Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Tempest on September 05, 2016, 06:26:10 PM
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Hi, yes it's me again! I've been busy going to loads of appointments the last few days, the last one in the series is tomorrow with the Cardiologist.
Long story short, but GP increased the Premarin after 17 days on 0.3mg to 0.625mg. I'm now on day 4 of the increased dose.
Yes, it's increased. Again. Flaming ANXIETY!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaargh!!!!
I know it says that this is a side effect of Premarin, and 'should resolve with time', but hoo boy!!!!!
I also know the theory behind WHY this happens because I've researched it to death, but it doesn't make it any easier to cope with whilst in the middle of it. I know many of you have been there/continue to struggle with this.
Mine seems to peak after 8 hours after taking the dose, which according to my research is when the dose reaches its peak. Also, morning anxiety has increased upon waking (I know why this happens too).
What I could really do with is some reassurance from any of you who have experienced increased anxiety on dose changes, and then found that it settled down. Any wee glimmers of 'a light at the end of the tunnel ' would be good!
In fairness, I have also put my body through a lot the last 21 days in starting HRT with extremely low estrogen levels (I've had an oopherectomy as many of you know), and increasing the dose again.
Positive changes have been less depression/no suicidal thoughts/less aches and pains/less burning down below (already)!
Oh, and another reason I'm feeling a bit out of sorts is that I managed to break 2 toes on my left foot 5 days ago, and the pain in horrid! I haven't taken any pain killers, and it's kept me awake at night (even more so than before). I kicked the hoover by accident as I came down the stairs (forgot I'd left it there)! Answers to the name of lucky...... :o
Thank you for listening, ladies. :thankyou:
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Oh and just to add. The GP has now finally 'come around '. At last!!! Today I have had blood tests for just about everything! B12, Ferritin, Thyroid, Liver & Kidney function, ESR, FBC, etc, etc.
Should have all results by Friday, so that I know if all my troubles are indeed hormonal or otherwise. I await the results with baited breath! :o
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Thank you so much, Menomale! :)
Yes, I've seen the GP about the toes. They are just strapped up at the moment and have to heal in their own time.
Sending a :bighug: to you too! xxx
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Hello Tempest, I'm not going to be much help but, like Menomale, I just wanted to send :hug: and hope your toes heal quickly as you have been through more than enough of late. Thank goodness your gp has finally got those blood tests sorted out. Wishing you all the best for your appointment tomorrow & I hope that the blood test results will give you some answers on Friday. Xx
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Bless you, sending you big hugs for all you get lumbered with and hope your toes mend too !
Annie x
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Hi Tempest.
Well honey, bugga! Your having a bit of a time of it.....me? I'm sending smiles n hugs to hold you for now....take one day at a time honey xxxx
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Madbloss, Annie, Ms Saucy - you're all wonderful, thank you!!! Your kindness is so very much appreciated.
I'm sending a :bighug: to each of you. xxxx
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Tempest
Please take some pain relief for your broken toes! Why add pain to your problems. The anxiety will settle. It is a self limiting problem with new meds. 😀
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Thank you Katiecurrantbun! I always try to keep medications to a minimum due to my drug allergies. I'm ok with Paracetamol though so I'm going to pop a couple just before bedtime. ;)
I'm holding onto the hope that the anxiety is self limiting! It's more like nervousness and jittering actually, apart from the dreaded morning stuff which I had even before I started the HRT. I had it to a lesser degree when I first started on the lower dose, so I'm hoping this is just more of the same because of the increase.
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Tempest ...
It's ok, we are all here to help. The morning shakes could be due to low blood sugars. I useto eat a banana late in the eve or have a couple of crackers to avoid the drip in the moron waking....I have a hard day on the calendar this weekend...two years since I my eldest son passed away so you hold my hand as I will hold yours xxx
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Sending you much, much love Ms. Saucy and lots of hand holding. xxxxxxxx
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OUCH ! ++
I set traps for myself too …… a few years ago it was a plank of wood in the back yard which I tripped over, flat onto my face :o bugga.
Are you elevating the foot at night and when sitting ?
I will hold your hand - anxiety is the PITS :cuss:
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I need to add: like you I know why 'stuff' happens which causes anxiety but knowing DOES NOT help when anxiety strikes. Once floored I have to take the emergency tablet or I wouldn't last long :-\
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Me too. I know all the whys and wherefores of anxiety but as I described it to someone the other day, it's like a damn scab that won't heal!!! Apart from the ladies on this forum, I don't know another sole in person that seems to suffer this badly but then I suppose they could be good at hiding it like me - it's like a dirty little secret :-[
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Hi Tempest, I also had oophorectomy like you and my gynae did not want me on HRT. Two weeks post op, I was a wreck, depression had hit (never been depressed in my life), weakness in my legs, feeling half here etc. He reluctantly put me on Femoston 05/2.5mg after 2 weeks (I also had all the range of blood tests all came back fine, except no oestrogen!!). After a week I increased to double the dose and gradually I began to improve. I also experienced anxiety. After 8 weeks the bad headaches started, my gynae did not want to know.
