Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: blueecho on August 08, 2014, 06:30:14 PM
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Hi I'm a newbie and I'm just about going off my head at the moment.I feel so down as my HRT tablets (Femoston 2/10) no longer seem to be working.I'm back to headaches,joint pain,mood swings (verging on rages),acne and constant bleeding (either heavy spotting or a full blown period).Went to doctor today,ended up in tears explaning to him,his answer was to give me a tissue and look in his "magic book" and came up with prempak c 1.25mg.I explained I thought I needed more not less oestrogen and would it be possible to get either something to "top up" the Femoston or one with more oestrogen than the Femoston. He said it was a good middle of the road HRT and to give it a go and see how it went and to come back in 3 months.Unfortunately the GP who prescribed Femoston and was really clued up on HRT has left.Just don't know what to do now any advice would be greatly appreciated. :'(
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You will have a full blown period on Femosten 2/10 as this is for peri menopause. What stage do you think you're at at the moment? I've been taking this for nearly 3 years except for trying 1/10 for 6 months and then needed to go back up due to anxiety and tearfulness. I don't think there is anything available with a higher estrogen dose unless you take a normal contraceptive pill.
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Was on Marvelon (contraceptive) for over 20 years then had terrible PMT doctor ran tests etc and told me i was in early menopause.was given Femoston 1/10 first no joy,he then upped it to 2/10 and it was like magic felt like my old self again,that was 7 years ago.
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:welcomemm:
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Hi blueecho
:welcomemm: from me too and just to say some women can achieve higher oestrogen doses through using transdermal oestrogen in the form of patches or gel so this could be an option if you need to go higher. With patches, you can either use a combi patch or oestrogen only patch and separate progestogen. With gel you would need a separate progestogen. Perhaps not so convenient as tablets but maybe more flexible for you?
Hurdity x
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Going to see a female doctor in the practice on Wednesday,I'm armed with info from here :).I'm going to ask to get oestogel 3/4 pumps and 200mg of progesterone in 100mg tablets (easier to swallow & adjust the dosage I think).Does that sound about right as I am still taking my Femoston 2/10 at the moment. I'm not going to take the prempak c (prescribed on Friday) especially after the reviews it has on here
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Good luck with that blueecho - I hope your doc is agreeable but you may need to be insistent and to justify your choice!
Hurdity x
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Wow,what a difference with this new doc! Listened to everything I had to say about my symptoms and how I was feeling emotionally.I then explained to her about this wonderful site and what info I had gotten her, again she listened and said she had never prescribed these before but always learning and if she could she would.After tapping on her computer for a few moments she said no problem.She then said the website seems very informative and she would be very interested in looking more into it.
Got my prescription and I'm starting both tonight as this is when I would be starting my combined ones tonight.Fingers crossed. :)
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:bighug: I like GPs who are prepared to delve into Forums as every day should be a learning curve ;)
:medal: to your GP
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Blueecho :welcomemm:
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Day 5 on Oestogel and Utrogestan and thought I'd give u an update.
Eventually tracked down a chemist (45 miles away,I live in the Highlands so thats nothing lol) who actually had it in stock(Boots,Superdrug etc said a few days cos they'd have to order it in)
I followed all the instructions and took 3 pumps and 2x100mg Utrogestan before going to bed. Woke up in the morning with a fuzzy/thick head and feeling like I had morning sickness :(.That night I had 2 pumps and 2x100mg Utrogestan and in the morning had 2 more pumps that what i've stuck with so far.I know it's going to take time to work properly so :-\ but I have noticed my boobs are inflating rapidly gone from galia melons to watermelons lol ;D
Just got to have a little patience I suppose :)
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Ok I have probably got this wrong but thought I would ask.
Are you on a conti or sequi HRT.
If it's a conti you take 100 mg every night.
If it's a sequi then you take 200 mg for 10/12 days every month.....at the end if the month.
Just wondered why you had started off on 200mg.
You can use utrogestan vaginally if you find them difficult to take orally.
Honeyb
x
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If it's a sequi then you take 200 mg for 10/12 days every month.....at the end if the month.
Just wondered why you had started off on 200mg.
Hi Honeyb
I'm on sequi,the day I went to the doctor's I was due to start the Oestrogen/Progesterone part of my Femoston pack so doc said I could start my 15-26 day of Utrogestan.
My understanding is I've a 28 day cycle on
Days 1-14 its Oestrogel only.
Days 15-26 its both Oestrogel and Utrogestan.
Days 26-28 Oestrogel only.
Then it starts at day 1-14 again.
Thats the way the doc explained it to me,have i picked it up wrong? ???
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Oh right, so you started the utrogestan on day 15. I read it as you were taking this dose from day one....Sorry.
Did you know you can use it vaginally to minimize your side effects.
