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[Jaki T]

Hi...I'm sick of excessive cold sweats...how long do they take to work?  I have been on two different ones for well over a week and haven't noticed any difference. I would have thought I'd have noticed some difference by now...

[dazned]

Unfortunately you really have to be patient with hrt ,you need to give it at least one month before deciding anything really. Although 3 months is the given rule of thumb. 

So patience is the virtue needed here 

[Jaki T]

I have already waited so long before trying HRT...I didn't really want to use them, to be honest, but the thought of another month or even three is depressing   I would have thought that there might be a gradual effect...

[dazned]

What are you using now ?

[Hurdity]

I'm not quite clear about what you mean by two different types for a week? Do you mean the same brand or have you tried different brands?

Patches (and transdermal HRT generally) actually usually work very quickly for most women - and you should be noticing a gradual reduction in sweats as each day passes until you suddenly notice - hey - I'm not having them any more.

However you mention cold sweats and I am not familiar with this concept - but maybe other women have had experience of these. The usual (although of course we are all different) pattern is getting hot flushes by day - this weird warm/hot sensation which creeps over you until you are burning all over, have to fling clothes off until it goes - and then you get cold again. I am sure they are all characterised initially by an intense feeling of heat ( but the cold follows when the heat has gone).

Generally most women describe sweats as what happens in the night - and the same is true for these - you get burning hot, then sweat and then end up feeling cold and clammy. Is this what you mean by cold sweats?

Anyway if they are due to low oestrogen - then adding oestrogen should eliminate them.

Hopefully they will do so for you too

Hurdity x

[Jaki T]

Thanks guys

Yes different types of patches

No,  I never feel hot, just sweats and then cold from wet damp clothes and more during the day but nights too.  But then I have FM and CFS so body temperature is all to cock

But noticed since posting that sweats not so bad today...maybe starting to kick in?  This has happened before though and then it turns out to be something else e.g. the weather being milder. I sweat less when it's warmer. Go figure 

[Dana]

You haven't told us what dose of patch you are on. If you are new to hrt it is very normal for your doctor to start with a low dose but if you've been experiencing symptoms for a while you could be further along in menopause and you might need a higher dose.

[Jaki T]

I'm on Evorel, Dana. 

[Dana]

I'm not familiar with Evorel because I don't live in the UK and you have different HRTs, but according to the list on this site Evorel comes in different doses (25,50,75,100) and it also comes in patches combined with a progestin, so you need to know what type and dose you are actually on. The packet should tell you. Patches should work fairly quickly so I suspect your dose could be too low.

[Taz2]

Hi Jaki T - I'm on Evorel 50 as I don't need the progesterone part because I've had a hysterectomy. If you have got very low in oestrogen then it will take longer than a week for it to have an effect. I'm not sure about cold sweats - I have always had these in relation to fibromyalgia but they are not alleviated by HRT I'm afraid. Hot sweats were resolved within two weeks the last time I restarted Evorel.

You say you have been on two types of patches for  a week? Which is the other patch you are using?

Taz x

[Jaki T]

Thanks Taz. Yes, it's Evorel 50 but I do need the progesterone part but they keep coming off!  I did start to feel as if it might be working yesterday but today it was just as bad this morning and in the night.  I have Fibromyalgia too so yes, some of the cold sweats of Fibro may be making it doubly worse. I think if you have FM it exacerbates and confounds everything.  When it is mild weather I sweat less. I don't know if you find this. The other patch I was on was FemSeven but they didn't stay on either!  I am also terrified of all the stuff about blood clots, I did have high bp on pill years ago so it was with a heavy heart anyway that I went on HRT patches. But my GP will monitor it...I am mega stressed at the moment too and that also makes sweating worse, any anxiety, exertion and cold weather in fact.  I am really  struggling at the moment x

[Hurdity]

Another thought - re the cold sweats - have you had blood tests etc before starting HRT to get checked out for other things that might be causing it - you mention fatigue and with cold sensations as part of the sweats that also suggests thyroid to me - although I'm no expert (countrybumpkin is though - she used to be an adviser and has posted about thyroid on here!). I am sure if you had a problem with thyroid it would also confound experience with menopause symptoms? Another thought - have you looked at thyroid UK - because on there there are many women who have fibromyalgia syndrome which I gather is due to undiagnosed thyroid disorder - common in women of mid age.

I think we all need a proper endocrine overhaul when we get to a "certain age" and appropriate treatment instead of being fobbed off like many women are! I certainly have been by docs about fatigue!!! "It's your age dear" or "Could be something to do with diet - why don't you buy this book and try this diet for 2 months and see if you feel any different"!!! Or - when I suggested the possibility of thyroid - looked at my blood tests from two years ago saying - "there's nothing wrong with your thyroid - so no need for another blood test"!!! We are supposed to grin and bear it!

Hurdity x

[Jaki T]

Yes have had tests for thyroid outside the usual ones too but as you probably know doctors won't do anything about them if they're within range although I think mine isn't primary hyperthyroidism. I have been on Thyroid UK although some on there cab be pretty dismissive of Fibromyalgia on there and Chronic Fatigue which we do get a bit tired of, but hopefully that isn't the case in this forum. The symptoms are just as debilitating whatever is causing it. The jury is out whether it is undiagnosed thyroid disorder, it certainly might explain some cases, but not all. It used to be known as Fibrositis. ME, Fibro, MS, thyroid issues, Lymes Disease etc all have so many overlapping symptoms so it's not always the GPs fault and some of them recognise FM and ME which is good. But the problem with debilitating fatigue is having the energy (never mind the finances) to pursue all the options to rule out anything else, although I have done my best and continue to do so when I can. I have spoken and emailed to an endocrine nurse several times although she didn't dismiss FM.