Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Karen max on January 09, 2019, 06:40:07 PM
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Hi all
Sorry to best a pest , I've already posted about being started back onto everol conti 2 weeks ago ..
I was using it for around 7-8. Months the around 5 months it wasn't helping me as much as it did at the start .
Went back to GP she give me different hrt , long story short the ones she give can't be got due to a problem with supplier
So I started back in everol conti 2 weeks ago , now I'm waking with high anxiety each morning also feeling very sick (also like morning sickness ) coming over me in waves
Oeaftlet don't mention it causing sickness !!
Just wondered has anyone else had these side effects using this patch ?
At minute I've just removed my patch and honestly don't know why to carry on using it or just stay away from everol conti . I have been given hrt tabs over last 4 years but my body just don't seem to like the pills as they cause huge side effects for me
Thanks Kaz
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Hi Karen max
Pills have to go through the stomach and be processed by the liver so can cause all sorts of side effects. Usually transdermal patches work better but I couldn't use Everol either sequi or conti. I have had 5 types of hrt and the only one which has kept the majority of things in check and believe me my symptoms were off the scale and I had loads of them was oestrogel and utrogestan on a cycle despite the fact I am now post meno. I cannot take continuous progesterone so have to have a bleed which is small buns compared to what I was suffering. Anxiety/panic/ nausea and joint pain gone now and I had them all the time over a period of about 3 years.
Changing an hrt regime or stopping and starting can cause all sorts of side effects before it settles and some are pretty unpleasant but that doesnt mean that it wont kick in and work like it should after a month although the minimum trial of any type is 3 months! Conventional comment is that 3 months is a settling in period. My own took 5 months to really even out properly. I fully appreciate why anyone wants to give up in the first 2 - it's a flaming long time when you feel rough in the scheme of things! I only gave up one of my 5 after 3 weeks because it caused the most awful headaches.
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Hi ladybt
I was on everol conti for around 8 months wasn't great but did help some
GP changed me to Femseven patchs few weeks back but due to short supply they can't be got . So I was if everol conti for around 16 days waiting to see if my GP could sort me out with another patch , in end she couldn't find one for me ( I'm post meno 4 yrs ) plus still have womb so she put me back onto everol conti but from I started back on it around 2 weeks I'm feeling unwell anxiety is huge and this sickness is awful , maybe it's nothing to do with the patch it could be virus /bug
My patch is due to be changed tonight , I normally just remove it before my bath around 9pm and use new patch but I've took patch of just after 4 pm but il put new one on later and go along with it for another few weeks and see how I get on
Seems never ending it's been going on around 10yrs with pre meno then last 4 yrs post !!
Just fed up with it all now and like yourself I think I've every menopause symptom there is !!
Kaz
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Yep 12 years total for me too but my first 8 years or so I was on the same HRT which had effectively stopped working after 5 because I knew no different until I couldn't cope at all and started looking for info and ended up here! - then it all became clearer as to what and why but then the how to fix it got complicated!
I couldn't do Evorel conti or sequi, nor femoston, nor primarin+provera, the best has been the oestrogel 4 pumps which is considered quite high and utrogestan 200mg vaginally for 12 days on a cycle because I can't do continuous it makes me suicidal.
Transdermal seems to be a good way to go for a fair few on here but the absorption varies so much women to women.
I have to say that when your oestrogen gets very low Birdy it takes a real while 4/5 months or even more to get back up from what I have read on the forum. In my lengthy list of symptoms brain fog was one of them in fact for a couple of years I actually thought I had alzhiemers! I couldnt find words or string a sentance together and my memory was beyond appalling which was really difficult because I run my own business and need to talk alot to clients on the phone and write complicated letters, at one point, I considered giving it up. Its easier to say now Karen, the symptoms I am left with rather than the list had. Just low libido, depression and low motivation/lethergy. Rest - all you can think of are gone now so there is hope!
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Hi Birdy
That's sounds exactly like myself anxiety is through roof really bad on waking in morning ..
I honestly don't know if I'm just the type of person who can't use hrt as GP have give me so many over the years .. now I'm thinking am I better of just stopping it altogether ,
Ladybt
I've asked GP for the del/cream he won't agree to give me it , your story is almost same as mine , I've days where I wondering if I have dementia, my memory is awful can't remember anything even chatting in the phone I'm getting words mixed up , spelling small words I'm getting confused it's just awful !!
