Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: resa4859 on March 24, 2015, 12:32:35 PM
-
Hi
Im 55 and have not had a period since June 2010 and have managed to live with the hot flushes,occasional headaches and atrophic vaginitus.....have been lucky.
Over the last year my atrophic vaginitis and low libido has worsened....tried gynest cream but has not helped and I kept getting BV... my headaches have worsened to the point if I get one they last 48hrs and I am now having full on night sweats which I have never had before.
Over the last month my palpation's have become an issue..have had an ECG and bloods and waiting for a 24hr tape to exclude anything serious, ..after reading several articles I thought that they me all menopause related and that maybe HRT would help.
I did try HRT several years ago but felt very ill on it so stopped it....went and saw the GP...thought a female one would be more understanding...jury out on that one. I explained everything else that was going on as she knew about the palpations and asked if HRT would help and if so could I have patches so if I reacted I could remove straight away....
I took the score sheet from here which showed I had a very high score on most things ( she had never seen one before!!)...reluctantly she did prescribe me some patches - Evorel Conti ... and asked to see me in a month
I am now on my 2nd patch.....how soon should I expect to see some results in my symptoms and can any give me advice about any of my other symptoms...I do have a very patient husband but he is now asking to "get myself sorted"!!!...so pressure all round which doesn't help !! :( >:(
-
Hi & welcome. It can take a good few weeks for HRT to kick in. I was about 3/4 weeks before I started feeling the benefits, but some take longer.
It's not quite so easy to "get yourself sorted" though. Maybe print off the advice for husbands. If you do a search on here, under All Things Menopause, it should pop up. My hubby has never put pressure on me, just wants me to be as well as I can be.
-
:welcomemm:
:kick: for your Husband >:( - mine would be out the door living in the shed should he even suggest he's thinking about my pulling myself together :bang: I had the same reaction from my Mother when I was severely depressed :'(
Have a browse. Ask away. Nothing is taboo here ;)
-
Hello resa4859 and welcome to the forum.
I think we are similar in that I had my last period in April 2010 and I have recently started using Evorel Conti patches. I am trying the 50 mcg dose and at 58 I am a bit older than you. I had been using a different patch for three months but wanted to try the conti version.
Everyone says that to give any HRT a good chance to work you should stick with it for three to six months.
Hope you find some relief soon.
Take care
K.
-
Hi resa4859 :welcomemm: from me too!
As you are 5 years post-menopause it may take a while for all your symptoms to be sorted, and do be prepared for a few side effects and perhpas a little spotting or bleeding before it all settles down. Your body reached its all time oestrogen low about 2-3 years ago so it has been without oestrogen for a long time. The night sweats and flushes should go fairly quickly but some of the other symptoms may take longer.
It is advised to give HRT at least 3 months before deciding whether or not it will work for you and I really hope this one does, and you feel better and better! Do not despair if there are a few ups and downs along the way as long as you see a gradual improvemnet.
Why not make a note of all the symptoms you have been experiencing and what led you to go down this route and keep a weekly diary of how you feel so that you can look back and see your progress? :)
Hurdity x
-
:welcomemm:
:kick: for your Husband >:( - mine would be out the door living in the shed should he even suggest he's thinking about my pulling myself together :bang: I had the same reaction from my Mother when I was severely depressed :'(
Have a browse. Ask away. Nothing is taboo here ;)
Mine too in fact hed be eating his dinner with his derrier for the rest of his life
-
Hi
Im 55 and have not had a period since June 2010 and have managed to live with the hot flushes,occasional headaches and atrophic vaginitus.....have been lucky.
Over the last year my atrophic vaginitis and low libido has worsened....tried gynest cream but has not helped and I kept getting BV... my headaches have worsened to the point if I get one they last 48hrs and I am now having full on night sweats which I have never had before.
