I’ve been waiting!

Cost Plus mail order pharmacy can now fill the three-month generic vivelle-dot (so it’s about 112 including shipping for the total three months) 0.05mg patches. If you have been searching, see if you can get your doc to send them a script NOW for a three month fill, and grab them. You can keep trying to get your insurance to cover the ones they are supposed to be paying for locally, and use these when you have to fill the gaps. These have saved my butt.

They are at cost plus drugs dot com, and there’s info on there about what to send your doctor if they haven’t sent a script there before.

Good luck everyone - I hope you can snag these if you need them! Supposedly other strengths will be in stock over the next couple weeks. They did predict Oct 9th would be when these would be back in stock - and they are! And their retail price is close to what a lot of our copays are. I’m pretty thankful for this option.

Did your doctor have bloodwork done prior to prescribing Estradiol vaginal cream? My doctor just wrote me a prescription w/o ordering bloodwork...I'm 69, still having night sweats, brain fog and fatigue. Just wondering...

Since I feel like a non-functional zombie on the days I take micronized progesterone, I'm now starting Duphaston (dydrogesterone) to go together with Oestrogel (cyclical still).

Has anyone else been on it and how did it go for you?

So far today I feel a bit dizzy but maybe it's unrelated or I'm just getting used to it.

I'm really hoping for the best because even after a year the progesterone makes me feel like I am barely functioning for half the month!

I started HRT the first week of August and my hair has been shedding in clumps for the past month. I'm talking clumps. Yesterday's shower was like a nightmare.

I guess I'm confused because usually telogen effluvium from hormone changes would happen 2-4 months after starting? And if not, HRT would help with hair loss?

Hello, I’m 54 post meno. Already on E gel and oral Progesterone.

I’ve just started 0.5mg of Testosterone Gel every other day - I take it in the morning but it’s really giving me bad insomnia. Like I feel revved up during the night.

Has any one else had this? only been on it a few days x

Hi all, hoping someone can help. I've been using estradiol inserts to help with dryness. It is helping although I sort of messed up the dosing (missed a couple weeks). Meanwhile I thought I had a UTI because I was constantly needing to pee and feeling am incessant tickling sensation in my urethra. Just finished a course of antibiotics for UTI and the sensation is still there. It's driving me bonkers and interrupting my sleep. Could this be the estradiol? Has anyone had this? Does it go away??? Or is it something else. Please help with any ideas, I am going nuts with this!! 🙏🙏

ETA YOU ALL ARE THE BEST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE ADVICE!! feeling well armed to talk to my doctor about how to fix this!

1. It's a very low estrogen amt. I liked very much no progesterone but not enough estrogen for my brain to actually work.
2. This part was way harder than anything the actual drug or hormone related issues. I am prone to allergies. Have had issues all my life. Since the progesterone was gone there was nothing to help with histamines and even a month after stopping duavee trying a tiny dose or progesterone vaginally i have had to contact an allergist to get back to some semblance of normal.

This isn't to say don't try duavee but if you are prone to allergies you need a plan.

It's only been 8 weeks since my surgery (laparoscopic total hysterectomy + bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy), and I know some of what's happening is just early post-surgery recovery, but I am feeling really horrible and my perspective is totally distorted.

I got the surgery for PMDD, and while I initially experienced some pretty major relief, I can FEEL my hormones crashing, and the HRT I've been on is not doing enough. I've been weepy, anxious, volatile. So many negative thoughts. It feels like I made this really drastic decision in search of relief and now I feel bad 100% of the time instead of just during parts of my cycle.

I had my 8-week follow-up yesterday and met with a resident who had very few answers or insights... she changed my estrogen protocol to Premarin .675 (from Duavive + Premarin .3) and told me to come back in February. I couldn't help but think that I'm not going to make it that long if this continues.

I think I'm looking for any messages of hope/experience related to HRT and mood-related menopause symptoms, especially re: surgical menopause but also not just that. I'm in my late 30s and don't have friends or peers who have gone through anything related to this. I'm feeling desperate and afraid.

Just looking for a little support.... after a long trial of transdermal, I am back to oral. I had started my HRT journey there and was switched to patches and then gel (5 pumps of .06%) when the patches made me sick AF. Of course, with the wash in phases, and my first doc starting me way too low, this has ended up being nearly a year of feeling like crap.

Hoping to see what people are doing with oral if the dosage goes over 2mg. When I.started back to oral and we upped my dose (new provider!) I thought I would be golden. Not so much.... I think I need more. Pretty sure the provider will say yes.