My GP is clueless regarding hrt as much as myself !!
GP offered me to attend menopause clinic but there is 14/18 week waiting list as we only have one menopause clinic
I'm also waiting to have hysterectomy done plus repair on bowel and bladder as I'm suffering a bad prolapse so to be honest I think my doc is just letting me struggle on like this as after surgery my hrt will change
It just feels like never ending road I'm on and can't reach end of the road
Kaz x
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Um sounds like it Karen, GP's don't get me started on them. There is another lady on her who had a hysterectomy and they removed her overies too, but they didn't make any provision for her hrt afterwards. Her GP was beyond useless and the hospital were the same and it has been a nightmare because it becomes obviously a surgical menopause and so your body has no hormones at all! Make sure you get the consultants or doctors to talk to you beforehand what their plans are for your treatment after.... I really must try and think of who it was so I can direct your to her posts. Ask loads and loads of questions and really put them on the spot. Try typing in the search box "sugical menopause".
If it were me I would take the GP's offer of going to the clinic regardless of the wait, then at least you know you will eventually be able to talk to someone who should know their stuff. I did go to our clinic eventually and they were really helpful. I live in Northern Ireland and we only have 1 specialist meno consultant either private or NHS so whichever way you see the same person. The good thing is I only had to go once in person and have had 2 telephone consults as follow-ups. I was all prepared to go to London and pay private after doing my reading on here but thought why not try here first and I was lucky!
If you read ladies posts, their experiences of so called "medical professionals" varies alarmingly. Did the Dr give you any reason why you can't have gel and separate progesterone or is he just thick? :-X
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I have just applied my 4th Evorel Conti patch, last time I used them was about 10-12yrs ago, and I suffered bad headaches and nausea, but so far that's not happened, however my night flushes are more frequent and intense, so less sleep :'(
My memory is dreadful and I do feel confused and anxious most days, but I felt like this with Femseven Conti patches (now discontinued for a year) so its not just Evorel, I find I cannot remember simple names of things sometimes, and a thought can flit out of my head in a split second so I lose track of what I was about to say, then maybe 10 - 30 seconds later the name of something or what I was about to say springs clearly into my brain, my meno started when I was around 49, last period around 54 this Summer I will be 70, so 21 years since my hot sweats started, but with HRT I no longer get dripping sweats 24/7 infact daytime I am flush free ( unless very hot day) but nothing has stopped night flushes and its lack of sleep I blame for my cotton wool head..i do have to take 1/2 sleeping tab a few nights a week, especially if I have an appointment, or social function, so I can get about 4hrs sleep flush free.
Makes me so angry that GP's have no knowledge of HRT or of Meno problems, and its just cope with your sweats, low mood, anxiety, panic attacks or take an AD it will pass 12-24mths, but as we know that's not true...its like Meno is not considered as a problem at all. :'( xxx
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Hi
I have saw 3 GP,s in my surgery they all seem clueless about hrt , no reason for nit giving me the gel it was a plain NO !!
Honestly thinking of removing the everol patch as today the anxiety has been bad and feeling like morning sickness plus I've noticed after I eat it getting heartburn , I'd camera test months back on my tummy all was fine as this has only started last week a week after I started back onto everol conti
Hospital told me I've gave my op soon that was last summer so that's reason I wasn't in any rush to go to clinic as I knew once womb was removed I'd go onto new hrt
I definitely felt better that 2 weeks I was of this patch while waiting on the GP trying to find another patch to suit me after I told her Femseven was available (she didn't know about the situation regarding Femseven) that's why I'm back onto everol conti ..
Can't understand why docs don't know these things ?
I'm just so fed up running back and forth last 7yrs trying to get hrt to suit me but definitely I don't seem to be coping well back on everol !!
Can't stand anxiety any longer plus I'm feeling light headed from I went back to using the patch
My head seems to be so empty I can't remember anything even when speaking I'm looking for the next word I'm trying to say (if that makes sense ) ?