I referred myself to a meno specialist who then put me on Oestrodot patches - I had to persevere on 75ug for a month and during that time my anxiety was up and down, as the change from oral to transdermal took a while for my body to adjust, very very slowly I began to feel better, the weakness gradually subsided and now 6 weeks later I almost feel like my old self (can still feel a little down sometimes). I had to get the oestrogen levels sorted before starting the Ultrogestan, which I am starting now, as i still have my uterus.
I hope this helps you.
Rhiner
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Oh, justjules and CLKD! If only we had the magic answer for anxiety! It's the pits, isn't it? Mine is stratospheric this evening as I've had Hubby here on hols for over 2 weeks, and he goes back to work tomorrow. I'm going to try to do my very best to keep distracted! Wish me luck....... :o
Hello, Rhiner! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your very kind words of encouragement and support. I am so very glad that you are doing better on the Oestrodot! I rarely get to 'meet' other ladies who have had an oopherectomy too here so it's good to connect - we have a particularly tough time, don't we? Given that our menopause is so much more traumatic, you would think we would get decent help and support. Um, NOPE! It really is a total disgrace, and like you I had to initially refer myself to a menopause clinic, and then Hubby had to complain formally so that I was able to see a Menopause Consultant.
Will you be asking for testosterone too when you have the estrogen levels stable and the Utrogestan on board? I have read much that says this is the 'missing link' for us ladies which improves mood and energy (as well as libido, which is what you seemingly have to 'officially' request it for as it's the indication for prescribing it on the NHS. Despite the fact that the missing T does so much more)!
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I HATE it when Himself is away. For several years I was OK and the anxiety was low, until he went abroad - for 8 days, I went into panic mode within 48 hours and crawled to the GP Surgery …….. :'( Since then it's been problematic …….. :sigh:
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Hi again Tempest, I will see how I feel on the uteri first and if I feel OK then I will manage without the testosterone. Its a real shame that we have to take the progesterone element as I feel very good now that the oestrogen is pretty settled. It is good to have contact with someone in a similar situation, although I was fortunately given HRT after 2 weeks. But it takes a fair amount of time for the oestrogen to build up in your system once you are totally depleted. The other big effect that kicked in for me was insomnia around one week post op, never experienced this before and had to take low dose amitriptyline for a few weeks until my oestrogen levels rose. I thought I would never reach normality again!
Good luck, Rhiner
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Hi Tempest. How did your appointment with the Cardiologist go?
Try and plan something nice to do once your hubby has gone off to work. Can you book a massage or go for a manicure or something? x
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Thank you so much, Rhiner! Yes, insomnia is still a huge issue for me. If I can get a switch to transdermal again at some point, I'd like to try to add in Amitriptyline again as it used to work for me in the past (I actually used to take it as it has antihistamine qualities for my severe allergies on the advice of my Anaphylaxis Consultant). Good luck to you too, and do keep me posted as to how you're doing. xxx
Justjules, thank you for asking! I was going to do a wee update on my Cardiology appointment. It went very well, the Cardiologist is lovely gentleman! He is extremely confident that the anomaly on the Cardiac Perfusion Screen is a flare caused by the alignment of one of my breasts - as my heart is otherwise very healthy on the screen, he says he can confidently say this (he also asked a colleague for a second opinion). Apparently, this is something that is thrown up on the scans and is unique to our female anatomy (another reason why it's great to be female)!!! >:(
This is great news!! I am now awaiting a whole barrage of blood test results, particularly the B12 as both my Mum and Grandmother developed Pernicious Anaemia around the age I am now. I didn't realise the relevance of this until I spoke to my Aunt who now lives in South Africa a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, the females on my Mum's side are notorious for having a horrendous time during menopause - my aunt was diagnosed with MS at this time and also developed multiple dermatological allergies.
Sad to say, but as Mum and my Grandmother have been gone a good many years now, I have no female relatives that I can speak to regularly for advice and information. I was glad to be able to speak to my Aunt, but we don't manage to keep in touch too much due to her living in SA. She was able to tell me a lot more about my Mum's problems in particular, as although I remember too well her battle with cancer, I was only 19 when she passed away so I didn't know about a lot of the other issues she endured to any great degree.
This is why I find this forum such a great comfort. It's wonderful to be able to chat to other ladies, and helps me to feel so much less alone. So thank you to all of you for your help and kindness! xxxx
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:bighug: in generally we're a great bunch ;-)
Menom: he copes.
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Hello Tempest my lovely
So glad you're getting your B12 tested, many on the forum I'm on have been diagnosed with MS which later turned out to be pernicious anaemia (without being below range) lack of b12 ruins the myelin sheath which must be connected to MS, it's all too in depth for my poor old brain to absorb but I do get interested as similar things are happening to me, many which are like MS (my daughter is convinced I have MS bless her)
Anyway, I'm babbling but can't get across what I mean but investigate ALL your results when you get them as my b12 was just under range but my mean cell volume, MCH and red blood cell counts were all above/below range indicating a strong drficiency. Nhs don't routinely test the level of active b12, just the serum which isn't a great help as it doesn't say how much is at the crucial cell level
Much love
Annie x
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Tempest, glad all went well, that's one you can tick off your list at least! Hope your blood tests go okay now. Sometimes don't you almost wish they would find something just so we can sort it and move on??! x
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Thank you justjules! Oh yes, absolutely!!!! :o