Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Dandelion on January 09, 2017, 09:35:32 PM
-
I went onto hrt in late 2013 starting with femoston, for a year, never worked.
Startetd on evorel patches, and 200mg utrogestan for 12 days a month in 2014.
Worked my way up the evorel doses, it took 100mcg to stop the awful flushes.
Anyway this summer I started getting abnormal bleeding.
I also started feeling as if my bladder was never empty, and am going for an ultrasound on the 27th of this month.
I also have a drug addiction problem, I am addicted to valium, I am doing well tapering though, have come down from 75mg a day to 57mg a day.
When I became addicted, I noticed that on the 16 days of my cycle, my mental health would really deteriorate, so, as I have been on hrt over three years, I decided to take 100mg utrogestan daily, this stabilised my mental health and enabled my valium taper to go a bit smoother.
This is because the metabolites of progesterone hit the same nerve receptors as valium.
I put myself on the conti regime in October, I got a really heavy period first cycle, then minor occasional spotting afterwards, but things dont feel normal down there.
Anyway, after much research on the internet and examining my symptoms, I think I might either have polyps or fibroids.
I don't want the doctors to mess about with my progesterone, I want to stay on the same hrt regime regardless of what treatment is required to remove whatever is making my bladder really full.
I am 50 and have never had children and I have heard that hysteroscopies (which is what I think I will need) are very painful, especially if you have never had kids.
I've read a few experiences on here, and theyre not too bad, but I feel that whatever is sat inside my womb is large.
If they mess around with my hrt, the flushes willl come back and I cannot bear them, plus the patches helped the anxiety as well as the utro.
I am worrying myself sick over this
1)Becausee of the pain associated with hysteroscopies, some women say they are agony.
2)Because i am worried they will either take away my evorel or change my progesterone to a synthetic.
3)They may give me a medication to reduce my womb lining, and I have looked at all the medications, and they, too, act on the same nerve receptors as valium, so, any changes in my current hrt regime will really negatively affect my mood, and I am already worried sick, not just because of the gynaecological aspect but I have other problems too.
Please can someone help. I dont want to go back on sequential, because, as progesterone acts on the same nerve receptors as valium, it would be like taking a bigger dose of valium 12 days a month, totally messing up my taper, which is the one thing that is going ok at the moment.
All help would be appreciated, thanks
-
Hi hope someone with more knowledge comes along soon. I ha no idea about the interaction between diazapam and progesterone. I take 8mg a day but have the marina coil. Would this interact as the progesterone is only kept to the uterus?
-
Hi dandelion, can't help you re your hrt regime but wanted to tell you that I had a hysteroscopy without sedation and I bearly felt a thing! hope this helps...hormones and menopause ain't easy...I wish you well.
Stooth x
-
I had a hysteroscopy without sedation and I bearly felt a thing!
Me too dandelion - & I have never had children or been pregnant. So that is one worry to cross off your list. RESULT :banana:
-
I had a hysteroscopy without any anaesthetic, and he removed a small polyp from my cervix - didn't feel a thing!
-
It sounds like you're getting a wee bit ahead of yourself, why don't you wait for the results of the ultrasound and see what they say. I have fibroids but we're 'watchful waiting' as my GP thinks I'm not that far away from menopause and they will hopefully shrink. I really don't think it is a good idea to use Dr Google and then worry about possible outcomes (though I understand, I 'm the world's worst for it).
-
As nearly50 says, wait for the ultrasound before you start worrying about worst case scenarios, then once you have those results, you can look at possible options. Don't be afraid to ask questions regarding any possible treatment the doctors suggest. Remember, no question is too daft - they are used to having lots of anxious people worrying about various procedures, so any question you may ask is probably one they have heard lots of times before.
Also, if you need treatment that you are not able to cope with while conscious, you can insist on a GA, so don't worry about that either.
You are going through a huge amount dealing with meno symptoms AND the valium taper, so be gentle with yourself. Take things one step at a time and try not to worry 'in advance' (easier said than done, I know - I'm a terrible 'what if' person!)
-
Hi Ladies
Thank you all for your replies.
