HRT

Hi all I have a menopause issue, I have had awful hot flushes and had a blood test and was started on low dose hrt. But I have had some bleeding and pelvic pain so they have stopped hrt last month and it seems the flushes are back. I don’t want to be so disabled by them I can’t sleep and get crushing fatigue etc. I have a pelvic scan in a few weeks But I don’t think they will start me on HRT again. The nurse was completely dismissive about symptoms coming back. The thing is I obviously dont want endometrial cancer and I really do not wanna be on hrt, but it was so helpful. Are there other options?

I have recovered really well from a relapse of optic neuritis about 6 weeks ago. Using diet exercise and rest. I have followed all the advice but I am starting to get hot flushes and last night I had the first slamming brickwall fatigue for ages! I couldn’t get out of bed the pain was really awful. I tossed and turned all night and today I am totally monged and I can feel fatigue dragging me down. I’ve been off work 7 months and really a large part of it was fatigue! I feel like I’m squashed between menopause and MS at the moment I’m just too complicated for my over worked GP!

has anyone else had similar experiences or going through the same symptoms???

I know how bad the hot flushes are, thankfully mine have virtually stopped now,but i had them for quite a few years,going through the menopause was sheer hell for me,

i couldnt have HRT because i have breast lumps,my periods were every 3 weeks,really heavy and i felt like i was dying,one thing i found to help the hot flushes were sage drops and you can also get capsules, you could try them,they could help you, like they did me,i am more or less over it now thank god,i was 55 when i got my last period, but i felt ill for 8 years,and thought i was going to have them in my 60s,all my friends had done with theres in there 40s,but not me,i always had severe PMT too,so i am so relieved they have stopped,my MS seemed worse too while i was going through it all.

J x

Thanks for sharing J. I am 45 and that makes it more complicated a lot of umming and ahhing. I had such a struggle to get a blood test and that was 2 years ago. They just don’t take symptoms seriously. I need a GP who has had a rocky menopause!!

there is quite a bit bit of research on menopause but there is nothing new and very little relates to MS. I feel much better on tecfidera than on interferon injections they used to provoke hot flushes.

I will get some sage drops and try them. What the he’ll eh!! :slight_smile:

Hi Cookiemonster.

I am going through the menopause too. The hot flushes are terrible for the MS symptoms aren’t they? We all know that heat aggravates the symptoms.

I am on Evorel Conti HRT patches that have really helped especially with the flushes and palpitations at night.

Why don’t you ask to go back onto HRT if it helps you. I cut my patches in half as I don’t want to use a whole patch.

If you are still bleeding you can ask for the Sequi patch (sorry if you already know this). I have the Conti patch as I don’t bleed any more.

Take care.

Shazzie xx

I’ve had similar problems and am unable to take HRT either, I’ve tried pills and patches but nothing agrees with me unfortunately, but I have found that Menopace (a natural supplement) helps a bit. You can also get Menopace Night which is supposed to help you sleep, though I haven’t tried it myself. I hope you find something that helps. It seems to be a long process!

Hiya, just read this, and yes yes yes!!! I am just 51, having hot flushes and 5 weeks into a relapse, and it is hard to know whats what! I am not on any treatments for either, just bought some sage tablets so will let you know if they help. I am also waiting for a visit/contact from the ms nurse so will talk to her all about it. so you are not alone!!!its great that your ON has cleared up, but I totally understand the “monged” out feeling, every day lately I think im ok, have a bath and then thats it, all weak and shaky again. Also getting a weird tight sensation in my neck/throat and no idea what that is, so I will let you know re the sage, but as its a pretty cheap supplement I think nothing to lose by whopping a couple of those down every day!

I hope you start to feel better soon xxxx

Sophie xxxx

hi Sophie, it’s a difficult time of year it’s sunny one day really cold the next I’m sure it doesn’t help hot flushes! I had a scan yesterday and everything seems OK and I want to restart hrt next week. I don’t really want to gamble on plant eostroens I’d rather know what I’m taking and hormones are all natural at the end of the day. But if he says no to hrt then I’ll give it a go with over the counter remedies. I had a curry last night with a glass of wine and a boozy coffee… god it really did provoke hot flushes. So it’s back to cutting things out and exercising more. Good luck with your recovery it’s so horrible to not have any control over these things xxxx

I agree. Even the plant-derived ones have been through a man-made production process. More to the point, I do not believe that there is good evidence that their health risks (increased breast cancer risk, in particular) are any different from those of synthetic conventional HRT. And, as you say, with conventional drugs at least you know what you’re getting and how much of it.

Alison

Hiya, thanks for the reply…hope u get the hrt sorted, i went to docs today but think it was too much for one appt, so we dealt with the referral for another mri and vitamin d for now, hormonal stuff will have to wait for the next appt! As for wine, well I know I shouldnt but Im finding a big glass of red at the end of each trying day a bit of a comfort!! xxxxxx

Hi Cookiemonster

i have had a lot of problems with menopause after starting Hrt most symptoms have gone, I don’t have hot flushes maybe I’m going to get them later as I’m 50 next year and menopause hit me the same time as Ms diagnosis and it was hell to star with not knowing what symptoms were Ms and what was menopause.

It has been thought that Antidepressants instead of Hrt have been proved to get rid of flushes this maybe a route to consider if you can’t have it again.

Im currently on Hrt patches which I believe are the safest option at the moment these are good especially if you suffer from migraines and stomach problems, as they bypass it.

I had so many weird menopause symptoms, if you think it will help I’ll list them for you.

Ann x

Oestrogen is neuroprotective. When your oestrogen levels drop after the menopause, your MS is likely to get worse. Because of this, I’ll be going on to HRT when I reach the menopause. Haven’t had any symptoms yet, even though I’m 50. I had my FSH levels checked last October and they were very low at that point, indicating I’m not that near the menopause (FSH levels go up at menopause). I need to get them checked again because a fifth of women go through the menopause with no symptoms at all.

Hi all Thanks for your replies.

I’m back on hrt till December. I’m only having a few food/ drink related flushes and it’s only 14 days. I’ll be delighted when I stop them but for now I am pleased to have control of these symptoms. That hasn’t happened very often in my ms.

I had my neuro follow up last week and he didn’t have anything new to add. I’m exercising more intensely and not getting flushes if I get stressed. But I’m still having mood swings, I hope that will settle because I’m really not myself. I have a lot of stress provoking stuff going on in my life like moving house, I think I’ll be much happier once it’s all over! My partner doesn’t handle stressful stuff very well and he picks up on everything were both walking on egg shells around each each other. I wish he would meditate, I’m finding it very helpful.

Anyway I hope my GP follows me up with blood tests once my hrt stops - he is very good and restored my faith in GP’S.

thanks to all xx