Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Menomale on August 27, 2016, 02:15:17 PM
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:o
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You post away, all experiences are to be shared as it can reassure others!
Boring - nope ….. well, not yet anyway :whist:
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I know nothing about HRT but just wishing you all the best :)
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I'd love to read your HRT diary, Menomale! Wishing you all the very best on your journey. :foryou:
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Good luck on your journey with Hrt Menomale!!
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You may find if you use the search button on here for each product, responses from others.
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Oh no! Tell me Menomale, do you know if Estrogel is available in your country? It seems to be well tolerated by most ladies skin wise. I am EXTREMELY allergy prone to multiple medications (anaphylaxis), and I didn't have any problems whatsoever with it skin wise. It has a very well tolerated base, and contains 17b Estradiol. If you find your compounded formula a problem, it may well be worth researching to see if Estrogel would be available to you.
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Yes, maybe rubbing it more gently would be better. The application technique for Estrogel is to rub the gel fairly gently until the gel is not tacky, but still damp. Also application site size is important. With Estrogel per pump it's two hands width. I don't know if this is comparable with your product, but it might give you some guidance.
Hope this helps! How are you feeling so far, apart from the itching?
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Hi Menomale
Not sure if I've ever welcomed you? There have been so many new members (including some that have joined and left in my absence!) and I've been so busy recently and hardly manage to look at many threads! If not then :welcomemm: from me!
Anyway really to say I am concerned about your HRT combo. I presume this is from a private practitioner and not on NHS? This is not an approved formulation. Sorry just seen you are in Brazil - is there an NHS there? The thing is compounded products are not licensed/recommended here nor in America ( probably not in Aus either) - mainly due to inconsistencies in standards and formulation.
Most importantly progesterone creams, especially that low a dose (50 mg) - are most certainly not licensed or recommended for endometrial protection so I would urge you to use a different product to protect your uterus. Is there something similar to utrogestan or other bioidentical progesterone available in a capsule rather than a cream.
Also the oestrogen you are using - is this a cream too? - you may well get variable absoprtion, and again better to use one of the proprietary brands of gel if you want to use something that pumps or squirts. There is no need to rub it in if it's a gel (although I'm sure it doesn't actually matter if you do - may well change the absorption from the standard dose?) - it just needs to be spread on the area and left to dry as Tempest says - I haven't used estrogen gel but I do use Testosterone gel.
Re time of day - the women who use gel will surely answer this - but certainly skin to skin contact should be avoided for at least one hour following application with gel, to avoid transfer to partner, children or pets - so depends on your lifestyle.
I hope when you get settled on the right combo that you feel better - as most of us on HRT do eventually :)
Hurdity x
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Just to vouch, Menomale - Hurdity is extremely knowledgeable and is one of our most treasured members. You can trust that she gives sound, thoughtful advice. She has helped so many members here! :)
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Just stopping by to ask how you're doing today? I know you said the heat is intense, Menomale! I have a dear younger friend Betina who is in Brazil. I think sometimes she envies our very cold Scottish weather when it gets too hot. Do you have good air conditioning?
Give it another couple of months and I can always send you some of our snow! ;) :)
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Oh my goodness, you poor soul! And flu too? That's probably why you have the constant feeling of heat too (apart from what Mother Nature is throwing at you)! I know simple paracetamol helps to bring a temperature down as well of course helping with flu related aches and pains. It's not a miracle, but it helps!
I wish I had an instant cure for the anxiety side of things in menopause! Its a HUGE complaint from many ladies here (me included). I know mindfulness techniques help a bit to reframe the anxious feelings, but since it is definitely hormonal the answer obviously lies in that elusive 'balance of hormones ' that were all trying to achieve from our HRT.
I hope your GP picks up your message soon! I think you'll be fine to continue until you hear from her and it makes perfect sense not to put your body through any more adjustments by stopping right now whilst you're unwell too.