I did not know you could insist on a general anaesthetic, if the ultra sound shows I have to have a hysteroscopy, then I will insist on a general anaesthetic, as I heard that too much pain can affect the spinal cord nerves and cause hyper sensitisation to pain, ie, feeling in pain all the time when there is no obvious cause. Living up four flights of stairs, hyper sensitisation is the last thing that I want.
I would also like to know if they will let me stay on my same regime of hrt, even though oestrogen causes fibroids and polyps, which, in my opinion, is what I have got. I stupidly went without my 12 days of utrogestan for a few months and I did this a few times, and I think that is why the lump grew.
Now I never miss my utrogestan.
I worked my way up the oestrogen dose patches to 100mcg as my flushes were so bad, I dont think I could bare life without them.
-
No one can say what advice you will get, you will really have to wait for the results. The person doing the ultrasound isn't likely to tell you anything, I got a Gp appointment a couple of weeks after the ultrasound to discuss. When it comes to it, you may have to weigh up options as I don't think there are always perfect solutions.
-
No one can say what advice you will get, you will really have to wait for the results. The person doing the ultrasound isn't likely to tell you anything, I got a Gp appointment a couple of weeks after the ultrasound to discuss. When it comes to it, you may have to weigh up options as I don't think there are always perfect solutions.
Hi nearly50
That doesn't sound too good.
I had a breast ultrasound and I got the results straight away.
My mental state is so fragile, (not just with this problem) that I don't think I could take any more delays, it's already agony waiting until the 27th.
I already spoke to my GP who could not tell me anything.
Why wont the person doing the ultrasound be likely to tell me anything?
I feel like just ignoring the lump, cos its not unbearable, im more scared of the treatment than the lump.
-
Sorry Dandelion, I didn't mean to stress you out more. My ultrasound was carried out by a sonographer who typed up the report for my doctor - I was told that they wouldn't tell me anything at the time. Just looked through my notes and I got a letter two weeks later telling me to make a telephone consultation with my doctor.
Found this one online
http://www.wuth.nhs.uk/media/194169/ultrasound-abdomen-patient-information.pdf
PLEASE NOTE: please do not ask the sonographer or doctor who
performed the examination for the results. They may wish to review the
pictures or discuss any findings with a colleague before they issue a report.
I must've missed something - why are you saying you've got a lump? It might just be fibroids, it might be nothing. Hormonal imbalance may be causing your symptoms.
Please try not to panic, you may very well not need any treatment at all.
-
Dandelion
I just wanted to say that a hysteroscopy would be carried out by a gyny whereas a scan would be carried out by a sonographer.
Recently I have had both procedures and was given the results unofficially straight away.
Please don't worry yourself unnecessarily.
I also had a general anaesthetic for my hysteroscopy or maybe you could ask for gas and air.
-
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly but are you still peri?
Is it okay to take a continuous regime?
Was just wondering if that might be reasons you are having problems.
-
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly but are you still peri?
Is it okay to take a continuous regime?
Was just wondering if that might be reasons you are having problems.
I dunno if still peri.
I'm addicted to valium and prog and valium are cross tolerant, so on the non prog days i was going loopy, so i decided to take half dose prog daily and i have stabilised, the problem with the lump in or on my womb arose a couple of months before I decided to stabilise my prog.
ITs the waiting that is stressing me out.
I spoke to a lovely lady at nhs 111 and she said i could air my concerns to the consultant.
I wonder why i got my breast ultrasound results straightaway, but will have to wait for my womb one.
-
What lump? Can you see or feel a lump or is it something you just perceive to be there Dandelion?
-
What lump? Can you see or feel a lump or is it something you just perceive to be there Dandelion?
I can feel something pressing on my bladder. When I go for a wee, it takes me a few goes to empty my bladder.
-
Could it be a mild prolapse ?
I've had a scan in sept for ovaries and she said bladder was fine , couldn't dismiss prolapse though but I can go wee and I have to rock to completely empty it then as I stand up it feels like I could go again x
-
Could it be a mild prolapse ?
