Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: pepperminty on April 23, 2015, 06:26:23 AM
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Hi Ladies, I am lying in bed feeling so completely awful. I have just started my period on Femeston 1/10 and am on day 3 of my second pack. I felt reasonably ok until today. I was a bit off when it began yesterday, but have woken up feeling dreadful. I have had panic and feel sick and really exhausted. This is what happened before on prempac last year and why I came off it. I am lying here and can't stop crying , and I can't control it and I feel so ridiculous . It's horrible being out of control. There must be some reason why it has this effect on me at this time in the pack and some solution. I do not know what to do for the best, do I stop taking it again or do I see an expert for advice? I feel so ill; my head is fuzzy and I feel so nauseous with the runs ( delightful).I am incapable of doing anything at the moment, as I feel so ill. Any advice would be welcome . thanks pepperminty xx
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Sorry to hear that,ive woke up feeling exactly the same but ive come off everything(was on kliovance for about 8 years)
Hope someone comes along with some advice for you,i hope you feel better soon :) x
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pepperminty,
Hi lovely, sorry you're having a rough day. Sounds like your hormones are fluctuating. I was always the same after swapping packs. Always nauseous, dizzy , shivery, panicky, upset tummy (progesterone loosens your muscles, eg bowel). I hate that feeling of being out of control too, but we can't control it and trying to and failing makes you feel more out of control.
Don't panic(easy to say I know) it's all so familiar to lots of us. It WILL pass, just remember that. You may feel crap today but you will settle again. Don't stop taking the Femoston, you'll confuse your body even more. Maybe see a GP if you think it will help reassure you or need something to settle your tummy.
Take what you need to take today, do you have any emergency meds (diazepam ETC)?
Try to eat little bits or get a protein shake down you, not eating will make things worse.
Put some mindless TV on and just let today be whatever it is.
Huge hugs xxx
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Hi, thanks ladies for your kind replies, I am in tears and desperate. I was ok and doing well before . This seems to happen only on this part of the packet. I have phoned my Gp and have an appointment today thank goodness. I did ask whether anyone in my surgery specialises in menopause /HRT and they said no,( that bodes well then!). Anyway I am so desperate I have called the meno clinic in my area and they have a several months waiting list on NHS . The kind receptionist has asked the nurse specialist to call me tomorrow from the hospital to give me advice also. I have decided that I need to/ would benefit from seeing a specialist , apparently the one in my area is MR Hillard , they said is the president of the menopause society. I am so desperate as I am sure that there must be a simple explanation and hopefully a tweeking of the hormones or dosage will help and I presume a specialist will have come across this before. I have turned into a confused tearful lunatic this morning, overnight. I feel so ill. Thank you so much for your kind words. It's so frustrating , as I know it's the hormones . I really can't function at the moment. It's comforting to have support and advice here and to know you are not alone. xx
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Oh dear pepperminty, how horrid. Hang in there. As Jedigirl says it will pass. Tomorrow is another day and you'll probably feel better. Get whatever rest you can - watching some light-hearted escapist TV always helps me. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend who was feeling like this. xx
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Hi , Thanks Freda. It's good to have support. I am going to take it easy today , like you say. I remember Hurdity posting something about the come down from progesterone , maybe it's that, as I do not suffer from PMT (off HRT)I just feel knackered ! I have decided to definitely go private for some advice. It is not acceptable that we ladies have to suffer for months before we get expert advice. I hope that the specialist will be able to point me in the right direction, or is that just the optimist in me ? Hopefully there is a solution as I do not want to go through this every month if I don't have to. It is just a shame that I have to go private, but it's quality of life. I can live with the odd side effect, headaches , aches , cramps etc , but not when I am like this. So I am trying to be positive and am doing something about it. The worse that can happen is the Specialist says he can't help and I have to come off HRT, and the best is he knows what the problem is and sorts me out. I am hoping that as the president of the menopause society he knows his stuff and can see ma ASAP. My heart goes out to you all as it's no picnic this menopause malarkey. I am still trying to retain my sense of humour through the tears. best wishes pepperminty xx
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Hi Ladies, I am lying in bed feeling so completely awful. I have just started my period on Femeston 1/10 and am on day 3 of my second pack. I felt reasonably ok until today. I was a bit off when it began yesterday, but have woken up feeling dreadful. I have had panic and feel sick and really exhausted. This is what happened before on prempac last year and why I came off it. I am lying here and can't stop crying , and I can't control it and I feel so ridiculous . It's horrible being out of control. There must be some reason why it has this effect on me at this time in the pack and some solution. I do not know what to do for the best, do I stop taking it again or do I see an expert for advice? I feel so ill; my head is fuzzy and I feel so nauseous with the runs ( delightful).I am incapable of doing anything at the moment, as I feel so ill. Any advice would be welcome . thanks pepperminty xx
Hi Pepperminty
My heart goes out to you.