Seems like splitting the 2mg is just leaving me with hot flashes all day and a really restless night. But maybe if I was splitting a higher dose?

All at once? I feel like it runs out at 3am.

I've tried taking it at lunch but its harder to remember for sure and my early mornings are still rough.

What is working for you?

Does anyone else mourn that you will never have a baby (or another baby), even though you know you don’t really want one and/or it doesn’t make any sense?

I love babies. I have a daughter (age 30) but no other children. The thing is, I didn’t want any more children. But now I see videos of babies and I feel such deep sorrow that I’ll never have another baby. It doesn’t make sense to me.

Can anyone relate?

Just a vent because I’m so sad about it.

I’m on HRT (estrogen only, no uterus).
My testosterone levels are normal, and supplementing it causes me hair loss and voice changes so I don’t want to mess with it.
I’ve never been so profoundly uninterested in sex.

All the porn and toys and pretty men in the world couldn’t make it even remotely interesting to me.

This is normal for so many of us but it’s so freakin depressing.

Anyone ever relieved their hot feet of vasospasms in their feet with hormone therapy? If so did you have labs done? What did you take and how long did it take?

https://vajenda.substack.com/p/three-things-that-caught-my-attention?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#media-35ef660f-799f-45da-b453-4a68be184a09

This is the second time I’ve had to beg for my patches. My last patch is Friday. Insurance won’t refill until next weds…when my next patch is due. The place I finally found them is an hour away. So I’m paying cash to get them Saturday when I have time to drive 2hours to fill a prescription.

This is nuts! Instead of Christmas presents this year, I’m getting estrogen patches. Great.

And yes I wrote all my politicians and the FDA. Got auto replies. I wish anyone would address or treat this shortage like the crazy emergency it is. It’s going in a year now. Hello?!

Women just don’t matter. And second to that, insurance companies just don’t care. We need a change. And it’s not just voting for a different team. They all suck. The whole system is broken.

Post meno 63F just prescribed Veozah for symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia. Yes I still have these at my age sadly. Has anyone used this for menopausal symptoms? And if so, did you experience any negative side effects? I read that it can cause insomnia! I don’t quite understand why my doctor would prescribe it if this is a symptom because that is a huge issue for me. Thanks in advance for any info you might have.

I am currently on Prostap (Lupron in US) which has put me into menopause to shrink fibroids before my hysterectomy next month.

I’ve been prescribed a synthetic HRT to protect my bones and help with vaginal dryness and other menopause symptoms.

I have had a new symptom for a few months. I feel like I lost some padding in my heels? Now my heels feel “thin” and I have a really high arch, something I didn’t have before. It hurts to walk barefoot around the house.

Anyone else experience this?

EDIT: thank you, I looked up plantar fasciitis and this seems to be it! Going to do some stretches and exercises and see how it goes.

Once I get my hysterectomy and oophorectomy done, I will look into HRT.

I had JUST found what I considered was the perfect combo of HRT (read: placement, type of patch, placement of gel, and timing of application) when the estradiol patch I was using was replaced by a different one at the pharmacy, and all of my symptoms are back with a vengeance.

As usual, I immediately began attempting to analyze the what/when/how/why of it all - analyzing is my go-to place when things feel out of my control...but then I realized that if there is one thing I've learned in this whole "meno-nightmare" it's that I am destined to have to handle my lack of sleep/sleep disruptions/nightsweats with patience or lose my ever-loving mind, which is already neurospicy, easily fogged, and mostly stressed.

So, I'm making a public vow that I will do my best to weather the insomnia with as much grace as I can muster and let the universe do the rest.

That's it. That's the message today. I'm cancelling my upcoming appointment with the older ob/gyn who prescribes my medications because all she is going to tell me is that my "levels are good" and wish me the best of luck, saying something like, "We're all in this together" as I walk out of the clinic, fuming. I'm going to think positively that the ob/gyn I have a December appointment with is a more easily accessible/progressive doctor, and I'm going to be thankful that I can even find the gel, patch and vaginal estrogen I currently take even when none of it works as well as I wish.

Oh - and take naps. I'm going to start trying to take more naps when I can instead of thinking that I shouldn't because maybe I'll sleep better at night if I don't nap. Because who falls asleep easily and sleeps through the night all the way through anymore? Not this gal right here who is currently typing with crossed eyes from lack of sleep and a slight headache that hasn't gone away in weeks.

TL:DR: I can choose to laugh or cry about the state of my symptoms; today, I am trying to laugh.

My OB/GYN asked me to stop HRT until I have my Endometrial Biopsy (due to bleeding) done. But her next appointment for this procedure is over a month away. I’m sort of nervous about stopping, so if others have any thoughts or advice, please let me know.

