Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Tm666uk on February 10, 2014, 07:55:33 PM
-
Hello , I'm on here looking for advice help and to find out what on earth is going on with my body LOL . I'm 44 just and have been told by my Doctor I'm in the menopause :( too say I was gutted on Friday when she told me was an understatement but after a weekend I'm more positive and I will embrace this ... I'm having hot flushes and for the life off me I can't sleep :( falling asleep not a problem staying asleep is a problem . I'm usually a cold person so it's nice to be toastie for a bit ( that's what I'm telling myself ) LOL She said my FSH ( think that was is ) is 24- 27 and normal is 11 no idea what this means !!! I'm not keen on HRT and not sure what to do next any advice will be welcome .Thanks in advance :)
-
:welcomemm:
Can i ask why you are not keen on HRT. You are going through an early menopause so you are missing hormones that should really be yours until your early 50s. HRT is of course a personal choice but it will help protect your bones and heart and also prevent vaginal atrophy.
If you look at the menu on the left you will see what kind of treatments are available, both HRT and alternative.
Look around and join in. We are a friendly bunch and there is always someone around for a chat.
Honeyb
x
-
Hiya , not wanting to use HRT as my Mum had a heart attack before the age off 50 and her Doctor and herself think it may be due to HRT she had a hysterectomy at 32 and was on it for a long time .. Having struggled through contraception really don't want to put my body through more pills !! If this makes sense I'm maybe being naive it's difficult coming in to it younger I'm not prepared and have no idea where I'm at peri menopausal or what !!! The Doctor told me on the phone after blood tests and said to go back in a month !!
Thank you for replying
-
Hi and Welcome Tm66uk
You are in the right place to get the help and advice you need. This site was set up by Dr.Heather Currie who is a gynaecologist so the information under the headings to the left of this screen can be trusted. Honeybun is absolutely right. At 44 you are far too young to be missing oestrogen and, in fact, you are far more likely to have heart problems if you don't have HRT. I doubt your mother's doctor would blame HRT for her heart condition these days - she may have had her heart attack sooner without it. There have been so many scares about HRT and, like everything we take e.g. aspirin, there are risks but they are small in comparison to the often distressing symptoms of peri and post meno.
HRT is not like the contraceptive pill.
If you start with a low dose HRt to help reduce your meno symptoms you may be surprised how positive it is. If you don't like pills there are transdermal HRTs e.g. patches or a combo of Oestrogel and Utrogestan which bring fewer side effects.
Don't be frightened - there is help out there - just soak the info and move forward. DG x
-
Hello
I have found the ladies on this site to be amazingly supportive. I am sure you will too
-
Thankyou Dancing girl my heads in a fog and I really don't know what to do going to see a dear friend today after work she's been there done it and may be able to set my head straight . Doctor wasn't really much help just told me to go back in a month !! I have an underactive thyroid and am on tablets for that :( . I have just lost 3 stone last year and worried if I go on HRT the weight will slip back on :( ... I'm so confused wondering why so early what did I do :( .. My husband is my rock he's read all the stuff and tips for husbands why he is still here is beyond me . I am trying to look at the positives to help me through this thank you for your support and advice it's much appreciated X
-
I have the Mirena coil in I got it 1 year past in September because off PMT ( I thought ) couldn't get a pill that helped and tried lots asked to be sterilised they wouldn't and suggested the coil . could this masked my symptoms I was having light irregular spotting . Have to leave contraception for a year the Dr said . Will this help should I leave it in #confused :)
-
Tm666uk
If you have the Mirena and it's suiting you then this is very good news. This will take care of your uterus and contraception all at once. I think occasional spotting is quite normal - I had a Mirena for 4 and half years during post meno and got occasional spotting.
The contraceptive pill probably didn't suit you because you may have been peri meno already so it is the wrong thing to help.
As to weight gain - some women find they get a little fluid retention and perhaps carry a few extra pounds but as we get older we need to reduce our calorie intake or we pile on the pounds far too easily. A sensible balanced diet with some regular exercise (brisk walking every day can make all the difference) should keep weight under control.
All you may need is a little Oestrogel or an oestrogen patch to balance your hormones through peri meno. The Mirena means you don't have to use any extra Progesterone to keep your uterus lining thin and protect it. You may get a little spotting or break through bleeding for a few months after starting oestrogen but eventually you shouldn't even have this.
I had an early peri meno (I was mid 30s!!) Like you I was rather frightened to use HRT. AFter trying a few different types of HRT I was eventually given Oestrogel (which is very popular in France) and found the flexibility of it's use really good. You see, you can start really low with one pump per day applied to the inner thigh or arm and then over a few weeks or months you can increase till you feel you have your symptoms under control. I never used more than 2 pumps per day and that was when I was well into post meno. Many ladies love the patches and there are different strengths of these as well. I never got on with patches but we are all different so it may be a matter of trying things out.
If your Dr isn't clued up about the meno and it's treatment, see if there is a meno clinic near by and get a referral or - if I were you - I would simply ask to try the Oestrogel and give it a go - you don't need anything else if you've got a Mirena. Print out the info about the 'HRT preparations' (to the left of this screen)if it helps you explain what you want to the doctor. Unfortunately too many doctors simply look in their book of drugs and pick a random HRT - often the wrong type - it's very frustrating!!!!
Start low with just one pump per day and I bet within a week or two you will feel a new women. It can take a bit longer to kick in and, because you are peri meno your own hormones will still be fluctuating, so meno symptoms can come a go a bit.
