HRT

[Givememylifeback]

I have been suffering with various different symptoms for the last 18 months, from severe anxiety, depression, fatigue, mood swings, night sweats, itchy skin and vagina, memory and concentration problems. The anxiety comes seven to ten days post bleed and lasts for seven days then disappears and normal life resumes, only to re-appear the following month. Last week the Dr prescribed me HRT patches which I started yesterday. I have felt awful today, detached and spaced out, is this normal when starting on patches and if so does it settle? I just feel my life is out of control and its very scary. Before any of this started I was a very fit, confident, fun loving individual. Please help me make sense of all of this

Sounds horrible.

What age are you now and what type of patch are you on?

It may be that the strength of the patch is too strong. I don't know- we need more details!

Oestrogen usually makes women feel good but it depends on the dose. It's just possible the dose is too low which might mean it's not having any effect and your symptoms are what you'd have anyway- only you know the difference.

Personally, I've always used Oestrogel, rather than a patch. This was recommended by my consultant because they said it's so easy to adjust the dose. You can start off with a pea sized amount (half a measure) and then go all the way up to 4 whole measures - whatever is needed to control symptoms. When I first used it a small measure did no good, I had to use 2, but then 2 measures at once made me feel sick so I split the application morning and evening and that works really well.

So...you might need to experiment with the dose of patch or ask to swap to gel?

It takes a while to adjust - I was certainly spaced out the first week.

I am on estraderm patches, lowest dose, I'm 40 turning 40 in 3 months.

Can I have some advice on my on going issues with Estraderm patches. I am a few months off turning 41 and have been put on the lowest dose of these patches, but I feel worse than I did before starting them. I am also on AD (venlafaxine) could they be interacting with the patch? I feel fuzzy headed and spaced out. This is my 6th day on the patches. I feel like I've aged 10 years in 6 days, I'm normally a fit, busy person but this week I feel like a sloth!!!! Please help me, should I go back to the GP tomorrow? I feel very confused

Hi
I'm not quite sure what to say as I get embarrassed. But here goes I'm 41 years old an suffer with mild bipola. I have suffered with night Sweat's since I was in my early 20s. But I'm having full on drip wet night Sweat's. I sleep with my window wide open in the cold weather an sweat as bad. My moods r up an down but I put that down to my bipola. I'm suffering this is the bit I'm embarrassed about, vertical dryness, some days worse than others but is more frequent, an sometimes hard to we. Is this the bigging of the menapouse? I don't have periods as I have a hormonal coil I have had this for 12 years an I'm on for my third coil. I find them fantastic, so I can't tell from my periods. Any help will do do I no what remedy to buy . thank u xx

Leah- didn't want your post to go unanswered, but maybe you could post a new thread because this is tagged on to HRT and many people won't read it.

Are you asking about 'vaginal' dryness ( assume 'vertical' is an error form predictive text!)

There are lots of easy treatments such as vaginal creams and small pessaries- see your GP and ask about it.