Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: shrosphirelass on May 15, 2019, 07:32:01 PM
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I only ever seem to moan, so apologies in advance. I just feel dreadful. Stomach ache which wakes me up at night, nausea and headaches. I feel hot and generally unwell. Have felt like this for 11 days so don't think it can be a bug. I'm on evorel sequi and recently increased to a whole patch (this is the second month). Felt quite well, so don't know what to think.
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Oh have a :bighug:
What kind of pain, have you altered your diet recently? Is this similar to when you had regular periods, I would feel very nauseous sometimes :-\.
If it's at night probably points to your diet, i.e. slow transit. Sometimes I can watch a wind bubble coursing it's way round my belly :o and if I press on it I can watch it moving :o :-X.
Are you hydrated, lack of fluids can cause headaches. Of is this associated with Evorel?
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Diets the same and I drink lots of water. It doesn't seem to make any difference what I eat. I've kept a food diary in the past which didn't seem to show a pattern. I've been feeling rotten for the last 11 days, but the two weeks before that I felt really well, it was fantastic. My stomachs uncomfortable day and night, lying down seems to make it feel worse. It's not cramps, more like a yuk feeling. Felt like this before I increased HRT so really not sure what's going on, but just wish it would go away.
Ive always had "hormonal" headaches but these have been greatly reduced since I started HRT, but seem to be back and accompany the bad stomach and bouts of nausea.
Sorry for the catalogue of woes, but feeling fed up.
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Of course you are fed up especially if you had a feeling of 'goodness' recently! :bighug:
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Hi Shrosphirelass. I'm feeling very similar to you and have been on and off for some time now. Headache (not banging but there most of the time), nausea, ‘funny' tummy, tiredness and generally feeling poorly. I've had various blood tests but all are normal to I'm pretty sure it's all hormonal. I've tried different regimes and currently on Femoston Conti. I have yet another appointment with doctor next Friday to talk through and will probably get referred to a meno clinic.
Sorry I can't really help you as still looking for answers myself but just wanted to let you know you're not alone in feeling the way you do.
Rosie63 x
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Of course you are fed up especially if you had a feeling of 'goodness' recently! :bighug:
Thanks! feling a bit better, though gone on to the estrogen cycle, not sure if it's related, time will tell.
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Of course you are fed up especially if you had a feeling of 'goodness' recently! :bighug:
Thanks! feling a bit better, though gone on to the estrogen cycle, not sure if it's related, time will tell.
Thanks Rosie63. If you get any answers let me know! Hope you feel better soon. I'm a bit improved, long may it last. If it seems that I'm better on evorel 50 than evorel conti, I'm going to ask for a different progeserone. I'm 57 and been on HRT for 8 months and am worried about being put on cont regime if I'm goiung to feel like this. Even though the withdrawal bleed is not great! I think I'd rather have 2 good weeks.
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I'm 57 Shropshire lass and I can't do conti. I couldn't do evorel patches either, conti or otherwise. Just didn't suit, mainly nausea for me plus didn't control the anxiety.
I don't really have much of a problem with withdrawal bleed last 3 days now.
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Hi Shropshirelass- suspect that this may be down to the continuous progesterone building up in your system. It can cause tummy upset and as you're on a synthetic one, the side effects can be nasty.
You can:
Try it for another month or so to see if it settles.
Try switching to another regime. The progesterone in Femeston tends to be better tolerated. Or you could try an oestrogen only patch with Utrogestan which is body identical ( having said that, it can still cause problems if you are sensitive to progesterone and iftaken vaginally, some of the side effects can be lessened ) i wouldn't have thought that you'd want to take it this way on a continuous basis though so it would mean a monthly bleed.
Move to a cyclical basis on whatever regime you settle on ( monthly bleed though)
Sorry, no easy answer, it's trial and error. X
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I'm 57 Shropshire lass and I can't do conti. I couldn't do evorel patches either, conti or otherwise. Just didn't suit, mainly nausea for me plus didn't control the anxiety.