My old GP before he retired told me "once you get the right hrt you know it as you feel great " he also told me " hrt isn't for everyone some folk just don't do well on it " well I think I'm one who just don't well on it as between my anxybeing so high my forgetful brain and tears eyes my mood really look no motivation.. the list is endless , going to take patch of and see how I go over next few weeks hopefully I will feel better than I do now
Kaz x
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Bridy
I took patch of yesterday slept better last night and anxiety today has gone , might just be a fluke but will let yous know how things go , only thing I'm feeling at minute is the hot flushes didn't take long to return but to be honest I was still getting hot flushes on everol conti just not as often
Kaz x
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I think the majority of flushes are in menopausal women Birdy but I know that weight and other things can play a factor. The hypothalmus in the brain which regulates temperature control in body is susceptible to lots of chemical changes plus we have our own genes to thank for how we react to heat. For example my youngest son gets hot and sweaty all the time, never wears a coat and doesn't feel the cold and hates hot weather. He has been like that from a child.
There was a program on TV about menopause in the last 3 months which spoke of research which had isolated the chemicals causing the flushes and they could use this chemical to induce flushes in non-menopausal women who otherwise wouldn't have them. The idea is that they can make a specific treatment to stop them rather than just the general treatment that is hrt for menopause generally and the oestrogen which helps flushes
Mine come back if I lower my oestrogel or stop my hrt. They came back within a couple of days when they stopped my hrt when I was in hospital last March.
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I don't think the progesterone has anything to do with the flushes birdy. You need to up the oestrogen as far as I know. That's what I did - upped it until my symptoms stopped. Flushes were first to go, anxiety and panic were the next. I couldn't up my progesterone anyway because I am pretty intolerant and it makes me suicidal and overcome with the most awful feeling of doom in everything, like everyone I know is going to be killed the minute they leave the house and I cant leave the house either! Dramatic I know but that's what happens on continuous progesterone for me. Oestrogen is the feel good hormone so that is usually the one that get's upped.
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it is supposed to have a sedentary effect when taken orally. I am now on utrogestan 12 days (well supposed to be 12 200mg but I take it for 10) and I take it vaginally to keep an side effects down. I get very teary on those days (puppies on the telly, or anything remotely cute, sad or nostalgic!) and a bit prone to sad thoughts but not even close to how I was before. I was advised to up my oestrogel over a period of 3 months when I started until I could get the other list of horrendous symptoms the flushes, panic, anxiety, nausea and joint pain to lessen or stop and drop my progesterone (I was on continuous then) for at least 4 weeks altogether, before starting it again on a cycle. When I stopped the progesterone I could get my mind under some control. I do have a bleed but that is a minor inconvenience compared to where I was in August last year which was, effectively I needed sectioning, I was so bad.
All I am left with out of my horrendous list of symptoms which I had had for years is low libido, low motivation but I think that is linked to depression which is better but I cant shift it totally. They are going to give me testosterone to add in to see if we can get rid or change the last 3. If that works basically I have my life back after 11 years of absolute misery! don't know how I am still here really Birdy.
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You sound a fair bit like me my dear. I have been up since 5am, sobbing uncontrollably for some of the time. I wanted to call the crisis team today. I might follow your plan and take extra prog for ten days. X
Sorry Birdy you are confusing me. I take as little progesterone as I can get away with and I take as much oestrogen as I can (I can add 1 more pump to my dose). The oestrogen is the feel good hormone - that is the one I was told to up. Progesterone was to be kept to as low a dose as is possible because in some it creates the doom and the teary bad pmt feelings.
Do you have a womb and refresh my memory - post or peri meno?
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I'm certainly not going to ignore you :foryou: Decrease the progesterone as soon as possible or to be honest stop it imediately for a week to reduce it in your system. It is increasing the brain fog and it is what is making you worse. You can do yourself no harm in stopping progesterone for a week and you need to do it now because it is frightening you. You need to increase your oestrogen and start as soon as you can. I have a womb and everything else and I am post meno. I had to do this with my progesterone after advice on here and it worked. I stopped for 2 weeks before I started on a cycle and I upped my oestrogen too.
As I said you can do yourself no harm by stopping but you could do yourself harm if you carry on this way, it is bad for your head! Let me know what you think.
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The whole lot of it confuses me but then again at the minute I'm so easy confused with this mushed up brain if mine !!
I removed everol conti patch last tues ( I think ) haven't used another one and my head seems clearer the tears eyes have been less but hot flushes are back !!
