I had a hysterectomy when I was 34, vaginal, leaving the ovaries. then at 37 or 38 I started having the crying and stuff, so doctor put me on the patches, which only stayed stuck on my skin a couple days, so got real expensive changing them out all the time. Then tried pills, and after trying about 5 different kinds over a period of 4 or 5 years, I gave up. They just didn't work like the patches. Never knew about weaning off them. That would have been useful to know... By then the doctors were all up in the air about the cancer scare so they didn't want to try anything else on me either. So I rock along for 15 or so years, feeling like crap, you know, all the same symptoms, plus now I have osteopenia, and had hip replacement last year. And I am just sick of not feeling like myself. This is no way to live, the sleeplessness (which can cause one to get alzheimer's I have read) and the crying, anger, weight fluxuation, all of it. For this long. So my daughter told me they said just kidding about the cancer thing (nobody ever said anything to me?) and maybe I should try them again. So today I go to the GYN specifically for that and was told that since I had been off for over ten years, that it is "too dangerous." Really? It is stuff that I had in my body all my life until menopause. I told her I would rather die than to live this way for the rest of my life. She just said she was sorry. Really??? I am 64, and don't feel like I am just here wasting time til I die. I am a contributing member of society. She had the nerve to tell me I was too old to start them again, that I just need to take Paxil. Paxil!!! That stuff (yes, we went the antidepressant route too) was horrible and I would not give it to anyone ever.... I told her I didn't have a depression problem, it is hormonal. Then she offered some cream for vaginal dryness after I had just told her it was not in use since over a year ago, due to lack of libido from no hormones. Do they ever listen? So I called and talked to the nurse at the doctor's office who does the bioidentical hrt with the little sub cutaneous pellets after blood work so they know what I need. She said there is no reason to feel old if I don't have to. I told her I don't mind feeling 64, but would like to feel like myself and not feel like a spayed dog. Do any of y'all have any experience with this? I am through feeling like this, and am willing to try just about anything at this point. This nurse practitioner acted like I am just a drain on the system and should just accept feeling like this. This doctor seems to at least care about the patients, and he does "men's health" also. Any feed back would be much appreciated. I am glad I found this site, because it is shocking to become aware of all the women going through the same thing and so many doctors just seem to not care. I thought we had made more progress in society than this.....
Hi i am 61 been on hrt for about 10 years things were good then i got to 60 she sed it not right now to been on it so she sed try fluoxetine i told her it my life and i was willing to take that risk but still no so when i found this site thay all sed go and see sum one else so i went to see a nurse and she give them to me.than i had to go back and see my doc after 4 weeks so i did and she sed it not go for u to bèe on them so then she tells me she on them so i told her to do suming so she give me medroxyproesterone so see wot thay do .good luckx
Well, I hope that works for you. I hate it that the doctors are so anxious to take us off HRT or to not start it, because I know if they felt this bad, they would do something about it. They talk about side effects but the reality is much worse than the chance of getting side effects for me. I 100% feel like crap and I don't care what the statistics are for possible side effects, because they are not real to me, and this is real and is not just some percentage. I feel terrible and that is not just a chance. It is real. Why are they so against the HRT? I don't know. I am going next Tuesday to get the pellet. Going today to get blood work. I guess we will see what happens.
Please let us know how you do Kathleen. I'm interested in hearing your experience. I'm 60 and feeling much the same way.
I sure will. Well, the lab didn't get the information they needed to do the bloodwork yesterday, so I guess we shall see what happens today. Sometimes I get really discouraged with all of this. Well, lots of times I do. But I will keep you posted, and my husband is finally wanting to do something about his failing hormonal situation also. Wonder of wonders, right? I don't want to be foaming at the mouth and get my hopes all up over this, because I did that last time and was disappointed miserably by the substandard medical provider I saw. But I am the eternal optimist, so am still excited at the thought of my having a chance at getting my old self back. I am still overwhelmed at the number of women who are being abused by the medical community with regard to our having a medical need for HRT and being refused this treatment by the medical providers. How can we change this???
The way I see it, this is the only life we have and we should do whatever we want to do if it improves our quality of life. I honestly believe if peri and meno was a "male" problem, there would have been far more advancements in treatments. It seems all we have is fear mongering and outdated medical treatments. I'm 50 and have been on bhrt for about a year and a half. I was so afraid of it for so long, but I was depressed and practically suicidal, so when I got tired of just existing, I tried it. I wish I had done it years ago. It has helped so much.
I agree we have one life so live the doc go on about side afects off hrt but just look at all other tablets please let me know how u all get on
Hi Kathleen, When I had my hysterectomy and oopherectomy at age 38 in 1989 my surgeon implanted an estradiol pellet immediately. It was better than sliced bread - the best invention. Then some years later they stopped making them. So I, like many others went on to the patches. So tedious, after not having to do anything about my hrt for at least 9 months of the year. I would have a 12 month one but my body needs more oestrogen than most and it would run out at 9 months. But I was allowed to re implant when needed.