I don't really have much of a problem with withdrawal bleed last 3 days now.
Thanks, Ladybt28, what HRT are you using?
Hi Shropshirelass- suspect that this may be down to the continuous progesterone building up in your system. It can cause tummy upset and as you're on a synthetic one, the side effects can be nasty.
You can:
Try it for another month or so to see if it settles.
Try switching to another regime. The progesterone in Femeston tends to be better tolerated. Or you could try an oestrogen only patch with Utrogestan which is body identical ( having said that, it can still cause problems if you are sensitive to progesterone and iftaken vaginally, some of the side effects can be lessened ) i wouldn't have thought that you'd want to take it this way on a continuous basis though so it would mean a monthly bleed.
Move to a cyclical basis on whatever regime you settle on ( monthly bleed though)
Sorry, no easy answer, it's trial and error. X
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Thanks, I don't really know much about all the different types of HRT. I know I was advised to have patches or gel to avoid headaches as that ws the main reason I went on to HRT in the first place! Is Femesten taken orally? I wondered about having Evorel 50 then trying Utregesten, but a bit concerned as that's oral and I couldn't cope with doing it vaginially, not good at that sort of thing!
I also wondered long term about the meriva option but am really bad about internal stuff, find smears nearly impossible, so not sure I could manage it. Also, not sure about side effects of that either but have seen quite a few people on here that seem to get on with it ok.
Am going to try another month and see but I am the same as this time, I definately need to change if I am as I was so bad I couldn't go out for over a week.
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We are all different though so what might suit some upsets other ladies badly :'(
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Femoston is an oral HRT yes.
If you can't do vaginal (Utrogestan), can't do internal stuff (Mirena coil) and can't do oral (due to headaches) there is nothing left! However you could try for example oral progestogen (Utrogestan or Provera) to see if the progestogen component allows you to be free from headaches, and have the Evorel 50 (or Estradot 50) patch alongside? Some women get headaches from the prog part, some from the oestrogen part (of the tablets) and some from both! You will have to choose the least worst option that gives you the most benefit and the most relief from your symptoms with the fewest side effects and only you can decide that!
Good luck with your decision and let us know how it goes and what you decide :)
Hurdity x
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I use oestrogel as the oestrogen component and Utrogestan vaginally, but not continuously, only on a cycle. It is a fairly long cycle too. Would be considered "outside normal prescribing" but there are plenty of ladies running it on the forum and it works for me. I tried 5 lots of hrt before I found the right kind. I was on Provera progesterone but that gave me mega headaches and made me near suicidal and I was using the provera, with Premarin tablets. I have never had a problem with Premarin as the oestrogen component but I ditched both for the gel & utro because lots of ladies talked about it here. It was the only one out of 5 that worked for me. All the hrt I use now is transdermal effectively because I use the utro vaginally. I like this regime as well because you don't have to keep trecking back to the Gp to change patch doses on a new prescription - you can up your pumps of gel and work out yourself how you feel.
There are other ladies out there that swear by Provera progesterone but as CKLD says we are all so different. The Urtrogestan vaginally is easy to manage - some ladies use their fingers but I find capsules "melt" with the heat of my finger so I use the applicator out of a box of Canneston thrush treatment to insert them. Its really easy and if you are using on a long cycle you only have to do it at night for 10/12 days out of say 6 weeks (cycles differ) but that is mine. I have never taken them orally I had so much trouble with other tablets with reflux, nausea etc I didn't dare risk it I went straight to taking Utrogestan vaginally.
You can only play around shropshirelass till you find what works for you x
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Thanks all. I'm still ok, but start the conti bit tomorrow so holding my breath. Interesting what you say about a long cycle, Labybt28 . My cycle was always between 5-6 weeks and sometimes even longer so this new regime of 4 weekly cycles is not what my body is used to, so maybe that is having an effect. It's tempting to go to at least a 5 week cycle and see how that goes on. Hurdity, what do you think of that? I'm sure I've seen you talk about that before. At least that way I'd have more weeks without progesterone and would be more similar to my natural cycle, though it may be I'm reaching natural menopaause now. I've also been referred for a pelvic scan so will be able to check all is ok.
