Following up to say I feel SO MUCH BETTER!!! Amazing what drugs can do :). Monday I started taking the meds my GP prescribed-a muscle relaxant and oral steroid. Yesterday I woke up feeling far less pain, so that I could sit and move normally again. Today, I have mobility back without any discomfort. Am going to quit the muscle relaxant, finish the steroids and hope this doesn't happen again ever, or at least for a long, long time. But if it does at least I have some inkling of what causes the pain and how to treat it. What a huge relief to be feeling better. Although, a week of that left me pondering how on earth people manage with severe chronic pain. I had to stay functional but it was so terribly difficult to keep going when every single moment my body was hurting so badly. A bit scary too because nature is reminding me I'm no spring chicken....sciatica, sounds like something a grumpy old lady would have. Oh wait, I guess that's me :). Thanks again to everyone who provided such helpful advice and empathy. Ann

I have been on the combipatch for 11 years. I am 62 now. Before starting the patch I tried over the counter herbal supplements for a couple of months and nothing was improving my hot flashes that came with anxiety. I was on the highest dose 50/250. I have never taken any prescription medicines my whole life except this Combipatch. I exercise a lot going to the gym 3 times a week and walk my dog 4 miles a day. I use to go to a workout trainer who had me in my best shape ever 2 years ago to compete with college kids in a boot camp for an hour up and down a hill. They all thought I was Supermom. My normal resting heart beat is 50 bpm. I have had blood work done..the last one was this past February (2018) and the results were excellent for someone my age. About 3 months ago I decided to get off the patch to see if I still get the flashes with anxiety and because I was getting some heart palpitations (going up the stairs, washing my hair in the shower, just getting out of bed in the morning) my heart would go from 50 bpm to 100 bpm and last for about 3 minutes before dropping. In 5 days the hot flashes came back slowly and after 2 weeks the flashes and anxiety were the same as when I was 51. Two months later of hot flashes, anxiety and palpitations, I contacted my OBGYN to see what he would say and he suggested I go on Lexapro (Escitalopram) for the flashes and I was confused becuase this prescription medicine is for depression and anxiety, but after doing more research it is also used for hot flashes. I was not depressed but hot flashes brought on the anxiety and yes, made me feel depressed that I had to deal with this again! I do NOT sweat, just fell the aeora of my body on fire. This is what my OBGYN commented in our online discussion: “Hot flashes and night sweats are called in the medical literature vasomotor symptoms. I have taken liberty of comp being information from Escitalopram which I have inserted below. Vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause (off-label use): Oral: Initial: 10 mg once daily, increase to 20 mg once daily after 4 weeks if symptoms not adequately controlled (Carpenter 2012; Freeman 2011; NAMS 2015). This could certainly be utilized and also tends to be taken at night for the greatest effect on the night sweats. Yes it is also use for depression but vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) are caused by brain neurotransmitters being an abnormal levels which is also 1 of the problems with depression. So the medication can treat both situations but in your situation we would be primarily using it for vasomotor symptoms.” So, after doing some more reading up on Lexapro I decided to NOT take this because of what was said about the side effects. These medicines just scare me. I am now BACK ON THE COMBIPATCH (2 Patches taken so far). I expect it to kick in very soon here because when I started the patch at 51 within the 3rd patch I was pretty much clear of hot flashes/anxiety. It worked very well and very fast with me with no bleeding, no patch residue of itching, nothing. My mom still gets hot flashes at 86 (told my husband to kill me in my sleep when she told me this). I have realized that I might be on this patch until the day I die. I did mention to my doctor about using only half the patch and he said, “The patch should not be cut in half because that interferes with adhesiveness and absorption of the med. It is a low dose of estrogen and I think you should do fine with the full dose.” I have already seen a Cardiologist about my palpitations and she had me on a heart monitor for 2 weeks. Next step is an Echocardiogram on July 11th and then I should have some answers. I believe it to be nothing but stress related but I am not the doctor. I had not exercised at the gym for these past 3 months (stopped because of burn out and to take a break) only walking my dog. Last Friday (6/29/18) for the first time, I went to the gym for an hour which I do this boot camp myself and then again yesterday. Strangely, my palpitations are gone and I realized the palpitations started after I stopped exercising. What the heck! So here I am back on the combipatch and I once again I know I will have my life back with a good nights sleep. I will take my chances with developing any of the bad stuff I read about taking this patch because I can NOT live with no sleep (hot flashes 5 times a night) day flashes (8 a day) and the anxiety that comes with them....no life at all..just miserable. It messes up our minds! My best to all who have to deal with these female problems. My next life I hope to come back as a dog to an amazing person who takes me everywhere, feeds me the best nutritional food, trains me to be the smartest and gives me the unconditional love that I give them 24/7.

Bless you and yours, I know it is a stressful time for you. My DBIL woke my sister up Friday morning about 1 AM sweating and having problems breathing. At the hospital he was stablized and then had a massive coronary attack. He died about 2 AM and he was 41 years old. No high blood pressure or cholesterol. My sister's faith is strong and she is doing much better emotionally than I would have expected her too. I don't know if the sudden deaths are easier than the long illnesses. I have been thru both and both are painful. Rosa

My pain was in my back, below my shoulder blade. The second attack (that preceded the "wait for the first attack to heal so we can remove your gall bladder surgery" and forced the emergent removal of my gall bladder) was in my upper-right abdomen. I was in so much pain I was doubled-over. I was vomiting like it was my job. Apparently, gall bladder/gallstone pain can present in myriad ways. It can also mimic a heart attack. I'd go straight to the ER if you're having this type of pain. Not kidding.