On 28th August I went to Nick Pannay’s gynae clinic at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (great hospital BTW). I was finally referred there by my GP after trying lots of different options over the last few years. I had been on HRT patches (Evorel Sequi) for a while but I felt they weren’t quite doing it for me.
I saw a registrar called Dr Marie-Odile Gerval and it was BRILLIANT.
We went through my menopause history and the usual health checks.
smoker? nope
exercise? Yup
Drink alcohol? nope never??!!! nope 🙂
She went through my symptoms and then explained that they use Bio-identicals and would I like to try them. Oh yes please !! She asked if I would like to try the Mirena coil but I don’t feel comfortable with a foreign object in my womb. She ordered full blood tests, including thyroid and vitamin D, wrote to my GP suggesting a pelvic scan and a DEXA bone scan which I had done on the same day.
My new prescription
- Sandrena Estrogen gel to be applied daily to inner thighs (changing legs each day)
- Utrogestran Micronised progesterone tablets to be taken before bed (helps sleep)
- Vagifem – Estrogen pessary to help with vaginal/anal dryness and to improve the delicate vaginal tissues (every night for 14 nights then 2-3 per week)
- Testim testosterone gel – one tube to last 10 days
Yikes !!! It seemed like a lot to remember but I soon got used to it. I felt slight dizzyness for the first week as my body got used to the new hormones. I felt much better, no more tears ad my moods felt much more stable. The only thing I have are sore, bigger boobs. Now I don’t mind the bigger boobs but not so keen on the soreness.
Today 1st October I’m into my 5th week on the new HRT and I’m feeling ok. energy is much improved and the dryness has gone. My libido has taken on an all time high which I’m making the most of 😉
I started to bleed slightly on 27th Sept and this has turned into a break through bleed which shouldn’t have happened as I am not taking the hormones cyclically but I was 12 hours late with my estrogen gel so perhaps this created a bleed. I’m not too worried as if my body needed to bleed ten that’s fine by me.
I’m off to see my GP today for a check up, book pelvic scan and give her an update about my sore boobs. T x
ps I had a bit of an ‘ah-ha’ a few weeks ago……because of the dramatic highs and low’s I’ve been experiencing over the last few yeas I had been blaming everything on ‘my hormones’
Feeling tired? – must be my hormones
Don’t fancy sex? must be my hormones
Put on weight? ^^^^^
Lost my zest for life ^^^^
Crying? ^^^^
Now this is true to a certain extent but what I suddenly realised (duh) is that sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes we feel like shit. And that’s ok because it passes (usually).
Sometimes it’s not just my hormones, maybe i need more sleep, to talk to someone, a hug, a day off, more exercise, less exercise, more veggies, less sugar etc etc…….
Hi Tanith , very interesting reading .I myself am going through these things at the mo and everyone keeps saying im too young but i will following this with interest as im not a fan of putting crap into my body.Thanks for sharing.
sim.
Hey Sim,
Thanks for replying. I really understand what you are saying about putting crap in your body. I tried to manage it naturally but it wasn’t enough. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I’m pretty careful about what I eat and the products I put on my skin. I look after my liver and gut health so figured that the bio Hormones wouldn’t be so bad.
How we manage our symptoms is a very personal choice. I had to get my quality of life back. Bio-identicals are synthesized in a lab but are supposed to be more like our own bodies hormones. The research is still young.
I read that out hormones start changing at the age of 28!! Our ancestors would have been over their child bearing years at this age and thats why our hormones start to change.
I was in my early 30’s when I started noticing the changes.
My advice would be to start addressing the hormonal balance now 🙂
keep in touch
T x
hi i suffer with premature menopause and have just made the switch to bioidentical hormones including utrogestan and sandrena gel. I haven’t been offered the vagifem and i’m wondering if i should consider this. I also wonder if i should ask about the testosterone? this is meant to improve fatigue. Do you find it has been helpful? I’m only 30 diagnosed with menopause at 26.
Hi Nicole,
What we use to help with symptoms is a very individual process. I have found the vagifem very useful. The testim gel I have used for short periods and it did really help with my fatigue.
Have you heard of http://www.daisynetwork.com ? They are a charity for women who have had an early menopause.
Tanith 🙂
Hello. Thanks for sharing. I saw this article by Dr Pannay saying about libido and testosterone and although I was still having my periods (starting to be late) I felt my hormones had been going down for a few years now, hence having found out I had osteopenia/osteoporosis at the age of 43. The Doc gave me the same prescription apart from the testosterone so I still feel libido is not that great after 2 months. Didn’t do the pelvic scan. Breast are a bit sensitive now and my eyelids twist a bit. I have more energy but also feel very sleep early evenings and wake up very early.Hrt protects your bones and also your brain from shrinking but you shouldn’t take it after your 60s.
Which hormone helps with libido?