Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Spangles on March 18, 2019, 07:21:21 AM

Title: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on March 18, 2019, 07:21:21 AM
Hi,
I've been on HRT for around 7 years now, (evorel 50 and utrogestan 200/12). The past few months my symptoms have worsened. I'm seriously thinking of coming off it.
I'm nervous to try as I don't want to feel worse than I do already, the usual list of stuff, ups and downs, increased anxiety, aches and pains, digestive issues, etc, etc, etc!
I haven't a clue what to do, if I do stop, do I just stop or do it gradually as I've been on it a white?
Any advice greatly welcomed.
Thanks
Spangles
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Dotty on March 18, 2019, 07:36:30 AM
Hi have you tried increasing the dose? X
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on March 18, 2019, 07:38:10 AM
Hi Dotty,
No I haven't, I don't really want to increase the dose, my periods are very painful due to fibroids and cysts so I think it would just make that side of things worse.
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: CLKD on March 18, 2019, 08:53:57 AM
 :bighug:  I still remember how my painful periods made me feel  :'(
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Taz2 on March 18, 2019, 01:01:47 PM
Are you having regular scans to check on your fibroids as oestrogen will cause them to grow?

Taz x
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on March 18, 2019, 06:19:31 PM
Hi ladies,
Thanks for your replies, I have an appointment tomorrow at the doctors so I will post an update then.
Thanks
Spangles
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on March 20, 2019, 07:58:05 AM
Hi Ladies,
So I went to see the doctor, after discussing pain and pms sympathy and everything else, I am going to try and half my HRT dose.
Instead of Evorel 50 and Utrogestan 200/12, I will start taking Evorel 25 and Utrogestan 100/12.
Hopes this may reduce the pain and everything else. Hopefully I won't get a bleed and I can start to work out where I am on this journey, I'm just anxiously in case my symptoms worsen.
Any experience of this or any advice?
Oh I have a scan booked too, just to check all is well.
Thanks so much
Spangles
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: CLKD on March 20, 2019, 09:48:57 AM
 :bighug:
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 08, 2019, 05:24:21 PM
Hi Ladies,
So my scan showed that my fibroids have actually shrunk and the lining of my uterus is nice and thin.
I started my new regime; Evorel 25 and utrogestan 100/12.
First mont no bleed, doctor was happy with this due to the scan results. Second month and I've had no bleed again, did have some cramps for a while but took paracetamol and they didn't come back, yay!
However, my mood has dipped and my anxiety is high, actually feel quite rotten! Hopefully this is just hormones and not the start of a depression.
Any thoughts on this? On the whole, apart from the last few days I've actually felt better so I hope this dip doesn't last.
Thanks again for all your replies and kind words, they mean a lot.
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Katejo on May 08, 2019, 06:26:27 PM
The only thing I know for sure is that low oestrogen causes low mood, sorry to say!
  Surely it is more complicated than that? Otherwise all women would suffer low mood as they lose oestrogen? I know I need .ore oestrogen but haven't had a problem with  mood.
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: pepperminty on May 08, 2019, 07:01:40 PM
Hi spangles,

Keep with it for a while, as it maybe your body adjusting. But if you still feel bad/ worse, perhaps go back up again. I hope you feel better soon.

PMX
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 20, 2019, 06:14:51 PM
Hi Ladies,
Just a quick update, I've missed two periods now and I'm about to start my progesterone course tonight. My mood is lower and I'm obsessing about depression because I obviously don't want another bout of depression, it's the first thing I think of when my mood dips! My hot flushes are back but not as bad as before HRT. I'm trying to ride this out, hopefully my body will adjust eventually. This progesterone course will take me to 3 months.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Spangles
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: CLKD on May 20, 2019, 06:34:06 PM
Has the mood dip become worse in recent days?

See how you feel with the Progesterone ........... if necessary, try an anti-anxiety medication?
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 20, 2019, 07:09:01 PM
CLKD,
Yes I am waiting to see what happens with the progesterone, I already use citalopram. It's so confusing without a bleed, I'm not missing it though😂
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: CLKD on May 20, 2019, 07:11:42 PM
I never missed bleeds .......... messy, painful, annoying. 
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Hurdity on May 20, 2019, 07:30:10 PM
Well you obviously did CLKD - otherwise you wouldn't have gone through menopause  ;D

Spangles is talking about lack of bleeds on cyclical HRT.....

Hurdity x
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 27, 2019, 08:01:37 PM
Oh dear!
Things didn't get any better, the flushes returned, lack of sleep, aching joints, low mood, more anxiety than usual!
I caved in and went back up to 50 patch, the flushes have gone and I feel a little more human.
I think 25 is too low for me, I gave it from March, I feel like I've let myself down a little.
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: CLKD on May 27, 2019, 08:06:05 PM
No, you haven't.  If we get offered a new food, do we not experiment?  So medication can be similar, it needs a hike, similar to adding seasoning to a new menu ;-).  Do you keep a diary?
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 27, 2019, 08:08:10 PM
Yes, I log things and also remember them.
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: flower on May 28, 2019, 11:36:02 AM
Hi.
Im not sure if this will be helpful, but I notice I get all symptoms back after using a HRT supplement for about 2 or 3 years. They just seem to stop working.  What I do is then go back to the one I used 3 years previous.  e.g I was on Femseven Conti since 2017 and they have now stopped working!  So, I have requested Micronor plus Estrogen Gel which is what I used from 2014 - 2017.  It worked before, so I am hoping it will work again.
I also (prior to them not working, cut the Femseven conti patches in half about 6 months ago and had no problem).
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on May 28, 2019, 09:51:23 PM
I can't remember the others I've been on 😂
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on July 01, 2019, 06:15:54 AM
Hi Ladies,
Just a little update, I've stuck with the evoked 50 and the utrogestan 100/12. I didn't have a bleed for 3 months, (GP ok with this). However I got a bleed a couple of days ago so I'm pretty gutted as I thought I was moving on, sadly not. It's made me feel so I'll, obviously I felt like this every month and not having it for 3 months has been great. I really did feel the benefits of not bleeding. I really hope I don't get them every month again, I feel so disappointed and frustrated.
Spangles
xXx
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Taz2 on July 06, 2019, 08:06:36 PM
No advice Spangles but just wanted to send you a hug and I hope you are feeling better today. This may be just a blip so try not to get too down about it just yet. See how the next month goes.

Taz  :bighug:
Title: Re: Advice please
Post by: Spangles on July 17, 2019, 08:15:13 PM
Thank you Taz xXx