Stop the world I wanna get off: Menopause is not going to plan so I'm cancelling it!

[KatyMac]

HRT here I come!!!

A combination of:
Emotional numbness/lack of interest
Insomnia (which for someone with chronic fatigue is a bloody nightmare)
Eating and drinking all night - blood sugar dropping so much about 3am!
And so bloated I could cry! never mind the bowel issues

I had a surgical menopause and was looking out for hot flushes/night sweats....but I can deal with them! The other crap? Hell no! I need drugs

I was hoping for a nice gentle wind down not staring numb exhaustion and wind

Becasue I will overdose as I'll be having too much oestrogen?

I didn't think that was a thing

I am on Everol Conti and estriol cream.
I had to up my dose of cream recently due to a problem

I'm confused. Has your GP told you that you have to stop Vagifem?
If so, you need another GP because that is completely incorrect.

If you are assuming and they have not said that, then it's not the case.

Using Vagifem for 1 year is the same dose of estrogen as in a 1mg estrogen pill ( one day's worth of HRT.)

Women who have had breast cancer are usually allowed to use it

if your GP has refused, you need to find another one as they are very out of touch with latest guidelines.

@JinglingHellsBells is right . There is a miniscule amount of oestrogen in the cream .

Yes she said it would be too much - I said it was extremely low dose and she said you really can't have both

I wanted to ask for some of the cream for VA too as on Menopause matters they say often a bit of both works well but I didn't dare

Oh and I can't cut the patches as that is dangerous

I think you should go back . Is there another doctor you can see?

Nice guidelines say take both so I'll have to take that in when I go back

Should I ask to see the practise nurse that does HRT?

Urogenital atrophy

1.4.9 Offer vaginal oestrogen to women with urogenital atrophy (including those on systemic HRT) and continue treatment for as long as needed to relieve symptoms.

1.4.10 Consider vaginal oestrogen for women with urogenital atrophy in whom systemic HRT is contraindicated, after seeking advice from a healthcare professional with expertise in menopause.

1.4.11 If vaginal oestrogen does not relieve symptoms of urogenital atrophy, consider increasing the dose after seeking advice from a healthcare professional with expertise in menopause.

1.4.12 Explain to women with urogenital atrophy that:

symptoms often come back when treatment is stopped

adverse effects from vaginal oestrogen are very rare

they should report unscheduled vaginal bleeding to their GP.

1.4.13 Advise women with vaginal dryness that moisturisers and lubricants can be used alone or in addition to vaginal oestrogen.

1.4.14 Do not offer routine monitoring of endometrial thickness during treatment for urogenital atrophy.

I could say (on Monday maybe) that I was confused after I left and wanted to talk it through and didn't want to waste the doctors time?

You said you wanted to ask her for cream for VA- but she'd alreacy said you couldn't have both?

If you were already using Vagifem that is for VA.

I'm a bit confused.

Did she say no when you asked, or did she say you couldn't have both without you asking, end of conversation?

I don't know about asking the practice nurse.
A nurse should not in theory be able to overrule a GP in terms of prescribing but you could try. It may be practice policy - in which case they all need CPD and update their knowledge of HRT.

I asked for the new HRT as I am struggling. I asked for a repeat of the Vagifem and she said I couldn't take both

So I didn't bother asking for the gel - I'd been reading on Menopause matters that lots of people use the pessary and a bit of gel as well if they need it (unless I completely misunderstood)

I think you are a bit confused over the types of vaginal estrogen.

Vagifem is a small pellet, and Ovestin is a white cream in a small tube (not a gel- best not to ask for gel as she may think you mean Estrogel which is for systemic HRT.)

Both are supposed to be inserted into the vagina with the same regime: 14 days, daily, then 2 x a week thereafter.

Some women (but maybe only some) appear to use some Ovestin externally but I think this is quite unusual.

If Ovestin is prescribed it can be used in both ways. In reality, the cream works its way out and you will find it on your vulva, just outside the vagina, without having to use any more.

Both products are treatment for vaginal atrophy. I've used Ovestin for 12 years. I am quite happy with it at the moment (and am full HRT anyway.)

Can you go back to see the dr who did your op? They should be following up and advising your Gp. Otherwise, maybe find a menopause clinic or a private meno expert? Or another GP at the practice?

The vagifem isn't really working I did the 2 weeks then twice a week after a while the gp said to now use every other day

I'm not really in the best place to make decisions atm - the hospital have said GPs do HRT

I need a bloody keeper atm

Oh dear :(

Because you've lost your ovaries you will have no estrogen of your own.

It looks as if you will need HRT and Vagifem/Ovestin to sort out the VA.

If your GP says use it 3 x a week, WTF has she stopped it?? You need both.

But it can also take a while to work; sometimes 3-6 months to put the tissues right back to normal.

How horrible for you.

I wonder if I can buy them online? I'm alos looking at testosterone

The pessaries come out between 6 and 8 hrs after I use them - I wondered if the cream would be better

I am a competent, capable, assertive woman - except at the doctors/hospital when I become an ineffectual doormat

The doctor seemed surprised I hadn't had a period since my op - I didn't think I could have a period naturally now, can i?

You're kidding?
Your GP thinks you would have a period?
Did they mean a withdrawal bleed from HRT?

You can only get any form of estrogen with a prescription unless - so I've heard- in Spain.

After 6-8 hours the Vagifem should be absorbed. Are you inserting it a night?

No - she asked when my period was post op - I said I'd had one 10 days before and none since and she seem surprised

I was doing it at night but pooping at 3am so we tried the morning

Either way my IBS/rectocele/prolapse was expelling it as a lump at about the same point 6/8 hrs later

I think/hope I can see an online doctor.....need to do more research

Otherwise Spain is nice for a holiday

I use vagifem and evorel (estrogen only) patches. I already have the Mirena coil so that gives me the progesterone.

I second the fact that a years worth of vagifem is equal to 1 HRT pill.

The vagifem pellet isn’t always totally absorbed after 6-8 hrs. I’ve had showers where I gave my fanjo a “swilling” that amount of time after and a little bit of sludge came out which was I assumed the partially dissolved pellet. I do try to get it up quite high before I shoot the applicator

You need to change your dr- she sounds unqualified! If this is really what she asked, she ought to be struck off. It's beyond ridiculous and I hope you can see that.

You ought not to have to resort to buying drugs online.
The prices are crazy for a start, even if you get an online appt.

This is after-care after a major op.
Your GP - not the one you are seeing- is the person to look after you. OR you pay to see a meno consultant. Like you did for your DEXA scan (any news on that?)

please be assertive.
There must be another practice you can join, or another GP at your current one.

Just collected my HRT from the pharmacy a s they has to order it in

It says "don't take if you have....fibroids......gallstones....." Guess what!!

Really?
I've just read the HUGE leaflet that comes with my Oestrogel.
It says nothing about fibroids at all.

It does say that your should have discussed gall stones with your GP first (this is because there is a very very small risk of gallstones with all HRT).

Can you take a photo of the part that says that?

I've had a fibroid all the time I've used HRT- 11 years- my gynae consultant knows and it's not an issue.

Please remember that all those leaflets- for any drugs, even OTC pain killers - are there in case of litigation; any side effects- even 1:1,000000 have to be reported during research trials and will be included on the leaflets.

I have uterine fibroids...a family of the bloody things, and due to the largest bouncing on my bladder I’m being seen by the gynae consultant. No mention of stopping HRT though , the the progesterone in the Mirena is potentially supposed to help

Which one have you been given OP?