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Menopause

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Original poster

amazing what 1mg of oestrogen per day can do

45 replies

RedRoses · 10/10/2019 17:10

Within a month - no hot flushes, brain fog gone, mood lifted, sleeping.
Thank god a I had a decent doctor who recognised the symptoms. Apparently in a recent survey of over 3000 menopausal women 66% of them had been offered or given anti depressants even though there is not evidence that they work

OP posts:
ScreamingValenta · 10/10/2019 17:14

That's great! Can I ask, do you take it as a tablet or a patch?

Original poster
RedRoses · 10/10/2019 17:16

I use the gel on my leg each night.

OP posts:
rosie39forever · 10/10/2019 19:25

Same here saved my life, I have a mirena and patches best decision I've ever made in years!

Original poster
RedRoses · 11/10/2019 08:52

Yes I have mirena as well

OP posts:
Inthenewsagain · 11/10/2019 08:55

Oooh sorry for being dim but is this HRT? Desperate for some solution to hot flushes and sleepless nights

Inthenewsagain · 11/10/2019 08:56

Did you have to have blood tests to ascertain oestrogen levels OP?

Ozziewozzie · 11/10/2019 08:57

Another huge thumbs up from me. Sleep deprivation was torture, (especially with two toddlers)
Now bedtime is sleep time.

Notwatchingtvtoday · 11/10/2019 09:11

I am the same, patch and Mirena here and feel so much better

bobstersmum · 11/10/2019 09:31

Can I ask how old you are op? I am only 38 but I do have a lot of menopause symptoms. I have seen the gp twice recently and lots been discussed but not that. I do have pcos and have just restarted metformin as it helped my symptoms last time for it. Wondering if it's worth mentioning to gp if there is a blood test?

Original poster
RedRoses · 11/10/2019 11:12

Yes HRT and no I didn't have blood tests - all the symptoms pointed to the cause.

Bobster - I am older than you and it is worth asking for a blood test. It is amazing how many GPs just don't understand menopause. Have a look for The menopause doctor on insta - she is a lifeline

OP posts:
ifeellikeanidiot · 11/10/2019 11:20

I'm really glad you're feeling better. In my experience, the impact of hrt on sleep is immediate and powerful

For those asking about blood tests, I was told by gp that there wasn't any point as they prove nothing. I suffered for years, and in the end paid for private bloods via medichecks. At 42 they showed I was completely post-meno. Fsh of 138, Lh of 76 and estradiol of 70. I ended up going private for hrt treatment because I didn't feel like I could go back to dr again. Theres only so many times you can turn down anti depressants! Private meno consultant has now handed care back over to gp who has agreed to carry on prescribing oestrgel/ utrogestan regime.

NameWithChange · 13/10/2019 10:12

@ifeellikeanidiot What lengths you had to go to! What a shame! I have been thinking about going to see someone privately but terrified of the cost

Djangor3725 · 17/10/2019 10:07

Complete life saver for me. I had early menopause with horrendous sleep deprivation to go with other symptoms. Due to the scare stories about cancer I was determined to avoid HRT & suffered for 9months trying various combinations of the herbal treatments etc that are recommended. Sadly nothing worked so I went to my surgery and was prescribed HRT. Subsequently found I had just seen a locum (although it had been clear at the time that she really didn't have a clue what to recommend). Can't remember which drug I was given but this had no effect. By pure chance I then found that my surgery actually had a nurse with special menopause treatment training. She put me on 1mg estradiol plus some progresterone & the sleep problems vanished within a week, and the other problems decreased drastically. Sadly the widespread shortages have affected the drugs I take so I will have to move to something else soon which is worrying. The severe sleep deprivation that I had before had made me so depressed that I was investigating suicide methods and Dignitas. I have since noticed that anti-histamine pills do make me drowsy (some are specifically labelled as non-drowsy) so I guess I may try these if the different HRT is less effective.

LuckyElle · 19/10/2019 16:04

Ladies , do you if Oestrogel pump-pack 0.06 gel opens your appetite or makes you put on weight ?

Abraid2 · 19/10/2019 18:08

It seemed to give me more appetite for the first week but then I’m eating as normal. I don’t weigh myself but my right gym leggings don’t feel any tighter and nor did my skinny jeans when I put them on for the first time this autumn! The only think I have noticed is that my rings are slightly tighter but I stopped taking magnesium every day and that might be why—I have restarted.

LuckyElle · 19/10/2019 18:33

@Abraid2
Thanks for that
I'm terrified on putting on weight
I think I have enough symptoms as it is Shock
I hate being a woman !
How long can we take the gel , indefinitely?
How about all the talk about the C word ?

Abraid2 · 19/10/2019 18:56

My doctor told me there was more risk of cancer from drinking more than a modest amount of wine and being overweight!

AnneKipanki · 19/10/2019 19:01

Ok . The C word .
HRT gets a lot of bad press unnecessarily.
There are great threads and more informed posters on meno threads.

LuckyElle · 20/10/2019 12:02

@Abraid2 thanks for that that's quite a relief..

LuckyElle · 20/10/2019 12:03

@AnneKipanki do you know the name of the post ?

YetAnotherSpartacus · 20/10/2019 12:06

Do you have to put up with periods again? And does it address menopausal weight gain?

Abraid2 · 20/10/2019 12:33

I am on continuous progesterone in the form of 100mg Utrogestan as I am 12-months plus since my last period. So no periods!

AnneKipanki · 20/10/2019 19:33

Eat more vegetables, moderate alcohol or none ...to keep weight down @LuckyElle .

LuckyElle · 21/10/2019 08:36

I've been using Estrogel Pump for 5 days
I'm very tired and I want to sleep all the time
Is this normal ?

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