Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: CrispyChick on January 21, 2020, 03:56:13 PM
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With HRT do you take a break from oestrogen like you would with the pill, or is it continuous? Thanks x
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Depends what kind of hrt you are prescribed CrispyChick and whether you are peri or post meno. Sorry cant help more unless have more info.x
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Ah. I'm peri. I'm just kind of wondering how safe it is really to stay on a pill without breaks. I'm 2 months in..... And was finally turning a corner, but just felt like I wanted a wee break. Was planning on 3 days instead of 7, as I know I'll get a severe migraine by day 4. But only 24 hours after missing my first pill and I'm feeling bad!!!!
So, was just wondering if oestrogen is given continuously for hrt.... I know it is lower dose. Would give me some peace of mind. X
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Cannot comment regarding the Pill. Oestrogen in HRT can be given continuously but it is usually done that way when you aer post meno. In peri, with a pill delivery system, you take a certain number of pills and then swap them out for the progesterone and then have your blank days. The same with patches you apply the oestrogen and sometimes combi and then have g=your blank days. In post meno there is a choice but usually you take your both continuously all the time.
It's hard to say unless you are talking about a particular hrt medication crispychick. And yes oestrogen in hrt is usually a lower dose than the pill.
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Hi you take oestrogen continuously regardless of whether you are peri or post menopause. X
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Oestrogen is taken continuously. It's progesterone that can be either continuous or cyclical.
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Oh sorry Crispychick and Dotty too - I'm having a really bad day. ::) I had it in my mind about Tridestra pills which have a combined oestrogen and progesterone for a certain number of days. I'll go away, I'm causing confusion :-X just ignore me!
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;D all having a bad day then. Don't worry.
Right, so most hrt oestrogen is taken continuously. So when I am being told I can take the pill continuously, hopefully it's OK to do so!!!
I'm coming back as a man!!! ;)
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I've just checked the Femiston 1/10 and the first 14 days are oestrodial and the 2nd are estrodial and progesterone combined. No breaks. I hope you don't mind me asking, but if you've just turned the corner, why would you want to have a break? It can take a little while to feel ok.
I'm moving from pills to patches in a last ditch attempt as my headaches and migraines are getting more severe with this last month (on a 3 month trial with this regime!) Pill change time is a nightmare for me as well, I have identified that particular pattern.
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It's a good question.... And I am wondering myself. I guess because I know traditionally we were always told to havd the 7 day break from a pill. I'm not keen on the idea of 365 days a year pumping in this much hormone.
To be fair, I don't really know what I'm doing. Only this pill and the last month have confirmed to me that all my awful nausea and dizziness was hormonal. But I started to feel a bit off at the weekend, so I thought maybe I needed a few pill free days..... But alas I feel worse.
I guess I am still in trial and error stage. I have an appointment at the end of Feb with thd meno clinic so I wabt to have all my facts straight.
I'm 43, but not convinced the pill is my long term solution - especially as I had severe withdrawl migraines years ago.
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Perhaps keep a diary (thought I'd jump in before CLKD!). Usually people will feel fine on oestrogen and it's progesterone that causes problems. If that's the case for you you could explore different progestins. You need a stable dose of oestrogen to feel well, taking a break from it is not a good move. It takes time to build up too, it was 3 months before it sorted out my anxiety and insomnia. A bad reaction to the contraceptive pill doesn't mean you'll have problems with hrt. I couldn't find a pill I could get on with but have been fine with both evorel and oestrogel/utro.
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hi crispy chick
do u smoke at all ?
as i?m 40 and wanted the pill but wouldn't let me as i smoke not heavy about 5 day x
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No. I don't smoke. My gp is letting me try anything because I've been down so many routes.
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hi crispy chick
may i ask which pill u are on ?
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I'm on gederal 30/150mg. I started out on 20/150mg but my symptoms got worse.... So upped the estrogen. The last 2 months have been better. So hopeful this is my solution......
But still so many questions:
What happens when I get to 50?
Are the risks higher with the pill?
Should I try hrt?
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Sammiejane - would u not consider kicking your smoking habit.... They might let u on the pill then. Early 40s.....we have a long way to go 🤔
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Ah. I'm peri. I'm just kind of wondering how safe it is really to stay on a pill without breaks. I'm 2 months in..... And was finally turning a corner, but just felt like I wanted a wee break. Was planning on 3 days instead of 7, as I know I'll get a severe migraine by day 4. But only 24 hours after missing my first pill and I'm feeling bad!!!!
So, was just wondering if oestrogen is given continuously for hrt.... I know it is lower dose. Would give me some peace of mind. X
CrispyChick there are other pill types more suitable for peri-menopause but they are possibly weaker but the bonus is they are bio-identical oestrogen - estradiol - and one of them only has 2 pill free days and oestrogen is taken for the rest of them (sometimes with the progestogen). They are called Qlaira or Zoely. Qlaira is tri-phasic ie the oestrogen dose varies throughout the month - between 1 mg and 3 mg so you might like to try this? Zoely has 2.5 1.5 mg oestrogen (same all month) and just 4 tablet free days. Might be worth thinking about? These can also be prescribed for longer (greater age?) than the conventional pills I think as they are bio-identical (oestrogen) and not associated with the same risks as the normal COC pills (which contain synthetic oestrogens)?
Hurdity x
Edit - have corrected the estradiol dose!
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Hurdity, I made the same error as you back in the day but Zoely contains 1,5 mg Estradiol and 2,5 mg Nomegestrol.
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Thanks Alicess! You know before I looked it up (in a hurry as I was going out!) I could have sworn it was 1.5 mg estradiol - because I remember thinking it was quite low, but then yesterday thought I was mistaken. It is confusing if you don't look it up properly as HRT is usually expressed the other way round ie oestrogen dose first, and I think also the COC pills too.... I'll edit my post. I think I've also posted somewhere else this incorrect dose so will have a look and edit that too!
Cheers for this.
Hurdity x
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Yes, exactly. Estradiol dose is usually named first that's why I made the same mistake. Very confusing.
Alicess x