Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Wagon on January 27, 2017, 08:13:32 PM
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I wondered if anyone can advise me, I had my ovaries removed some time ago and was eventually put on prempak c 0.625 and have been taking it for about 20 years, in which time I have developed oesteoperosis and have several spinal fractures. The chemist has informed me that Prempak c has been discontinued in the dose I usually take, in communication with the surgery apparently Premique is going to be prescribed next week but I have read that the low dose of Premique has been discontinued I am concerned that this drug may not be available and is it the right one for me ? I am used to a monthly 'bleed' . After the initial surgery I was put on medication for hysterectomy which was wrong, I have asked for years how do the doctors know I am on the right strength but never received an answer can anyone advise any or all of the above?
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Hi, Wagon'!
Can I ask how old you are now, and if you are receiving good care for your osteoporosis? Are you taking Fosamax? And have you had a DEXA scan to fully assess your osteoporosis? As you've had several fractures, you will require good support and care.
I am not well versed on Prempak or Premique, but I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable ladies will be along shortly. xxxxx
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Thank you so much for your reply, to answer your questions :- I am 53 years old, I had a Dexa scan in 2001 and eventually convinced a GP that I needed a follow up Dexa which I had in 2015, as for treatment I am on Alendronic acid and colecaiciferol / calcium carbonate.
I am not sure what you mean by good care and support I feel I have to fight for everything, my previous GP retired four years ago although I have seen someone else a few times but they have n't a clue as to my history and medication which is unfortunately long and numerous respectively.
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Hi Wagon
Taz x :welcomemm:
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Thank you stellajane for your reply and Taz2 for the welcome.
I have spent hours reading various information but cannot find names of available HRT, I am hoping to continue on HRT with a monthly bleed which I gather is classed as sequential HRT, I do not think the Premique prescription that should be at the surgery next week ( unless it has been discontinued ) is sequential, does anyone know the names of sequential HRT ?
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I think Hurdity would be the best one to advise you on the types of sequential Wagon, or Dancinggirl possibly! You must have been quite young when you had your oopherectomy? It's a travesty how GP's offer so little follow up, it really is! You have to literally fight for everything.....I know the NHS is cash strapped but you have every need of good care and monitoring. It makes my blood boil!! >:(
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Hi Wagon so sorry to hear about your problems.
I went from Prempak C to Evorel Sequi 50 patches and felt even better on the patches. About 10 years ago when I was taking Prempak I remember there were several times when I had problems getting hold of it and there were rumours even then about it discontinuing.
Hope you find something that suits you
Flutterbyx
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Thank you Flutterby for your information and Stellajane, I had been looking at the wrong subheading above and then got bogged down in the BMS.org, (British Menopause Society)
Just having the names of the medication, others experience and knowing what they do will aid me considerable next week as the premique prescription is supposed to be ready, I have spoken to three local chemists all say the lower dose Prempak c has been discontinued by the manufacturers as has the lower dose Premique so I shall see what has been prescribed. You would think if a medication was no longer manufactured that the surgeries technology (computers) would highlight this fact so patients do not have to chase round chemists, and the doctors could be pro active.
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Hi there
I don't know what the equivalent patch is in the UK but apparently my brand is going to be out of stock for the foreseeable time (combination 50/140, no bleed). My doc said she was worried she was doing to have a riot on her hands of all these meno ladies not being able to get their oestrogen fix!
We discussed options, there was a pill but I'd rather stick with patches as its better for my liver etc. So we're going with oestrogen patch, trying a 75 as I'm having hot nights again and a progesterone pill. If I'm able to cut the pill in half she's happy with that dose as a whole pill is more than I'm getting now.
Seems a bit strange that they would just stop making these items without giving a reason to doctors!
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Thank you for your input, I will let you know how things develop this week, I am not hopeful.
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Thank you, I have just read your post Stellajane, you write about me possibly being on HRT long term, I would like to know more as a GP asked me in 2015 when I was planning to stop HRT as I had been on it a considerable time, my reply was that my mother did not go through the menopause until late fifties so I wanted to continue should I have said I need to continue because of the oesteoporosis ? Is there a age when the HRT should be stopped?
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Hi
I had post bleeding which turned out to be a last hurrah period (after being caused a lot of stress by the GP who went into panic mode). The gynae I saw was an old boy but remarkably modern in his thinking who said he was happy for ladies to stay on it as long as they know the risk and are monitored. I had to laugh the lady in the next bed to me in hospital was very old and kept telling everyone that no one was going to take her HRT away and sod the risks! However, she was very frail and tiny so I can imagine she would need it.
