Sorry this is long but I was wondering if anyone could help.
I’m 43. I’ve had PMDD (extreme PMS) for a few years. I tried several progesterone contraceptives (different brands of combined pills, mini pill, depo injection, Mirena coil). I also had a womb ablation as I couldn’t cope with the extreme bleeding (soaking through clothes, having to sleep or sit on a puppy training pad to protect furniture etc). All the progesterone based treatments made the PMDD symptoms worse so they decided I was sensitive to progesterone.
I then tried several SSRI’s but didn’t get on with any of them.
They put me on GNRH analogue injections which shut down your ovaries. I was fine on these, felt really well and the only side effect was the odd mild hot flush that I could cope with.
They decided to remove my ovaries and I expected continuing to be well. That didn’t happen.
Menopause has hit with a vengeance now. I’m getting frequent hot flushes where I go bright red and sweaty as if I’ve just ran a race. It’s embarrassing as I work with the general public and it wakes me up several times every night. I’ve also got really bad vaginal dryness.
Several HRT’s have progesterone’s that found in birth control that I have already had bad reactions to, so I wanted to be on estrogen only HRT. I was told I must go on combined, so I’ve been put on Femoston conti 0.5/2.5.
I’ve been on it two weeks now and it’s awful. All of the PMDD symptoms have come back. I’ve got a very low mood, sore boobs, greasy hair and skin and I just feel run down. I don’t think there is enough estrogen as it hasn’t helped at all with the hot flushes or vaginal dryness.
I have rang the hospital who did my operation for advice. They can’t give advice over the phone and told me to see my GP. My GP has written to them and their advice was estrogen gel with a Mirena coil. I rejected this idea as I’ve already had a bad reaction to Mirena so I don’t want another one put back in.
I’ve begged my GP to increase the estrogen with either gel but this was refused. The vaginal dryness is really bad as it’s so uncomfortable all of the time, so I asked for Vagifem or similar but was refused. I have to give the Femoston three months before they will see me again.
I can’t put up with an itchy vagina and feeling depressed for three months.
Before I lost my ovaries, I felt the most well in my early cycle when the estrogen was high and it was at ovulation when the progesterone rose that my symptoms got worse. I’ve explained why I think I need to be on high estrogen only HRT but the doctor says I need progesterone to protect my womb lining, even though I don’t have one anymore as I had ablation. I don’t understand this. I also don’t understand why I’m on ultra low dose HRT when I’ve suddenly gone from having hormones to having no hormones at all.
If anyone can help me make sense of this, I would appreciate it.