so confused about the symptoms!

[rusalka]

Dear Ladies,

I'm now 5 months on Estrogel and Utrogest. Since last december is my anxiety, which was the most annoying symptom, much better. I think that the progesterone helps me together with the Estrogel. When I was only on Estrogel for the first 3 months, anxiety was still the main symptom. So during the last weeks I was very happy that I felt so much better. I was on one and a half pumps of estrogel and I took 100mg Utrogest vaginal. I still had symptoms like low libido, less feeling during sex, depressive moods and mood changes, but it was bearable compared with severe anxiety before. Two weeks ago I had my blood control and my estrogen levels is only 27! Also the gyno said this is quite low and I can increase the estrogel, I obviously need more estrogen and I can take progesterone for 2 weeks, then break for 2 weeks, to imitate a natural cycle. So I increased Estrogel first on 2 and half pumps. Only one week later I' v got my period again, which I was missing since august 2012. It was a normal bleeding, but I felt terrible fatigued and sad during the first three days and also had some anxiety again. My husband said it's probably normal after such a long time without the bleeding, so I don't have to be worried about. After the period I increased the estrogel on 3 pumps, because I would like to get the E-levels at least about 80.
Since few days I'm noticing sore nipples, they feel like I was rubbing them with a towel. And I feel quite depressed , nervous, quite anxious and I'm gaining weight. I'm now only on estrogel, I wanted to start with progesterone on the day 12. I'm day 10 of the cycle now. Now I'm asking myself if it's possible that I overdosed myself, that my estrogen is too high?? I mean, it was so low 2 weeks ago. Or am I estrogen dominant , because I'm not taking progesterone since almost 3 weeks? I really don't know what to do- to decrease estrogel, to add progesterone or something else? Do you have some ideas? I felt already so much better and now I feel totally unbalanced again.
Thank you!

[jacksfullofaces]

Hi Rusalka
Your huband is probably right. Sore breasts when estradiol is increased is a normal symptom - it will wear off. Start your progesterone as planned and give it time.
Jacks

[rusalka]

Thank you Jacks! So those depressive moods are not a sign of too much estrogen in your opinion?

[jacksfullofaces]

Rusalka
Definitely not - more likely caused by the turmoil of your period.
Jacks

[rusalka]

Oh dear, I was quite excited when the period came back, but since then I actually feel only unwell, so I don't know if I want to have it again..

[stumpy]

Hi rusalka

I was fabulous first few months on my HRT and now am nervous wreck most days again now, feel like am going to pass out sometimes too. So you arent alone.

May have to have increase...when will it all settle & feel normal again!!!

Stumpy xx

[jacksfullofaces]

Rusalka
I think better a few nasty days with a period rather than a month of misery. I still have my periods and can feel depressed and flat during that week but better then suffering all month.During my period I usually raise my estrogel slightly and that is helpful
Jacks

[jacksfullofaces]

Jan 18, 2013 18:44:42 GMT stumpy said:

Hi rusalka

I was fabulous first few months on my HRT and now am nervous wreck most days again now, feel like am going to pass out sometimes too. So you arent alone.

May have to have increase...when will it all settle & feel normal again!!!

Stumpy xx

Stumpy
If you are using oestrogel you might need to revise your application. Pinky has provided information from Dr Annie Evans in the chat thread.
Jacks

[rusalka]

I can't find this thread with the information about application...

[rusalka]

I'm sorry, I'm too stupid to find it...

[rusalka]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm applying the gel on my upper and lower arms, on the inner and outer side, like my gyno showed me. Not with the hand, but rubbing arm on arm, which is quite laborious. I do this till the gel don't feel wet, but I don't rub it hard into the skin, this is what my doc told me. If I apply 2 pumps, I need both arms, from the shoulders to the wrist. Then I wait 2-5- minutes till I put the clothes on. How long are you waiting with the clothes? And do you use the body lotion after it? After how much time?
I'm now little bit concerned about the suggested applying area- I have varicose vains in my thighs, so I don't know if then it's safe to apply estrogel on such area, you know, because of the risk for thrombosis?
Thank you once again!

[rusalka]

Yestarday I took 100 mg Utrogest vaginal ( I always squizze little bit out, to avoid an overdoze). I didn't sleep well, only till 3 o'clock, then I was awake and nervous like hell. But today I feel so much better! No anxiety or depression! I applied 1 and a half pumps estrogel in the morning and another pump I will apply in the evening. My nipples are still sore, but less then yesterday. I have a strong feeling that I need more progesterone and that the break of more then 2 weeks was too long for me. Could it be that I still have low progesterone,although I'm using it since 3 months? I read that a 100mg capsule taking oral would be absorbed only up to 20 mg, but used vaginal almost the whole 100 mg will be absorbed. Is this true? My doc recommends 2 capsules vaginal, which I found too much... How much do you use? And how- oral or vaginal?
Thank you!