Honeyb
x
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Would it make a difference to the boobie swelling as I fear my uniform is going to be very strained in the boobie area ;D going to have to go and get new bras jeez ::) I'm a 36GG normally and have plenty trouble getting them so heaven help me getting even bigger cups lol.
As my GP gave me 100mg tablets (like I requested) wont they just"fall out" if u kno what I mean?
Would I still need to take 200mg if taking it vaginally as I thought that makes it stronger?
Would taking it vaginally stop the "morning sickness" and fuzzy/thick head or will I just have to wait till that settles down?
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You would have to stick to your 200mg for the days your GP told you. No they won't fall out ;D.
I don't tolerate pills well at all but had no stomach problems when I used vaginally. Your GP probably wouldn't approve as they are not licensed for that use in this country but that's they way they use them in France.
If you do try then I would probably ask for a 200mg pill and then you won't have to put two up.
Don't really know about the boob problem though.
Honeyb
x
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Thanks for the info Honeyb.
Decided after the fourth day of taking Utro orally (and having the morning sickness,fuzzy/thick head and enormous boobies) that I'd try the other end.
Well I can happily report NO morning sickness,fuzzy/thick head and enormous boobies have become softer (still enormous) but don't feel as if they are about to explode ;D
Finding this so easy to do and I know it's early days but everything is starting to look so much brighter.
Will give an update once my period comes fingers crossed its not too bad
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Hi blueecho
Some women find the sudden increase in oestrogen initially also causes nausea but this then settles. It was probably a sudden shock for your body to have 3 pumps of oestrogel and then all that progesterone for the first time!
I hope you feel better soon. I use Utrogestan vaginally - but I am on a long cycle (6-8 weeks) so it is not so inconvenient.
Hurdity x
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Update
Yesterday was day 5 of no Ultrogestan and bingo period as normal :)
Apart from a slightly achey back (at the bottom) it feels just like before the peri menopause.I was really dreading my period incase it was horrendous but at the same time desperate for it to come so a) I got it over and done with and kind of knew what to expect in the future and b) I knew I need to have a period so as not to have a build up in my womb. ::)
I'm definitely starting to feel better. I know it's early days and it can take about 3 months for your body to aclimatise to your new meds but I can see the difference already. I don't have a face full of spots anymore.I don't feel the awful rages anymore (still more grumpy than I used to be but I'm hoping that by month 4 it will be back to just my pre peri grump lol ;D ;D My family have commented that I'm getting more like my old self again which is a good thing.
Just to reiterate I'm taking
Day 1-14 Oestrogel 3 pumps
Day 15-26 Oestrogel 3 pumps and 200mg Ultrogestan (*vaginally)
Day 27-28 Oestrogel 3 pumps
then start from day 1 again.
*I did take it orally to start with but made me feel thick/fuzzy headed and felt like Ihad morning sickness all day :( So took advice from on here and took it vaginally with no symptoms/side effects at all :)
Will update again if there is any noticable changes for good or bad
A big thank you to this site and all who contribute :clapping: :thankyou:
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:thankyou: keep posting. Any improvement is encouragement for the rest of us ;)
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Period all gone :) must admit so far so good with new meds.Defenitely noticing a difference.Light at the end of the tunnel is actually in sight for the first time in a long time :) :) :) :)
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Glad it's going well so far blueecho! Long may this last!!
Hurdity x
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Well should have know it was going too well. ::)Started back on my utrogestan and am almost crippled with backache, also have notice I'm putting on weight (not changed my diet). :-\
Just wondering if I could adjust my dosage of utro to 100mg instead of 200mg
Any advice appreciated :thankyou:
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Have a discussion with your prescribing practitioner?
Is it weight gain or lazy muscle making you feel that you are putting on?
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Hmmmm unsure about asking GP as I basically told her what I wanted and by her own admittance she had never prescribed it ::) so possibly she wouldn't be the best person to ask and the other GP isn't much cop with this stuff (see earlier post),hence why I thought I'd ask on here first,as some posters are more clued up than the doctors lol ;)
As for lazy muscle ;D I've suddenly become like mushed up lumpy jelly and have a large podgy belly :'( Backache is agony and painkillers aren't touchin it
Think I'm going to drop down to 100mgs tonight and continue and see if I get a period when I did last month.
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If you reduce your progesterone then you should also reduce your oestrogen.
Sorry but you won't be taking enough progesterone to protect the lining of your womb.
Bit of a risk I think.
Honeyb
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Surely if I'm taking 100mg vaginally I'm getting more of it than if I was taking 100mg orally (which is the way it was prescribed to take it)as nothing is being lost by digestion/liver.
Maybe I'm not understanding this as it can be a bit confusing at times.....and I'm easily confused at the best of times ;D
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You said you were taking 200mg from day 15 to day 26.
If you use 100mg on the same days you are halving your dose.
I would not have thought that was enough to bring on a bleed.
I'm sure someone else will be along that knows more than me.
Honeyb
x
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As long as I had a bleed I'd be ok?