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Author Topic: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch  (Read 2003 times)

Jules53

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Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« on: November 20, 2017, 09:05:53 AM »

Hi ladies

The doctor put me on Evorel Conti patches about 6 weeks ago. After about 2 weeks I had terrible pains in my legs so I was changed to the Femseven Conti patch. All seemed ok but after a couple of weeks I had bad palpitations so cut the patch in half.  To cut a long story short I have also been put on Carbimazole for an overactive thyroid so have lots going on at the moment. When I saw the doctor the other day she advised me to start using a full patch again as I was still having palpitations.  This has got rid of them but for the last couple of nights I have had bad sweats and have been waking up with them. I just want to ask if this is normal so has anyone else had this please?  Thanks in advance.

Jules x
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Wrensong

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Re: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2017, 11:15:47 AM »

Hi Jules53,

any thyroid dysfunction can make symptoms at menopause very difficult to interpret, so you have my sympathies.  As you will know, both palpitations & night sweats can result from an overactive (or over-treated) thyroid, as well as being symptoms of menopause.  I've had thyroid problems (underactive) for more than 2 decades & have found the combination tricky to manage to say the least!  I started HRT 3-years post-menopause & during changes of regime to try & find the best fit, have had recurrences of palpitations (ectopics) that had also been persistent in perimenopause without HRT.  These & the intense, long-lasting night sweats & associated insomnia have been the most difficult symptoms for me.  The uncertainty of which condition is causing what can really add to the worry, so I do feel for you.

The cause of night sweats is particularly difficult to be sure of for menopausal thyroid patients, so I would advise you to work closely with your GP/Endocrinologist to ensure that your thyroid condition is adequately monitored & controlled, with regular testing, especially in the first months adjusting to a new HRT regime.  Even with transdermal regimes, which are thought to cause fewer interactions with thyroid replacement, I've had to make several changes to my thyroid meds dosages while on HRT. 

Though as mentioned, my problem is underactivity rather than overactivity like yours, there were times when I was effectively hyperthyroid due to inadvertent over-treatment while gynae hormones were fluctuating & clouding the clinical picture.  Though I am no expert on hyperthyroidism I imagine while you are finding the right HRT regime, your thyroid status could also be affected by the exogenous gynae hormones, making the night sweats etc difficult to interpret.

My night sweats have only ever been partially resolved by HRT (which I absorb poorly) & in my experience, any change of regime - increasing or decreasing HRT dosages, can cause these to worsen while the body adapts.  It can be a question of perseverance finding the right HRT regime, but don't give up hope as symptoms should settle eventually & allow you to feel much better. 

Can't stress enough though, that it's also important to be as sure as you can at this time, that your thyroid is under control.  Now is the time to develop a really good working relationship with your GP & Endocrinologist!  Good luck with it, keep posting & let us know how you are doing.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2017, 05:45:11 PM by Wrensong »
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Jules53

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Re: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2017, 12:23:47 PM »

Hi Wrensong

Thanks so much for your reply, which has reassured me.

It's early days for me on the Carbimazole (a week) and I'm only on 5mg until I see the endocrinologist for the first time. It may be that I need a higher dose.  The HRT patch is starting to make a difference though and it was my own fault that I cut it in half. I don't get hot flushes during the day anymore, which is good - just the night sweats which have only just started since I changed the dose of hrt patch. It''s  reassuring that you said you have symptoms back when you change your regime so I will stick with it and keep you posted on my progress.

Thanks again.

Jules
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Wrensong

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Re: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2017, 04:28:36 PM »

Hi Jules,

I did wonder whether your Carbimazole might need raising, but this is beyond my experience so I didn't like to suggest it.  Glad to know you are due to see an Endocrinologist - hope you won't have long to wait.  As you have only just started the Carbimazole & I think you said you are fairly new to HRT, it's very early days for you to get a feel for which condition is causing which symptoms.  But you will get there!

Many women start with just half a patch to allow the body to adapt gradually and this is entirely sensible, so don't beat yourself up for cutting yours down when you had problems on the full patch - it can be so hard to know what is going on. 

Great that your daytime flushes have gone, suggesting you are on the right track.  Mine have been fairly well controlled even on the limited amount of HRT I manage to absorb, though the night sweats have been more resistant.  The standard advice, I'm sure you know, is to try to stick with a new regime for 3 months, but a thyroid condition (especially one newly diagnosed that may not yet be stabilised) can make it more difficult to assess whether a regime is suitable.  So if you feel that something is really not right meanwhile, please don't be afraid to contact your GP.  You are just learning what the thyroid condition will mean for you & being diagnosed with this at menopause, which in itself can be a confusing time, is a lot to cope with.

I haven't followed the forum for quite a while, but there used to be several members with experience of thyroid conditions, so please don't be afraid to ask anything at any time.  Take care & get as much rest as you can, as your body will have been going at full speed before the overactivity was diagnosed.

W x
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Jules53

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Re: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2017, 07:37:28 PM »

Thanks so much for your reply and reassurance, Wrensong, I really appreciate it.

I phoned the hospital again today to see if there was any news on an appointment yet.  They said they are working through a backlog of appointments and if I haven't heard anything by the end of the year(!) to call them back! I plan on giving them a call every couple of weeks but don't think I'll be seeing the consultant this side of Christmas😰. The woman I spoke to said that my referral was put through as urgent so I dread to think how long anyone would have to wait for a non-urgent appointment!

My GP is really good though and she wrote to them to ask if I could have some medication before I see the consultant, so I am really grateful to her for that.  She has told me to stay in close contact with her and to have another blood test before Christmas, so, hopefully she may be able to increase the medication if I need it.  I hope you are managing to get everything under control.

Thanks again.  I'll keep you posted.

Jules x   
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Wrensong

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Re: Night sweats when changing dose of Femseven conti patch
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2017, 10:34:30 AM »

You're very welcome, Jules.  Endocrinology is such a busy specialty now that sadly diabetes has become so prevalent, but if you will be ringing the hospital to check every now & then, perhaps you will be offered a cancellation.  If, as you say, your appt has been classed as urgent (as I think would be the norm with new hyperthyroid patients - so please don't worry about that) you should not have to wait too long anyway.  The backlog situation is the same with the NHS Endo I see - they have far too many referrals for the number of staff, making things very difficult for them.  Great that your GP is really on the ball - sounds as though you are in very good hands there. 

Yes, I'm OK thank you - an unexpected spanner in the works with HRT recently though, so need a change of direction! 

Do let us know how you get on.  Not sure how often I will be looking at the forum, but if there is anything I might be able help with, please don't hesitate to send me a PM.

Wx
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