Rule number one right now is 'be kind to yourself '. If you can take some time out from your daily tasks and treat yourself to something nice (and cooling!), it will definitely help. I think now may be a very good time to give in and treat yourself to a large tub of luxury ice cream or sorbet (and no sharing! It's just for you). :) xxx
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Sounds good to me! As long as you are being good to yourself, that's all that matters. I think we forget to do this so often, and it's what we certainly need more of during this tough time of our lives.
Take care. xxx
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Hi Menomale - do let us know what your GP says about the progesterone. Also I'm not sure you have said what oestrogen you are using - is it like the standard gel and what dose is it?
Here is what it says on this site about bio-identicals from compounding pharmacies:
"BIO-IDENTICALS Bio-identical hormones are marketed as being naturally produced hormones which aim to resemble our own hormones and which replace the hormones according to individual requirements. They are in fact very similar to the hormones used in Hormone Replacement Therapy, which are also produced from natural sources, but, unlike HRT hormones, are given in uncontrolled, unregulated amounts, with little evidence available on effect and safety. Measurment of salivary hormone levels is often used to determine the amounts of bio-identicals which are prescribed, but salivary hormone levels bear no correlation with hormone levels which are required to treat menopausal symptoms, or to provide beneficial effects on bone or the cardiovascular system. For more information, see this article on bio-identicals from our magazine."
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/otherpreps.php
The article mentioned is here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-bioidentical-hormones.php
You will find similar views from all the national and international menopause societies British, North American, International - so do google these to see what they say if it might help you find out more about these products.
Hurdity x
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Could be that cortisol is rising at that time which can cause anxiety to waken a person.
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You may be right! My last blood test showed a slightly high morning cortisol!
To be fair morning cortisol should be high - it's a high evening cortisol which causes problems I think?
Taz x
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Hi, Menomale! I think, from your last two posts, that you may be starting to turn a corner! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you! If your flushes and anxiety are decreasing and you're seeing a slight improvement in your hair then your regime is probably kicking in! These are very encouraging signs. :bounce:
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That's true, Menomale! Any whiff of estrogen, and my one ugly varicose vein throbs! I saw a vascular surgeon to get it assessed, and he said it was nothing to worry about so I'm taking his word on that. ???
As for clumsy - me too!!! It must be an age thing (it's true - youth IS wasted on the young)! :o xxxxxx
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Ah, I get you!!! My son is autistic spectrum too - he is Semantic Pragmatic which is on the high functioning end of the scale. He still has dyspraxia at 20 (he was hoping he would grow out of it). So there are two clumsy ones in this house! :o
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Hi Menomale,
My bleeds arrive about 2-5 days after stopping Utrogestan.
Chikabee
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Sorry I missed this Menomale! My bleed almost always starts the day after I stop ie the day after the first missed dose. I am post-menopausal and in my 60's, with progesterone (Utrogestan) taken vaginally on a long cycle of 6-8 weeks.
However if you are still peri-menopausal it can come at any time as your own cycle kicks in!
Hurdity x
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Looking back at your thread in fact you didn't take oestrogen on its own for very long - and if you had been without a period for 9 months then it is likely that your lining had not built up enough during that very short time (and it would likely have been thin) to be shed. As you take HRT for longer (are you still using the 2 pumps of estrogel?) then gradually it will build up and you will experience a withdrawal bleed if you take Utrogestan for part of the month. Is it available over the counter in Brazil as you managed to get hold of it almost immediately we mentioned it unless I misunderstood?! That is very different from UK!
Your flushes should stop with the correct dose of oestrogen, so hope it works for you ;)
Hurdity x
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Boa noite Menomale ;)
I've lost track of what you're doing. Looking at your signature - you are taking 1 mg oestrogen - (is that a tablet or gel?), but almost no progesterone (the cream does not really count as it is unlikely to thin the lining at that amount - well - even if reputable compounding pharmacy it is less than what would be the licensed amount at least of oral prog. It might be sufficient if it was 50 mg of utrogestan inserted vaginally, but I understand cream is not absorbed in the same way. How will you know whether your lining is being kept sufficiently thin?
