Print

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

[Suzyq]

Hi everyone

I'm new to this site (which seems just great) but not unfortunately to the joys of hormone hell. Been peri for about 5 years with truly awful symptoms. Put on compounded progesterone 6 months ago, which has helped a lot with anxiety. Yesterday was told I have less estrogen than a man - charming! Now started estrogel as well. Obviously nervous but at this point desperate.

So nice to read honest info rather than just "no hrt for me, I'm going natural". Why are we made to feel guilty for wanting to treat a horrendous condition with real drugs, rather than acupuncture and a bit of soya milk? Anyway fingers crossed that it works and I won't ruin Xmas for everyone...

[andius]

Hi and welcome to the forum!!!

Let us know how soon the estrogel works on your symptoms and which ones it helps OK? I hope it works fast.

I'm sure there are members who are looking for this info.


Andius

[Suzyq]

Thanks Andius, will do. Well was expecting to be hit by stroke, DVT etc etc straight after first pump yesterday but thankfully I survived to take another dose!!! Yay.

Really hoping it helps as sick of feeling sick

[Kathleen]

Hello Suzyq  and welcome to the forum.
I am, ahem, one of those women who is doing it without HRT but only because the HRT I tried didn't help. I had an alternative prescribed by the GP but I haven't taken it yet as I keep hoping that at 57 and 3 years without a period I should be over the worst by now. That belief sustains me on a good day but when I'm having a bad day ( like today) I think any minute now I'll crack and reach for the patch! Time will tell I guess.
Take care and keep posting.
K.

[Suzyq]

Hi Kathleen, nice to 'meet' you. I am in awe of you going natural. I was determined that I would too but after so many years of terrible symptoms and not even being in true menopause I cracked! To be honest I had my first hot flushes a couple of weeks ago and for me it wasn't just oh no I'm really hot get a fan! I had spiking high blood pressure, racing heartbeat and thought I was going to pass out. That really was the last straw!
Sorry you are having a bad day. I do know just how bad hey can get, but hopefully you have more good than bad, and as you say hopefully you are near the end of it!! Is there anything that makes you feel better?

[CLKD]

 

[Hurdity]

Hi Suzyq

 

from me too.

Are you in UK?

If you are and are taking oestrogel - there is no need to take compounded progesterone, and in fact some of these compounding establishments are not regulated (and are very expensive) and you may not get sufficient progesterone to prevent your uterus lining from building up from the oestrogen.

In UK you can get micronised progesterone (the same compound as you are using) on NHS marketed as Utrogestan, which is licensed in sufficent doses to be used with oestrogel. In US I think the same product is called Progest?

Re going natural or HRT. For many of us it's not just about symptoms - well it may be initially, but when we have read up more about oestrogen deficiency and its effects - we are then in it for the long term. I am well post-meno and choose to continue to take HRT at age 60 for the health benefits it confers. And taking hormones - well the body identical ones like estradiol and progesterone, is most emphatically not taking drugs - we are just replacing our own hormones. The contraceptive pill could be called a drug, and some HRT types - because they are completely synthetic - but you can use body-identical products!

Hurdity x

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and Welcome Suzyq
You are certainly not alone - especially here on this site.  'Going the natural way' is only for those lucky women who suffer few if any symptoms OR the very unlucky women who can't take HRT for other health reasons.  DO NOT FEEL GUILTY OR A FAILURE. I believe we owe it to ourselves and our family to be at our best and for many of us our 40s,50s & 60s can be the busiest and most stressful time of our lives.
I used Oestrogel through peri and post meno and found it great because you can start with one pump per day and then increase to as much as 4 pumps per day if need be until you find the right amount to keep your symptoms at bay - I never needed more than 2 pumps per day. If I were you I'd start with the one pump per day for at least a month and then increase a little after that if you feel you need it - you may find one pump works well.
Getting those scary flushes under control is important - the oestrogen should start to kick in within a week or two, it can take a bit of time for the oestrogen level to build up. 
Don't think about the risks - they are very small in comparison to the benefits.
I had time out from HRT for 3 years after the scares back in 2002  - really not a pleasant time.  Eventually went back on HRT for a few years and now at 57 I'm taking another break to see how things are.
Keep us posted about you progress.

Kathleen - on this site, I think we tend to be a little harsh towards those who choose not to use HRT - it is a very personal choice.  We are all so different and our experiences vary greatly. Sadly, to many of us have been the victim of gloating women briskly pronouncing that they "don't know what the fuss is about" - they are the lucky ones who sail through with few problems.
As I mention above, I am taking a break from HRT at the moment (though I am using Vagifem for Vaginal Atrophy) and I am not particularly keen to go back on - it will depend on how I feel.  Like you, I am 57 but I have been post meno since my mid 40s and my experience of being without HRT was dreadful last time.  I am now 2 months without full HRT (I reduced the dosage slowly over 6 weeks) and so far the flushes haven't been toooo bad - however my hips are aching dreadfully !!!!
You comment that you expect the symptoms to have subsided after 3years but I'm afraid it can take much longer - everyone is different. You say you tried HRT but it didn't work - what did you try? If I go back on HRT I'm going to try Utrogestan with patch or gel to get the long term benefits. DG x

[Kathleen]

Hello Suzyq.

