Something has changed, now I feel awful...

Ok, hitting the month anniversary of my TAH today. I've been tired, I have had some hot flashes and night sweats all along, but now things are different and I think I am partly to blame for some of it.

Last week when I saw my MD, she asked me if I wanted to increase my Climara patch dosage from .05 to .1 because I told her I was having some hot flashes/night sweats. Otherwise, I felt fine: clear-headed, sleeping well. So I decined her offer, thinking things would get better.

Well, since then I had had tremendous night sweats and hot flashes every night and began to experience the insomnia that others have talked about. My thinking felt foggy again, like it did before the surgery, so I thought maybe I DO need more of the Climara.

I called there yesterday to the MD and she phoned over a script for .10. I already had a .05 patch on and it was due to be changed on Thursday. I had one .05 patch left in the box, so I put it on with the other .05, thinking to use it up and it was adding up to .10, so why not? Did not want to waste the last .05 in the box.

Well, last night I had no night sweats or hot flashes. I had trouble getting to sleep, but eventually did. This morning I work up with some of the side effects listed on the Climara box: dizziness, aches in the abdomen, nausea, calf cramps. Generally felt like crap. I pulled off the old patch, to bring the dosage back to only the new .05 patch, thinking I was over-doing the Climara.

I'd rather have hot flashes and night sweats than feel like this! Now I don't know what to think...how do you know if too much is too much or too little is too little?

I am supposed to be on this stuff only a few months, according to the doctor. I'm wondering all kinds of things: do I need this? should I go back to .05? Am I blowing all this out of proportion?

My MD doesn't say much...it's up to me. Most of this is deemed "normal", but it worries me. Now I feel lousy and weak and yukky on top of the exhaustion stuff.

Is this a phase of the recovery and I should just ride it out? I feel like I should not have put that other patch on...maybe I caused my own problems.

Frustrated and feeling helpless in Ohio,
Deb

Deb - Are you going to call your dr? I have a question for you. I have been having cramps in my right calf for the last few weeks. Is that a side effect of Climara? I also use the patch plus an oral estrogen because my body doesn't absorb medication in the proper way. I didn't know this calf pain might be related to the Climara.

It could be...the box lists it as one of the side effects. You should likely ask your doctor.

If I don't feel better by Thursday, I will call her.

Hi Deb,
My doctor has also left the bulk of the "balancing act" up to me. I was also put on the Climera patch after my surgery. I have found that reducing the doses have helped. I have gone from the 1.0 (too many sleepless nights, hot flashes, brain fogs) to the .5 and now I'm down to the .25. I have also been supplementing with natural progesterone cream, which I believe has really helped my symptoms....it helps me sleep, that's for sure.

I would recommend doing some reading on the subject....there are some excellent resources in the recommended reading section of this site. I found Dr. Lee's book especially helpful. I think these doctors just do the surgery and let us fend for ourselves as far as becoming balanced. I am trying to come off of the Climera because my mother had cancer. I am also trying to come off of it slowly too.... definately read Dr. Lees book...its in the resource section here.

take care,
Lisa

I was on the .05 climara patch right after surgery. Then had a hot flash about 4 days post op and another one the next day. The doc said to just go ahead and put two patches on for now and at my 2 wk check up she would see what we might need to change. The 2 patches cleared up the hot flashes, but I still get the night sweats, but no other side effects. I think putting two patches on is okay for the short term, but work with your doc on the long term goals for your hrt.

This is a roller coaster for a while but I think if you continue to talk to your doc you will be okay.

Maria

Deb I don't know if this has anything to do with anything but I was having some leg cramps and I started taking OsCal Plus for the calcium but I also found from some research that Calcium helps naturally with cramping. Ask your doctor his thoughts on it and see if it may be an option. I'm not on hormone replacement my doctor doesn't seem to think I need it but that is ok I only have some night sweats and a little insomnia he told me that I should take the benedryl if the heart doctor says it is ok. SO I will ask him on friday when I go in for my appt. Good Luck!!

I have had hot flashes and sweats for over a year, they are getting less and less, they are no big deal, you have to learn to live with them especially someone like me that becomes a freek out if I try any hormones, I hate them, they make me feel like the old days of PMS and panic attacks amoung other stuff, I'll take the hot flashes anyday,, good luck, D