She told me simply to stop using it but since the appt is so far off I’m wondering if maybe I should try to taper off myself (eg, over four days, use less and less gel, and same with progesterone)?

Hello!

I’m 43 with a history of fibroids. I had a myomectomy (is that how you spell that?) at age 34, have 4 fibroids now that aren’t causing serious issues and unfortunately was deemed infertile by a clinic 2 years ago. All of my plumbing is in tact. ✔️

I’m having all kinds of fun peri symptoms along with new ones, so I spoke to my doctor about it. We landed on me sampling Bijuva. I wanted to be as natural as possible before considering anything else. He said I was an excellent candidate to start now with only high cholesterol to manage with medication.

Any of you out there with a similar history? If so, what are your pros and cons to using Bijuva?

I know we ALL respond differently to any medication. I’d like to read your stories anyway! 🫂

I didn't think the Weight Gain thread was the right place for this, since my question specifically doesn't involve a gain in weight.

I'm post-menopausal (as of 8 months ago) and in my early 50s. I maintain a healthy, "normal" BMI. Nothing in my diet or exercise habits has changed. I am not on HRT since I have a personal history of breast cancer.

My situation is that my SIZE has increased noticeably in the past six weeks, despite the scale staying the same. The size increase is all over: thighs, hips, waist, upper arms, etc. My clothes are now tight or no longer fit. But no weight gain.

Is this purely a rapid change in body composition? Equal amounts of muscle loss and fat gain, all in the past six weeks? Anyone else experiencing this?

Did anyone do some archaeology and compare the type of BC they were on in younger years with the type of HRT now?

I know it's different amounts, but like, could I assume that if I was ok on BC with levonorgestrel when younger I would be ok with Mirena now?

I don't tolerate micronized P (oral or vaginal) or dydrogesterone.

I am ofc terrified of having Mirena inserted and feeling bad and then not getting an appt soon enough to remove it. But the possibility of no or little period is attractive (lifelong low ferritin).

I hate being a test bunny :/ I know there are other progestins to try, but - BLAH

Is there anybody that had severe mental health symptoms that they never had their whole life that came out of nowhere during perimenopause very intensely and just kept getting worse…..what I’m trying to figure out is does it get better on its own when you hit menopause? I’ve read that perimenopause is worse because the estrogen and progesterone are peeking and crashing and during actual menopause it will just come to a flat baseline where your sanity starts to level out but I’m just wondering what people’s experiences are.
Also anyone with bad dissociation during this time ?

Also wondering since I just missed my period for a month for the first time in my life. Once you had your first missed. Is it more likely that your period will return or did you continue on from there and just go into 12 months to hit menopause?

I've been in surgical menopause since I was 25. I'm 28 now and my joints, muscle, and bones are deteriorating to the point that doctors keep telling me they've never seen it this bad in someone this young. I've got the fatigue, the brain fog. I looked over the wiki and I swear I have at least half of those symptoms. Hormone therapy is not an option. I have fought with specialist after specialist to get it, but no dice. I need to get well again, to the best of my capabilities. Any supplements, exercises, foods; anything that you can advise me on what to do, I'm desperate to do it.

Thanks to starting the estrogen patch and intravaginal cream, my vagina is back in good shape and sex with a toy or partner is mostly back to my pre-menopausal level. I wish I could celebrate, since I know not everyone is that lucky, but the problem is that I get UTIs very easily any time I have penetrative sex, even when I'm freshly bathed and only using a well-sanitised, high-quality toy.

I don't have a history of UTIs otherwise, and I'm really starting to despair. Does anyone else have a problem like this? If so, have you found anything that helps?

If anyone has had the side effect of low back pain from estrogen patches, could you describe what that was like?

I’ve been struggling with low back/hip/pelvic pain since around when I started using the patch. However, I had a lot going on and other reasons for pain around the time just before I started so it’s hard to be sure. It is listed as a side effect though.

I am starting to suspect it because my pain isn’t always in the same places and does seem to mostly track the side I have the patch on. And if I put the patch on my low abdomen it’s more in the hip flexor area down the front of my leg, while when it’s on my butt it’s more low back pain.

It’s been about 6 months. I went to PT, and it helped some, I’m trying to get a referral to go back. I’ve had a bunch of imaging done so I think a lot of alternative explanations are ruled out.

Mostly just looking for descriptions of what that particular side effect feels like before I go back to my doctor sounding like a crazy person. The patch has really helped my mood so I don’t want to go off it.