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[MazieFluffy77]

Hi,
This is my first post to the site. I have been peri and on HRT for over 3 years. I have taken Utrogestan 100 daily and Everol patches 25 which in general has really worked for me and helped with all symptoms-it worked in the first week! I had a bleed each month which was fine. My periods had been really bad during my life, extreme pain, PMT, feeling unwell. I have not experienced this once on HRT.  Around 3 months ago the bleeds stopped and gradually I have became intolerant to my Everol patch. I know myself I should have sought help sooner. Pandemic... My symptoms, sweats,flushes, low mood at times, anxious at times have came back. I have tried to reduce my patch and now on a (1/4)but struggle to keep it on as I end up feeling like I am sedated with the Eastrogen. I have spoken to a Triage nurse who has prescribed Klovance 1mg. I am worried about trying these as they are tablets and not the natural form of progesterone. I have had issues if I am given another brand of patch as I couldn’t tolerate them. I function and go to work but do not feel great. My husband is a rock through this too. I know the on/off with patch doesn’t help either. I wonder if it’s a progesterone drop that is a larger problem for me- I have read that both hormones drop when you reach menopause- if that is what’s happening. I also asked if I could have something to help me through and have been given Setraline 50mg. My husband suggested that my levels on my current HRT should be looked at/ adjusted before changing altogether. I just wondered if anyone has gone through this/similar experience. Sorry for length..Many thanks 

[pepperminty]

Hi, can you give us a bit more detail? how old you are , did you have regular bleed before you started HRT? Why do you think you became unable to use the patch and intolerant? May it have been because you needed a higher dose of estrogen not less as estrogen controls the symptoms?

Usually it is the progesterone that can cause issues and sedates , so it may be the build up. Perhaps try a sequential  regime. .

Hav a look at Loiuse newson's website also.

Glad your husband is supporting You.

Pepperminty xx

[MazieFluffy77]

Hi, thank you for your reply and kind advice. When I first started HRT my period was every 2 weeks. I am 52 this year. I developed quite bad PMT symptoms a few months ago, very sore breasts, bloating, cramps, migraine like headaches which became daily. I also stopped bleeding.  I tried to up my Everol patch a little and my mood became foul, I started to feel a bit depressed. Went back to normal patch dose(25) and breast pain etc was still there all the time. After a month I then tried to reduce to half. The patch was okay the first day but by the end of the second day I felt sedated. This has continued where I remove the patch on the second day and the sedated feeling goes. There are days(1st day of patch) where I feel good...I wondered if more progesterone would counter balance the second day of estrogen .  After reading some negative views on progesterone in tablet form not being good, it has made made me hesitant to start the klovance, but maybe I need to bite the bullet and try as the on/off is exhausting with the fluctuating hormones. I will also look at Louise Newsons website. Thank you so much ☺️

[pepperminty]

It sounds like your hormones are going up and down in the background. That is Perimenopause. Loiuse newson has loads of videos. Don't give up yet. Can you get referred to a menopause clinic on the NHS? It sounds as if you would benefit from some help. Also look at others posts and put words in the serach box here. And it helps to remember that there are many women who have found the right regime and do very well on HRT.

 https://thebms.org.uk/find-a-menopause-specialist/

It can take a while to get the right regime.  It may be useful seeing sequential suits you more.

PMX

[MazieFluffy77]

Hi Pepperminty, thank you so much. You sound very knowledgeable and I appreciate you taking the time to advise and comment. 👍 The frustrating thing is that my HRT worked so well for so long. Something has changed with my hormones. I used to feel that I couldn’t wait for my periods to end. The one joyful thing that came from them was my daughter... now I think a period/bleed would be bliss! I live in Dumfries which has a good menapause clinic- it’s whether they will be happy to refer me to this.😬 Thank you so much again. X😊💕

[shannpaul]

Pepperminty - thx for recommending Louise Newson.  She's great!

[pepperminty]

I pop in and try and help if I can, as I have had support from others here too.x

The GP should refer you, especially if you are having issues and he doesn't have the expertise- which sadly most don't. I do hope you get it all sorted.

PMX

[Hurdity]

Hi Maziefluffy

 

Just to add - firstly no need to take synthetic horones and definitely not the sertraline - this really should not be prescribed for menopausal symptoms when it is your HRT that needs sorting! This goes against NICE guidelines.

Also oestrogen does not cause sedation - quite the opposite. It has an energising effect and it is progesterone that causes sedation. Decreased oestrogrn can also cause fatigue/lack of energy. I agree that many of the symptoms you are experiencing could be as a result of perimenopausal fluctuations as pepperminty says.

Interesting that you were  given continuous progesterone when you were peri-menopausal - this is unusual.

Reducing the oestrogen patch is the oppositie of what you need to do if you are experiencing flushes and sweats. This needs to be increased slowly. 1/4 of a 25 mcg patch is almost nothing!If you are progressing further towards menopause then your oestrogen levels will be declining overall even while they are fluctuating so this is what I would do - increase the dose. Get back to 25 mcg as soon as you can and then keep it there before gradually increasing until you reach a level at which symptoms are controlled overall (though you may stil experience ups and downs due to your natural cycle). Thids could be 50 mcg or potentially higher depending on how you absorb from the patch. You may of course also start to bleed again.

Great that you are in Dumfries - you are in the very town where Dr Heather Currie runs a menopause clinic - and she is the founder of this website and one of the top menopause specialists. I don't know how things are during the pandemic but I would ask for a referral asap with her if you can!
https://thebms.org.uk/clinic/dumfries-menopause-service/

All the best and let us know how you get on

Hurdity x

[MazieFluffy77]

Hi thank you so much Pepperminty and Hurdity,

When I first went to a g.p about my symptoms, part of the conversation was about that when I was pregnant I felt extremely healthy and better than I had felt in years. I have fibromyalgia. My periods had always made me really unwell and had been extremely painful. Told “when you have a baby” and I tried to get help once and wasn’t listened to and was given evening primrose oil.🥲 The 25 patch and 100 progesterone took away a lot of my symptoms- flushes/night seats/anxiety and feelings of moments of despair(all over the place) On this regime I have never had a painful period or felt unwell. Even PMT was gone. Although I used to need a sleep during the day as I felt exhausted. It’s when the bleeds stopped that it has really changed. I stupidly/perhaps not took klovance from Thursday and ended up feeling really unwell last night(my husband phoned NHS out of ours g.p came out)feeling tender and a bit raw inside(had this on a different brand of patch before) shivering, super dizziness where I could hardly walk, waves of nausea. She thinks it may have caused a sudden onset of labarythitis. I have had this years ago. I feel a bit better this morning. I won’t be taking any more!
It was a triage nurse I spoke to and I felt so worn out at the time that I asked for something to help me through-hence anti-depressants, I haven’t touched them, my husband isn’t happy and thinks menapause clinic too! It’s a shame as he is going through this too. I am phoning on Monday to ask for a referral. I’m just exhausted with it all. Im on holiday for a week thankfully.
You have no idea how much I appreciate both your advice and help in this. It’s like a breath of fresh air. Thank you so much! I will keep you posted. Yes I am thankful I live here and can hopefully get a much needed referral!

MazieMayfluffly
XXX🥰🥲🥲


Mazie

[pepperminty]

Good Luck xx

PM

[MazieFluffy77]

Thank you so much 😘

[Taz2]

Hi MazieFluffy77. Good advice for you on here already. I just want to say 

Taz x