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[Carolina]

Hello ladies, thank you for accepting me to the group, I really hope you can help me. I am 45 and perimenopausal. My symptoms were irregular periods, a general opting out of life, no drive between the sheets and hot flushes. In January I was prescribed Qlaira, a BCP containing estradiol valerate and dienogest which sent me absolutely crazy - angry and shouting at people in the streets and almost completely unable to sleep. Two weeks later back to the doctor, who said this wasn't normal and prescribed Angeliq (drospirenone and estradiol) and this had me feeling so grouchy and bleeding a lot. On that for 3 months. Off the pills I felt more human but aware of high osteoporosis risk in my family and still wanting to find something that worked, I tried a new doctor, who this time prescribed Boltin (Tibolone) but was awake sometimes until 5 am and miserable. Took this for 2 months. Back to the him for the latest prescription: Trisequens - oestrogen (estradiol) and a progestagen (norethisterone acetate), which I haven't taken and am reluctant to take because I noticed the last two pills (Trisequens and Boltin) are for post-meno, which I don't understand. The problem is that I live in Spain, where gynaes show little interest in the menopause and there are no specialist clinics. Spanish is also not my first language and the process here is unfamiliar. I can't seem to find the specialist help I need and don't know where to turn next. Lots of ladies seem to sail through the process and every pill I take turns me into a wicked witch and certainly doesn't give that positive change that many experience. The reason for posting this is NOT to ask for advice on any of these specific drugs (that was background) but ask for more general advice on what to do next - see an endocrinologist? Give up on HRT? Obtaining BHRT is difficult here and not covered by my insurance. Thank you for reading this and sorry it has turned into a long post. Now off pills for 3 weeks, I am still numb, not sleeping and feel like there's a wall between me and reality. I do exercise every day and eat healthily, but I also think about throwing myself off our terrace with alarming regularity. I don't want to give up if there is something out there that can actually help.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to mm

Most of the hrts you have tried are conti hrts for post menopause so not appropriate.
Look under TREATMENTS on this site in the peri meno section and print off the OST if options to show the doctor.
I suggest you try Femoston 1/10 sequential next ( it may be under a different name in Spain so if you take stuff printed off to show the doctor, he/she can match the preparation).
 A sequential hrt will bring a monthly withdrawal bleed to protect the womb lining and prevent erratic or heavy bleeding.

You may be very sensitive to progesterone and so if Femoston doesn't suit, get back to us and we can explain alternative hrt regimes which involve seperate oestrogen and progesterone which might be better for you.
DG x

[Carolina]

Thanks so much Dancinggirl. I see the pill you recommend is for post meno as well, though. Any particular reason for the suggestion?

[Dancinggirl]

Just print off this section: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Femoston can come as a sequential or continuous HRT but you will see that this section is just HRT preparations for peri menopause. So print this section off and show it to the doctor as it shows what is in each HRt type adn he/she should then be able to prescribe appropriately.
You will see that Dydrogesterone, which is in Femoston, is less testosterone based so can often give fewer PMT type side effects.

If you read up all the factual stuff on this site, you can get really clued up.  DG x

[Carolina]

I will indeed get studying this. Thanks again.