I am tempted by mirena long term. My GP seemed to think it would be a good option and he knows I'm a wimp and says I should be ok with the application. Any one any experience of that? I know we're all different, just looking for information really.
Thanks
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I also have a long natural cycle. I wasn't able to find a doctor who could tell me what to do so I have stuck to the same cycle length anyway - I reasoned it hadn't done me any harm in 40 years so probably wouldn't now. I am in peri and have found it much better, the 28 day cycle resulted in bleeding at any time of the month.
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Have a :hug: ......
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I have had 2 mirenas fitted and taken out and had no problems with either bit but then I am ok with smears and all that sort thing. Took less than a minute and didn't feel a thing. Why you ask did I have them put in and take out I hear you ask? :) One was done years ago for birth control but I discovered I had problems with progesterone and it made me feel ill - and that was about 16 years ago. The second time was for meno and it was put in in Feb 18 but 2 weeks after it was put I got sepsis and the A&E people immediate thought was that it had been caused by the insertion of the merina, so they took it out immediately when I was in resus but turns out when they tested it wasn't the source of the infection just a coincidence. I have never had it put back.
Personally, I don't do very well with continuous progesterone either orally or vaginally (which is why I am using Utrogestan on a long cycle vaginally) can't do it continuous, it messes with my head. My long cycle seems to suit and is working well. It really is what suits you shropshirelass. We all know how things are "supposed to be" but if it doesn't work for you or suit your body well what use is the "theory"?
Insertion of merina really depends on how good your doctor is - mine is brilliant at that sort of thing but if you get a useless cack-handed one then I'm sure it could be a bit unpleasant.
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Thank you both. Interesting to hear about the mirena, definately something I'll consider if they make me go on to a continuous cycle. A specialist dr does them at my surgery. My GP assures me she is excellent and that's why they use her for this.
Re longer cycle. I decided to try taking an extra week of evorel 50 this cycle, so 3 weeks of that and 2 weeks of conti, really to avoid having to have the progesterone. This is closer to my natural cycle. Is that the sort of pattern you both do, ladybt28 and Sheila99?
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Yes. That's what I would do in your situation. My natural cycle is a bit variable, around 6 weeks but can be anything from 5 to 7. I'm on gel and utro. I get tired on utro so tend to go for a 6 to 7 week cycle unless my body tells me it's producing prog (sore boobs) in which case I start on utro then. I'm intending to use a long cycle in meno but not there yet. Am also considering mirena when in meno but given I don't do well on utro I'm a bit concerned about having something I can't remove myself.
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Thanks Sheila99. Does your GP agree to your regime? I was just wondering how to broach it as I'll obviously run out of evorel 50 and have surplus conti. I'm not sure how close I am to menopause as I was still having periods last year, but at 57 must be getting close. I know some people carry on sequential but I'm not sure if they will let me do this long term, or whether it's advisable.
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She couldn't advise so I haven't told her. I'm fortunate to be on gel so I can do as I please. I only got gel because she was off when I got a rash with patches and saw a completely clueless one who just prescribed what I asked for. I think the problem is they've all been tested on women with normal cycles so the drug companies all say 4 weeks as no other cycle length has been tested. But it seems logical to fit the hrt to the person not the other way round. I think the only thing you can do is explain and hope she understands (or become allergic so need gel...).
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Thanks. My GP is actually quite good, but not sure how he would take to doing something off piste so to speak. He referred me to a menopause specialist originally last year and I have a follow up appointment in Septemebr so hopefully it will be ok to discuss it there. In the meantime I've got 6 months supply and have a repeat prescription that I guess I could send it early. The evorel 50 seems to suit me so I'm reluctant to go on to the gel, but that is an option that I'm sure the GP would agree to. It's all so trial and error!