I was on femoston 1/10 then moved onto 2/10 but it just didn't do jack buggery for my perimenopause symptoms.
My GP was funny with me about HRT so I shied away and muddled through for a year, suffering un-manageable depression, crying,
and anxiety, plus IBS so bad that it kept me confined to my home, until my bowels emptied properly, usually three liquid sh!ts and cramps etc.
I also gained loads of weight and looked bloated.
I know how it feels to lay in bed and just to not want to face the day.
You are NOT ridiculous. Hormone issues can cause psychiatric-like symptoms such as depression and anxiety etc.
I'm now doing much better as I am on evorel patches and utrogestan.
These hormones are boi-identical molecularly, so they are much less likely to cause problems than the synthetic ones, although I am aware the oestradiol in Femoston is also bio-identical, but the progestin is synthetic, and not all women cope so good with synthetics.
Due to the governments savage cuts, menopause resources have been cut, so we are left with GP's general body doctors to deal with meno, and, of course, long waits.
I say, give your Femoston three months from when you started, and if nothing improves, look into getting a patch plus utrogestan.
I started on evorel 50 but have had to go upto, firstly 75mcg for three months, which helped but not fully, and am now trialling evorel 100mcg.
You could pay £25 and write an email to Dr Currie, and then, take the print of her reply to your GP surgery. This is what I had to do, and although one GP wouldn't read the email another beautiful kind GP did, and she was happy to prescribe me what I needed. Cheaper than going private.
Best of luck in the meantime, and my thoughts are with you.
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Hi Dandelion, thank you for your advice. I have now started flooding this morning which I didn't have before, on or off the previous HRT. I agree we shouldn't have to pay to get to see an expert , but waiting for months is the only alternative it seems and I think it's awful you had to muddle on and suffer for a year. The ladies on this forum seem to have more knowledge that most GP's . I am not made of money , but when you are desperate there seems little alternative. I did write to DR Currie last year and gave the email to my GP who asked to keep it. But I feel that I need to see an expert in person this time, as I do not want to go on like this for months if there is a solution. I have managed to calm myself down a bit now , but still feel crap! Lets hope I get some good advice when I go , and I can pass it on . Pepperminty xx
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Just wanted to send you a big hug - and I hope you feel better soon xxx
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Hi Greenfields, thank you for your kind words. Pminty xx
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Hi ladies, I have an appointment tomorrow , the practice nurse recommended a GP in my practice who apparently takes a special interest in HRT and the menopause. So I am hoping she will be of some help. x
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Good luck pepperminty,
Hope you feel better tomorrow x
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Hi thanks Jedigirl. I have taken your advice I think it helps to do something and take control. It makes such a difference to have support when you need it. Peppermity xx
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This forum is so good for support. I've needed lots and will again before I'm through I'm sure!
Take care x
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Bless you. This will pass. It really will.
The fact this happens on this specific part of your cycle shows that it's just chemicals playing havoc. Awful I know, but it helps me to remember that this is a chemical/biological reaction and therefore once the reaction has finished it will pass.
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Hi ,
Thanks GypsyRoseLee, You are right, it's the chemical/biological reaction. Hopefully there is a solution , if there is I am determined to find it! I still feel dreadful , but luckily I could have a quiet day..( maybe tomorrow will be better). I am not asking for miracles ,none of us are, just to feel not completely dreadful , just a little crap will do!! I know I am not alone and that helps. Best wishes Pepperminty xx
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Hi Dandelion, thank you for your advice. I have now started flooding this morning which I didn't have before, on or off the previous HRT. I agree we shouldn't have to pay to get to see an expert , but waiting for months is the only alternative it seems and I think it's awful you had to muddle on and suffer for a year. The ladies on this forum seem to have more knowledge that most GP's . I am not made of money , but when you are desperate there seems little alternative. I did write to DR Currie last year and gave the email to my GP who asked to keep it. But I feel that I need to see an expert in person this time, as I do not want to go on like this for months if there is a solution. I have managed to calm myself down a bit now , but still feel crap! Lets hope I get some good advice when I go , and I can pass it on . Pepperminty xx
Hi Pepperminty
I think the government want us patients to get fed up with nhs waiting and go private.
