Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Kathleen on February 12, 2018, 08:02:54 PM
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Hello Ladies.
As promised I'm reporting back on my visit to a menopause consultant this morning.
Well it's good and bad news really. The consultantion was at a private hospital and cost 185 pounds for forty five minutes. The doctor I saw was very kind and understanding and it was reassuring to hear that my symptoms are due to the menopause but of course I had figured that much anyway! The suggested treatment was :- Oestrogel 2 squirts daily, Utrogestan 100mg, one tablet at night and Vagifem, 10mg pessary, use twice a week. In other words nothing that I couldn't get from my GP! I have been given a private prescription but is it worth getting it filled out?
What do you think ladies? Obviously my present use of Tibolone isn't cutting it, I am flushy and tired and my mood has plummeted today. I'm not sure what I was hoping for really. I suppose I need to think about a long cycle regime as advocated by Hurdity and Mary G and arranging scans etc but how do I go about accessing all that? plus I'm not sure I have enough energy for the fight atm. Like many of you on this site I just want to feel well for a change.
Any and all advice welcome as ever and sorry that I couldn't deliver the magic bullet that we want.
Wishing you all well.
K.
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Give it a go and see if it helps. I've just started on that regime after tablets did nothing for me. The gel stopped my night sweats very quickly which the tablets hadn't touched.
Unfortunately there is no magic pill .
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Hi Kathleen
How are you feeling today?
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Hello Dotty.
Thank you for your concern.
I woke up at 3 am with a night sweat and couldn't get back to sleep so feeling a bit queasy today.
I am finding it so hard to decide what to do. I know that I tried the Oestrogel/Utrogestan combination a few years ago but then moved onto something else so I will have to look in my diaries to find out more. Clearly my year on Tibolone hasn't eradicated the flushes, sweats and anxiety so it's probably time to try something new.
Perhaps this is a common problem for those of us who unfortunately don't find the right HRT early in our journey, we end up going around in circles before arriving back where we started lol.
Thanks again for your comments and wishing you well.
K.
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Did you tell the specialist that you had tried the gel before?
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Did they mention testosterone?
That's really helped my wellbeing x
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Hi Kathleen
When I was on Tibolone last year, still had hot sweats and my consultant said no harm in adding 1 pump of gel as it will not cause build up....... just a though, nothing to lose
Wx
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Kathleen, you said you tried the Oestrogel/Utrogestan regime before but it didn't work, in what way? Was it lack of symptom control or problems with the progesterone? The key to success with this regime is getting the dose of both products right. If you find your symptoms are not being controlled you need to increase the Oestrogel dose or if you find you react badly to the Utrogestan and/or find it is undermining the good work the gel is doing then you need to reduce the dose to 7 days each month and have regular scans.
This is the most dose flexible regime available and can be tailored to suit your personal needs.
If you don't want to take the plunge yet, you could try warwick01's idea of a squirt of gel with the tibolone and if that doesn't work, try Oestrogel/Utrogestan.
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Maybe you need to give more time to that regime to work.
When I tried Livial (Tibolone) for the first time it was a disaster for me. I had more new symptoms, as pains to my necks, problems with my vision etc.
My new gyn suggested cyclo progynova and I'm ok with it. It started to work almost immediately but I saw the full benefits after 4 months I think.
Maybe it's a good idea you to try a cyclical type of hrt and not a continuous one? Just a though...
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Hi Kathleen
How are you today ?
I have tried the Ostrogel/Utrogestan regime but was unable to get on with the Utrogestan either continuously or cyclical or orally or vaginaly.
I now use Ostrogel (not Ostrodose) and Provera cyclical and this for me works really well.
Since last November I have also used Testogel and this seems to have been the missing link as Annie0710 had said this has really helped with wellbeing was this mentioned during your consultation.
Wishing you well
Lanzalover x
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Hello again ladies.
Thank you all for taking the time to reply.
Dotty - I forgot to mention to the specialist that I was familiar with the gel so that was a mistake on m part.
Annie - No testosterone wasn't mentioned at all.
Warwick - I will try your idea of adding a squirt of gel to my Tibolone as that may tide me over until I can see my GP.
Lanzalover, Emerald2017 and Mary G - At 61 have I left it too late to use a cyclical regime do you think? Does this mean I will go back to having bleeds and presumably I will need to arrange for scans privately.
Thanks to you all ladies and sorry that I've added more questions. I've had another rough night and I need to find the strength to keep searching for a solution.
Wishing you all well.
K.
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Can you not contact the specialist and ask about testosterone? Xx
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Kathleen - the Tibilone obviously isn't working for you. Go with what the specialist has said .... you paid for his advice. Was he a well known specialist ? Is he a menopause specialist? If so, you need to trust him and give it a try.
I agree that testosterone might help too.
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Hello Annie and Dotty.
Many thanks for your comments. You are both right in that I need to trust the specialist and use the service that I've paid for. I suppose I'd have more confidence if she had suggested something new that I hadn't tried before but I should fill out the prescription and give it a go.
