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[Bo Snow]

Hi y'all, haven't been on here for ages. Me and meno were rubbing along quite nicely until quite recently. I've been on Tibolone for 2 years now and all was great until I started having the odd heavy bleed. My GP went into a panic and sent me for a scan which threw up a thickening of the womb. I had a biopsy that came back clear but the consultant recommended that a change of HRT might be a good plan. Now you cannot get to see my GP for love nor money so I saw our practice nurse who asked around all the doctors in the practice which HRT I should change to. In her words the answer from all of them was 'I dunno..'. She wrote to my hospital consultant and to date I've heard nothing - this was about 6 weeks ago! Now on top of that I've started to have aura migraines which I've never suffered from. I've had two in two months (just put them down to hormone changes, stress etc - until I read the leaflet that goes with my Tibolone!) and today have decided to stop my HRT. I'll ring my GP surgery tomorrow but I know i'm going to get 'sorry but you can't see anyone until the week after next'...I never thought i'd feel so confused and ignored by people I hoped would help me through such a crap time. I'm sure all my previous symptoms will come crashing back and it makes me so angry that i'm having to make my own medical decisions because no one at my surgery seems bothered - I know they're overworked, but so am I...

Sorry for having a Sunday morning rant but i'm confused and basically a tad scared.... 

[Dorothy]

So sorry - I can't suggest anything to help but just wanted to send you lots of sympathy and a big hug!

[honeybun]

Patches seem to be the recommended HRT for migraine sufferers. Perhaps you could ask for them.

Also there is the email service that Dr Currie does.

Hope you manage to get it sorted out soon.


Honeyb
x

[Dancinggirl]

Bo Snow - I'm afraid I'm not surprised but the response from you GP practise - the treatment of the menopause is still very low priority and many GPs are clueless as to who to treat it. Can you ask if there is a Meno Clinic in your area?
Honeybun is right - patches are known to be good if you suffer with migraines.  I also wonder if the Mirena might be a good options for you as thickening of the womb is clearly an issue.  The Mirena keeps the lining thin but allows you use any amount of oestrogen in gel or patch form.  You may get some breakthrough bleeding for the first few weeks but I had one for 4 years post meno and found it fine.
Oestrogen in gel or patch form with Utrogestan(micronised progesterone) separately is another option but as you are getting headaches and bleeding issues I wouldn't use with continuously to start with and you may not want to have the monthly bleed.
Hope that helps.  DG x

[Bo Snow]

Thanks everyone. It's great to feel supported. DG I've just found there's a meno clinic in Colchester which would be the nearest I think. If I get no joy from the GP i'll ask for a referral.  I wouldn't be so worried if i'd always had migraines but they're totally out of the blue and the first one scared the life out of me - especially as it came on at work. It seems patches might be the answer. Here's hoping this week brings some kind of answers...

[Dancinggirl]

I do think the GPs should take some notice - if these migraines/headaches have suddenly started, when you were previously fine, then there could be another cause. I'd try phoning the meno clinic in Colchester as the one I used to attend in London was self referral.   Dg x

[CLKD]

Could be a trapped nerve in the cervical spine, could be the type of job you do, how you sit, your pillow …… 'don't know' isn't good enough  ……… let us know how you get on!

[Bo Snow]

Will let you know what happens this week. I had my eyes checked and the optician could see nothing wrong thankfully. Not looking forward to the meno symptoms coming back while I change to something else but it's got to be done. Don't think it's my job. I work on the railway so i'm not tied to a computer all day but my job is what we call 'safety critical' so I have to have perfect vision. All a bit puzzling.

[marras]

Hi BO Snow just sending you a hug from a fellow migraine with aura sufferer (four in as many weeks). Hope you get some help. I do so wish there were a few more GPs who took a specialist interest in this subject. 

[Bo Snow]

Finally did  get to see a GP last week, not my own I hasten to add - that would be too much too ask. Apparently they had received a letter back from the hospital but no one bothered to contact me. The consultant there said I shouldn't be on Tibolone and that I should be on some combination HRT. The GP then asked me the usual question: Why do you need to be on HRT anyway? To which I tried to list all my old symptoms and ended up feeling pathetic and unconvincing. He told me to keep a meno symptom diary and to go back in two weeks.
At first nothing happened - ooh goody I thought, maybe they've all buggered off. Not likely. Friday I began to feel a bit edgy, yesterday was worse and today I've had to throw myself into work to take my mind of my anxiety. Can't tell about flushes cos it's so bloomin'  hot anyway. Really hoped i'd escape all this faffing about but it seems the gods hate me - gotta keep smiling. Ta for the migraine hugs 

[CLKD]

Typical GP who knows nowt about memo-symptoms …….. avoidance because HRT costs the Practice?  I would be going back sooner rather than later and telling the GP that I know my body and having taken advice from other ladies you would like HRT as per what the Consultant suggested.  I would also be writing to said Consultant, telling him what the GP's reaction has been thus far …….

[peegeetip]

I dont see how it costs the practice as most of the ladies pay twice for their prescriptions.

Also we only get 3 months worth which if you go via the posted costs, unless we are on the most expensive options then we are almost paying for our HRT treatments fully.

The options you have is to get a prog option from doc every year or 6 months. After taking the prog you should have a period.
Then continue with the tibolone as normal.

That way you would not have any build up.

Please bare in mind that many ladies will go into Meno blissfully unaware of any buildup as they are not screened for this.
If our normal prog levels drop but we are still producing estrogen then there will be a build up naturally even without HRT/Tibolone.

So if the doc's try and blame the HRT/Tibolone then please correct them

 

[CLKD]

The Practice has to buy the medications regardless of how much the prescription costs.  Also, at the age of 60 we get freebies 

Do you mean a build up of womb lining …….