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[janetah]

Hello everyone,

I had the menopause at 39 and was put straight onto HRT (Femoston) then the past few years Tibolone 2.5mg  - have been pretty OK with both apart from headaches when first starting. Had a long, long struggle with undiagnosed underactive thyroid and getting some treatment but the symptoms have greatly improved thanks to finding a specialist private medic and supplements he recommended.

I've always had low normal BP and a lowish pulse, but last Friday the GP got a BP 148/68 and told me I'd probably have to come off the Tibolone. I told him this would be a disaster, since when I tried to come off it some years back I got the most awful joint pain.  I told him I want to stay active to stay healthy so he didn't take me off it right away and I've got to go back for a review in a few weeks and have blood & urine tests (diabetes, liver, kidney function etc). He did suggest I try the Tibolone every other day and I wonder what you think of this? I've been doing that for the past week, as well as taking my thyroid supplement alternate days in case it's contributing. 

Btw I found what looks like a good piece on Tibolone by Monash University - don't know if I can post links here - it says it can affect the thyroid and meds or I guess supplements should be monitored if Tibolone is started.

If anyone has a link or info about Tibolone and BP and other risks (breast cancer etc) I'd be really grateful. Also, do you have recommendations for a diy BP monitor, hear some aren't too accurate.

Thought I'd come through the worst after all the thyroid probs, drat!

Thanks, all
Jan

[CLKD]

Buy a home monitor?  White coat syndrome is common.  DH bought the same design as the Surgery uses from Boots.  The important issue is to check daily at the *same* time B4 eating.  He used to take his B4 breakfast, he would note levels and show the GP every 3 months. 

MayB put the product name into the search box and see what pops up?  Make notes.

 

[Hurdity]

Hi janetah

 

Firstly re BP - the doc should not be going by a one-off reading taken at the docs! Yes I would get yourself a good home monitor ( or borrow one from the clinic) and take your own BP twice a day and I think the advice is to take 3 readings. Also try each arm as they may be different - mine are! We have an Omron one - when we bought it was under ?30 - probably a bit more now.

Secondly if you are 65 then the advice is generally to be on transdermal HRT if you are staying on it due to increased cardio-vascular risk etc as you age and on oral hRT. Tricky changing over at your age though and also because patches are in short supply. Are you otherwise healthy - BMI within normal weight range, non-smoker, low alcohol, good diet and exercise? If so then your risk is lower.

Also oral HRT (not sure about Tibolone though?) can affect thyroid hormones so thyroid meds might need adjusting - certainly need monitoring - ie your thyroid hormone levels, TSH, T3 T4 etc but I presume they are anyway if you are hypothyroid? This should be able to be done on NHS.

Yes you can post educational links to articles - just not commercial sites that sell stuff.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Tnx I had forgotten about the 3 readings each time.  I don't register on the one DH uses 

[janetah]

Thanks for the BP tips CKLD, really helpful - I'll monitor and give the GP results as you suggest.

Thanks too Hurdity - I'm otherwise in good health so my aim is to bring BP down and stay on the Tibolone if I can safely. I don't have thyroid monitoring by the NHS, as they've never recognised I had a problem so had to sort it all privately / by myself. Old chestnut on the thyroid support websites.

Here's the link to the Monash Uni info on Tibolone https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/units/womenshealth/info-sheets/tibolone
It does suggest halving a 2.5mg tablet as a way of reducing the dose, as some on here also do I think I've seen.

Jan