to ask you all for advice with my HRT?

[AnotheBloodyChinHair]

Please be kind. I know that I should just ask my GP, and I have, and every time I feel more confused and uninformed.

I am on Evorel 75, Estradiol 10 micrograms (vaginal tablets) and, up until 6 weeks ago, Utrogestan.

I am 52 and have two or thee periods a year.

As we all know, Utrogestan is not unavailable, which means that up until a week ago, I was on Estradiol only (patches plus vaginal tablets). Then I found out this was dangerous. Rang my GP and she told me off a little bit, told me that it was dangerous, and told me to stop the estradiol. Five minutes later she rang me again and said that actually, I am okay to continue doing that for up to 3 months, so okay to continue with patches and vaginal tablets, and gave me a prescription for Provera, which so far I have been unable to get.

As it stands, I am on nothing right now. I am not using the Estradiol (either the patches or the vaginal tablet). What I have noticed is a massive dip in energy, both physically and mentally, and general unwellness which to be honest, is not as bad now that is not as hot.

Can anyone offer me any decent advice as to what I should do next? I guess my options are:

Be on nothing until Utrogestan is available
Continue with Estradiol only (Evorel patches plus vaginal tablets) until Utrogestan is available
Continue with Estradiol plus Provera

Also, is there a bioidentical progesterone that can be prescribed while Utrogestan is unavailable, as I understand Provera is not bioidentical?

Thank you all.

Hopefully the poster jinglingbells will be along soon to help you. She is very knowledgeable on hrt.

Go back to the dr. Ask for an alternative. I would also be asking GN for a blood test to measure how well the current HRT is actually performing.

I went back for a blood test after about 9 months to see whether it was being effective and my testosterone levels were on the floor so I got referred to the menopause clinic. I am now on a small amount of testosterone which has made a massive difference.

Point is you need to push your GP to provide an alternative, to monitor the effectiveness etc

Has a Mirena coil been suggested to cover the progestogen part of HRT for you?

Have you phoned round all your local pharmacies to see if they have any? Also, Boots has an online medication checker - you plug in what you're looking for and your postcode, and it tells you which stores has stock.

Definitely get back onto your GP to prescribe you alternatives.

I'm having the same issue with testosterone - I've been trying all the pharmacies but it's not in stock anywhere and no pharmacy knows when they'll have it in. I've an appointment this week with my GP to discuss an alternative prescription.

Thank you all.
I did ask for a blood test and I was told it's pointless as hormones fluctuate daily
I am not keen on anything invasive like the coil
I asked for an alternative to Utrogestan and I have been prescribed Provera which is not bioidentical. Are there any other bioidential progesterone preparations I could ask for?

Try posting on the Menopause board, OP. Many of the knowledgeable posters there don’t use AIBU, by and large.

You are being fobbed off about the blood test. That's a massive lie, how do they know if the HRT is effective or whether you need testosterone if they don't do a blood test. Your GP sounds crap.

Playing devils advocate here, but do you have to be on anything? I'm 53 and have never been on HRT - the GP was reluctant to give it. I take cod liver oil and Collagen, to help with joint pain, and that's all.

Without HRT I have hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, lethargy, dryness...

@BeachBlondey lucky you but the research at the moment also suggests that women who are on HRT have a much lower chance of getting vascular dementia or Alzheimer's.

I tried to go "natural" I was absolutely broken by the end of that year. HRT was a game changer.

I feel a bit broken right now @jeaux90. I feel so apathetic, tearful, can't face anything, not even simple tasks, like on autopilot... and this is just not me at all.

@AnotheBloodyChinHair I totally understand. It sounds like the HRT you are on isn't working. Go back, get a blood test, ask to try something else. The Femseven patches worked well for me really quick but we are all different. The testosterone gel has made a massive difference to the joint pain, brain function and sex drive. You have to push really hard to get what you want with some GPs and we shouldn't have to. Try and find out if any of your GPs have actually trained in menopause.

It's absurd disgrace that all GPs aren't trained on menopause but unfortunately it's an elective topic for them. Most of them seem to have no clue and just offer antidepressants.