Can you not just see your GP and get a patch plus utro?
Sorry to hear you had a flood, it sounds like your hrt is not suitable.
Yes, I think the ladies on the forums here have more knowledge than GP's, and if it weren't for this forum, I would be feeling dreadful right now, IBS, dodgy periods, moods, weight gain etc etc
If were me, I would just go to the GP and ask for patches.
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Hi ladies, I have an appointment tomorrow , the practice nurse recommended a GP in my practice who apparently takes a special interest in HRT and the menopause. So I am hoping she will be of some help. x
Woops! I didn't see this, best of luck with your apapointment.
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Hi ladies,
I have been to the GP and have decided to stop HRT for a bit to see if my moods stabilise and if the exhaustion/ foggy head is still there without it. I am hopefully starting a new job soon so I can't take the risk of going potty once a month at the moment.
If my symptoms return I can always go back on it. I am going to use vagifem twice a week in the interim. The GP said if I do go back on it which she appears not to be against, to keep to Femeston 1/10 for 3 months etc.
It is just bad timing at the moment, which she understands. I am still tearful today and fuzzy headed, but not as bad as yesterday. Funny thing is I appear to get more hot flushes on HRT, I was so hot last night and couldn't sleep. I am on day 5 of the oestrogen phase. I think I might finish the oestrogen bit and then stop before the progesterone and wait and see.
I am hoping my periods may stop soon and my symptoms will be more manageable and maybe consider continuous HRT if so in a year, who knows? This is because my problem seemed to be on the Dip after the progesterone. I feel I need to assess things again without the major stress I was experiencing earlier in the year.
My FSH levels were 30 last year , I don't know what they are now. One thing that has suddenly happened this year though is I have developed fat around my middle, and it wont shift!!
I could feel worse without it ( the HRT) in a couple of weeks and rush back to the GP, who knows? I suppose it is early days in my menopause journey and I think it seems part of the course to stop and start until you get it right etc. I still feel a bit panicky and I hope that will stop soon although I would have expected it to stop on day 5 of the oestrogen part by now. It is difficult to be totally confident I am doing the right thing , but at the moment I feel I cannot take the risk if I start a new job and be up and down, and out of control.
best wishes Pepperminty xx
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Hi ladies,
I have been to the GP and have decided to stop HRT for a bit to see if my moods stabilise and if the exhaustion/ foggy head is still there without it. I am hopefully starting a new job soon so I can't take the risk of going potty once a month at the moment.
If my symptoms return I can always go back on it. I am going to use vagifem twice a week in the interim. The GP said if I do go back on it which she appears not to be against, to keep to Femeston 1/10 for 3 months etc.
It is just bad timing at the moment, which she understands. I am still tearful today and fuzzy headed, but not as bad as yesterday. Funny thing is I appear to get more hot flushes on HRT, I was so hot last night and couldn't sleep. I am on day 5 of the oestrogen phase. I think I might finish the oestrogen bit and then stop before the progesterone and wait and see.
I am hoping my periods may stop soon and my symptoms will be more manageable and maybe consider continuous HRT if so in a year, who knows? This is because my problem seemed to be on the Dip after the progesterone. I feel I need to assess things again without the major stress I was experiencing earlier in the year.
My FSH levels were 30 last year , I don't know what they are now. One thing that has suddenly happened this year though is I have developed fat around my middle, and it wont shift!!
I could feel worse without it ( the HRT) in a couple of weeks and rush back to the GP, who knows? I suppose it is early days in my menopause journey and I think it seems part of the course to stop and start until you get it right etc. I still feel a bit panicky and I hope that will stop soon although I would have expected it to stop on day 5 of the oestrogen part by now. It is difficult to be totally confident I am doing the right thing , but at the moment I feel I cannot take the risk if I start a new job and be up and down, and out of control.
best wishes Pepperminty xx
Hi Pepperminty
I got that fat around my middle when I wasnt on hrt on when I was on hrt that wasn't working.
I've lost about 2-3 stone this last few months. Dunno if it's the hrt of whether it's my £ and property worries that I cannot do anything about.
Some days I don't eat.
It's the typical apple shaped woman.
It sounds like you were not tolerating the progestin in your hrt.
IF it were me, I would have asked for the patch, as these little patches have changed my life for the better.
I don't suppose I should lose any more weight, but I think I might have a latent eating disorder that only comes out under stress. When I used to work, I was like an 8st 18yr old in my thirties. I used to hover around 8st, sometimes dipping into 7st plus, cos work was just too stressful, the office politics is what I couldn't take, even though my nice bosses said my work was good.