Over the last month my palpation's have become an issue..have had an ECG and bloods and waiting for a 24hr tape to exclude anything serious, ..after reading several articles I thought that they me all menopause related and that maybe HRT would help.
I did try HRT several years ago but felt very ill on it so stopped it....went and saw the GP...thought a female one would be more understanding...jury out on that one. I explained everything else that was going on as she knew about the palpations and asked if HRT would help and if so could I have patches so if I reacted I could remove straight away....
I took the score sheet from here which showed I had a very high score on most things ( she had never seen one before!!)...reluctantly she did prescribe me some patches - Evorel Conti ... and asked to see me in a month
I am now on my 2nd patch.....how soon should I expect to see some results in my symptoms and can any give me advice about any of my other symptoms...I do have a very patient husband but he is now asking to "get myself sorted"!!!...so pressure all round which doesn't help !! :( >:(
Atrophy is the worst of all the meno symptoms for me anyway
As for how long etc HRT Im sorry cant help I couldnt use it
Gynest didnt work for me for the dry bit I went on Ovestin fine for 8 years then it failed 100% almost overnight
I then went on Vagifem and beside the odd blip with in a few DAYS my bits felt 100% better
With in a month every bit of soreness had gone Feb sex was excruciating and didnt want it cos I knew PAIN!!
By the September we went to Europe and made whoopy in Paris Venice and Rome
Just over 5 years Ive been on Vagifem and have done 2 reloads OK its not the same even now I wait for the pain
Those 2 years I soldiered on with sex in agony (I have a high Tol of pain) It did affect my mind still does
I hope the HRT kicks in fast but u have to be gentle with you as for hubbie ask him if hed like to make whoopy
Knowing when he did everytime he moved his man bit would feel like someone was grating it with a wire brush?
-
Just wanted to say, thank you all for sharing your experiences. I have been wondering what will happen to me after my last period. At 51, I am still awaiting this event. But it is wonderful to have all this information and advice. It is great to know that something can be done about it, locally, without having to resort to oral HRT. (My mother never spoke much about it, except to say that she had to give up her physical relationship with my father.)
-
Hi resa4859
the process of getting used to HRT is not a short term thing.
We are all different but doc's tend to say 3 months.
My advice is 6 months as it can take a long time for the HRT to help fix and repair those things that have gone into decline.
You don't say what was the "ill" feelings you had but your body is only getting used to something its been denied.
So of course for some of us that will make it feel like we are ill.
I hope the patches help you and get you back to normal asap.
To those commenting on DH's.
I know my own husband was very concerned about my well being before I understood what was up and started HRT.
He did not fully understand what was going on (as did my wider family).
Our outpourings/feelings/actions through peri and meno can be quite alarming to those around us.
I was often unaware or not listening to what others said.
The worst part was that I "didn't care"!
I often made others feel bad. Just because I was having a bad day/week/month/year!
Sometimes in "Man" speak that can sound like "sort yourself out".
But a lot of the time it is just they are just unable to comprehend that their loved one has such problems and are genuinely worried that they are unwell.
It does not always come out like that but not all DH's are able to put their emotions in words.
As long as he's worried about you and aware your better off than most.
I'm just glad my DH did not put on his ear plugs and retreat to the "Garden Shed" like a lot do.
To be honest a phrase like that is but a snowflake on the iceberg that is peri & meno.
I said some nasty things to my DH whilst I was being emotional and if our DH come back with a phrase like that then perhaps we should see whats wrong sooner.
Here's to the new patches and let us know how your doing or if your feeling a bit ill again.
Stick with it :) Sorry about the pun ::)
:-*
-
Just wanted to say, thank you all for sharing your experiences. I have been wondering what will happen to me after my last period. At 51, I am still awaiting this event. But it is wonderful to have all this information and advice. It is great to know that something can be done about it, locally, without having to resort to oral HRT. (My mother never spoke much about it, except to say that she had to give up her physical relationship with my father.)