[stumpy]

Im on Femoston 1/10 and have felt rubbish for 6 weeks now, only had 2 'normal' days.

Periods are back after 2 months on it, been on it about 8 months now.

Fuzzy dizzy head, nausea, anxiety, palps.

YUK in general.

[Deleted]

Stumpy - although it was quite a while ago, I seem to recall that Femoston didn't seem to suit me very much at all. I know we are all different, but so far, oestrogel seems to be the best I have used. Of course, they are often great to start with and then the gremlins seem to kick in and it goes pear shaped but I find I can tweak the amount easier than tablet form.
Rusalka - I use utrogestan every other night as a pessary. My GP has prescribed them to be taken orally, but as Bellaciao pointed out they are widely used vaginally in other countries and it seems to work well. I actually sleep a bit better and have more of a relaxed night when on utro.

[rusalka]

Thank you! I have started now to apply the gel with my hand and on the outer side of the upper arms plus shoulders. I'm also wondering why my levels are so low, maybe because of the applying technic, maybe I'm not absorbing well. My doc isn't really a great help, he just said to raise the dose on 2 or 2 and a half pumps, but he anyway thinks that levels about 50 pg/ml are quite o.k. Here in Germany the majority of the gynos has the opinion that we shouldn't try to get the E levels as before the menopause, it's unnatural and to risky, so it's enough to reach the levels in the lower norm range to be safe... They also say HET isn't a life style or anti aging program, but only a help for the most annoying symptoms for a short time. Well, I think that my body will need the hormones for the rest of my life, not only for few years till I'm through the menopause...

[rusalka]

Thanks! I will use this method now! I still wonder if we can use a body lotion after some time?

[stumpy]

Hi Pinky

I used Prempack C for 4 months, made me feel worse so tried to go it alone for 6 months...no chance. The onto Femoston.

I am having my eyes tested this week as I think i have eye strain & have to squint to see a lot of stuff now....apparantly it can cause fatigue etc...mmmm we shall see.

[rusalka]

I have to connect, since yesterday evening I feel worse again. Not only anxiety and nervousness is worse, but also the physical symptoms like burning in the back, shoulders and neck, like having a sunburn, which was for me always a sing of low estrogen. And I'm freezing at the same time. But I have increased the dose on 3 pumps and I'm rubbing the estrogen thorough in the shoulders and upper arms, so actually I should feel better?? I really don't understand this. Does somebody have an idea?
thank you!

[rusalka]

Jan 25, 2013 10:26:00 GMT @lainey1976 said:

Hi,

Sorry to read you are still suffering. I noticed you mentioned before your issues with your thyroid. Have you read jacks thread on her thyroid. I personally don't think the above symptoms are due to not enough gel but I may be wrong. What do you other ladies think??

Lainey xx

Thank you for the hint, it's curios, today I have thought about it as the possible cause for the worsening of my symptoms too, specially because I feel so jittery and nervous. But I'm hypo, not hyper, so every doc would say those symptoms are not typical for low thyroid...

[jacksfullofaces]

Rusalka
Read my thyroid thread - I was diagnosed with Hashimoto and it swings between hypo and hyper. A while ago I was taking thyroxine for low thyroid then it swung hyper and I'm on beta blockers. Check out Hashitoxicosis. I have medical books which discuss the swing which can occur with Hashimoto Disease.
My TSH T3 and T4 blood references read normal (raised thyroglobulin antibodies and peroxidase which I had to pay £157 to get done because NHS refused to do them) but I get nasty symptoms which my doctor tries to keep up with. When my thyroid was scanned it showed extensive damage and inflamation. I had the remains of a goiter.
One doctor told me that if estradiol in a decent dose doesn't prevent sweats and flushes then it is either being absorbed badly (patches) or something else is causing the problem.
If I get a thyroid induced sweat my estrogel has no effect on it.Like you I also need large amounts of progesterone. I think the thyroid issue reduces progesterone in circulation - thus increasing agitation - near my period I often use extra progesterone.
I was talking to my GP the other day and we agreed that dealing with a thyroid disease involved detective work and to expect the unexpected.
My husband keeps an eye on me and asks me questions if I am snappy and that helps me to watch my thyroid function.
I bought Clinical Management of Thyroid Disease on Amazon and got it second hand. I like it because it is written for doctors and doesn't offer snake oil theories.
However I use DHEA which Uzzi Reiss recommends for auto immune disease and my peroxidase levels have ffallen to 37 from over 150 in three months.
If I were you I would check out all symptoms for hyper and see if you are swinging - if this is the case a low dose of beta blocker might help you.
Jacks

[menomale]

I'm utterly confused by this post... beta-blockers, oestrogen, progesterone, DHEA for raised thyroglobulin antibodies?