The patches used to stick better but the glue was irritating. Now the patches don't remain stuck. As it was the oestrogen would run out before its time and I would supplement with a gel on the 7th day.
Then I found out I could get a compound chemist to make up the oestradiol pellets with a script from my dr. However, it did not seem to work as well as the original, although they assured me that it was exactly the same. Two implants did not work at all, and I had to keep on going with the patches.
The compound chemist said my gp was not implanting them properly. They must be inserted in a fatty area (of the abdomen usually). As I have had many over the years, it know it was not my gp's fault. This year, once again my gp insisted I increase my Ralovera which is a progestin (a drug pretending to be a hormone). My night sweats and head sweats were immediately worse. I immediately stopped the Ralovera. Theoretically I don't need Ralovera as I don't have a uterus but I was originally put on them by another gp when I told her I used to have very bad endometriosis which the surgeon removed but there may have been some that the eye could not see and this is activated by the oestrogen.
I had no problem with only 5mg(?) a day, but when my current gp insisted I needed more balance, i.e. more progestin (it is not progesterone) to correct my oestrogen dominance - everything would go haywire. I searched about oestrogen dominance, and found that really there is no such thing in menopause and I don't need progestin (anymore), and that we need as much oestrogen as it takes to reduce menopause symptoms. I found a gyneacologist from Leicester whose research stated that sometimes up to 1200 pbs (sorry can't remember exactly - as I am in bed now) to be symptom free.
So while away on hols, I stopped all progestin, and finally my oestrogen started working again. I still need to top it up with gel to be sweat free at night. So while I was thinking I was not getting true oestradiol from the compound chemist, it may have been me being oestradiol resistant because progestogen in any form is an oestrogen antagonist. I think my gp's thinking is being mixed up with having hormone balance pre menopause but post menopause, we do not need that.
So now I feel ready to try the implants again. The compound chemist also told me that the pellets only last 4-6 months (that is a 100mg one) and the old version used to be the same. But that is not true, as the 100mg was meant to last about 1 year, just that my body uses it up faster.
I have told you all that so you are aware of what can go wrong, but it is not the pellet's fault (unless the compound chemist uses poor quality product).
Blood work is not really necessary to work out what you need. Your body just uses the oestrogen as it is needed. So a 50mg one will run out faster than a 100mg. It is not about being a stronger dose, like oral or patches. That is the beauty of the implants. The body uses it as required.
Good luck, I think you will be very happy with it.
PS: I stayed on the patches till I felt the pellet kick in - for me it was a surge/fullness in the breasts.
That is exactly how I feel about it. I have gotten the message over the past week in going to doctors and also in reading forums like this, that women are expendable, especially after we are done having babies. I am sorry, but I am not expendable and I am not done living. This is ridiculous. People talk about how far women's rights, etc... have come, but I will tell you, that is basically superficial, in my opinion. Health care is core stuff and when we are denied the right to competent health care, that is not good, and just shows how far we still need to go. Do doctors not remember they work for us???
You are so right!! and I will let you know. I go to the doctor on Tuesday morning, so will let y'all know what happens.
You right i think thay do not care if you were on dugs and drink you get all the help you wot
Yep, you are so right, and I just don't get it. Since when are they living in our bodies, and know how we feel? And why do they get to decide whether we take their advice and live like vegetables or have a good rest of our lives? I 100% feel terrible. I rfeally don't care about their probabilities and statistics. So far, I have lived about 43 years longer than I ever thought I would when I was young, so it is all a gift at this point in my eyes. I have lived a life, I believe to its fullest and of my capabilities so far, and I don't plan on changing that at this point. So I think we "old ladies" should unite and start some sort of movement or petition to the government or something. You can't tell me there are no menopausal old ladies in power who are on hormone replacement therapy and know what would happen if it was jerked away from them. And are there none to whom this has happened? So we all need to act on this. I am going to start writing letters. It can't hurt. People already think I am crazy because I have not had my hormones for years (haha) so what have we got to lose??? If we don't do anything, bond together and be active, we are complicent in their whole attitude and actions. Dontcha think? Of course, I have always been a boat rocker, but right is right, and wrong is wrong, so there ya go..... I will let you know what goes on at my appointment tomorrow. I am anxious to get this started and begin feeling like a human again. Thanks for being here!!
Hi Kathleen, I responded to you about my fairly extensive experience with pellets (which I think are the best thing since sliced bread) but the Moderator is holding it up. I don't understand why. I have not included an URL or said a 'bad' word.
It is too wordy to repeat, but go for it, the pellets are so much less problematic. I have had some problem in the last couple of years but I have worked out that it is because my gp was insisting I start taking Provera which is an oestrogen antagonist (and a drug pretending to be a hormone) and was making me oestrogen resistent. As I don't have a uterus, Provera was not necessary.
Hi, Shery.
