Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jasmine5]

Hi everyone
I am on my third week of taking Femoston 1/10 and was wondering how long it takes for the HRT to 'kick in'?  I find I am still struggling with the night sweats and occasionally in the day as well - although they are not so intense as they used to be.  A thing that has also been worrying me lately is that I feel a little shaky at times, my hands also feel as if they are trembling slightly, could this be a side effect perhaps?  A big concern for me is that i have lost all interest in sex.  As a youngish looking 53 year old with a young son I'm not ready to give up on my love life just yet!!  However I am too embarrassed to discuss this with my GP.  I am really hoping that the lower dose HRT will do the trick for me because I don't want to go on to the higher dose as I'm worried about the risks.  To be honest I don't want to take it really but find it impossible to cope with sweats and flushes.

Am I hoping for a miracle here or what?

[Taz2]

Hi Jasmine - it seems that the tablet form of HRT can take longer to kick in than the patches so don't give up yet! As for the lack of interest in sex - I'm afraid that this has happened to me as well and, despite numerous attempts to find a solution, so far I have failed. There is a type of HRT called Tibolone (or Livial) which is the only HRT prescribed to help with libido. It mimics all three hormones, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. It is also a low dose HRT so you may wish to consider this eventually? Do you find it is your interest in sex alone that has waned and once you "get going" you are ok or is it your orgasmic ability which has disappeared?

There a few threads on this topic on the forum. I will try to find one for you.  I have found one which I began myself and had forgotten about!! Anyway, it is under Private Lives - "lack of sexual response and orgasm" I think it is called. It should be close to the top as I have just posted on it.

Taz x

[KatieLiz]

Hi Jasmine

I've been taking Femoston 1/10 for 9 weeks now.  I didn't have sweats but PMS, mood swings, anxiety, lack of energy etc. (1'm 51 and wasn't sure I was ready, or needed, HRT).

I had my first period after 25 days but my second period didn't come until 42 days - I have experienced that slight shakiness and I think that relates to being nearly ready to have a period.  All I know is once my period came I had that lovely relaxed feeling that I used to experience a few years ago - but since my periods had been getting irregular then my PMS was getting worse.

They do say you should give HRT 3 months and I do believe it takes this time for hormones to settle down.  I have an appt tomorrow to get my next supply of HRT and I just know this is the right thing to do.

I also think HRT gives you a good starting point to begin feeling better and then you can concentrate on diet, exercise etc. and hopefully your libido will come back once  your hormones settle.

I felt better after taking the first tablet, the feel good factor kicked in straight away but now I just feel 'normal' as opposed to on 'cloud nine'!

From what I've read Femoston has the nicer progesterone so hopefully you won't experience any side effects.  My breasts had been swollen and painful for a few months before HRT, then for the first 2 weeks taking it, they got bigger and more painful, then as soon as I had my first period on HRT, they settled down and I haven't had a problem since.

Hopefully you'll feel better soon.

Katieliz x

[Bette]

Hi Jasmine
I think that you probably need to give it a bit longer - the fact that your sweats are less intense shows that it's starting to work, I think.
I found that my libido did come back once I started to feel better but it did take a few months.
I'd suggest that you try keeping a symptom diary so you can discuss it when you go to the gp for your HRT review.
Bette x

[jasmine5]

Many thanks to everyone who has replied - it's so good to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Taz, unfortunately it's both, my interest and my ability to reach orgasm have vanished! I really hope that they do return eventually because I'm sure my poor husband thinks it's his fault! - anyway I'm off to have a look at your thread now!

KatieLiz, I'm rather confused because I thought that Femoston 1/10 is a continuous HRT and that you shouldn't experience periods at all when taking it.  My GP informed me that as I have not had a period for over a year, It was safe to take continous HRT without experiencing a bleed.  I certainly do not want to return to monthly bleeds again under any circusmtances!  Please can someone confirm that with Femoston 1/10 you do not have any bleeding?

Bette - thanks for your suggestion regarding the symptom diary, this is a good idea because I almost always forget at least half of my symptoms when paying a visit to my GP.  At least with a diary it's all there in black and white.

Take care

Jasmine5

[Taz2]

Hi Jasmine - yes Femoston 1/10 is a continuous, no-bleed HRT. Details here http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/2493/SPC/femoston%201~10mg/

Taz x

[KatieLiz]

I think the confusion lies in the 'continuous' word!  Femoston 1mg/10mg is taken continuously ie there is no break in taking the tablets, unlike the contraceptive pill where you stop taking them for 7 days, but it does induce a bleed, as you are taking 10mg of progesterone in the form of dydrogesterone.

I think you should check with your GP as you probably need HRT that does not induce a bleed if you haven't had a period for over a year.

I am peri and was having irregular periods, hence being prescribed Femoston 1/10.

I wonder if the pharmacy gave you the wrong tablets as I was nearly given Femoston 1/5 today but then they realised it should be 1/10!

Hope you get sorted soon!

Katieliz x

[Eddie]

Hi Jasmine. I've been taking Femoston 2/10 for 6 months now, most of my symptoms were under control as i've been on various hrt's for over a year previously, but i must say femoston has been amazing! As for sex drive, if the ladies here remember i used to post about this being a problem, but just put it down to the fact that i've never really had much drive, but for the first time i've been experiencing the big 'o', and not just a one off. So i don't know what the diff is in the tabs but it's been great for me.
Unfortunately my hubby has a problem in that dept which i will maybe mention in the private lives section if i remember. Oh that's right, my memory is still pretty poor. Kepp forgetting to come back here, where i love being.

Eddie. xx

Also, you defo get a bleed on this, but just enough to say you have a cycle.

[Taz2]

Oh yes - silly me! It should tell you in the patient leaflet Jasmine. I have just looked at it online (through the previous link I posted) and it does say that you will get a bleed.It sounds as if your GP has done what quite a few do - prescribed you the wrong one. You need a continuous HRT and not a continuous sequi hrt if you have gone at least a year without a period while not on any hormone treatment.

Taz x

[jasmine5]

Yep, just checked and i'm defo taking Femoston conti (1mg estradiol and 5mg dydrogesterone), It is the no- bleed one but my GP did explain that there may be some spotting so I suppose I can live with that!

It seems strange but my sex drive seems to have deteriorated more since I started taking HRT - is this normal or Just my imagination?  When I was taking Premarin a little while ago, I found that it actually started to bring back some sexual feelings but sadly it didn't agree with me.

I'm going to try and give it 3 months and then go back and hopefully pluck up the courage to discuss it with my GP.

Jas

[DIANEJ]

Hello everyone.... Sorry I have not posted in a while, still not very sure what I'm doing yet. I've been on elleste duet since January and things are no better, but I'm struggling on. I was prescribed prempak, but there was no way I was taking that. I was messaged a suggestion of Femoston by a kind lady, but not been back to the hospital yet.  Can anyone give me their views on this 1. I'm really confused and not feeling my best. I had lost 5.5 stone with WW, but 7 months of being on Elleste Duet I can feel the weight creeping back on. This is my main concern.  I'm crabbit and moody and sometimes I can't even put my words together and can be quite forgetful. Please help, don't know where else to turn x

[Hurdity]

Hi DianeJ I posted on your other thread which is the same post?

Hurdity x