I often ask myself why I'm not on HRT as the benefits are obvious really. I suppose that I am concerned that if I have to come off it at 60 anyway I may as well plod on now and hopefully come out the other side. On a good day that is an easy decision to stick to but on a bad day I do wonder.
In some ways I am doing well as my flushes are minimal and I don't have any aches and pains. My issues are emotional and that is causing me a lot of distress atm.  I think I will get Christmas and New Year over with and then see the GP to discuss the future.
Wishing you well and I hope your new regime does the trick for you.
Take care.
K.

[Kathleen]

Hello Dancinggirl.
I am most definitely not one of those women who sail through menopause but now that the flushes have subsided and I sleep at night I wonder how much HRT I actually need. Also I mentioned that so far I don't have any muscle aches or stiffness my issues are now solely emotional.
I tried Climesse earlier in the year to see if it helped with my anxiety and although it did take the worst of it away I was left with lots of breast pain and increased irritability. When I asked the doctor if I could try something different he prescribed Evorel 25 patches and Utrogestan 100, but I have yet to try these.

I think the problem is that I came to all this a bit late, had I experimented with HRT years ago I would have a better idea of what suited me and be more confident about continuing. Hey ho.

Having said all of the above, I reserve the right to change my mind at any time! Who knows, slap on a patch and whoopee, New Year, New Me! Could happen...

Take care and wishing you well.

K.

[Suzyq]

Hi everyone! God it's such a relief to be in touch with people who understand - sort of sick of my family rolling their eyes every time I tell them how bad I feel!!

I am English but have been living in montreal for the past 6 years. I was offered pill form of natural progesterone (prometrium) but as I am diabetic and have hypos didn't want to worry about being out for the count in a deep sleep at night. Luckily my insurance pays for compounded stuff and from last test, I at least have some progesterone now! I also like being able to adjust it very easily.

My specialist has started me at 1 pump, for at least 2-4 weeks and said I can increase to 2 after that. I was reluctant only cos I feel I'm gonna start rattling soon with all the stuff I'm on, insulin, blood pressure tablets, vitamin b etc etc. I only got the bp with all the meno stuff especially he hellish anxiety and panic attacks.

Kathleen - all I know is that my mum came off hrt last year at he age of 68 - she just kept forgetting to take them, and had no symptoms! She resisted all efforts to get her off before then and she has hbp and smokes (hbp is controlled I hasten to add). She also has the energy of a 35 year old so much more than me as I'm around a 80 year old ATM....
Thanks so much for making me feel welcome! Gotta say no side effects yet and I actually feel really happy today. Probably relief at just getting on something after 5 long years

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Kathleen
I wasn't implying you were one of the ladies who sail through the menopause - I'm sorry if it sounded like that - I was just generalising.
I'm not surprised you had problems with Climesse - quite a high dose for our age - none of the pills I tried suited me. I'm sorry to hear you are struggling emotionally - I think this side of meno is often overlooked.  It's great to hear your flushes etc have subsided - I do hope mine subside more quickly this time. It could possibly be wrong for you to use HRT at this stage as it may not help the emotional symptoms. However, it's good you have a GP prepared to let you try other options and allows you to choose the road you take. I believe we have so many things to be anxious about at our age and coping with them can be really challenging. Understanding & supportive friends and family are really needed at this stage in our lives.
Good luck with your journey - have a great Christmas.  DG x
 

[Kathleen]

Hello Dancinggirl.

I didn't mean to suggest I was offended, if you see what I mean! I figured you were generalising so no harm done.
Interesting what you say about Climesse and it being too higher dose for our age, I hadn't thought of that.

On the subject of dosage I'm sure bodyweight as well as age plays a part. I take a probiotic called Symprove which stipulates different dosages for different sized people and I've just halved the amount of vitamin supplement I take as the recommended dose was making me constipated.

I agree with you about lots to be anxious about at our age, just when you need to be a bit more adaptable mother nature decides to crush your energy and shred your self confidence! So not impressed.

Take care and I hope your Christmas goes well.

K.

[Suzyq]

Well day 3 of estrogel and I've gotta say I feel just great. I don't know if it's too early to be working, but I have gone from headaches all day, depressed, just feeling blah to absolutely full of energy and genuinely happy and sociable!! Hardly dare say it in case I jinx it all. Can it really work this quick??

[Dancinggirl]

Yes, I found Oestrogel worked pretty quickly  - I didn't want to say this initially as, for some, it takes longer.  The first thing I noticed was that I slept much better and my mood lifted.
Hope your good feelings continue.  DG x