Msg for rebascora

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Sugarcoated

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi rebascora, i talked to you a few months back about HRT. I've finally started it after a few problems with GP. Anyway, I'm on the evorel sequi 50 patches.
I'm only on day 2 but as usual someone has something neg to say about them. A family member told me...even though i asked them not too...that they felt awful on the conti patch ( oestrogen/progesterone). They said their low mood waa worse & anxiety was through the roof.
Worried now as I'm on HRT mainly to control anxiety.
I think i remember you are on the same patch & just wanted to know how you were on the conti patch.
Hope you don't mind me asking.
Xx
 
Sugarcoated said:
I'm only on day 2 but as usual someone has something neg to say about them. A family member told me...even though i asked them not too...that they felt awful on the conti patch ( oestrogen/progesterone). They said their low mood waa worse & anxiety was through the roof.
Worried now as I'm on HRT mainly to control anxiety.
Click to expand...
You are you not the reli so what didn't suit her may well suit you. Take no notice and just see how you get on.
If they don't suit there are plenty of other alternatives to try.
 
Hi, yes, I am on the Evorell Conti patches and I manage now on a half dose.... ie one every 7-8 days rather than a new patch every 3-4 days. I have been on them for nearly 3 years.
I can certainly say that I didn't get any low mood issues at all, probably the opposite in fact, more euphoria, which may have been linked to the improved sleep as much as the hormonal impact. I definitely feel better physically and mentally and my sleep is back to the lovely uninterrupted deep sleeps I enjoyed in my youth most nights. Even if I wake up hypo in the middle of the night, I just munch a JB and I am straight back to a lovely deep restful sleep within minutes, which is probably not idea as I am supposed to test 15 mins later but my body wakes me up if I drop low again.
I do think that my low carb diet also helps with my mental state but the almost instantly improved quality of life and sleep really lifted me and really revolutionized my life and mental outlook for the better.
The Evorell Sequi are a slightly different hormone combination so I can't speak for how you might respond to those but the Conti was absolutely life changing for me.
 
Thank you for replying so quickly.
You must be just on the oestrogen one then?! I'm on the oestrogen for 2wks then the progesterone on for 2 wks as i still get periods...albeit very irregular.
I will stay optimistic & hope the progesterone doesn't make me feel worse.
It sounds like you're finally embracing life again. I'm eager for the time i can also feel the same way. Whoever said perimenopause/menopause is easy to deal with was definitely a man
Xx
 
Just to say that I did battle quite severe menopausal symptoms for 5 years before I started on HRT so I was feeling pretty run down by then and I already struggled with stress, anxiety and depression for many years prior to that so any improvement was going to make me feel better but I wasn't prepared for it to be so dramatic. I think what amazed me was that the changes I experienced were so quickly and easily reversed even after so many years. Just something so simple as sleeping all night without needing the loo was a revelation and still is nearly 3 years later when I was up twice a night before I started taking it most nights and not having the hot sweats day and night is just bliss!

I really hope you find a similar benefit.
 
I didn't realise getting up frequently to use the loo was a symptom of menopause. I always need to wee through the night & have a very weak bladder esp when walking.
I get hot flushes but thankfully they're not that bad. Think I'm used to having them as I've had them for yrs & yrs because of some medicine I've got to take.
For me personally, its been the chronic fatigue, aching body, crippling anxiety, low moods & just not feeling like me anymore. So much so, my marriage has started to struggle. Hubby hasn't been that understanding even though I've managed to keep my low mood/anxiety internal & never caused any arguments but he would sense i would go within myself & would alway say, oh its that time of month. He thinks menopause is just a woman being moody as his workmates who are older have instilled this negative attitude in him.
My Dr has prescribed setrtreline aswell but want to try HRT first & then if all goes well but i still need more of a boost I'll bring in the sertreline. I don't want to overdo the medication otherwise i won't know what's working or not.
Again many thanks.xx
 
Sugarcoated said:
I didn't realise getting up frequently to use the loo was a symptom of menopause.
Click to expand...
Neither did I until it completely stopped when I started using the patches. I think the second or third day, I slept all night without a pit stop after years of getting up at least once a night, which I just assumed was my age! I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have needed the loo during the night since I started using the patches nearly 3 years ago..... That is a very dramatic change in my book!
I think what may happen is that it improved the elasticity of the bladder, so that it is able to store more urine comfortably. The elasticity of other tissue improved too making sex possible again. It had simply become too painful and it wasn't a dryness issue, I just didn't "stretch" anymore. Sorry if that is TMI but important I think to discuss and understand these issues as they have a huge impact on our lives and our loved ones.

I certainly need to wee lots in the morning now but then I drink quite a lot first thing, plus whatever is to release from overnight, but after that I go most of the day without a toilet break.

Anyway, I really hope you see some improvement. Losing weight and exercising more (brisk walks) also helped with joints and mental health as well as following a low carb way of eating, so I am sure a combination of things improved my sense of wellbeing.
 
A snarl for your husband @Sugarcoated - simply say that he may regret that when he gets prostate trouble and expects you to give him sympathy ....... in fact it's time - if you are similar ages - he got proactive about his own health and went a got the relevant blood test - a PSA test. (Google it, so you know enough about it. Cancer of the prostate kills a bloke every 45ish minutes - far more than cancer of the womb!)

Anyway - I'm a huge fan of HRT too, and also fully agree that how YOU react to it is how YOU react to it - exactly the same as any other drug for anything else! - absolutely NOT how anyone else did!
 
