poor husband to get it. I am so glad you have had an improvement I am going to make a note of what it is & you don't seem to mention side effects at all so I am really pleased finally something good has happened. B x
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Dandelion - I'm glad the HRT seems to be working so quickly. I had the same when I started mine, I couldn't believe how quickly I started to feel better :)
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Dandelion just so I don't get it wrong what are you taking now & what will you be taking when the right meds arrive. Plus what is the exact reason you should be on the latter one. Just in case I fall into the catergory of the person who should be on the one you have now. I have an appt on Tuesday you see & if I can give them an example of someone who is on an AD etc in similar circumstances it might give me more credibility. What would you say is the best initial benefit so far? Sorry to make you sound like a guineapig. I know things work differently for everyone but I know myself & I know its hormones I need. I am having a bad day today, lots of anxiety & I really don't want to take a lot of diazepam. I had a nightmare last night (side effect of AD) I was on concorde & someone had stolen my medication at the airport & I was stuck on concorde without it routing through my bag. It beats the one with Keith Lemon in it a couple of nights ago. I never had time for nightmares before I took the AD :o
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I have to check in my packet everytime I before I leave the Surgery >:(
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No I was ranting at the GP as mine have been so rubbish too. It made me so cross for you. I ring mine now & say do you have my prescription & what is on it before I send my poor husband to get it. I am so glad you have had an improvement I am going to make a note of what it is & you don't seem to mention side effects at all so I am really pleased finally something good has happened. B x
Hi Bev
No side effects yet, but I am on too low a dose, till I get my new ones on Monday.
I am on the post menopausal dose instead of the peri dose.
I hope not to see any side effects, I will give it a month or so, as that will be time to try the progesterone part of femoston as well.
I am sorry you don't have a good doctor. They are so overworked that they are bound to make errors.
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Dandelion - I'm glad the HRT seems to be working so quickly. I had the same when I started mine, I couldn't believe how quickly I started to feel better :)
Hi, glad you started to feel better. I think I will feel better in a month because i will know how the oestrogen and the progesterone will go.
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Dandelion just so I don't get it wrong what are you taking now & what will you be taking when the right meds arrive. Plus what is the exact reason you should be on the latter one. Just in case I fall into the catergory of the person who should be on the one you have now. I have an appt on Tuesday you see & if I can give them an example of someone who is on an AD etc in similar circumstances it might give me more credibility. What would you say is the best initial benefit so far? Sorry to make you sound like a guineapig. I know things work differently for everyone but I know myself & I know its hormones I need. I am having a bad day today, lots of anxiety & I really don't want to take a lot of diazepam. I had a nightmare last night (side effect of AD) I was on concorde & someone had stolen my medication at the airport & I was stuck on concorde without it routing through my bag. It beats the one with Keith Lemon in it a couple of nights ago. I never had time for nightmares before I took the AD :o
Hi Bev
I will be on the normal 1 mg oestradiol (as hemihydrate) and 10 mg dydrogesterone.
I am currently on the femoston conti, until Monday, this is for post menopausal women and I am only perimenopausal.
I would try to get the bio-identical progesterone, the oestragen in femoston is bioidentical, but dygesterone is used.
I think bio-identical hormones carry less risk and are tolerated better than oral synthetic ones. I hope I am accurate on this. If it is the case, then I don't know why my doctor was not aware of bioidenticals, and she prescribed the old fashioned ones.
Hurdity says we can ask our doctors for bioidentical progessterone, as the nhs do micronised progesterone. I dunno what that is, but the point is we can have them.
If you have only been on the diazepam a couple of weeks or less, I would stop taking them, but if you have been on them longer, you CAN taper them safely, it's just that I suffered withdrawals cos I started off using the wrong method. I am on 1.2mg of it and am feeling no withdrawal symptoms as I am now using the right method. PM me if you want to talk about this some more.
Sorry you had nightmares due to the AD. I can imagine the scenario of rifling through our handbags unable to find something important would have a nightmarish quality about it. It's a horrible feeling when our bag is un-familiarly light, due to having lost something important that lives in our handbag.
I have noticed the flushes lessen and my mood is much better.
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I have to check in my packet everytime I before I leave the Surgery >:(
To make sure you have enough pills?
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To make sure she has been given the correct ones I think.
Taz :)
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Thanks Dandelion I will ask, sounds like I need the ones you will get on Monday as I am peri too. Hope you are still feeling good. B x
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Thanks Dandelion I will ask, sounds like I need the ones you will get on Monday as I am peri too. Hope you are still feeling good. B x
Hi Bev
I am hot again today and a bit anxious. The post meno femosoton is not a high enough dose for me.
Hope you are not feeling too bad.
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Give it around three months Dandelion - it can take that amount of time to get rid of symptoms
Taz :)
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I agree with Taz. As I said on your other topic you simply don't get a quick fix. It's taken months for your hormone levels to drop and its going to take months for them to rise again.
Some women don't find that HRT addresses anxiety. I know it does not help me at all for that.
Try to be patient.
Honeyb
X
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Thanks, I must be the lucky one because my anxiety buggerred off the day after.
Thanks for letting me know it takes months though for some.
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Yes give it time lots of people give up on drugs due to side affects or not feeling better. My Sertraline AD is really giving me bad SE's the last 2 days like start up & I am on week 5 but I am too bloody minded to give up after all I have gone through with it. Tell yourself you might have had a bad day anyway without it. We all have bad days when we are 'normal' or down days or just plain tired days. B x
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When I want a cure I want it NOW >:( because I've been struggling for weeks and weeks and ......... now I have learnt not to wait but to see my Practice Nurse or GP ASAP ::)
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When I want a cure I want it NOW >:( because I've been struggling for weeks and weeks and ......... now I have learnt not to wait but to see my Practice Nurse or GP ASAP ::)
Yeah, call me impatient, but the longer we wait, the more we suffer.
I don't mean the length of time the pills take, I mean the length of unnecessary time wasted, by trying old-fashioned hormones, AD's, being prescribed the wrong meds due to overwork causing errors, etc etc.
The longer we wait, also, the more damage we can do to others with our moods. :P :)
Only kidding about the last, but some unfortunate women are really badly affected as we all know.
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Few medicines work immediately. No matter how impatient we are it takes time.
Some women have to use quite a few different HRT s before they find one that suits.
At least in the process of finding something that suits we are moving forward.
Honeyb
X
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Few medicines work immediately. No matter how impatient we are it takes time.
Some women have to use quite a few different HRT s before they find one that suits.
At least in the process of finding something that suits we are moving forward.
Honeyb
X
This is what scares me.
I don't know how much longer I can cope with not feeling like my old self.
Thanks