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[foldie]

Dear ladies/lasses/gals, this is the first time in my 52 years that I have ventured into a chat room or joined a forum yet here I am, in a quivering state of peri-menopause, eternally grateful there is such a haven to share information about this vile state. Heavens to Betsy. I have many questions about hrt but as my mental capacities are waning, I've forgotten some of them. HRT - has anyone tried the Evorel Sequi 50 and chosen a different progesterone? I'm still dithering on the threshold. Thank you.

[Dotty]

Hi Evorel Sequi has got a progesterone in it. The progesterone is norethisterone .

Do you mean Evorel 50 Which is oestrogen only?

[foldie]

Thank you for the reply Dotty. Truth be told, I'm a bit all over the place! The doc has prescribed me Evorel Sequi 50 but after some research I have discovered that the progesterone in is quite a tricky one and there are gentler ones. I've been under the impression that half the patches are estrogen and the other progesterone so I thought to ask the doc to give me a different progesterone and 'use up' the patches?

Maybe I should go back to the doctors.

It's blooming awful though - like many on this site I feel like I'm going insane. Haven't slept for yonks - getting strange fancies and I think paranoia.

Thanks again

[Kathleen]

Hello foldie and welcome to the forum.

You are not alone in being confused at this horrible time and I hope you find a regime that suits you.

Take care and keep us updated.

K.

[Paloma]

Hi Foldie. This lack of sleep is affecting many of us unfortunately and I'm sorry you're experiencing it too. It's good you've decided to join the forum as hopefully it will help you to feel less alone at this horrible stage of life. There is so much support here.

[Dotty]

Give it a try. It might work for you x

[dahliagirl]

Hi - half the patches are oestrogen on its own, and the other half are a combination of oestrogen and progestogen.  So you can't really change the progestin.

The patch that is available with a different sort of progestogen is Femseven which has levenorgestrel.  Apparently these fall off easily and take a lot of faffing with hairdryers too.

Many women tolerate the norithisterone ok, and it is very effective, which is why they tend to prescribe it first (it is also usually cheapest  )

See how you get on with it and keep a diary, then if it is not ok, you have something to work with for getting something that suits you better.

(PS I have never managed to get patches from my GPs!)

[foldie]

Dear ladies,

thank you for the replies. I've just been scrolling down the titles of messages and it really is good that this profoundly debilitating state (for quite a few of us) is being communicated. The 'just get on with it' or the backhanded whisper 'eeesh she's got women's problems' can be a thing of the past. It's a vile thing to have to deal with, insomnia being by far the worst aspect of it and we need help.

I've recently had a minor op and was signed off for 3 weeks and truth be told if I had not been suffering insomnia and hallucinations due to that, I would have gone back to work earlier. It's like looking at the world through murky water; everything is muffled and distant.

Anyroad, I've decided to avoid the Evorel Sequi 50 due to the progestin - it causes hair loss and my locks are to as thick as they were. I couldn't stand losing hair as well as my mind!  Does anyone have any feedback on Utrogestan and a estrogen cream.

Many many thanks x

[Dancinggirl]

Hi foodie and welcome to MM

Don't get hooked up on the different HRTs at this stage.  You may be one of the majority of women who do really well on this type of HRT. The patches are medium dose and in the peri stage this could be a bit high but if I were you I'd just start these patches and see how it goes.  Don't expect problems.
When visiting this forum, it is easy to think you shod be on a different HRT and to presume you will have difficulties because others are reporting all sorts of side effects.

The progesterone in any HRT can cause some side effects and it can be a matter of trying different HRTs till you find something that suits you - we are all different.  Some women do have issues with Norithesterone but it wouldn't be put into HRTs if it caused problems for the majority of women. Do bare in mind that in the peri stage your own hormones will be fluctuating in the background so this will bring some issues.  Any HRT takes as least 3 months to settle so it's about being patient.
These patches have two different stages, some patches are oestrogen only and some have both oestrogen and progesterone.  You should get a period type bleed after finishing the combined patches and gradually the HRT will control and balance you hormones.  Some women actually like being on the progesterone!!!!

Your hair may improve with HRT and being on any sequential HRT will mean you are not having progesterone everyday and transdermally the effects may be less.  My hair was always thicker on any HRT.

AS for Utrogeston and Oestrogel - this regime can be good but isn't without it's side effects either - I had more problems with Utrogestan than with any other progesterone!!! It's about the benefits versus the side effects with any treatment.

Try not to overthink things - just try the patches and get your life back on track - you may be surprised how good you feel in a few weeks.    DG x

[foldie]

Hello DG, thank you.

There is another reason I have considered a different pathway - my mother has breast cancer (though the doc did not seem at all worried, hence the prescription) so I have been thinking about the gel, even, and Utrogestan as they are not as 'dangerous'. My little mum was diagnosed at the age of 75 - it's hormone powered and so she is taking hormone suppressants. She's doing grand on them too.

However, I really can't cope much longer with the symptoms, despite the cancer scare. How terrible is that! Obviously I don't want to lose hair too so after much reading and filtering this through my layman's understanding of the complexities of menopause, I thought that small amounts of both might alleviate some of my symptoms rather than the 50 dose that could be too much? Many rave about small doses plus the bio-identicals as opposed to progestin.

I haven't had blood tests but it's clear that something untoward is happening so we skipped the blood tests as I'd sooner be covered in tarantulas than have blood drawn (and I'm not right keen on spiders). What a pickle.

I would appreciate any more advice out there and promise to report my findings and support fellow sufferers in the future. 

Thank all the gods for this site. Foldie x

[CLKD]

Rather than going back to a GP who may/not have any clue about menopause, how about going to see a local Pharmacist and ask exactly what is available - it will depend on if you still have periods etc..  Most have private rooms.

Was your Mum's breast cancer oestrogen dominant, otherwise HRT shouldn't have an impact.  Also, Quality of Life is important, after all that bus might come along sooner than cancer cells are aggravated enough to become problematic.

Every ladies journey is different so stop reading the scare stories!  Maybe decide which symptoms you want to ease first?

Also do read the threads in the funny room ;-)

[Bring me Sunshine]

Hi foldie

I totally empthasise with what you are going through it hit me this time last year and I was completely bowled over by how bad it made me.

This ive copied from one of my other posts but sums up in a nutshell what works for me a year later when I am now thankfully well.

it is a bit of trial and error till you find what works for you.  My mum died of breast cancer in her early 50s and I was always one of those who thought that hrt must be avoided at all costs.  That was until I started to read everything I could get my hands on when I started to feel ill last year with the menopause.  Reading, and this forum and the menopause specialists (Dr Currie £25 for advice----worth every penny) and lucky to be referred to an NHS menopause specialist in the area (had to insist though)  Sadly the GP wasnt great with menopause.

It has been a long journey but I am now well and I was suicidal last year.  Oestrogen saved my life.

I am currently on oestrogel which I rub in and the merina coil for progestorone xxx

I promise you if I can get well as bad as I was then you will find your path and be you again.  xx