I guess the only reason they want us off it is BC risk otherwise it makes total sense to have enough to ward off ostero, flushes, VA and most of the other **** that comes with meno. It's even more important to keep well when the Gov want us all to work until nearly 70!
It's probably better just to stay on it than stop and restart or start later.
More research needed!
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Thank you for the replies. As you may have gathered I am not upto date with current HRT...
My surgery was carried out by in my view a antique butcher surgeon, I saw a gynae chap the day I was discharged for about 2 mins his advise was see your GP for HRT. The GP prescribed medication which I found out was for someone that had hysterectomy so my faith in medical folks is very low. I bought an excellent book at this time and felt up to date since then I suppose I have just got on with life, so it is really beneficial to have this forum.
I had to fight for a Dexa scan and now reading Stellajane' s post; guess in what I have never had a oestrogen test, that's with 21 years on HRT.
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Been to surgery to collect new HRT, Premique 0.625 / 5 mg prescribed but surgery unable to obtain, contacted two local chemists they say this is no longer available. Next available appointment with GP 24 th Feb.
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Hi
I'm new to the forum. Premique 0.625 has been discontinued. I have been unable to renew my prescription so contacted Pfizer and they have confirmed that it will no longer be available.
I have been on it for 18 months having experienced a sudden onset of menopausal symptoms 18 months ago. I had been feeling unwell for a long time before the 'onset', but everything seemed to come crashing in at once. I was seriously struggling to function so was put on low dose Premique initially, then moved up to the higher dose after a couple of months.
Premique made a real difference to my quality of life, so imagine my horror to find it has been removed. I've been in a tail spin! My doctor has supplied Kliofem, which I've been taking for a week. It feels as if I've gone back to where I was so hoping it's my body adjusting?? I realise that I'm getting used to a change in both hormones. If I can't adjust, I'll go back to GP and ask for Premarin and Provera 5mg separately as this should be close or match the Premique. I have checked with Pfizer and they confirmed Prempak is also discontinued, but are still continuing with Premarin. The last thing I need is to switch to this then have that stopped as well!
I'm going to try to continue with the Kliofem though. I've only ever used Premique and whilst it radically helped, I never felt 'amazing'. I wasn't sure if I was feeling a bit depressed, but felt this was nothing compared to all the horrid symptoms I was having and was a small price to pay. I am trying to look at this as an opportunity to try something new as otherwise I'll never know if I can feel more myself on something else. I am post menopausal having not had a period for over a year before going on HRT. Had a two random short bleeds since starting Premique but had ovarian scans all clear.
Hope this helps anyone else trying to get hold of Premique. x
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Hi shoppingqueen
:welcomemm:
I hope the new HRT works for you but as you say you can get hold of the individual components of Premique if it does not.
Hurdity x
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Thank Hurdity!
Spoke to GP and she said she needs to check is ok with pharmacist?? will give the kliofem a good run first.
Am so thankful for this forum, been referring to it for a long time before joining. Think it's much easier to do your homework before seeing GP so you can ask for something, rather than expecting them just to refer to their list of recommended. When I asked if I could have separates if needed today, doctor seemed keen to go to list of recommended products (am cynical, guessing cheapest ones first!) will be back with update on the kliofem :)
X
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Premarin is very cheap so there is barely any difference in price between the separate and Kliofem - still - if they are trying to save money then presumably they will resist anything that costs more!
Hurdity x
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Hi, I am new to this forum, I had both my ovaries removed 5 years ago, (due to a benign dermoid cyst on one of them, not quite sure why they took both out!) I'm 51 and have been on prempak c for 5 years. A Few months ago my GP recommended I come off HRT, So I stopped taking them and within a couple of weeks had hot flushes and couldn't sleep, so she said to go back on them, gave me a prescription for 2 months supply and told me to go and see her in couple of months and see where we go from there! whilst i do want to come off them because of a higher risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis, I worry about dementia, because even after menopause, women with ovaries continue to produce hormones to help prevent against it. (This does worry me as I am very forgetful already!) So I think I would like to probably stay on them a little while longer. I've heard that prempak c has been discontinued so not sure which one would be suitable for me now. Thank you for any help (not sure some GP's know an awful lot about HRT from past experience!)