Thank you for replying and putting up with a nervous old lady like me! To think that when I was 49 my GP happened to ask if I had any menopausal problems and I didn't have a clue what he meant. Those were the days!
Take care.
K.
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Hi Kathleen how are you doing? Have you started on the Oestrogel? Xx
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Hello Dotty.
Thank you so much for your concern, it is very kind of you to ask.
I have started the Oestrogel but only one pump atm, I thought I'd work up to two a day as prescribed. I will also begin the Utrogestan orally tonight. I tried a similar regime about two years ago but as I'm further into the menopause I may have better results this time. I was also found to be low in iron recently and I understand that this can cause symptoms that are similar to the menopause so hopefully HRT plus iron supplements will do the trick. I will post my findings but frustratingly any benefits will take a while to come through, such a shame that I am an extremely impatient person!
Thanks again and wishing you well.
K.
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Are you taking the utrogestan every night Kathleen?
I take it for 25 days and 3 pumps of oestrogel and testosterone .
We seem to be on the same journey so it's nice to compare notes. xx
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Hello Dotty.
I also have to take the Utrogestan for 25 days along with 2 pumps of Oestrogel. The consultant didn't mention testosterone however she did prescribe Vagifem because I mentioned that I could feel my episiotomy scar for the first time in twenty eight years lol. I haven't actually bothered with the Vagifem as I've found that a dab of Vaseline does the trick in that department!
One of the reasons I stuck with Tibolone for so long was because I was quite nervous about changing HRT yet again but I desperately want to feel normal so I have to give it go.
I'm sorry I don't recall how long you have been on this regime but I hope that it's doing good things for you.
Take care.
K.
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Hi Kathleen I've been on Oestrogel for 5 weeks.
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Hello Dotty.
Have you seen any improvement in that time? Did you begin on three pumps or work your way up?. What symptoms are you hoping to treat? I'd be interested to hear your story but don't worry if you don't have the time or would rather not repeat yourself. I understand that we have enough on our plate just getting through the day sometimes.
Wishing you well.
K.
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Hi Kathleen I can recommend the Oestrogel it's really pleasant to use I've been on it since jan only one squirt in the mornings as that seems to be fine for me along with vagifem twice weekly and vagisil prohydrate for exterior areas.my skin has its glow back again and like everyone I have my off days but I get through it a lot better,no utis no bleeding because of those dratted paper cuts of VA.good luck xx
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Hi Kathleen I'm 53 and 3 years post meno. Was coping ok and then became very ill last summer.....dizzy, faint, internal shakes, total exhaustion , night sweats , hot and cold flushes, felt very unwell. My worst symptoms were nausea , lack of appetite and exhaustion. My life ground to a halt . Was put on Kliovance and then Elleste Duet Conti . Took those for 18 weeks but they didn't help much. Stopped the day flushes but not the night ones. By this time my sleep was really bad too. Saw a specialist who gave me Oestrogel , utrogestan and testosterone. I'm just into my 6th week . I started on 2 pumps but quickly upped it to 3 and then 3.5. The 3 pumps seemed to help the nausea and the night sweats stopped very quickly. I have got a little more energy and am more able to do things, although I still can't do much. I am beginning to sleep a little better too.
Hope it works for you. Keep in touch xxx
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Good morning Dotty and thanks for responding.
I was also three years post meno before I asked for HRT because the anxiety and internal shakes became a lot worse. I tried various types but as the flushes never really stopped I assume the dose was never strong enough. I kept hoping that my body would adjust to being post meno and that I could eventually do without HRT altogether but my symptoms seem to have stalled.
I am older than you at 61 and my last natural period was nearly eight years ago so it's been a long journey so far! Having said that there have been improvements and my only problems now are some flushing, internal shaking, palpitations and anxiety. I've also experienced morning sickness and lack of appetite which has led to me becoming anxious about eating which I'm finding very distressing at the moment.
I think one of the reasons I believed that my body would eventually adjust is that there are days or part of days when all these horrible symptoms suddenly disappear and I feel well, calm and normal and I then think that I've come through the worst and I'm on the verge of recovery but every time the symptoms return and then I worry that I'll be stuck like this forever.
Sorry for the long post but it's comforting to talk to someone who understands. I hope that we both feel better very soon.
Take care.
K.
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Hi Kathleen I totally sympathise with you. I have no interest in food at all and I'm not bothered about eating a proper meal. All I fancy eating is junk food or cheese or crisps!
I've been suffering for 6 years as I felt very ill with the same symptoms 6 years ago but doctors didn't know what was wrong with me. I know think it was the start of peri menopause. Like you, I put up with the symptoms thinking they would go away but last summer they got a lot worse and I couldn't function at all . It's been a horrible journey so far xx
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Hello again Dotty.
Sorry to read that you've suffered so long, mother nature deserves a poke in the eye for how she is treating us!
Sending hugs to you and let's hope we turn a corner soon.
Take care and enjoy your Saturday.
K.