Hrt patches and ads?

[Baddz]

My go thinks I am in menopause/peri menopause.
I am 42 and am having lots of troubling symptoms, and my periods are now slightly irregular and only last 2/3 days (instead of 7)
I am getting horrendous hot flushes.
Headaches, nausea, need to wee all the time, almost psychotic rage the week before my period, hugely sore boobs, palpitations....it's really really affecting the quality of my life.
I have had a blood test and an ecg andI am hoping to see her again on weds.
Has anyone used patches and ads together?
That's her suggestion.
I am all for anything that could make me feel better tbh :(

[PeterSpots]

Thank you. I wish I could breeze along with these problems but they have stopped me in my tracks. The face problem feels like it is pulling my face downwards. I am seeing the facial specialist on Monday so I will wait & see. Gynaecologist wants to wait a month to see if HRT is helping pelvic/bladder. I know stress can cause odd symptoms but sometimes odd symptoms have a reason.

[Eliottsmam]

I already posted that extract from the NOS!

I'm not playing these silly games.

I made a valid comment, on selective quotes by unqualified people which mislead readers. If you take that personal it's not my fault.

Some posters continually snipe at GP's, AD's, etc. etc. and that's their prerogative, I prefer a more balanced view and an open mind.

1. I do not have a problem with hrt.
   
2. Strange to keep suggesting checking out websites at any opportunity, which are funded by hrt companies - to get impartial advice, a bit bizarre that is!

[LurcioAgain]

What an odd thread. OP comes on asking for advice about treating menopause. Poster suggests that current research thinking is that first line of treatment for menopause (note, menopause, not depression) should be HRT rather than ADs. Nothing at all in that post suggesting that she has anything against use of ADs for treating depression. Another poster comes on and slags off PP for saying ADs shouldn't be used for depression. Thread explodes! When in fact a simple acknowledgement that people appear to be talking at cross-purposes would do the trick.

Anyway, I clicked on this because we had a thread a while back on FWR about whether women were being under-prescribed HRT and being denied the opportunity to make an informed choice about risks/benefits for themselves in choosing to take it long-term and (two I think) GPs came on the thread and said ADs were actually a better treatment. Several of us made the point that the medical profession had rather a bad history of pushing ADs at women for completely unrelated health problems, so we were rather wary of this advice (at which point the GPs got very huffed with us). So I'd like to thank Pinkfrocks for posting that link to the latest NICE guidelines. (My current GP is brilliant, but he is nearing retirement age, and I do worry that one day I'll go in for my repeat prescription and get a GP who wants to fob me off with ADs).

[Eliottsmam]

Good luck with the facial specialist, PeterSpots. My Mam had that problem, but I know there can be lots of causes for it, so you're heading in the right direction by seeing the specialist.

My gran used to say, 'One day at a time', I sometimes think it is a case of one problem at a time.

In my case I began to feel overwhelmed by a host of health issues. Now I find it easier to deal with one issue at a time... but it's definitely work in progress

[pinkfrocks]

Eliottsmam- your quote from the NOS was unclear; it's unclear where their words end and your words start because you have left lots of line spaces, and put certain words in bold that are not in the original.

There is masses of evidence that HRT helps bones. It is a requirement for women who have a premature menopause. I have posted a large extract from the NICE guidelines (which you choose to ignore as reliable evidence) and I can assure you that NICE is not funded by drug companies. If you persist in making claims about websites funded by drug companies then could you also please list the research papers as evidence, and the names of the research scientists who have declared a link with the companies. The British Menopause Society is not funded - to my knowledge- by drugs companies.


I'm getting fed up with people throwing out the line of 'unqualified poster' yet presumably they too are unqualified?

HRT is not for everyone. Not everyone needs it or can use it safely. But as a well-informed lay person I'm not going to let other posters post things that are incorrect in some attempt - it seems- to sway women against HRT.

[pinkfrocks]

Are you name-changing for the meno forum Eliot or do you only use Mnet for the meno forum? Just curious.

[Eliottsmam]

My last comments on this post.

I have no wish do dominate this menopause forum, in fact I think it's unfair that any one person should! I rarely comment because I don't feel the need to.

Your attempt, yet again, to make someone say something that will get this thread removed is silly.

Well informed lay person,

www.thebms.org.uk/thankyou-to-our-sponsors.php

[pinkfrocks]

The BMS link is 2 years old.

But even if it wasn't are you saying that consultants - who make up the BMS- are so easily led and fooled into prescribing drugs because a company sponsors their conference?

But more to the point, anyone suggesting people use products other than HRT, recommended for many women by consultants, must surely be aware that they are made by commercial companies, whose only aim is to sell products- whether they are herbs, supplements, or magnets for your knickers.

It's ludicrous to suggest that consultants are swayed in making a clinical decision because of some financial incentives. There is cynical- which is not always a mistake - and there is living in a fantasy world.

Anyone selling anything is out to make a profit whether you buy it in Holland and Barretts or a pharmacy.

If anyone cares to read the NICE guidelines there are comments there on 2 things:
1 That many herbs and supplements have no proven effects
2 That some do- and these are named and suggested.

So- how's that for 'balance'?