Hurdity x
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Once you have started HRT as you have - it is difficult to say whether any bleeding is due to your own cycle or due to the HRT, although signs should indicate whether you've had an oestrogen surge! I don't think you can start counting again from your bleed, but it could be your own cycle. You asked about a scan - I would suggest you have a scan immediately following your bleed - which would determine its thickness and hopefully any problems or pathology , but not necessarily whether it is due to your own cycle or hormones breaking through?
Hurdity x
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Your bleeding is also likely to be heavier because you are taking extra oestrogen and almost no progesterone so there may well be more lining built up that needs to be shed, especially as you have not had your own cycle for 10 months.
Hurdity x
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Menomale, you and I discussed this adrenal surge happening just before a night sweat/flush, do you remember?. I like you would wake suddenly a couple of minutes before a flush started. I was suddenly wide awake as if midday and totally unable to go back to sleep again. I read somewhere that it's been suggested that blood sugar drops can exacerbate adrenal surges in peri/meno so decided to eat a slow release carb just before bedtime. I've been doing it for about 3/4 weeks and although I still wake before a flush I can immediately go back to sleep again. I've forgotten to do it a few times and I immediately reverted to sudden wakefulness.
Give it a try, it won't kill you. I'm eating a banana at bedtime and sleep well until about 6ish when again I wake before a flush but am wide awake then and have to rise. Good luck x
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I started with a small bowl of porridge but it was too heavy to go to bed on and caused acid reflux. Good luck! x
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Oh those headaches are awful Menomale, thankfully those and my anxiety have flown the coop now.
I'm just a newbie so don't know your story, what does your doc say about them?
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Oh, Menomale! I really feel for you. I'm so sorry you're feeling so rotten at the moment and am sending you biggest hugs. :hug:
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Next year, that's awful :o
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Hi Menomale,
I'm really sorry you're struggling with the dreaded migraines. Absolutely nothing worked for me aside from Frovatriptan combined with Diclofenac suppositories. No other Triptan worked, and I tried them in tablet, injection, oral spray forms across the range BUT Frovatriptan seems to be the best treatment for hormone related migraine. It was recommended by two specialists who explained it has a long half life and therefore better able to prevent the rebounds that so commonly happen with menstrual migraines. I take it as soon as the headache starts, after aura and prodrome have ended, and insert the suppository at the same time. Taking the Diclofenac anally bypasses the stomach which is in stasis.
You are limited with how many can be taken per month but these things are my lifeline and I thank God and Anne MacGregor who introduced them to me!
Obviously, I have no idea if these would medically suit you but if you want more info do ask. I wish you relief from these horrible disabling things xx
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Oh Menomale, I feel so sorry for you, I know exactly how you feel. I don't know whether you are able to take them, you can't if you have high blood pressure but why don't you give Frovatriptan and the Diclofenac supps a go?
I have never had a one sided migraine though I know they are more common. My entire head feels like it is being crushed in a vice and my scalp is exceptionally sensitive and painful to touch. My goodness, so many things have been tried on me over the years, sometimes with shocking side effects, but the Frovatriptan has saved my life and I promise I'm not being melodramatic.
Find a new doc and discuss it with them. Migraine cripples us and of course if it is constant, it's impossible for you to manage all of the other stuff going on in your life.
I wish you well x
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Been reading your entries. You are a brave woman. I took the decision to remove my HRT patch today . I be felt ghastly since starting the progesterone part
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How are you feeling today Menomale?
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Oh migraines are awful mine only started with meno but thankfully they faded once I started HRT. I don't know how you re going with them everyday, they are so all encompassing.
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Hi menomale - why did you stop your E? Do think you're getting enough from DHEA?
Dxx