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Hi KatieM
:welcomemm:
If you were on the medium dose one (0.625) then why not try another medium dose HRT tablet like Femoston 2/10? They are all listed here:
https://menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php
Several of us have found the same when we have stopped HRT (return of symptoms) so some of us are still taking it into our 60's like me ::)
Hurdity x
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Hello ladies,
I haven't been on the forum for a while, I have been taking Prempak C (1.25) for almost a year now and have felt quite well after a shaky start! I went to collect my prescription this evening to be told they were discontinued and I would have to see the GP again to get a replacement. I clicked on the link below and as I am on such a strong HRT wondered what the most similar one would be?
Thank you x
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Hi, I wondered if anyone can advise me. I have been taking prempak c 1.25mcg for about 2 years. I didn't realise how much it helped me til I can no longer get it :(. My gp has given me elleste duet 1mg which I've been taking for a week now & feel so rubbish...extremely tired, achey & miserable!! I guess I should have been prescribed a higher dose considering I was on the high dose prempak?
Is anyone else in the same position & what have you been prescribed?
Thanks
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Hi Scarebear and Fimble :)
I recently found myself in the same position as both of you, I was on Prempak C medium doze which as you say has been discontinued. A couple of weeks ago my doctor gave me a new prescription for Premique, which turns out to be low-doze AND non-sequential, so in other words not really comparable at all. Particularly as from what I can gather non-sequential means no monthly bleed.
Anyway I got in touch with my local Menopause Matters Clinic and a very nice lady called Catrionna explained to me that she thought something like Femiston 2/10 would have been more in line with the Prempac C (medium doze and sequential). In fact I have an appointment with her on Thursday to discuss some other menopause related matters, but in the meantime my doctor has now written me a prescription for Femiston, although I will have to complete the packet of Premique that I had to start taking in the meantime. It seems to me that I'll probably have a bit of upheaval to contend with over the next 2 or 3 months, now, what with changing HRT twice so rapidly, but I'll just have to see how that goes. :o
You can get a bit more detail from my thread here if you're interested:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34733.0.html
Anyway good luck with getting it sorted out, if you're anything like me you'll have felt a bit stunned by the sudden departure of your Prempac C, but hopefully your doc will be amenable to helping you find the right replacement HRT for you. If it's any consolation I've been told by my Pharmacist that both Prempac C and Premique were very old types of HRT, and that there are many very good, and much more modern alternatives around these days. x
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Was on Premique 0.625/5mg for 3 years until product was discontinued. Been on femoston(having done research on this site) for 3 weeks. Had persistent headache which does not shift even with paracetamol so back to GP today and been advised to stop taking hrt to determine if it is femoston causing headaches....feel desperate at the thought of hot flushes again and what to try next! Any advice will be gratefully received and any advice on alternatives remedies (dong quai??)
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I'm having same problems, I was on prempac c 0.625, which is discontinued. Dr totally unaware of this. He then prescribed premique 0.625 which is also unavailable. So then prescribed premique low dose, which is totally different. After researching I found that there's problems with the distribution of these too. So went back to him and he clearly didn't have a clue and asked me to ask the chemist for a recommendation! They had none and so the Dr prescribed Angelique. The chemist can't get them either! What the hell is going on and why isn't this being raised as a concern. It's taken so long to sort out that I'm now stuck with the low dose premique... I'm not looking forward to the next few months as envisage problems!😥
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Hi I've had same problem with premique I've started on two tablets which make up premique, I can't remember exact name but I posted a thread today with the names, you could maybe ask for that, my doctor I seen the other day was useless to, didn't have a clue she googled this site to help her. Xxx
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Hi i also have the same problem been on prempec c for a year to find it not stocked anywere. Iv tried femoston which was horrable give it it 12 weeks to sort it had to stop and start as i just coudnt function coudnt even get out of bed. Then the give me elleste duet whitch burnt my thoat on.the first tablet made me sick and i coudnt move at all. So didnt take anymore now all my symptons have come back worse then ever and im only 42 and misarable
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I've just tried femeston I felt awful, really low and tired, elleste solo gave me migraines.
I asked if Premarin is still OK to get as that's the estrogen part of premique (I think) and take a separate progestrogen. I think provera is the same as the progestrogen in premique but I'm better on the other progestrogen so will try this mix xx