Hope it goes well honorsmum - I booked an appt with her in Bristol last year but chickened out at the last minute and cancelled. I wanted to discuss testosterone but then decided against it!
Re oestrogen and progesterone - if you start to take oestrogen as part of HRT then you will automatically be given progesterone. Unfortunately as with most medical products (even "natural" ones) the dose is not individualised and is worked out so as to ensure the uterus lining stays thin. This does mean that for some women you have to have more than you really need - but better this way and not have enough so that your uterus lining thickens, as this can increase risk of womb cancer.
In peri-menopause as silverlady says many women lack progesterone due to what is known as anovulatory cycles where you don't ovulate, but oestrogen levels are also decreasing. This is what can lead to heavy bleeding as a month is missed. Because of the symptoms caused by declining oestrogen then both hormones are usually replaced (in HRT), although a strong progestogen like norethisterone can sometimes be given on its own to thin the womb lining.
The idea of oestrogen dominance is a distraction because it is the decrease in absolute levels of oestrogen that gives rise to symptoms, but the relative levels of oestrogen:progesterone will determine how far the uterus thickens.
Hope this helps and doesn't sound confusing!
Hurdity x
Thank you, Hurdity. I will admit, I have never quite got to grips with the whole hormones and their action in the cycle thing (failed O level biology!). I have tried to read up on it but my brain struggles. In particular, oestrogen dominance seems to be a hot topic, but then I read that falling oestregon could be responsible for some of my symptoms, so I get confused.
According to her secretary (who was very helpful and friendly), Annie Evans doesn't do blood tests really, so I guess she goes on symptoms. I'm just a bit concerned, as I have been on the progesterone-only pill, Cerazette twice and the most recent time seemed to leave me feeling depressed in a sort of desolate way.