I'm going try go with out using any hrt as my doc is as clueless as myself when it comes to hrt !!
I thought 4 yrs post menopause things woukd start to get better haha how wrong was I ?
Doc refuses anything apart from the pills which I've been given about 5 different ones none helped and this everol conti patch definitely don't help either so going try stay of hrt maybe just maybe after waiting 3 yrs on waiting list il soon have op and I can start on new hrt patch (if needed ) once my womb is removed ..
I live it hope !!
Kaz x
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Me again folks
Can any of you tell me if there is any other hrt patchs apart from Femseven (as they can't be got ) I'm on everol conti which are definitely not helping me , doc has told me there is 3 patches I can use (I'm post menopause 4 yrs but still have womb and ovaries) I can use 2 of which seems to have manufactures issues can't be got , the only one I ca get hold of is everol conti but causing me to feel sick and headaches , I took patch of last week but last night was worse night for high anxiety hot flushes do I've put patch back on this morning ..
If anyone rose is in same situation as myself and is using a patch can you let me know name please .
My doc is clueless regarding hrt and waiting list for menopause clinic is now 26 months
I can't use hrt pills as they give me to many side effects so it's patches only as doc refuses to give me anything else
Thanks Kaz x
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Yep he's useless Karen max - refuses to give you anything else? I despair! He has a prescribing book and he can look up what he can give you - what a numpty! I don't have patches but I couldn't use everol so I cant help with an alternative and yes there is a supply issue with other patches. He says there are 3 kinds - I'm sure there are more, maybe someone can come along and say what is "readily" available and not having problems with supply.
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Ladybt
I thought for sure there was more than 3 but he said no he did say the Femseven was good results but we can't get hold of it
I'm hoping someone comes along with bit more knowledge than myself as I'm so confused over whole lot of it
I put a patch on at 12 o'clock and the sickness has returned crazy how fast the thing starts to work so guess il be taking it if and binning them full stop !!
I take it your in Belfast also ?
Kaz x
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yep I'm in Lisburn and under the meno clinic at the Mater here and I got an appointment really quick last year. I can tell you all about it of you pm me. There is only one meno consultant here who you see whether you go private or through the clinic and I was all prepared to pay to see her but didn't have to.
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Does seem to be that if you look up a list of conti hrt patches and then check availability they all seem to be being discontinued or having supply problems. I wonder if it is because prescribers are moving towards prescribing gel which is flexible in dosage as a transdermal method and adding whatever progesterone suits because it is a more flexible method than a specific dose patch if you know what I mean? There is an oestrogen patch only called Estradot which is what I think Hurdity is on if my memory serves.
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Hi ladies. I'm on Estradot patches with a separate progesterone, Utrogestan. This regime seems to be working quite well for me after trying several different pill preparations. I don't get any nausea and the stomach issues I was experiencing are a lot better. No spots either so all in all seems a much kinder regime.
I hope you find something that suits you better soon.
Rosie63xx
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I'm going to have to either change my doc as I'm getting nowhere with him ,
I've bade bew appointment to see a new GP at our practice it's 1st Feb so I will see what he says until then I'm not using the everol conti patch
Ladybt I will mail soon as soon as I get home ..
I'm Belfast too
Kaz x
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Karen I have been on Evorel Conti now for 2weeks, used them years ago but got headaches and nausea, so far no nausea, just a couple of headaches, how ever I am getting more night flushes, so less sleep, I only know of 2 conti patches Femseven which we cannot get and Everol..
I wish they made progesterone patches as well so we could swap around until we found the magic 2!!
Hope you get more help from new Gp, such a shame you have to wait another 2 weeks.. :hug:
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Hi Karen Max
I am in N Ireland too and was recently referred to the clinic at the Mater by my GP. I only had to wait 6 weeks for an appointment so definitely worth pushing your GP to refer you there. Good luck!
CH x
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hello CrazyHorses - now I know there are 3 of us here - if we need to gang up on any health professionals there could be safety in numbers! Despite how I have moaned about GP's and consultants in general, I have to say the guys at the Mater have been really good! Hope you got on there ok?
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Hi Ladybt28!
I haven't actually been yet - appointment is on Monday. Good to know that you got on well there.