Hi @Sugarcoated

I’m a fan of HRT too. Evoril 75 for me…I felt better very quickly. I hadn’t realised some of the “symptoms” I’d had for the last 2 or 3 years were even peri menopause / menopause related, I didn’t actually get the classic hot flushes…everything else you mentioned though. I did feel a little off for a bit when I started the progesterone a couple of weeks later…but the dr did warn me this would happen and that it would be temporary. Big improvement in levelling blood sugars…almost immediately…big plus.

As has even already said, we are all different and that’s why there are so many different HRT options available…so hopefully everyone can find one to help them. Unnecessary of your relative to pass on their negative comments, but hopefully she went on to find a suitable hrt option. When I was thinking about HRT a good friend told met there was absolutely no way she’d take it…I just said “well you can’t feel as bad as I do then”.

Have you come across Dr Louise Newson and her site and menopause app Balance…very interesting and helpful…definitely worth a look if you haven’t already.

I also think it’s great that the topic is more openly discussed now..this can only be a good thing….especially to those women who probably don’t realise they are suffering with menopause symptoms.

I really hope your start to feel better soon.
 
Last edited:
Thank you all for your replies.
I already suffer with long term depression due to my chronic other terminal illnesses, but the anxiety was new. Its been ongoing for about 2 ys & i hated that my GP kept dismissing it as covid related. Thankfully, my CF Dr saw something & sent me to a very experienced Dr, who is an elderly male & has been fantastic.
I have noticed since starting the patch that I've been exhausted. Like needing 2 brief naps a day but I'm hoping its not related to the patch or its just my body getting used to the estrogen. I am nervous about the progesterone patch, I'll be going on in a weeks time but I'll cope & address any symptoms...if i get any.
I have seen Dr Louise Newsome channel, Lisa66. And I've been following her when she appears on This morning. It was her that helped me feel better about going on HRT. She is pretty amazing & helpful in her knowledge.
Troughwench - my hubby has had prostate exam & like a man, he took well (no offence to the men on here). In his defence he's amazing when it comes to my CF, diabetes & osteoporosis but anything period hormone related he just doesn't get & gets influenced by the men he works with.
Xx
 
I’ve been on evorel conti patches for a while now (both oestrogen and progesterone) and overall have found them good and they’ve reduced most of my peri menopause symptoms and yes the quality of sleep is so good. I was on progesterone only for years to try to manage periods and didn’t notice any mood issues whereas when I was on the combined pill I would be all over the place. Hope your anxiety settles down and you get on ok with patches.
 
I've started everol sequi patches. Two weeks of estrogen then 2 weeks of the northesterine patches.
Overall I've found them ok. My main problem is pretty bad muscle pain, chronic fatigue & severe bloating.
Its been six weeks & i still get anxiety but feel it is easing.
I had alot of side effects after i stopped the progesterone patches & went onto estrogen only. I thought estrogen was the feel good hormone.
I've been told to give it 3 mths.
Did anyone find the first few weeks hard?
Thanks
 
I loved the oestrogen as soon as I was on it. I’d been on norethisterone for a few years before so had already dealt with that element of the patches. Keep an eye on your symptoms but do give it a little while to see if things settle. Are you on anything for your anxiety?
 
I was given Sertreline but anti depressants frighten me. I get side effects from everything & i did the silly thing & googled Sertreline.
Maybe if HRT doesn't completely ease my anxiety, then maybe i will get the courage to start them.
I'm seeing gynae Wed, so will bring up the side effects.
I'm hoping its not because i have too much estrogen as symptoms of fatigue is that.
I had a light period & spotting for 7 days & before HRT i was incredibly heavy.
Just need to sort this bloating out.
I'm also concerned about putting weight on.
 
Sugarcoated said:
I was given Sertreline but anti depressants frighten me. I get side effects from everything & i did the silly thing & googled Sertreline
Click to expand...

I have had a very positive experience with Sertraline. Only a smallish dose, but it made a big difference to my mental health.

It won’t work for everyone, but I’d say it wouldn’t be offered so widely if there wasn’t a really good chance it would work well for you.
 
Sorry to hear you aren't finding the immediate positive benefits that I did from HRT but being at a different stage of menopause and using the Evorell Conti patches means that I can't really comment or compare with your experience on the Evorell Sequi/Norethisterone..... and for me the benefits were pretty well immediate.... literally, in the first days of the first patch things notably changed for the better.
My joint pain had already improved significantly when I changed my diet to low carb at diagnosis and increased my walking, but I definitely didn't see any deterioration in that improvement when I started HRT and there may have been some increased improvement. I really didn't get any negatives other than maybe my patch site being a bit itchy occasionally..... but that is really being nit picking in order to find any sort of drawback to them.

I really hope Mike's comment about his experience with Sertraline will help to reassure you to give that a go if it is offered by your GP. Anxiety is so debilitating and invasive. I really hope that you can find something which helps.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
I have had a very positive experience with Sertraline. Only a smallish dose, but it made a big difference to my mental health.

It won’t work for everyone, but I’d say it wouldn’t be offered so widely if there wasn’t a really good chance it would work well for you.
Click to expand...
What dose was you given?
I've been given 24mg but told i could cut it in half & start st 12.5mg. Pharmacy gave me a pill cutter.
Maybe I should just take it. It would be nice to feel abit more normal/me again.
 
Sugarcoated said:
What dose was you given?
I've been given 24mg but told i could cut it in half & start st 12.5mg. Pharmacy gave me a pill cutter.
Maybe I should just take it. It would be nice to feel abit more normal/me again.
Click to expand...

I started on 50mg, but am currently on 25mg daily. The tablets have a dent across the middle, so I can snap them in half.

Initially they seemed to make me feel a bit tired, so I take them last thing at night.

My Drs suggestion was that I stayed on them for at least 6months, and it’s been a while longer than that now - maybe coming up to a year?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top