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[sorrento77]

Hello all,

I am a new member and am totally confused about which HRT is best for me.

I am 62 years of age, still have my womb and  periods ended around 10 years ago. For the last few years I have just muddled through and put up with the changes and put them down to my age but the last year has not been great. Very low mood, night sweats, brain fog, terrible memory, joint pain, muscle pain and terrible weakness in arms and legs, palpitations, breathlessness and pins and needles in feet and lower legs - not to mention zero sex drive, in fact in general not a very nice person - shut out my friends sometimes and very angry , short tempered with my family and so anxious about the smallest of things which keeps me awake at night.

I relented and went to the doctor who did full bloods and confirmed all within acceptable parameters (good) and suggested HRT patches. I asked for  the body identical HRT  (been following Dr Louise Newson) but she said she couldn't prescribe it  (she is anew doctor with the surgery for a period of time after qualifying ) and she would have to refer me to a clinic (which I am not sure is accurate)  I live in Scotland and there seems to be an issue getting it prescribed depending on which health board you come under, but I went to speak to a local pharmacist who said that Greater Glasgow Health board does prescribe it. When I asked him how I get me doctor to do that he said "that's the million dollar question" .......not very hopeful.

I am waiting on the doctor calling back today and I guess what I am saying is:
 1: I want body identical HRT (I think but read on here lots of women have issues with it) and don't know how to get it
 2: If I can't get Utrogestan what are the plusses / minuses of oestrogen patch and pill progesterone versus combined patches and which would you recommend
3: What about Tibilone?

Sorry for the long post but every time I research something it just makes me more confused and now  I wonder if it's worth it ..

[CLKD]

I think we all get confused at times  .   

U may be wise to go to a Menopause Clinic - not a gynae they aren't always clued up.  You can ask the specialist to send prescriptions to your GP surgery.  That way you and the new GP can work together, both on a learning curve. 

As oestrogen levels drop off the muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  Why women feel that they have to 'put up with' The Change beggars belief, however, many tend to ignore their health needs putting others first. 

Some fine that it helps to keep a mood/food/symptom diary to chart progress.  Let us know how you get on.

[Loopy lou]

Hi, I'm new here, just reading your post, I'm 50 and had all your symptoms. I have started hrt with  lots of hiccups since December. Tablets couldn't tolerate them, evorell  conti great for a few months then symptoms creeped back. Since then I had lots of patches due to supply issue or not sticking with the tablets ultragestan. Now trying gel and ultragestan, problems with supply there to. Not been easy

[sheila99]

Unfortunately you don't know what will suit you and what won't until you try. Most women are perfectly fine on the first one they try the ones that aren't end up on this forum! Transdermal is safer than oral so perhaps try a patch but I would see what your gp suggests. There is often a long wait for an NHS meno clinic so perhaps try what she suggests while you wait for it. If you want testosterone you usually need a specialist but you need your oestrogen levels to be optimal first. Some people do well on tibolone, it has the advantage of some andronic properties (I don't think it's actually testosterone) so it may help with the low T symptoms. Utrogeston may not be the silver bullet, I had no side effects from norethisterone in evorel patches but get fatigue from utro, it's more important to find something that suits your body.