Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Stephjkm on February 15, 2017, 05:57:45 PM

Title: Hi from Greece
Post by: Stephjkm on February 15, 2017, 05:57:45 PM

Newbie here!

Glad to find you all and hope I'll learn lots of coping skills from you all.

I'm 50 and have been peri-menopausal for a couple of years with the main problems being erratic and very heavy periods and frequent flooding (although they have always been heavy, even when on the pill). After a couple of years trying tranexamic acid, alone and then with ponstan, folowed by a seven month trial of Qlaira, to manage my heavy bleeding I finally took the plunge and had a mirena iud fitted almost three months ago. So far it hasn't completely stopped my periods but it has made a massive change to my quality of life - I can now go out for the day without a backpack full of tampons and sanitary towels!

I'm just starting to get more generalised symptoms such as night sweats and irritability etc and wonder if it's time for me to consider aome oestrogen replacement therapy too.

Title: Re: Hi from Greece
Post by: Menomale on February 15, 2017, 06:09:21 PM

Hi from Brazil!

Welcome Steph!
I'm no HRT expert but many ladies here are and will guide you through the huge amount of information. Glad to have another outlander here (Brexit times...)  ;)

XXX

Title: Re: Hi from Greece
Post by: CLKD on February 16, 2017, 07:10:49 PM

Now to do with Brexit  :-\ - people left the UK to work abroad way B4 any thoughts of a referendum

 :welcomemm:  browse round.  Make notes.   Let us know how accessible your medical health is or if you need to buy from the UK.  I'm sure that someone will be along re HRT etc..

Do look out for vaginal atrophy though  ::) (use the search button for more info.)

Title: Re: Hi from Greece
Post by: Hurdity on February 17, 2017, 07:55:57 PM

Hi Stephjkm

 :welcomemm: from me too.

If your periods (cycles) were very erratic with variable gaps between them then you are likely to be peri-menopausal. Therefore if you are now getting night sweats then it is likely your oestrogen is dropping - and it sounds like the time to start oestrogen replacement too.

All the preparation are listed under TREATMENTS/HRT PREPARATIONS/OESTROGEN and ideally a transdermal (patch or gel) one would be good - unless youare happy with pills. I would start with a low dose - since Mirena has not yet stopped your periods - eg Estradot 25 mcg for 2-3 months and see how you get on - increasing gradually if this is not sufficient. Do make an appt with your doc to discuss this :)

Hurdity x

Title: Re: Hi from Greece
Post by: Stephjkm on February 18, 2017, 08:34:26 AM

Thank you all for the welcome and advice, will do some more research 😊