I found I started to sleep better quite quickly - it was bliss.
If you are still frightened to take HRT, just remember that the normal age for menopause is around 52 so up until then taking HRT is simply replacing the oestrogen the body needs to protect the heart and bones. The risks only really kick in after you are 60 and now, if you're healthy, there is no reason to stop even then.
I was lucky in having a good lady GP when I was diagnosed as peri meno and she simply said to me "if you were my daughter I would recommend you take HRT" and that was over 20 years ago.
Keep us posted about your progress. DG xxx
-
Thank you so much for your post Dancing Queen , I think I will ask to be referred as our clinic is a small town clinic with no specialist there . Can I ask how I know if I'm peri meno , meno or post it's all so confusing this is something I can't share with my friends as they haven't been there and as Mum had a hysterectomy and anti HRT it's not something I feel I can discuss with her . On the plus side I have slept better last night only awake and straight back over :) . Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post Xx
-
When your FSH level is high then your body is having to work harder to produce hormones and is the indication that you are in peri meno. Dg x
-
Thank you DG . I was wondering sorry to be a pain and sorry if questions seem silly I'm just trying to get this straight in my head !!
How often will I have hot flashes ( I've not had any for 2 days ) and I've slept ok not perfect but ok for past 2 night ps and haven't felt sik have had a crampy tummy and a down day :( ....
Do the symptoms come regular like periods or can it be all over the place #soconfused ....
When I go to the Doctors after your advice and research I will ask about getting oestrogel .
:)
-
The symptoms will come and go as your hormones fluctuate all through peri meno and beyond.
Some ladies just get the occasional flush and night sweat while, at the other extreme, some ladies will be sweating profusely most of the time - we are all different and our symptoms can vary greatly. You may find a small amount (1pump per day) of oestrogel may well be all you need to reduce most of the symptoms. While you have the Mirena that is all you will need.
If, when the Mirena gets to the end of it's life, you don't have another fitted then you will need some progesterone to keep your uterus lining thin - cross that bridge when you get to it.
To protect your bones and heart, it is quite important to have enough oestrogen until the natural age for menopause is reached ( approx 52) . DG x
-
Thank you DG having a great few days symptoms free , mirena is fine till 2017 :) and hopefully it will be all over by then LOL if not happy to get another as I have no issues on it and that may be what's helping keep my symptoms at bay :) .. I've got over the initial shock and looking at the positives .so glad I found this site and thank you so much for your advice and support
Xx
-
Thank you DG been to Docs today and she said pretty much what you did , prescription for estrogel pump coming tomorrow ( small town none here LOL ) hopefully all will be well with this thank you for your support and advice x
-
Keep us posted about your progress. Hope the Oestrogel helps. DG x
-
Hi
I am glad your GP has prescribed you the estrogel pump. My situation was similar to dancinggirl I was pretty much told I should take HRT because I needed it to replace the natural estrogen I was missing because of early menopause and that was about 20 years ago. The estrogel should also protect your heart much of the current medical research indicates this to be the case have a look at this link:-
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/10October/Pages/HRT-is-safe-and-can-cut-heart-attack-deaths.aspx
You will get a lot of support and information on this site.
All the best and let us know how things so for you
Lobylou
-
Thanks lubylou started it 2 days ago so far so good , will take a look at the link thank you for posting :)
-
Hiya just a little update :) started evening primrose oil , started estrogel = no hot flushes + sleeping , still nausea and moody can't win them all LOL
I feel bloated a lot and like I'm going to have a period but nothing comes !! Is this normal ? Felt like that for around 2 weeks or so :( .
-
I'm afraid it can be a bit up and down while you are peri meno - fluctuating hormones!!!. Hopefully things will settle down. DG x
-
Help !!! I have been on the estrogel 1 pump for a few weeks and I have had spotting the last few days !! I feel so down crying for nothing , never felt so low and I don't know whether to stop the estrogel straight away or wait till Monday and go back to the Doctor :(
-
Don't panic - spotting is very normal. I doubt the Oestrogel is making you feel down. I think you are very anxious - which is a typical meno symptom. You are probably still producing some of your own oestrogen which could cause some spikes in hormone levels - this can cause a bit of spotting as well. I did get some PMT type symptoms with the Mirena. Though the Mirena is supposed to bring fewer side affects, it can sometimes bring some of the nasty side affects which progesterone brings for most of us - those typical feelings we got before our period e.g. bloating, mood swings, headaches etc.
Break through spotting and bleeding is very normal for the first few months of starting HRT and with the Mirena there may well be some spotting occasionally at any time. I used to find that when I started a new canister of Oestrogel I felt as though I was getting slightly more oestrogen and sometimes got a bit of break through bleeding and mood swings alongside. As time goes on your own hormones will subside and things will stabilise. The beauty of Oestrogel is that you can increase the amount you use if you feel you need it e.g. you find the flushes and night sweats emerge again, which would be a sign your own hormones have dropped. If your meno symptoms are under control then stick with one pump per day - this is very low dose and could stay ideal for quite some time.
Oestrogen is the goodie - many of us wish we could just take oestrogen as it makes you feel good. DG xxx
-
Thank you once again DG will give it some time if it dries up will get out and run this always makes me feel good :) I am anxious even thinking I'm pregnant that's what all this is !!! Madness my heads mush LOL thank you so much it helps to know I'm not actually going insane Xx