My fingers are crossed...😊
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Thanks ladies
I'm going phone GP on Monday and ask if they can just refer me by looking at my med records as its silly waiting to see GP on 1st Feb as he's looking look at me blanked faced as the other GP do , he's a young guy o guess he won't have clue either !!
Rosebush that's the way theyr making me feel , headaches, night sweats and feeling sick 24/7
Ladybt i think the GP needs to be aware of what patches are available and what's not instead of hand out prescription then you find out by chemist it's not being made no more .
I don't know if what found online is right but it seems they are removing all hrt patches and staying giving the gel hrt instead but we shall wait and see if that happens !!
Swapping and changing can't be good for us , GP give me Femseven patches few months back only to be told no stop using them as theyr being removed ..
If doc don't know what's going on with the patches maybe they need updated!!
Ok my rant is over lol
Kaz x
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Ok so it's looks like I need to stick everol patch on until I get to see GP and just put up with the awful side effects at least I wasn't shaking in my whole body like I am now plus mouth is burning
So definitely need get back onto hrt patch
How long does this bloody last ???
10 yrs now and I'm feeling really fed up living like this surly 4 yrs post menopause thing should start to improve??? 😭😪😢
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so Karen - it's hard to say how long because we are all different but there are ladies in their 60's on the forum who cannot give up their hrt without horrendous side effects coming back. Looking at my own issues I am 12 years in and possibly 2 years post meno but it is hard to tell when you start taking the hrt early. I started at 45 I think but it was PrepakC now discontinued and although it stopped the flushes it wasn't strong enough to deal with the anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, crushing depression etc. It gave me heatburn and nausea because they were pills you had to take and I had all the issues that come with taking stuff orally if it doesn't agree with you and I took that for 9 years because I knew no better about what I needed do I just thought I had to live with it. Since I have been on the "right regime" well it is right for me my list of "issues" is right down from about 15 to 4.
I am 57 and I am going to take hrt for as long as I can. In fact I will do anything to carry on until I am in my 80's as the quality of my life has been so bad for so long and would be so bad without it, it just would not be worth living and now I am on the right stuff it is worth living! I NEVER want to be in a position of feeling like I have done (if you read my history untreated hormonal problems go way back to when I was a teenager). I know it sounds dramatic but I also know now there are a section of women out there for whom that is how it is! It took me 2.5 years after prempak to get my "right" hrt and 3 months for it to settle and another 3 for me to be able to say "my life is now worth living" There is NO WAY those words would ever have been written 6 months ago and I have struggled all my life, I wouldnt give up now. I knew if I wanted to stay alive I had to persist in finding the right regime for me.
For some of us it can be a very very long haul...not what you want to hear...but let me tell you for me the end results are worth it!
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Ladybt
Thank you so much for your lovely reply , I've only used hrt from I was 49 yrs old , I struggling through pri meno by using menpace supplement
Once my periods stopped 4 yrs ago aged 48 yrs I thought ok I get first yr over then I should be feeling more NORMAL , doc has give me a few hrt pills side effects were awful so he changed me to everol contithey did help me first 5 months then the hot flushes came back along with the rest of the crap
Went back to docs he changed to Femseven patch I could not get it as no chemist in Belfast had it , back to doc again he give me a different patch same thing could not get that one either so back again only to be told only patch left is everol conti so I took it again but I know it font suit me
The anxiety that is rushing through my body is unreal my body is shaking as if disco is going on inside me ..
so think I will just have to stick a patch on and wait to 1st Feb until I see another clueless doc
Kaz x
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Hi karen, I just replied to your PM from yesterday.
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Ladybt
Replied to your mail xx
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Hi
That's me referred to the hrt clinic so fingers crossed I won't wait too long on getting my appointment to attend the clinic ..
Maybe I will get sorted with a hrt that suits me ( I sure hope so )
Kaz
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Hi Birdy
I did stop using it and I was hit with all the menopause symptoms the next day so I guess I'm better sticking with it than with out it ( if that makes sense )
It's definitely not helping me the way it should be be least its holding back the night sweats a bit for me , the sickness has now left for another while
Spoke to consultant on phone from hrt clinic and she advised me to keep using the patch until I get my appointment to see her . (Easy for her to say ) I know !!
Just hope it's not too long until I get to the clinic
Kaz