Femoston conti 1mg/5mg

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I've been taking femoston conti for about 6 months as I was experiencing feeling very hot at night and intermittently during the day ( no sweating though). I also had vaginal dryness which I had never experienced before and a loss of libido. I was also prescribed a vagifem pessary for the dryness to be used once or twice a week. All the above symptoms have improved but I do seem to get abnormally tired and wondered if it's the Femoston conti causing it? Anyone experiencing the same thing. Also when I first stared taking it my skin was very itchy and prickly but took an anti histamine for a few weeks which seemed to stop it.

The conti types of HRT all contain oestrogen and progestogen. Many of us find that the progestogen causes side effects - can be similar to PMT- and it's one reason that women change HRT (to find one which suits them better.) The progestogen that is in femoston is supposedly one of the 'best' but it's all very individual. You can see all the ingredients in combined HRT on the www.menopausmatters.co.uk website under the menu Treatments/ HRT/ Post menopause.

You don't have to use conti HRT if you are post meno. Many of us still use sequential which does mean there is a bleed, but the upside is you avoid the side effects of daily progestogen.

Hi ladies today is my first day of my period and im supposed to take my first femoston . After reading all the reviews im scared to take it now not many good stories on here . Im at the start of the menopause and cant make my mind up to take these tablets has anyone got any positive feedback about these tabs there the 1/10 white n grey ones . I mean im not suffering with the menopause just a bit agitated thankyou girls all feedback would be welcome sam x

Not sure what you mean by the reviews being bad? Femoston is supposed to be a well tolerated type of HRT? What have you read? Don't forget that people tend to post when things aren't going well- there are loads of women on HRT who are getting on with life and feeling great!

Hi - I took that for over a year and it was fine. On 2/10 now.

Eat well, exercise well, look after yourself and you will be fine. Give it the full 3 months to try it out. As time goes on, you will settle more.

It is a good time to take stock of your general health and diet etc and the femeston can add to that and give you a bit of consistency as well.

I've been on FC 1/5 for 18 months, without problems. However, I seem to be having all the symptoms of the menopause again; hot flushes, terrible sleep-always waking up every hour or so, headache and moodiness - same as if I'm having a period (no bleeding).
I'm unsure what is going on, thought Perhaps my body is now used to the HRT medicine and I need to up dosage or change.
Please is there anyone who has experienced this or similar, or has advise. Many thanks ladies x

Hi - I was told that if symptoms went away and then came back, you needed a higher oestrogen dose.

However, a friend of mine had this happen, and the nurse did bloods, and told her that her liver was metabolising the oestrogen tablets too quickly and to try transdermal, which worked for her.

I don't think there is a continuous preparation with that same progestogen and a higher dose of oestrogen.

Do you have a supportive surgery?

You might need to look at the 2mgs version as terrylene suggests. Or change to patches. Pills are poorly absorbed so a lot is lost in digestion. Some women find them convenient but I prefer gel for oestrogen and a separate progestogen.

Terrylene and Pollyperky - Many thanks for your answers, I thought my message was a long shot as the topic started a couple of years ago!
I think the way to go is possibly with patches and an increase of oestrogen. Unfortunately, I live overseas moving frequently with my work, so access to an ongoing doctor or clinic is difficult, therefore I haven't had the opportunity to build up history with one doctor. But now, at least I know what to ask for. Cheers x

Just started femoston Conti today. I'm 53 and had womb eblation 4 years ago so don't have periods. Daily hot flushes and night sweats have driven me to it. I'll keep you posted ......

I've been on femoston Conti for 6 weeks , all is going well apart from my sleep is all over the place once the grey tablets kick in . My husband mentioned I'm really hyper and don't stop talking !!!😁 Has anyone else experienced this? . I'm not tired even though I'm surviving on 4-5 hours sleep on the grey tablets. I hoping the hyper mood might help me loose a few pounds - silver lining and all that !!

I've been on Femoston 1/10 for almost 4 weeks. In all honesty i dont think they are doing much. I feel less hot which is great but I've developed spots & had period pains on & off for 2 weeks.

I would be surprised if they were the readon for you feeling so active but maybe worth bringing up at your HRT review?

IM 50 and after 3 years of night sweats I started Femoston. This was 4 months ago. My night sweats stopped immediately which was awesome. I thought everything would go back to normal and I'd start sleeping again. However, as the months go by my sweats are returning and the headaches, dizziness, lack of energy, and general sick feeling during ovulation is unbearable. Does anyone have any ideas? Also I have NO libido what so ever.

You might need a higher dose or a totally different type. After 3 years your own hormone (estrogen) is likely to have fallen even more, so the 1mg may simply not be enough. Also pill form of HRT doesn't suit everyone because a lot can be lost in digestion (so you may not even be absorbing anything like 1mg) . maybe ask for 2mg dose , if pills, or consider patches or gel now where the estrogen goes directly into your blood stream?