Anyway, see how you go without the hrt, and be gentle with yourself, you can always go on oestrogen/progesterone later if you wish.
Thanks for updating us.
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Hi dandelion thanks.
One thing I was wondering about was if anyone has experience of the PMT symptoms/ progesterone problems improving if you stay on the same HRT or in my experience of prempac previously they just got worse and by the third month I gave up last year. That's what has worried me now. If I don't feel any better in a few weeks I can always go back and start again I suppose.
The menopause nurse from the hospital just rang and she has told me that because my reaction was after I stopped the progesterone and I am peri menopausal it is my natural hormones causing the PMS and that the HRT can make PMS worse. She doesn't think it's the progesterone persay causing the reaction. She has advised that I see how I feel in a months time and if I think it was a mistake to stop , to go back on the femeston 1/10 and take it for 3 months and that my PMS may improve .She said if then I cope well but my symptom control is still not brilliant to up to femeston 2/10 . She advised that the progesterone in the patches is synthetic and more likely to cause me symptoms , so to stick with the femeston if I go back to HRT. She said the peri stage is the most difficult as your hormones are all over the place.
Pepperminty xx
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Hi ladies,
My friend came round to see me today and after much discussion I have almost made up my mind to carry on with the second pack and not stop yet, ( not that the menopause causes you to have a fuzzy head, panic and makes you incapable of making any decisions!!) . I am not at work at the moment so , as my friend said it doesn't matter if I feel crap and at least I will have given it a go. And my next period may be OK and that this may be a blip? Oh the optimism!! Anyway if it isn't then I will definitely know that it wasn't a blip. Thanks to all you lovely ladies for supporting my journey. Boy is it hard to look at these things rationally when your hormones are all over the shop.
Pepperminty xx
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Hi Pepperminty, for what it's worth I think you're doing the right thing.
When I started my HRT this month I came very, very close to stopping after just day one of the Utrogestan because the first night I took it I had the most awful insomnia and didn't sleep a wink. I had worked myself into such a state about the side effects of progestone that I just felt too scared to carry on in case it made me feel worse. In fact I confess that in panic I removed my first Estradot patch too and put the Utrogestan tablets in the bin ::)
But I came on here and everyone was so lovely, and they persuaded me to stick with it. So a few hours later I put another patch on that night and fished my Utro out the bin and took it. I am so glad I stuck with it because I haven't had any side effects and my sleep is so much better, and my daily diarrhoea has disappeared. Most importantly the awful mood swings and anxiety/depression seem to have disappeared too.
Just give it a go. It's only a few weeks, and at least you can then make a properly informed decision.
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Hi Pepperminty, sorry you are struggling, I felt the same this week with no hrt and know how awful it is, as we all do......sending hugs and hope you get help and feel better soon xxx
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Hi ladies,
Thank you so much for your kind support. Its definitely a roller coaster!! I had a dreadful nights sleep again even though I took diazepam.I woke up early, boiling hot again, no sweating as such just like a furnace if that makes sense. I am also feeling panicky and tearful again . I did not have PMT before which is a bit annoying that I have it on HRT. The feeling of being out of control is overwhelming and I know reading your posts that I am not alone.
I have also had more aches on HRT this time , probably because its a lower dose? I kind of feel I am back at square 1. I should be feeling better by 6 days of oestrogen ? The physical symptoms , like the aches etc I can deal with, it's the all encompassing dread, fear, panic and tearfulness that are the killer for me. Big hugs to all those going through the same.
Pepperminty xx
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So sorry you had such a bad night's sleep pepperminty. Insomnia is just evil.
6 days of oestrogen isn't that much? I had been wearing my oestrogen patch for 8 days when I experienced a very, very low day with anxiety. Just felt dreadful. Fighting back tears all day. Went to bed that night feeling hopeless. Woke up the next morning so much better, and haven't looked back since.
Be gentle to yourself today x
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Thanks GypsyRoseLee,
I do hope that this will happen for me . I think it's the highs and lows, so the drops seem worse maybe? The meno nurse said that it can even itself out, I flipping well hope so !! I think that living alone doesn't help as it is difficult not having someone to say it's ok and give me a hug. Although I appreciate that those of us who do have a partner may not have the support they need also. You say you haven't looked back since? may I ask how long that has been that you have been feeling ok since then with your HRT?
Best wishes Pminty xx
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Hi
When I saw my GP who prescribed me Estradot 25mg and Utrogestan 200mg, I was already on day 13 of my cycle. So I only wore my patch for 2 days before starting to take the Utro.
