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HRT patches causing severe bloating are tablets any better?

Posted , 4 users are following.

am66
am66

Hi I am 51 and have been using Evorel 25 (lowest dose) patches for nearly 8 months now. They have helped a great deal with depression/low mood/crying and anxiety & over heating  but I still don't feel like I am back to "normal". I am still tearful for no reason at times. I also suffer from Chronic fatigue syndrome quite badly and didn't seek help for peri menopausal symptoms for ages as I thought it was a relapse. I have tried to increase my dosage very slowly by cutting the 25 mcg patches into quarters but even doing this has cause problems with headaches and bloating. I managed to stick it out and increase to 1 and a half patches( so this would be about 37mcg, the next dose up is  50) but the bloating was so bad I could barely eat anything and had to reduce it again.I am fairly slim but my stomach was so huge and hard I looked pregnant and none of my clothes fitted. I feel like I need a higher dose than this but can't seem to get over the side effects. I put up with the bloating for about 6 weeks or more on the higher dose hoping it would settle as my body adjusted but it didn't. Has anyone else had this and tried tablets after? My GP says I could try tablets an see but I have read that bloating is a side effect of oestrogen, so surely this is going to be a problem for me with tablets as well? I couldn't face feeling any worse. I have a Mirena coil for progesterone I have had one for 14 years now.

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • rebecca81451
    rebecca81451 am66

    Posted

    Hi I’ve just started the patches 50 g dose 1 month ago .. I do feel a bit carmer but I’m quite tired and wake up with banging headaches but The bloating of my stomach is the worse I’m also quite slim and look awful I don’t think I will continue and I’m having bad wind and that’s embarrassing all the time ... I’m 53 also have the same coil but wonder wether to just ride it out or go on a lower dose .... r u feeling any better  now I do hope so x 
    • am66
      am66 rebecca81451

      Posted

      Hi I am feeling a bit better thank you.  I have also increased my patches very slowly and am now on 1 and a half Evorelle 25 patches. I increased this by 1/4 of a patch each time. I have read up about bloating and understand that it can be a symptom of menopause/peri menopause as well as being a side effect of HRT. This is due to oestrogen having an effect on the production of bile and this can cause digestive problems, bloating  and constipation(this is something I have experienced a slowing down of my bowels over the last two years) I have also been taking a probiotic supplement for a few months now but I am not sure if it has helped. My feeling is that the bloating was due to both  menopause symptoms and side effects! I have been on HRT patches for 11 months now and I would not consider coming off HRT, it has made a huge difference to my quality of life. I did get headaches at first they were dull type in the background headaches rather than the really awful three day jobs I would get with meno symptoms before HRT. I have also tried peppermint oil tablets as I have IBS this and peppermint tea can help with bloating. Good luck! x
  • catherine1966
    catherine1966 am66

    Posted

    I hope by now you feel better. I started HRT  almost two months ago. I went from .5 mg to 1 mg. estrodiol tablets. I am just now noticing bloating after being on them for about a few weeks. I also noticed this as a menopause symptom. Wondering if it means I am gearing up to have another period.

    Overall,  have noticed that some of my early symptoms ( nausea and headache) with HRT went away on their own. Hoping this will too. Might change my diet too.

    • am66
      am66 catherine1966

      Posted

      Hi Catherine, I am feeling better, I think the bloating was also due to menopause symptoms as well as a side effect of HRT. I have had to take it very slowly increasing the HRT. I did not take tablets as I had suffered with very bad hormonal triggered headaches(with periods and when pregnant and also on the combined pill) so patches seemed a better option for me. I had cut out dairy and gluten and while this has helped with IBS it did not really help the bloating. Hope it settles down for you x

  • catherine1966
    catherine1966 am66

    Posted

    Thanks I am feeling a lot better. I think my body needed to adjust to this and probably still is in different ways. Mentally it's been a bit strange.

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