I was wondering what the hold up was. Go figure, right? Thanks for the input. I am going tomorrow morning, and am pretty happy about the possibility of feeling like myself again. I am not unrealistic and expecting to feel 20 again. I am 64 and would at least like to feel 64 instead of dead inside. I don't think that is too much to ask. It is no skin off their nose to prescribe this stuff. Is it a malpractice lawsuit that scares them in the far fetched case that something doesn't work a planned? Isn't that a part of the medical "practice?" Hence, the term "practice" for what medical personnel do? I will let you know what happens. I hope my positive anticipation is not misplaced. Thanks for the info!
Hi kathleen good for you i am 61 and my doc sed no u should not been on it bad for u but my life why not then she tells me she takeing it come .let us know how u get on x
Kathleen, one more thing I have discovered over the years. With implanted pellets the body absorbs only what it needs when it needs. A stronger pellet just means it will last longer. It is not that you will get a stronger dose. A lower mg of oestrogen means it will run out faster, not a lessor dose.
Hi, Sheryl,
Very good to know. That is kinda neat, right?
Hi All, I thought I would join and share some of my experiences and observations. I am 67, started menopause at 38, had complete hysterectomy at 43. The main problem we have is that we are in the minority. My experience has been that a small percentage of women have SEVERE menopausal symptoms. Most of my friends and family can't even relate and some act as if it must be mostly "psychological". If more people knew how "real" it is, there would be more help out there. I have run the entire gamut of what I am reading in these posts. To sum it up, becoming someone I totally did not know, in fact like something had completely taken over and made me the opposite of who I had been. When I hear or see on the news of a woman doing something extreme and "out of character", hormonal problems is the first thing I think of because I know the feelings all too well. On to my treatment....I could not take HRT by mouth as I would see no benefit at all and initially because I had not had a hysterectomy I had to also take progesterone which made me meaner during the time I was taking it. We started out on Estraderm patches .025, then .050 to .075 and finally to .1. That was a God send, that and the hysterectomy so I didn't have to continue the progesterone. I was completely normal for 20+ years until they stopped making that brand of patches. I tried everything and it all failed, I know , doesn't make sense, one patch with the same dosage should work as good as the next right? Wrong....then I tried a generic brand made by Sandoz, Estradiol .1, and it worked just like the Estraderm patch until my last refill 2 weeks ago. I am wearing it but all my symptoms are back with a vengeance. When I use the words to describe my feelings just know that each one has to be AMPLIFIED, like impatient would be radio volume at normal listening range but IMPATIENT would be the volume so loud it would burst your eardrums. See with severe menopause even descriptive words have a whole new meaning. ILL TEMPERED, DEPRESSED (don't want to interact with anyone about anything), lack of interest in anything, can't get excited about or look forward to anything, in short no interest in life, INSOMNIA, HOT FLASHES, SEX??? I do not take any prescription or over the counter drugs, I even have to have a really, really bad headache to even take an Advil. I am not sure what to do at this point as I will not take antidepressants. The only change recently is that I had to have an epidural for my back, a repeat of one I had in 2013. I don't know if that could have caused this change or not. I will keep praying for an answer for all of us.
Hi again, After my previous post, I decided to google to see if epidural (cortisteroid shots) could cause hormonal changes and here is what I found. I believe now that this is why my patches have appeared to stop working.
Steroids can alter any and all hormone functions of your H-P-A axis, which means it can effect sleep, metabolism, temperature, cognition, energy level, etc. Glucocortocoids can induce hypo/hyperthyroid symptoms (weight gain/loss, insomnia/hypersomnia, intolerance to heat/cold, heart palpitations/ slow heart rate, anxiety & depression/agitation & aggression), hypo/hyperpituitary symptoms (estrogen/progesterone/LH dysfunction, excessive/ absent bleeding, body termperature dysregulation), adrenal hypo/hyper function (no energy/ excessive energy, poor/ excessive muscle activity, eye dysfunction,etc).
Women who do not have these issues may experience them for the first time (if so you now unfortunately know what it is like to have PCOS, hyper/hypothyroidism, Cushing's, medically induced menopause, or any of a huge list of hormone imbalances that effect your brain and other hormone secreting glands/organs). Typically these issues resolve in the coming months.
From winter 2002 till winter 2008, I suddenly suffered menopausal symptoms although I was happlly on oestradiol since 1989 (implants at that stage, I think). My face and head sweated horribly, constantly. I don't need to describe the effects of that - you all know. No answers were found - not much was investigated really. Thyroid, and I was already on oestradiol. Finally, before I jumped off a cliff, I went to a Botox dr to investigate the possibility of having botox in the scalp etc, to stop the sweating.
This dr, bless her, said she would like to find out what was causing it, and sent me to an endocrinologist who did blood tests of my pituitary gland. It was discovered I had high prolactin caused by a small tumour on my pituitary gland. The medication for that was Carbergoline. There was immediate relief.
Excess prolactin causes oestrogen to be ineffective - hence the menopausal symptoms despite using Oestradiol.
So, I suggest you get your dr to check your pituitary gland hormones. If they are ok, then insist they investigate further because THERE IS A CAUSE!