So, I have only worn a patch for 18 days and took the Utro for 11 days (should have been 12 days, but got my days mixed up). Took my last Utro on Tuesday night and my bleed started today properly (had tiny bit of spotting yesterday).
The first week wearing the patch and taking the Utro was very, very up and down. Some very good days and mixed with some very bad days. But for the last 9 days I have felt so much better. Continuously calm and optimistic. No anxiety. Sleep so much better. I feel motivated to actually tackle jobs in the house. Also feel like meeting up with friends again (rather than dreading it).
So, I know it hasn't been very long at all. But it gives me some hope that the HRT is kicking in and supplementing my hormones.
I think this must be the case because a couple of months ago (prior to HRT) I suddenly started feeling much better mid cycle. I then went on to have a 'proper' period, like I used to have a couple of years ago before all this peri nastiness began. I had a much heavier & longer bleed, aching boobs, cramps, bloating etc. But my mood was SO MUCH better. The anxiety and low mood disappeared for about 4 weeks.
I can only assume that, for whatever reason, my own hormones were just better/stronger that month and that's why I suddenly felt so much better. So now I'm on HRT I'm assuming it's having the same effect?
My mood swings had got so extreme before I started taking it. My GP explained that on HRT I would probably still get mood swings at certain parts of my cycle but the HRT would provide a much higher 'base line' below which my moods wouldn't dip. So no more extreme anxiety/low moods just a milder 'feeling a bit fed up' sort of thing.
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Hi GypsyRoseLee,
Thanks for that I do hope that's the same for me.
I felt better from 11.30 am today and managed to get out , and did some housework- a major achievement since yesterday!!
My GP didn't explain anything and just said she agreed I didn't want to have a reaction like that (uncontrollable crying , nausea panic , confusion), and just agreed that I should stop.
It was informative to read that your " GP explained that on HRT I would probably still get mood swings at certain parts of my cycle but the HRT would provide a much higher 'base line' below which my moods wouldn't dip. So no more extreme anxiety/low moods just a milder 'feeling a bit fed up' sort of thing."
It was only the meno nurse I spoke to who explained it was the PMT , not the progesterone due to my hormones reacting, and that it should get better and not last.
I didn't expect it to be a laugh a minute and orchestras playing in the distance and my theme tune to be changed to "cos I'm happy" on HRT, but I didn't expect to be so panicky and ill that even a win on the lottery presented by George Clooney wouldn't have put a smile on my face!!!
It was only 3 days , but it seemed like a life time! I am just so relieved to be feeling relatively normal at present. Thank you for replying it helps to see what others have been advised etc, so one can put all the pieces together. I guess it is just one day at a time at the moment .
Best wishes Pepperminty xx
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Just wanted to say a big thank you to all those ladies supporting me in my time of crisis. At least I know what it was now and when to expect it!! Although I am hoping that my hormones adjust and it isn't so severe next time . I do actually feel more sharp mentally on HRT and have been able to do more, but I am not quite there yet in terms of alleviating the aches and pains and return of energy as I had on prempac. Although I really reacted badly on the progesterone with them . So I will carry on the Femeston and evaluate whether I need to up the dose to 2/20 in a couple of months. Well that's the plan!! Best Wishes Pepperminty xx
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Hi ladies,
Thank you so much for your kind support. Its definitely a roller coaster!! I had a dreadful nights sleep again even though I took diazepam.I woke up early, boiling hot again, no sweating as such just like a furnace if that makes sense. I am also feeling panicky and tearful again . I did not have PMT before which is a bit annoying that I have it on HRT. The feeling of being out of control is overwhelming and I know reading your posts that I am not alone.
I have also had more aches on HRT this time , probably because its a lower dose? I kind of feel I am back at square 1. I should be feeling better by 6 days of oestrogen ? The physical symptoms , like the aches etc I can deal with, it's the all encompassing dread, fear, panic and tearfulness that are the killer for me. Big hugs to all those going through the same.
Pepperminty xx
Hi Pepperminty
It took me a few weeks for my hrt to kick in and the flushes to completely vanish.
I am with you on the all encompassing fear and dread, it is terrible.
Big hug to you xx
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Bless you Dandelion, thanks. Luckily I am just a bit panicky in the mornings at the moment. I am also completely knackered by lunchtime , but compared to the extremes before it's preferable!! Heyho, wonder what delights next Period will bring. At least I am prepared now. I will just have to cross that bridge when I come to it. Hopefully I wont be crossing it blindfolded in a car without breaks and no horn!! Pminty xx