Hello everyone, Does anyone have any experience of being prescribed Femoston-Conti 1/5 for women who are peri-menopausal? still having periods. The literature seems to say it’s for post-menopausal women, worried It’s the wrong type of HRT.

Femoston comes in 2 types- google Femoston.
One is sequential, one is continuous. Which is yours? You should be able to tell from the info in the box and how the tablets look. You need sequential.

Femoston sequi is 10mgs progestogen 12 days of the month. Looks as if you have got the wrong type :(
Better ask the pharmacist what the script said and phone your GP.

Hi PollyPerky, thanks for your reply, yes it’s continuous, need to go back to Gp again I think. 😡

Hi I've been taking femoston for one month the white tablets have been fine but since going onto the grey tablets have had the most horrendous periods, very heavy bleeding bad tummy pain anybody else experience this. These are my first HRT tablets ...😔

Hi has anyone had their gp prescribe hrt when they are perimenopausal? I have been suffering terrible symptoms for the past 4years im going to be 50 in april, I had to quit my job last year cos things got so bad.The main problem is sleep, i just wake up after 3/4 hrs every night ,not even hot sweats,i rarely have them,but do get very hot during the day,i also have bad anxiety,depression,vaginal dryness,dry itchy skin,dry eye syndrome,bloatedness,irregular periods,terrible mood swings etc,My body is crying out for some oestrogen!! my gp keeps saying that i can't be prescribed hrt until i am period free for a year,i just keep getting offered antidepressants,i tried prozac they made the sleep problem even worse,tries citalopram and mirtazapine they turned me into a zombie that just wanted to lie on the couch and sleep all day,then finally i tried amitriptyline which i have been on for over a year but i still feel awful most days i wake up drowsy and need 3 coffees before i can step over the door,i cant take anymore,i have also got a son who has autism to care for,my dh has to do everything because im always ill, My gp is totally unsympathetic,have went to 4 different ones they all hit we with the same reply,im so desperate now that im thinking of lying to gp next appt and saying i havent had a period for a year so that i can get the hrt,but the thing is she might give me continious hrt instead of sequential based on this and im worried that this could make me worse, Please if anyone out there could give me any little snippet of advice it would be greatly appreciated,sorry for such a long post

I really can't believe that in almost 2020 there are still GPs who are so out of touch and ignorant. It's a disgrace.

(ps you might get more replies if you start your own thread as yours is tagged onto one about Femoston...)

There are TWO types of HRT

1 for peri meo

2 for post meno

See this link

www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatment.php

Change your practice, or go in armed with information printed off.

Of COURSE you need HRT.

hi, thanks for youre help,i know it is unbelievable that this is still going on,whats more the gp that I have seen is a woman and her specialist subject is menopause !! ive got an appt next tues and I don't know whether to print out the info and show it to her or just lie and say Ive not had a period for a year to definitely get a prescription for hrt,thanks for the link,I don't see how doctors don't know this info,or else they do and they are being instructed not to hand it out to save money ,the mind boggles ,anyway thanks I'l report back on how I get on ,hope im successful cos this is my last resort !!

@charli32 For the sake and health of all the other women she sees, you need to tell her the truth and educate her! It's totally ridiculous and I'd go as far as saying you might want to raise with the practice in any case as they have an incompetent dr.

Hi, after a very sleepless night on monday I went to my gp appt and decided just to lie as I knew that If I told the truth I wouldn't get the hrt and Im desperate for it ! As soon as I said I hadn't had a period for 1 year she practically handed me the hrt on a plate!! she also gave me a print out on the menopause LOL she should read it herself! I stuffed it in my handbag along with the prescription and left.Now I know that I should be on cyclical combined hrt (which allows for a bleed) but because I had to lie to her she has given me Kliovance which is a low dose combined continuous hrt which doesn't allow for a bleed. Im now worried about taking it in case I cause myself harm, I've started a new thread on this asking for advice from others whom might have taken kliovance whilst perimenopausal to see if it is ok and not dangerous. I know I must sound nuts but every single female dr in the practise stands by the no hrt until 1 year has passed rule! So ive felt that Ive had no choice other than to lie,and the best part is ,when I got home I read the hand out she gave me and low and behold its the same nhs advice that I was going to take to show her !! it mentions the cyclical hrt for the perimenopause,so im now convinced that they know this but because of the hrt shortage they are not handing it out.Its a total disgrace ,sorry for going on at length

Can increasing femoston make you have more symptoms

I have been on Femoston 2/10 since 1994 and GP has persuaded me to try Femoston Conti. I have been taking it for three weeks and have on and off bleeding, period pains, feel very low one minute then hyper and stressed the next! I am so tempted to do back to the 2/10!! Any advise gratefully received!! x