In such a pickle!

[Runaround50]

Well it’s Boxing Day and I’ve been awake for hours wondering what to do.

Been on HRT patch with daily utrogestan for 16 months.
Post menopausal by 3 years. The patch suited me, mood was good and felt balanced.

Within 4 months, experienced a slight bleed.
Then 2 months later, a period type bleed.

Been bleeding on and off all year with pain.

Had 2 womb biopsies and hysteroscopy . Both clear (April 2021).

Had a further gynecologist appointment 3 weeks ago, she wouldn’t scan me, and said I must wait 8weeks!

Started bleeding last Friday, rang GP to try to escalate scan.
Called 111, was told 8 weeks is acceptable and to try to arrange private scan.

Then decided to come off HRT, , as was sick of bleeding.
HUGE mistake! Feel like I’m slowly dying. Irritable, tearful, joint aches,, jittery, lifeless, flat, just awful.

Thought I could ride the storm, but I can’t.
My body is in turmoil.
What do I do?

I cut a 100 patch to 50 and stuck that on Friday. Feel no better and period pains.

It might be better if I was dying as at least these awful feelings would disappear 😢😡

That sounds awful.
Is 111 or a&e an option if you're in such pain? If it's meno related is it worth just paying to see a menopause specialist and paying for it all privately? It sounds absolutely terrible.

Chickadeee, this is just a snippet of the story.
I am a breast cancer survivor and had to go under a specialist anyway, at the Chelsea and Westminster clinic. I am not local to London else they would have scanned me earlier. It is local gynae who are dragging their feet.

I’ve also paid for a private specialist, to see what other options there are HRT wise. Trouble is, she is only prepared to prescribe minimal doses of HRT , which isn’t enough for me. Chelsea are more flexible but ideally don’t to alter my progesterone.

Such a mess

Oh no, this sounds so hard for you. I'm sorry 😢
Have you seen a Menopause specialist privately? Ive seen Louise Newton online often talks about options after breast cancer. She seems to think everyone has options. Have you seen her private clinic?

@chickadeee
Yes I’ve seen a private specialist.
Well I’ve halved my patch to 50mg, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed, no bleeding. Feel slightly more balanced today, so I definitely need oestrogen.

Thanks again 😊

Do you know if your patches are reservoir or matrix? Cutting a reservoir patch destroys it so you may not be getting the dose of estrogen you think.

No clue Herman.
How would I find out?
My thinking was, that if I felt okay, I would get my prescription altered to the lower dose.

What patches do you have? It should say Mx on the packaging somewhere if it's a matrix patch. I had a list somewhere but I'm damned if I can find it! How about switching to gel estrogen so you can adjust with the number of pumps you use?

They are EVOREL Oestrogen only.
Just looked it up and they are matrix patches,
Have cut fairly equally so will see.

I like that steady flow of Oestrogen, however, I may just not be suited to this HRT due to the bleeding I’m experiencing.

Tried sandrena for couple of weeks and felt very ill.

Ah good. At least you are getting pretty much a half dose and can see how you go on that.

Not a bad day today on the half dose Heman, but I dare not relax yet. If I can feel relatively normal on the 50 patch, trust me, I will be one happy being!!