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Author Topic: HRT and coming off Mini Pill  (Read 3701 times)

flowerpetal

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HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« on: April 08, 2019, 05:51:43 PM »

Hi, I am a new member to the forum and would welcome some advice! I have been on the mini pill for several years due to having very heavy periods, I'm now 53 and have really been suffering with menapausal symptoms for around two years or more, I have now got to the stage where I am having hot flushes most nights, palpitations, dizziness, low energy and tiredness, feeling sick and low libido! I have been to the doctors today and she has given me some hrt tablets called Kliofem but said to stop taking mini pill (cerelle) I'm really worried about stopping the mini pill in case I have bad bleeding but she said this wouldn't happen although I have heard that some people get really bad flooding?I'm totally confused what to do, it has been bliss being on the mini pill and no periods but am also at the end of my tether with the hot flushes etc! anyone else been in this situation?
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Hurdity

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2019, 07:58:37 PM »

Hi flowerpetal

 :welcomemm:

I understand what you are saying. The mini pill usually prevents periods eventually whereas when you use a continuous combined HRT like Kliofem - this doesn't control your cycle so if you are not post-menopausal then you could get breakthrough bleeding.

A better idea if you are worried about beleding is to have a Mirena coil fitted and then you can add oestrogen in the form of patch or gel (not tablets as oral oestrogen can depress libido - also a reason not to go with Kliofem). This would be your best bet if having periods is your biggest concern. Although you may well be post-menopausal  you may also not be and the only way to find out would be to start a continuois combined HRT and see what happens!

If you don't want to have a Mirena and want to try a conti HRT then a patch would be better and the only combi one available now is Evorel conti - so this is another possibility. Whatever happens I wouldn't go with the Kliofem (because of libido).

Btw I have no experience of either (well I did take Evorel for a while) but have read about various types of HRT and their effects over a good few years.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Hurdity x
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Holsy

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2019, 08:05:02 AM »

Hi Flowerpetal

I am a newbie too.....

I have the mirena coil and had to have it due to bleeding out because of fibroids. It was a blessing for me, especially now that I'm at the HRT stage as I have started on the patches. Still trying to get the levels right, but hoping that it will all settle down soon.

As Hurdity said though, it is difficult to know what stage of menopause you're at with taking the pill or the coil as you never bleed, so I don't know if my periods have stopped or not.

Have you had blood tests to check vitamin d, b12 & iron levels as they can also contribute to low energy, nausea and tiredness. This is what I found was contributing to some of my symptoms.

I have started to take menopace max, as it has red clover in it, which is supposed to help with the flushes. Not been on it long enough yet, but my sister-in-law also takes a red clover tinctus which she says has helped with her flushes.

Good luck with it all - just take one day at a time, which I know is really difficult. x
 
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jennymcc

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2019, 10:28:20 AM »

Hi there

I was in exactly the same situation as you and with being on the mini pill and not getting periods anyway it took me a while to dawn on me that the symptoms I was experiencing (just like yours) were the menopause.

I decided myself to come off the pill before I started HRT as I wanted to know what was going on with my body and whether I was still getting periods at all.  I came off a month ago (and started HRT 2 weeks ago).  I haven't bled at all yet and am curious to know whether I'll ever bleed again.

For all I know my periods may have completely stopped months ago!
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flowerpetal

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2019, 11:13:24 AM »

Thanks for your replies! I saw a doctor Mon and she suggested coming off Mini pill, another doctor I saw said to come off at 51/52 so now being 53 I suppose I should and see what is happening just a worry when you have been period free!fingers crossed I may have finished periods! I have started to take the hrt tabs but am going to talk to another doctor again next week to get a second opinion and see if any patches are available, I do take menapace max like u meno19 and seems to have helped in the past but these last few months I seem to have peaked with all the menapausal symptoms possible, I do have regular blood tests every 6 months as I have underactive thyroid too which doesn't help with the tiredness, I usually have full blood count checked but will ask if they check for vitamin d, b12 and iron etc, just hoping that some hrt will help me feel normal again!
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Holsy

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2019, 10:06:20 AM »

Hi Flowerpetal

It's difficult trying to deal with one issue at a time, as they all flare up at once. HRT should definitely help you to feel normal again, it's just a bit of trial and error in the beginning and patience which takes the time to see what suits you. The patience bit is the most difficult.....

As Jennymcc has said, I think you need to know what your body is doing and whether your periods have already stopped anyway. If not, then the mirena coil may be an option for contraception but it also acts as the progesterone of HRT, so that you only have to have the oestrogen in patch or gel form.

Hope you get the support that you need from your GP. x
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Chrissyp

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2019, 04:27:52 PM »

Please can someone explain how I can do a post?
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jennymcc

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2019, 10:58:14 AM »

Chrissyp - I've only done one post myself but if you go to the list of posts there is a little menu near the top right  and one of the options says 'new topic'
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NorthArm

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2019, 12:15:47 AM »

Hi flower petal and Meno 19

Please be very careful taking herbal menopause remedies such as Menopace, Femular, Remifemin, Promensil, etc. They contain red clover / black cohosh which will cancel out the hrt and can be toxic to your liver, they also may contain St John's Wort which is contraindicated with hrt xx
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Holsy

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Re: HRT and coming off Mini Pill
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2019, 12:43:31 PM »

Thanks NorthArm

A doctor recommended red clover, who knows that I have patches....menopace is mostly vitamin supplements & my doctor knows that I am taking them with hrt patches.

There are a lot of ladies on here who take menopace, that is where I read about it. I don't take black cohosh or St John's Wort, they're all separate products. 

Thanks for the heads up though.....
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