Hi Anabelle
Well - who knows what will happen to you personally as this is unpredicatbale?! If you are somewhere on the menopause journey at the moment you may have an indication - your periods may have become irregular, you may have had flushes and sweats - you may have experienced mood swings, been tearful one minute and excited the next..... You may be one of the lucky ones who gets a few flushes and sweats which then more or less die down close to the last period and then get no more obvious symptoms. However oestrogen deficiency happens to most of us (although those who are very overweight still get some oestrogen from their fat cells) - so some of the symptoms may not be obvious until well on in post-menopause.
As you say - it is not necessary to take oral HRT - I have never done so, I have only ever used transdermal oestrogen, progesterone capsules (inserted) and local oestrogen - and this is the most natural way to get it into your system because it doesn't have to go through the liver and be metabolised with the excess excreted.
Two years following the last period your oestrogen levels will fall to their lowest level and stay there for ever - so some women notice new symptoms around this time, or begin to experience flushes etc for the first time.
Hopefully you will have a smooth ride!
Hurdity x
-
Stick with it :) Sorry about the pun ::)
:-*
-
;D ……. we are allowed to have a giggle ;)
-
Hi Anabelle
Well - who knows what will happen to you personally as this is unpredicatbale?! If you are somewhere on the menopause journey at the moment you may have an indication - your periods may have become irregular, you may have had flushes and sweats - you may have experienced mood swings, been tearful one minute and excited the next..... You may be one of the lucky ones who gets a few flushes and sweats which then more or less die down close to the last period and then get no more obvious symptoms. However oestrogen deficiency happens to most of us (although those who are very overweight still get some oestrogen from their fat cells) - so some of the symptoms may not be obvious until well on in post-menopause.
As you say - it is not necessary to take oral HRT - I have never done so, I have only ever used transdermal oestrogen, progesterone capsules (inserted) and local oestrogen - and this is the most natural way to get it into your system because it doesn't have to go through the liver and be metabolised with the excess excreted.
Two years following the last period your oestrogen levels will fall to their lowest level and stay there for ever - so some women notice new symptoms around this time, or begin to experience flushes etc for the first time.
Hopefully you will have a smooth ride!
Hurdity x
Thank you Hurdity. You are very wise. I will look out for it, two years after my last period (which I hope will be soon!).
Yes, I have been having all these nasty symptoms for more than 2 years now and just wondering how much longer I will have to put up with these heavy, flooding periods. The hot flushes have been going on since I was 49. I thought I would have seen an end to it by now. But it just goes on and on. I am determined not to take HRT in any form until I have seen an end to the periods. I don't want to encourage them to hang around! So, the two year mark is good advice for me.
Thank you.
Ana x
:)
-
Hi Anabelle - have you thought of having treatment for the heavy bleeding? There are several options listed here if periods are troubling - ranging from Mirena coil (progestogen delivered straight to the uterus) or endometrial ablation (small op to remove most of womb lining)
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/periodtreatments.php
I didn't take HRT until my periods had almost stopped - I was only having the very occasional one, so the return to light bleeding was fine for me. I was fortunate that flushes and sweats didn't become really bad until this point so didn't think about HRT. I ignored all the other symptoms (during peri-menopause, including the bleeding and clots!) because I didn't know they had anything to do with menopause (apart from the beginnings of vaginal atrophy) !!!!!
If you want to start HRT I would recommend starting at that point ( very occasional periods) rather than waiting until 2 years following the last period - as it is easier to transition into a medium dose oestrogen before your levels have got to rock bottom - and in any case symptoms may become unbearable before then! Hopefully not in your case!!!
Hurdity x
-
Thank you so much for all your advice and support these last 3/4 weeks.
