Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[AndieKC]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience: menopause hit like a tornado at 44. I struggled on my own for 2 years with very severe hot flushes, nights were even worse, no deep sleep, terrible palpitations I had no control over, shivers following each hot flush, I nearly had a breakdown. Reluctantly, aged 46 I started Elleste Duet 1mg sequential (Estrogen + progesterone) and it was like magic - stopped hot flushes in 3 days, never returned, sleep sorted, lost weight, it simply gave me my life back. Now the docs are forcing me to stop it, and have Mirena.

This is due to erratic bleeds that continued past the acceptable first 6 months. TVUltrasound showed 6mm endometrium, but biopsy showed only simple hyperplasia without atypia.

Hospital consultant is recommending (more like forcing me) into Mirena, but I'm scared of that, and also advised to stop HRT completely. I have 1 month worth of Elleste left to wean myself off it (not long enough) but doctors don't seem to understand how badly I coped with the hot flushes and lack of sleep. If I go off the pills in such a short time, surely the flushes and lack of sleep will return with a vengeance.

I'ce read that upping the progestins or changing the delivery method is the usual course of action, not such a drastic stopping of the magic pills plus the Mirena. Ir maybe these body identical hormones? I don't want to give myself cancer but i need to be able to function (I'm self employed). Any ideas?
Thank you

[Cazikins]

AndieKC
Oh poor you it is so annoying when docs etc do not listed properly to what their patient is saying. I can't advice too much as I'm not that knowledgeable but firstly I wanted to welcome you & secondly I just wanted to let you know that I have had several mirena coils fitted & for me they were the best thing I used in my HRT medication so maybe have a re-think about having one.

Just one more thing - maybe go back to your GP & tell them your concerns. Not all GP's agree with hospital consultants if it is causing stress to their patient, you may be able to come up with a more suitable suggestion.

I wish you well with whatever you decide.

Hopefully some other ladies will be along soon to offer more help & advice.

Cazikins

[Dancinggirl]

The Mirena is great for many women - don't feel frightened - give it a try. I had t with separate oestrogen for 4 years adn ti was the best HRT combo I every tried - and I have tried everything going.  Dg x

[AndieKC]

Thank you so much for replying and for your support, I will be seeing a GP this Friday so I'm preparing for the appointment. Thank you also for your reassurance about Mirena Coil, can I ask a stupid question - once the coil is fitted, will I know/feel it's there? (Hope not...).

[Dancinggirl]

There can be some tummy cramps at first after fitting but this should settle quickly but you will completely forget you have it after a very short while. Either oestrogen pills, Oestrogel or an oestrogen patch is all you need alongside the Mirena and you may find after a time you won't get any bleeding at all.
The Mirena with separate oestrogen is a very popular hrt combo. DG x

[AndieKC]

Hi
Thank you for such a quick reply again, I really appreciate it. Interestingly, in the meantime I have received a reply from Dr Heather Currie who also recommended the Mirena + oestrogen patches combination, I just hope I'll be able to convince this new GP to prescribe it against the recommendation of the hospital consultant who is categorically refusing any oestrogen at all. Dr Currie sounded confident that the bleeding is caused by hyperplasia caused by sequential HRT when the continuous HRT would be a better choice. I am planning to print out Dr. Currie's email and take it to the GP on Friday, let's hope it works!

[Dancinggirl]

Dr Currie is a menopause specialist and the hospital gynae was clearly not up to speed on treating menopause.
I would definitely print off the recommendations from Dr Currie and your GP could always email this to the hospital gynae who should ok it - I'd be surprised if the hospital gynae went against these recommendations. DG x

[AndieKC]

Thank you Dancinggirl,
I am now at peace with having Mirena Coil, the appointment will be in 2 months time to have it fitted, now I just really really hope the Gp will prescribe me something in the meantime. I have started ‘rationing' the Elleste pills I've got left and it's not good, hot flushes and cold shivers came back within 3 days, palpitations all night, it's relentless. Can't function at all, can't imagine 2 months without anything, so hope the doctor will play ball on Friday
Sorry I'm ranting here, am feeling so helpless with everything
Thank you for your support xx

[Cazikins]

Really pleased to hear you are going through with having the Mirena, I'm sure it will help you. Shame you have to wait 2 months though  .
Surely your GP must consider something to help you till then.
Let us know how you get on.
Cazikins

[AndieKC]

Hi Cazikins
Actually I've found out Mirena can be fitted at my GP in the next two weeks, so I'll go for that, but we still have to convince the hospital consultant to agree to estrogen, even though I took Dr Currie's recommendation with he to the GP who is menopause & hrt trained. The GP sides with Dr Currie but still claims to not be able to prescribe estrogen unless the hospital consultant agrees! It's the same hospital consultant who admitted she didn't know enough about HRT... I've asked Dr Currie to intervene, am losing my will here, so frustrating! Dr Currie clearly explained that the hospital consultant is wrong so I really hope we will get somewhere soon,
Thank you so much for support, and listening to my whinge!
Xx

[Cazikins]

Hi AndieKC
Thats great that you can have it inserted at your GP.
I can't understand why your consultant is being so awkward. Maybe your GP can contact her & put a bit of pressure on, or at least give an explanation as to why it can't be prescribed.

