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[SallyBee]

Hi everyone!

 I'm a new member.  Went to the Dr last week cos I thought I was going stir crazy!  No physical symptoms but I felt like I was possessed.  I'm a logical, level-headed person usually, but I became a walking nightmare.  I've NEVER been assertive or prone to anger.  The last few months I'm been a walking bitch from hell!

Anyway....blood tests were done and in spite of still having regular (Albeit shorter) periods, at the age of 44, I am officially peri-menopausal.

The Doc started me on Trisequens HRT on Thursday, so today will be my fifth day of taking them.

My problem/ query is....I feel drunk.  Not the slightly tipsy, pleasant sensation one gets after a small glass of wine.  More like the tenth tequila after several other unpleasant combinations kind of drunk.

I'm nauseous, light-headed, dizzy, spaced out and feeling anxious, my tongue feels thick and I feel like I'm slurring although my hubby assures me I'm not.  I'm also feeling really jittery and I've been feeling like this since yesterday afternoon. 

Does anyone know if this is a side-effect from the HRT?  (I'm on the 2mg estradiol part of the pack at the moment)  The information leaflet mentions nausea as one of the side-effects, but not the drunk, spaced out feeling.

Interested to know if anyone else has had this or if I should maybe go to the doc to let him know that his medicine is making me drunk!
 

[CLKD]

  you'll fit right in here .  I take beta-blockas and an anti-depressant and often feel spaced out or 'hung over' ....... awful!

I'm sure that someone who knows about HRT will be along. 

[SallyBee]

Thanks so much CLKD.  I look forward to some answers.  This is not pleasant at all.

[Annie0710]

Did you start on a low dose or is that high ? I don't know that hrt but high doses of oestrogen give me jitteriness

Always best to start low dose hrt then build up if necessary x

[SallyBee]

I don't know if that's a high dose or not.  Nothing to compare it to. 

As I understand it, Trisequens is a sequential combined HRT
The pack contains the HRT's for a 28 day cycle, I believe so as to mimic a natural cycle. 
I start with 12 blue tablets, which are a 2mg dose of oestrogen.  Then 10 white tablets  which contain 2mg Oestrogen and 1mg Norethisterone Acetate (Synthetic progestogen) and then  6 red tablets which contain 1mg oestrogen....and then I start the whole cycle again.

I wonder if I give it a go for a month and see if this feeling gets better?  Perhaps it just takes a while for the body to adapt?

If you start on a low-dose and build up, maybe I need to just suck it up and wait it out a bit?   

[Annie0710]

You'd probably have to google that hrt to check the dosages they're available in

Years ago I was given 1mg elleste solo oestrogen only as a start and I settled well but symptoms came back so I went to 2mg which was the highest dose and I did well on that for years too.  Plus there's so many types available you might have to try a few before you like a particular one x

[SallyBee]

Yeah, I'm in South Africa.  Only the one type of Trisequens available here, I'm going to see how long I can tolerate it for now and perhaps there will be an improvement.

Look...on the bright side...I won't have to fork out any cash for margheritas!  I'm drunk already!

[Taz2]

Hi SallyBee - welcome to the forum. You're going to fit right in I'm sure!

I've had a look at the HRT you have been described and it is shown as being for use by post-menopausal women which is not you from what you have said? I think that, besides the fact that it is maybe not the right HRT for you (although your health provider may have their own reasons for putting you on this one), it is more usual to begin a dose of 1mg of whichever HRT prescribed and work up to the higher doses if the 1mg doesn't work. Higher initial doses of oestrogen can make you feel very "swimmy" and spaced out.

What symptoms are you hoping to alleviate by using HRT?

Taz x 

[SallyBee]

Hi Taz,

I initially went to the doctor thinking I'd have to go on Anti depressants or something along those lines.  Hadn't really thought of menopause. 

For the last year or so I feel like my mind has been hijacked. I'm unreasonable, prone to attacks of rage, I cry for NOTHING, and I'm causing havoc with my family and my marriage.  It got progressively worse and when exorcism didn't work, (I'm KIDDING!!!    )  I went to my doctor.

I actually had a whole list of complaints, Aching joints, feeling exhausted all the time, Unmotivated, constant UTI's, weakness in my hands and wrists, a basic general feeling of malaise.    But the worst was really my emotional well-being.  I am very much in love with my husband, he's AMAZING, and we have two gorgeous, pretty much trouble free kids aged 17 and 21.  I have no reason to feel as awful and depressed as I have been feeling....I have been flying off the handle for silly things and making everyone around me miserable.

The doctor took blood tests and checked my thyroid and hormone levels as well as all the usual things, (Cholesterol, blood sugars etc) and when the results came back he called me in.  I have a family history of early menopause.  (My mum was done and dusted with menopause by the age of 43 and my sister just went post-menopause at the age of 49)  The doctor reckoned that I was definitely perimenopausal and suggested two things.  Either HRT or anti-depressants.  But he said that he really didn't think that I was actually depressed.  He was definitely angling for me going on to the HRT.  I spoke with my sister who basically had the same issues....and the HRT worked really well for her.  SO, I went with HRT and these are what he gave me.

The pills are not only for post menopause, they are also not supposed to be long-term.  I still have all my "bits" and he said that he wanted to try and keep me on a cycle of sorts and that these pills are tricyclic which mimics the natural cycle and might be better for me.  Partly for the fact that I still have a cycle and partly to help prevent osteoporosis........

Phew!  Sorry!  I got a little long-winded there!  Did I actually answer your question?  HAH!

[CLKD]

Your Doc seems to have an understanding of menopause.  Did you ring the Surgery for advice?

[Taz2]

Hi again SallyBee - I hadn't found anything that said this HRT could be used in women who were not post menopausal but maybe the prescribing terms are different outside the UK? This is the information I found https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/3225

You are not long-winded at all. The only thing I would say about this particular type of HRT is that it containes Norethisterone which does give a lot of women (me included) PMT symptoms. I found that when I was on Evorel, which contains Norethisterone, my moods were very black and I was easily irritated so if you find that these symptoms are not alleviated even while on HRT you may wish to get it changed for a different type?

Are you feeling less "drunk" now?

Taz x 

[CLKD]

I was thinking of you this morning 

[SallyBee]

Hi again everyone,

Thank you so much for taking note of my little issue, it's good just to have someone to listen!

I'm on day 8 today, and I'm feeling quite a bit better.  Not so much of the drunk feeling, but definitely having bouts of nausea, seems to come in waves, it's like morning sickness...but throughout the day.

I'm still on the Oestrogen only part of the pack, so don't know how I will react to the Norethisterone....(Praying I'll be FINE!) **side note, my sister reacted really badly to Norethisterone as well, so I'm dreading it!

I've found a few articles where Trisequens is prescribed for perimenopause...one is actually on this site! 

https://menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

I've decided to stick with this for two months and see how it goes.  (How brave am I?)
If it's an absolute nightmare I'll go back and have it changed.  I've phoned the doc a few times and he has reassured me on most points.....he has also said he can change the meds but that he would rather I gave it a go.....so I shall.  (He's been soooo understanding)

Thanks again ladies, it's very cool to have people to talk to!

P.S.  Anxiety?  I'm feeling anxious all the time lately, is this feeling normal, and would it be the HRT or the peri that causes it?

[CLKD]

Many ladies find that along with peri comes our Very Good Friend [not  ] anxiety.  Bugga ........