I'm now almost a month in after starting my evoral conti patches and have noticed a benefit, headaches have eased in intensity, sleeping for slightly longer and my palpation have lessened in frequency, have also had normal PV discharge ( so think my atropic vaginitis may also be feeling the benefit of the patches) Hot flushes have eased and no night sweats :-)
I'm back the Dr tomorrow as was only given a months supply, am seeing a different one in the hope she will be more receptive to a pro active/informed patient.....
As I'm still getting the palpations I'm wondering if a higher dose patch would be of benefit or stick with the same....
Once again thanks to lo 😊
-
I'm glad it's working for you.
I've just been given Evorel25 today by my very reluctant young female GP ::)
I'm not sure whether to start it now or wait until the end of May as I am going to Italy in a month's time and reading the list of side effects was a bit offputting!
-
Hi Mrs Mopp. Have you still got your womb or have you also been given a progesterone to use with the Evorel. I'm on Evorel 25 but have had a hysterectomy so don't need anything else. The 25 is a low dose but I find it keeps the hot flushes at bay. I'm 61.
Try not to worry about the side effects - they have to put down everything so that they don't get sued! If you do get any side effects these usually settle within the first three months and, if not, then there are others for you to try.
Taz x
-
She gave me nothing else - she said that the Evorel contained progesterone - I've just read the leaflet and as you have pointed out - it doesn't.
I didn't think she knew much about it :( She established that I still have my womb at least twice.
I'll ring the surgery in the morning. She actually looked it up in her medical book and showed me what it contained - noris- something or other which she said was the progesterone.
-
Hi MrsMopp
the doc is just another of the many who really have not got this covered for us.
As others have said the options for Evorel she showed you was either sequi or conti (for peri or post meno).
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php
What you've got is a low dose estrogen only Evorel.
This is wrong and your doc should be apologizing profusely.
Think whether or not you want to complain but make sure its after you get the new prescription first.
I think some of this comes out of the reluctance to prescribe, this diverts the docs attention away from what they are giving you.
You can try what you've got until you get a new prescription btw.
As long as you get Evorel Sequi or Conti soon then you'll be fine.
Sequi (your still having periods up to a year apart)
Conti (your at the point where you have no period for 1 year or have been on the sequi for 1 year)
In the meantime phone them and ask for correct prescription and don't worry.
:-*
-
Is it three years since your last period? If so then you should have been given Evorel conti. If you find that this gives you pmt type symptoms and it doesn't settle after the three month initial period then you could always try the other conti patch which is called FemSeven. The progesterone in that one seems to cause less pmt type symptoms although the patches don't always stick as well as the Evorel ones.
Good luck with the doc! I was given the wrong ones once by my doc even though she knows lots about menopause. She was horrified that she'd prescribed the wrong one. I hope yours is suitably apologetic. Maybe she'd like to have a read of this site to increase her knowledge!!
Taz x
-
She gave me nothing else - she said that the Evorel contained progesterone - I've just read the leaflet and as you have pointed out - it doesn't.
I didn't think she knew much about it :( She established that I still have my womb at least twice.
I'll ring the surgery in the morning. She actually looked it up in her medical book and showed me what it contained - noris- something or other which she said was the progesterone.
When I first got Evorel it was the non progesterone one. I was a bit surprised and queried it on here and was told I should have something with progesterone. When I next saw GP, the explanation was "Ooo I misclicked - thought it was the one with progesterone" Fair enough ::)
-
She knew I needed progesterone - she mentioned it several times, looked it up in the drug book, established that it contained Noristherone (sp?) then prescribed. Quite what happened after that I do not know.
Having googled Evorel conti I can see that it does contain Noristherone - she must have thought that was what she was prescribing for me. It makes me wonder how often mistakes like this occur.
I've not had a period for over 3 years so should definitely be on this one. Thanks for the info re the other option Taz - I wonder why that wasn't prescribed instead if it causes less problems. Is it more expensive?
-
I'm not sure on the cost of Evorel or FemSeven. It may be the first one she came across!!
Taz x :D
-
ha! ;D yes, you may be right there Taz