Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: Jules53 on March 09, 2019, 08:47:47 AM
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Hi ladies.
Sorry me again. I have been feeling increasingly worse on the HRT I am taking so am going to stop taking it. I'm on Evorel 50 and Utrogestan 100 vaginally every night. I have been feeling more and more anxious and am finding it hard to take a deep breath. I have also been having horrible night sweats/burning in the chest area and arms and can hardly sleep. Last night was awful - I woke up sweating and felt as if I couldn't breathe (I'm not sure if it was a panic attack) so I had to sit up and sleep for the rest of the night. All of the symptoms last night happened after I took the Utrogestan so does this sound like progesterone intolerance? I have cut my patch in half today and won't take the Utrogestan again tonight.
I am desperate to feel well again as I've got so many nice things planned. I'm not looking forward to anything at the moment and feel quite down. Maybe I don't need HRT anymore? I'm 55 and 2 and a half years without a period. I would be be grateful for any advuce/thoughts.
Thanks.
Jules x
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Hi Jules53
Yes definitely sounds like the Utrogestan, there's no way I could tolerate it every night and in fact I only manage 7 days (monitored). Could you try taking it on a cycle which would mean having a withdrawal bleed but not so many negative side effects?x
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Thanks for your reply Perinow.
I mentioned to my doctor about having a cycle but she said I need to take it continually. She didn't know anything about doing it that way.
Jules x
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It's a personal choice, plenty of us do it that way as we cannot tolerate continuous progesterone x
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What were your symptoms of not tolerating progesterone, if you don't mind me asking? Are you able to tolerate it on a cycle or do you have the symptoms back in the days you take it?
Thanks x
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Maybe think which symptom you would like to ease first? Think why you went to the GP initially - and perhaps keeping a mood/food/symptom diary will be useful.
Stop. If the drug is making you feel ill, it is not achieving it's aim. Feet up, cuppa to hand.
Perhaps you need to address any anxiety and/or depression as separate from hormones. In the meantime, rest. Let the drug leave your system and review.
:bighug:
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Birdy sorry to hear you are suffering too. It's awful isn't it? Hope you get it sorted soon.
CLKD thanks for your reply. I've still got half an Evorel 50 patch on so should I remove that as well and let both hormones leave my system? The main symptom I went on it for was anxiety and hot flushes. I may need to think about going on Venlafaxine again but will see how I go coming off HRT first. Could the shortness of breath be a symptom of progesterone intolerance?
Thanks xx
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Do you feel bloated? Pre-bleed I would swell up with fluid I suppose and would have difficulty drawing a deep breath :-\ and couldn't sing properly either until the period began. It happened every month so it was 'normal' for me.
When do you need to take off the half/patch? A few days won't make much difference but do be prepared for a bleed/not.
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Very similar to symptoms you describe. I'm ok for the first few days then it builds up in my system and I'm struggling by day 5. Usually feel weepy and a bit depressed. I have a couple of bad withdrawal days and then I'm back to normal until next time around. Hope this helps x
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Thanks Perinow. Do you get the shortness of breath (like struggling to take a deep breath)? I'm OK when I exercise, it's breathing in general at rest x
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How do you sit Jules? Bad posture can encourage that feeling of not being able to breath. Maybe walk round your house, singing ;-)
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I try to sit upright but I have a desk job and I try to got up every so often and walk around. It feels like asthma (though I've never had it). It has definitely got worse since being in Utrogestan. Should I take the half Evorel patch off as well and see how I go without both? Thanks x
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Exactly how I felt and sometimes still do. What's to lose, if you stop everything and maybe keep notes?
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Thanks. Will take the patch off and see how it goes x
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Hi Jules sorry to hear you are feeling so rough.
You can use a Sequi regime st any time during menopause , so your doctor is wrong.
Your problem is that you don't know if your symptoms are due to low oestrogen or are due to the Utrogestan . You won't find that out until you either stop hrt altogether or stick with one regime for at least 3 months.
I think I've said before that your body is confused as you keep swapping regimes. If I was you I think I would stop altogether for a few weeks and then you'll know if your symptoms are due to low oestrogen . X
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I used to throw things. Never anything expensive though!
HRT isn't the Beall and Endall. It can ease symptoms. But maybe appropriate medication to ease anxiety and depression as well as a good diet - eat every 3 hours which can relieve some anxiety surges - as well as exercise might help.
Let us know both!
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Thanks Dotty. I made the decision today to stop altogether as the shortness of breath was getting worse, so I ripped the patch off. I can put up with the flushes but that one symptom was getting me down Will see how I go over the next few weeks xx
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Oh Birdy, sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time. Please let me know how you're getting on. We can support each other through this, along with all of the other ladies on here!
I'm going to give it a few weeks to see if my symptoms ease and if they don't I will see the doctor again to ask for some more tests and I would even consider taking the antidepressants again if necessary I'm also going to keep exercising regularly and eat little and often as CLKD advises. Take care Birdy and I hope it eases soon for you. Jules x
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This thread is a bit like when someone yawns: every one does it. I'm trying to drawer in a breath ::)
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I'm scared of that too Birdy but I went to see a friend earlier who said she just stopped taking HRT suddenly and was fine, so I ripped the patch off there and then! That was only about 4 hours ago so hard to tell which way it's going to go. I certainly don't feel any worse yet😁.
I know it's very early days though so will keep you posted x
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Thanks Birdy. The same goes for you too xx
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Thanks Stellajane. Do you mean we can continue to use the Oestrogen patch or gel on it's own? I'm going to have a break from both for at least 2 weeks though I think x
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Stop looking for problems?
Why would VA be worse? :-\. It is delivered in a different area specifically. Not related to other types of HRT at all. Some ladies do require both but others use 'sylc' or 'yes' products along side appropriate oestrogen replacement. I use KY Jelly when necessary, i.e. if I get dry and itchy, as well as Ovestin.
If you are worried about symptoms becoming worse then use more VA treatment?
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Ah right, sorry. I haven't suffered from that yet. Just about everything else though, but not VA. Thanks x
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Do read our threads about vaginal atrophy. Forearmed is forewarned ........... ;). You may not be affected but you can pass on information .....