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[Bluesky2020]

Hello,
I've decided to pop myself on the old HRT. Been reading books, trawling the Internet, looking through this site for many, many months. I'm almost 49 and have awful night sweats, longer bleeding, irregular periods, migraines  bloating, hot flushes( or power surges 😜) and a non functioning brain!. I wanted to use plant based and bio identical HRT ....I'm veggie almost vegan( it's tough)  After reading people's side effects on this forum I thought I'd try low dosage EstroGel and micronised utrogestan .My GP however recommend  Kliovance pill or evorel patches. I don't think either of these options are what I was hoping for. Obviously, I really haven't a clue and the Dr is a Dr after all but I don't want to be fobbed off and have horrendous side effects.....would be really grateful for your help 

[Viwi]

Hello
I think Dr wanted to chose the best option that will better fit your needs. Patches are the most popular as they give less side effects and they are handy - you can change them once a week and forget about them for another 7 days. Meaby those tablets give less side effects, or are easier for liver, or you have another health condition that his decision was like that. I think it would be worth to ask Dr. why he chose those patches and those tablets, as you want to be reassured that his choice is the best for you. It's their job to listen about your concerns

[Tc]

Hiya,viwi.
 kilovance is a continous combined tablet.
 Everol patches are either continual or sequi.

(Conti regime meaning estrogen and progesterone are taken every day with no bleed whereas sequi is a cycle which produces a bleed)

Everol Sequi l is 14 days eastrogen only patch then 14 days eastrogen plus progesterone patch.

So firstly I would find out why the doc is,prescribing a conti regime in the kilovance as this is usually prescribed for post meno.

If you dont want to take tablets I think it's perfectly acceptable to say so.

If the doc is suggesting everol sequi patches then ask why they favour this over gel and utrogestan.  You can make the case for  utrogestan  by saying you want a micronised progesterone  (which doesnt come in patch form. )

 I believe that if a doc who knows,your medical background agrees you can take HRT then the  choice of delivery should be down to the woman herself. They can make suggestions but ultimately the choice should be ours.
But I know it doesnt always work like that so it helps to be armed with a few ways to make your point should you need to. Dont be afraid to tell doc that you've heard things about eastrogel and utrogestan which make you believe it's a good choice for you.
Please dont assume your doc is knowledgeable about HRT. Some are but sadly many are not Hopefully you have a doc who is,willing to look into things they arent sure about and who takes your wishes on board.

Btw. Have you checked out the info on the main forum pages about different hrts. ?

Good luck. Xxx



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[Hurdity]

Hi Gmckb1

 

Firstly like Tc said - if you are peri-menoausal ( ie have not gone 12 months without a natural period) then Kliovance is the wrong type to be offered as it is for post-menopausal women. That's the first thing.

Secondly, although both the tablets and the patches contain plant-derived bio-idenitcial oestrogen, the Evorel (sequi or conti) contain synthetic progestogens as do the tablets - this is norethisterone.

Therefore if you are wanting bio-identical products then you have done your research correctly and either estradiol gel (or patch or tablet) together with utrogestan are what is available.

If you are not happy with that prescription then please do not cash it in and go back to your doc as Tc says it is your right to  have whichever type of HRT suite you. It is most likely they have chosen this one as being chepaer....or on their forumlary list - but they can prescribe any licensed appropriate HRT - you just have to stand your ground and reiterate why you want to use them. If s/he has prescribed Kliovance anyway does not give much hope that s/he knows what s/he is talking about if you are peri-menopausal ....

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Hurdity x

[Bluesky2020]

Thanks so much for helping me. If I contact Dr Currie by the email service she offers and she recommends treatment can the medicines be issued on a private prescription through her or would I need to see her in person for a consultation? I'm more than willing to travel to her clinic . I have a feeling I'm going to be fighting an uphill battle to get the best option for me through my GP  since she did consult with a pharmacist and I still got the wrong prescription. Don't feel like arguing  on top of everything else. ( bit of a wimp 🤪)
Really grateful for your help
Xx

[Ladybt28]

That's the thing that winds me up Gmckb1...the having to argue your case...we feel rotten enough without being given hassle by people who should know better  but it happens all the time which is worrying really.

Dr Currie can write to your doctor with her recommendations but I do know there can still be issues about GP issuing prescriptions for certain things as Hurdity says due to their forumulary list or just because they go for the cheapest option.  Defo sounds like she hasn't a clue though if she has given you post meno hrt when you are peri.  I was lucky I stood my ground and explained what I wanted and why and so I got what I wanted without too much of a problem.  In your case I would say its a bit hard for them to argue when they are definitely prescribing the wrong thing to start with!  Give it a go, you might get somewhere.x

[Hurdity]

Re the consultation with Dr Currie - when I did mine (admittedly a few years ago) she wrote back to me and I then printed it off and took to my doc - she didn't write to my GP and I doubt that is covered by the fee - but do correct me if I'm wrong if someone has had a more recent consultation.

Unless you are not far from Dumfries where she is based and can get a referral from your GP,  I doubt you would be able to have a one-to-one consultation with her. She works for NHS and as far as I know, not privately.

If you click on Specialists in the menu and type in your area you can see the clinics where you're based and whether they are NHS.

Yes it's a right pain having to argue with docs and it very much depends on the attitude of your partucular GP - my nominted female GP - well there is no way I could argue with her as she thinks being on HRT "can only lead to cancer" - needless to say I haven't seen her since ( several years) and go to her job-share for medical stuff and the wonderful part-time gynae specialist GP for meno stuff - who I've been to for years - through contraception, pregnancies the lot. No battles needed .  I can imagine it can be tricky with a resistant or ignorant doc especially one with pride or an ego....

Hurdity x

[Julia Dizzy]

Hi Gmckb1, my GP refused to prescribe HRT because I was over 60 after suffering awful symptoms for years. So I finally did an email consultation regarding starting HRT at age 63 with Dr Heather Currie who was very helpful. She suggested Estrogel and 100mg Utrogestan daily. She also suggested I ask my GP to refer me to a Meno clinic. So I returned to GP who happily referred me to a local NHS Meno clinic.
I only had to wait 3 weeks and saw a lovely Dr who had no qualms on letting me start HRT as he said the benefits would outweigh the risks in my case as I was probably one of those unfortunate ladies who would always have hot flushes. He said to take the prescription form to my GP practice and ask that they put it on repeat which they did. (he said GP would do it because GP didn't make the decision to issue it to me and so the onus was on him and not them....rolling his eyeballs )
I am now 5 weeks into 2 pumps a day of the gel and take the Utrogestan every morning as it has to be on an empty stomach so I find that easier to take first thing (in case I get the munchies at supper time )
Hot flushes seem to have almost disappeared thankfully but have had thrush, been a bit teary and anxious still and have very sore boobs, so I guess my body is still adjusting after having no hormones for 7 years! I know it is trial and error but he did suggest a Fem7 patch later on when they become available again but I obvs don't know if that would be better than gel. So many different types for different people its not easy I guess to find the right combo??!!
Anyone else the same??
Julia x

[CLKD]

   Julia Dizzy - is it thrush or vaginal atrophy, do read the threads here about that 1!

[Hurdity]

Julia Dizzy

That's brilliant!!!!

Yes it is common to experience some side effects at first  and let's hope they settle down and you feel a lot better most of the time. I am in mid-60's and have been on HRT for many years, started it when almost 54.

I started with a different patch back then and afterwards changed to seperate patch and progsterone taken cyclically which I have more or less been on ever since although I changed the progesterone in 2011 as utrogestan was then more widely known about and available.

Hopefully this combo will suit you long term

Hurdity x