[Baddz]

Um hello again.
Not sure what happened there!
anyway....my attitude is...whatever helps!
If I am put on patches and they dont help I will try them on conjunction with ads. It that doesn't help I guess I will be off to the consultant Gynae.
I have tried;
Pop pill
Depo Injection
Mirena coil
Various vitamins and supplements
St. John's wort
None have helped.
In my personal case hrt is very much a last chance saloon.
No idea when women in my family go into meno as my mum and sis had hysterectomies by 35.
I am hoping to see Dr tomorrow so will update when I can.
I am 42.
Too young to feel like this
(My mum used hrt for years btw and was really annoyed when they took her off it!)

[PeterSpots]

Good luck tomorrow. I was hoping it was the menopause causing the face sensations as it is listed as a possible symptom with muscle twitches but I just don't know. It's been awful today. I wish you all good things tomorrow. I am so tearful at the moment so I am considering the ADs I hear been given. They also work for nerve pain so....... Only been on the hrt for 5 days which I know is a tiny, tiny time

[Bakeoffcake]

Peterspot, if you look at the Mental Health topic there are quite a few threads with people supporting each other whilst taking Ads.

It's very common to feel nervous about taking ADS, I was petrified of taking them, and actually waited 18mths from when the Dr first prescribed them. I wanted to try other things first but when they didn't solve things I did take the Ads. For me personally, they made a huge difference to my life and I bitterly regret not taking them when I was first advised to.

[pinkfrocks]

Exercise is very, very good for both peri meno and anxiety / depression. MIND have done a lot of research on this and there is info on their website. Exercising in green spaces has in some studies, been shown to be as effective as drugs for some types of mental health problems. Obviously, the main way it is thought to help is by boosting serotonin levels, the same as SSRIs.

MIND

MIND ecotherapy

It's worth a try if you aren't getting anywhere with other things.

[PeterSpots]

Thank you. The nerve sensations in my have really got worse today & it is like lots of fine needles and my face moves. I have been told by my gp that the AD may help with the nerve pain.

[Baddz]

Peter...have you been given amitruptylene by any chance?
I took them some years ago for ME/CDs and they are great!
They worked for me from day 1 (which is unusual)
Good luck.
I do feel for you x

[PeterSpots]

I was given a muscle relaxant by the facial specialist as he said it was from teeth clenching but the way it's feeling after 6 months isn't right. You can see my face move. When I found out about the bloods for the menopause I thought it could be an answer but it has stepped up a notch the last couple of days. That on top of the pelvic/bladder thing returning is awful.

[pinkfrocks]

Peter - it seems as if you have had lots of different diagnoses about your face- from a virus to teeth clenching. Must be very frustrating. If it was teeth clenching or grinding- which most people do when asleep - then a good dentist might be the way to go. someone in my family had headaches and facial discomfort and it was diagnosed as teeth grinding. Just another idea for you to think about.

But as said before, you really need to give the HRT 12 weeks.

[Baddz]

Could it be tmj pain Peter?
I have a night splint from my dentist for this.

[PeterSpots]

It could be. It's a tmj specialist I'm seeing on Monday who said it was TMD more face muscle than jaw. It's the face twitching & muscle spasm that have intensified. I know I was clutching at straws with the menopause & then the pelvic/bladder thing. Just needed a reason. It's getting worse. Maybe the muscles have become more tense. If I crunch my face my cheek and nose twitch. You can actually see my nose move from side to side. When that's not happening my cheeks are moving. I know doesn't sound like menopause. :( it could be hormones that has effected my bladder. Seems overwhelming. Get to work then come home

[pinkfrocks]

what symptoms are you having with your bladder?

[PeterSpots]

I had pelvic venous congestion years ago where the veins push on your organs. I have pressure very low down almost the last left quarter of my pelvic bone. It is sore & has pressure & is sore after I go to the toilet or my bladder feels full when it's not. It almost feels like urethra hurts.

[PeterSpots]

It feels the same as 16 years ago. Consultant won't do anything until I've been on hrt for a month. It's worse when I sit down

[pinkfrocks]

Has your dr tested you for a urine infection? Might be worth asking for this, if not.
You might have painful bladder syndrome- worth having a look at this site Cob foundation - and following the diet for a couple of weeks at least, especially cutting out irritating drinks and foods which can aggravate bladder pain.

AmiT is a drug that is used for relief of bladder pain so worth thinking about that too.

[pinkfrocks]

oh forgot- to add- you might have vaginal atrophy/ urethral symptoms caused by low oestrogen. Lots of women find that vaginal oestrogen helps but it can take a few weeks or even 6 months to work. You'd need to ask for Ovestin or Vagifem. Hope you have a kind and cooperative GP?

[Baddz]

I agree...take a irine sample in the surgery for the nurse to test.
Also, maybe try some gel down there?
I'm so sorry. It sounds awful

[ILoveteame]

Morning, Baddz if it was me I'd try anything. I mean what's the harm in trying something? Some people are prejudiced against ADs, but ADs help many people enjoy life again.

I believe in everything (within reason), hrt, complimetary, ads, cbt, exercise, diet, and I don't give a stuff what anyone else thinks about my beliefs. What ever works for a person, so long as they weigh up the benefits and the risks, and take medical advice.

pinfrocks the link you posted to the osteoporosis site still said about dangers of hrt, and to be fair I think elliotts possibly put the link to the bms because you said you were well informed and they were not funded by drug companies. BTW they do fund the bms - not just sponsor the conference. Just saying Peace, love, and all that.

Hope you feel better soon, Baddz and anyone else who's suffering.