I've had a scan in sept for ovaries and she said bladder was fine , couldn't dismiss prolapse though but I can go wee and I have to rock to completely empty it then as I stand up it feels like I could go again x
I've had abnormal bleeding on sequi hrt.
I was a bit naughty and missed quite a few months utro though, just cos of the eating convenience, a full stomach made me too drowsy but ive been taking it daily now since oct and all has been better with my mental state.
No periods, mild spotting, but It took me six separeate wees to empty my bladder last night, so i feel like something is in the obstructing things, and my wee is extra bright, had it checked for infections, none came back.
I put myself on conti hrt cos of my valium addiction, my mental state started deteriorating on the days i was not taking 200mg utro, so i take 1000mcg utru with 100mcg eostrogen patch. I tried cutting down to 75mcg patch in nov/dec but the flushes just came back after a few weeks. Theyre going again now though.
-
I guess another possibility is VA. Again, if I lapse on vagifem I can't empty bladder, takes me a few trips. Only throwing out ideas here for you. Really hope you get sorted and are happy, that really isn't a lot to ask for is it xxxx
-
I guess another possibility is VA. Again, if I lapse on vagifem I can't empty bladder, takes me a few trips. Only throwing out ideas here for you. Really hope you get sorted and are happy, that really isn't a lot to ask for is it xxxx
Thank you @Annie0710, it started in summer i got a uti, antibiotics got rid and i got clean tests after and recently, abnormal bleeding on sequential hrt suggests a polyp to me, expecially as i have not always opposed the oestrogen with the utro, as polyps thrive on oestrogen. Either that or a fibroid, but whataever it is, obstructs my bladder.
-
Bless you. I don't have a womb so have no experience with fibroids and polyps but had so many UTIs (pos samples) yet gps didn't suspect VA, I didn't know about VA til I joined here now unless I lapse on vagifem I never get infections there x
-
Bless you. I don't have a womb so have no experience with fibroids and polyps but had so many UTIs (pos samples) yet gps didn't suspect VA, I didn't know about VA til I joined here now unless I lapse on vagifem I never get infections there x
Glad you found something for your VA.
I haven't had that yet. luckily.
-
I just have one more question, why wont the person doing the ultrasound be able to tell me anything?
The man who did the ultrasound on my breast was able to give me the result right away. harmless cyst.
-
They told me at the scan
When you go in there be extra friendly. I went in and said well I'm not here to check for a pregnancy and we all chuckled
I was there because my GP was worried about ovarian cancer. I was interested in my bladder and why I was getting UTIs again (a nurse had stopped my vagifem)
Anyway she was probing around for quite a while and so I asked if my bladder was ok and not prolapsed, she said she can't tell if it's prolapsed but there's nothing bad with the bladder. She said she's been asked to scrutinise my ovaries but can't find them, she asked if I was sure they didn't take them and I said def not but they failed soon after the hysterectomy 18 years ago, she said ah they've shrivelled and disintegrated. And that she'll write that on the report to GP, so tell them you're anxious to know at least something and you might get lucky x
-
They told me at the scan
When you go in there be extra friendly. I went in and said well I'm not here to check for a pregnancy and we all chuckled
I was there because my GP was worried about ovarian cancer. I was interested in my bladder and why I was getting UTIs again (a nurse had stopped my vagifem)
Anyway she was probing around for quite a while and so I asked if my bladder was ok and not prolapsed, she said she can't tell if it's prolapsed but there's nothing bad with the bladder. She said she's been asked to scrutinise my ovaries but can't find them, she asked if I was sure they didn't take them and I said def not but they failed soon after the hysterectomy 18 years ago, she said ah they've shrivelled and disintegrated. And that she'll write that on the report to GP, so tell them you're anxious to know at least something and you might get lucky x
Thanks, I will tell them the whole thing and hopefully they can tell me something, because the thing that is harming my mental health right now is the waiting and not knowing.
I'm not worried about cancer, I am worried that they will mess around with my hrt and make me even more anxious than I am now, and feel on the verge of a breakdown, more than this problem, problems with my flat etc, so I dont want them giving me meds to make me more anxious.