Anyway good luck & let us know how it all goes, oh & by the way you are not whinging. 

Cazi x

[AndieKC]

Hi Cazi
Thank you for your encouraging words,
Dr Currie has now written both to the GP and the hospital consultant, and I have an appointment booked with theGP on Monday, really hoping to get a prescription for continuous combined HRT that Dr Currie recommended while I'm waiting for the Mirena.

As for the hospital consultant's strict ‘no-estrogen' policy, apparently their guidelines tell them to remove the cause first, in this case making oestrogen the culprit. The truth is that I was nearly two years postmenopausal when I started HRT so ideally I should have been put on continuous combined, but because I was only 45, the original doctor back then started me on sequential (Elleste Duet), so the problem really is not enough progestin against the estrogen.

I get it that neither the GP or the consultant want me to get cancer, but now we have a farcical situation where the problem (simple hyperplasia and erratic bleeds) are caused by the wrong meds but while the merry dance is going on (ultrasound, biopsy, appointments with GP etc), no one seemed to see the obvious - that I need to be on the continuous combined, with higher dose and everyday progestin.

Really hoping that Dr Currie's intervention will finally get me there - it's all been going on for months, it's so incredibly frustrating.

I cannot wait to have this over and done with, and move on with my life. Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end!

Andie xx

[Daisydot]

That's great news that Dr Currie has intervened for you AndieKC I think that's something that we've all hoped to see posted here, I often wonder if ladies who pay the fee to email Dr Currie and get help or advice then don't post it here because it's been resolved.
This would be a great shame because we all kind of have that hope deep down that it's not simply a platform here and that yes she's provided a great resource in the forum but also it would be great to know that she's also available to point us in the direction of where to get help when we have such huge barriers and resistance to overcome and we are maybe feeling a bit intimidated by the system.
I for one made use of the email consultation service and was met with a very hostile reaction from my then gp,who is this woman scenario,and even since changing gps practices on dr curries advice I still have had huge issues.
It's all very well saying print off guidelines and print off info to present to your gp but they blatantly refuse to even read or acknowledge the presence of that bit of paper and go on the attack and when you don't feel well or are weepy nothing you can do or say will influence the arrogant swines oh and by the way your ten minutes are up next patient please.
Well done for standing your corner and I hope it all resolves for you it's not fair to leave you suffering while they fanny around with their theories and tests so keep battling your doing great xx

[AndieKC]

Hi Daisydot
Thank you so much for your post, you literally described my experience in the past. The doctor tapped his watch, times up and all that.
Dr Currie had been fantastic support, I took the printed out emails, together with her book and printed out research papers and left it all with this new GP, but still haven't heard back. I'm losing hope, feeling so miserable, can't think of anything else but how will I cope if they don't prescribe me anything. I really expected the last GP appointment be more a discussion about which of the recommended options I want, instead it was no result, she needs to consult the hospital consultant etc. As if Dr Curries emails were not even there... If Monday doesn't get me a prescription I don't know what I'll do

Do you have any experience with private GPs? I could get an appointment at a Nuffield Gp but it is £100 and they are not menopause specialist and I'm not sure how much investigations/blood tests etc they would want to do.
I feel like I'm banging my head against the wall.

Also the private menopause Gp specialists around the country they all have 2-4 months waiting lists. And of course it costs hindered of £££...

I have tried eating soya, sprouting seeds, beans, the whole works, nothing can fool the hypothalamus when estrogen is not there...

Any ideas welcome, I'm going crazy here ...

Thank you

[Daisydot]

Hi AndieKC.
yes we've all been there with gps some more than others that's why I always say If you get a good one treasure them they are very few and far between.
I wouldn't go to the private gp at Nuffield your just wasting your money.
I personally go to Mr Tony Parsons he's a private meno expert with credentials you could paper the walls with but more importantly to me he's brimming over with compassion and such a lovely approachable man,it's like chatting to your dad.
He's based in Coventry Nuffield hospital it's a lovely place have a google and read up before you opt for anyone but I highly recommend him.He also works for the nhs as a consultant and divides his time between that and private.He can see you pretty quickly usually tuesdays and Thursdays clinics at Coventry.He won't pressure you in any way for tests and he will in fact write a report to your gp to try and get them on the nhs for you,I had my dxa scan done on the nhs because of falls and my risk of fracture thanks to him.the most important thing is he'll listen to you and work with you and your gp to get a resolution for you.Ive been with him a while now and we've battled like hell with his support to get me in a good place and I'm so grateful to him my gps at first defied his recommendations but I went in all guns blazing and wrote to practice manager implying I'd go further because they were undermining my consultants expertise and he backed me with letters directly to the gps.Phone Nuffield at Coventry and get the costs and waiting times for appointment you'll be pleasantly surprised.you can then keep it under your hat until you get Monday over with then you may not need him but at least it's a light at the end of the tunnel for you isn't it.xx good luck.