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[matildamouse]

 I am 52 and postmenopausal. Decided to go on HRT in June after nights of no sleep rolling around in sweat. Livial worked like a bom....after 3 months and 2 breakthrough bleedings and lots of extra facial hair I decided to go on bio-identical hormones. I was prescribed Oestrogen cream 2mg and Progesterone capsules 100mg at night.

Then the worst "period" pains started I have ever experienced to the point that I could barely function. All over my stomach and whole back combined with nausea. No vomiting, no headaches, no breast tenderness, nothing else. Was surprised every time I went to the toilet to NOT find a massive bleeding. It just felt as it something is wrong, wrong, wrong...So I did some experiment and only applied 1mg and not 2mg. It was much better but still not gone.

Going for a sonar tomorrow and concerned as it feels as though something was "woken up" in uterus or ovaries which should have never been...

I have a history of IBS which is totally "cured" by my way of eating (low carb healthy fats) and I know it is not that as my IBS always entailed diarrhoea and this time none of that.

Anyone else share this experience on HRT? Can I be intolerant/hypersensitive/allergic to my own hormones? Or was the dosage maybe too high? Any thoughts on this will be welcomed thanks.

[CLKD]

   don't think 1 can be allergic to one's own hormones.  However, one can have too high a dose ……. and hormones can cause all kinds of gut/bowel interference: for a few years, about 10 mins before a bleed began I had diarrhoea, could never plan a journey/trip when the calendar was 'that time'. I would also feel sick.  Be weepy. 

It can take a while for the body to get used to added hormones, particularly if your own are still present.  It really is Trial and Error at a time we would like to feel well 

We need Hurdity here to explain better ……. hope the scan goes OK today, is that to find out how thick your womb lining might be 

[matildamouse]

Thanks CLKD.

The sonar was requested after the breakthrough bleedings. I did inform the Dr re my symptoms but he made no adjustments to my dosage...I had to adjust my dosage myself to get relieve.

I would feel better if scan is over and I know everything is OK.

[CLKD]

Whoops - that'll be 2-morrow then 

You could make a list to ask when you go to your appt.?

[Mary G]

I don't know about your own hormones but you can be allergic to synthetic hormones.  Sorry if I forgot to mention this in my previous posts but I am allergic to synthetic progestins/progestogens.  When I was on the pill many years ago, I had a permanent nasal drip, sore throats that never really went away and endless skin problems.  I had allergy tests but nothing came up - it all disappeared when I stopped taking the pill.

I am also severely intolerant to synthetic progestins in HRT medication and again, when I took a continuous combined form of HRT, I had a permanent nasal drip not to mention silent migraines.

Please can you give more details of the HRT you are taking?  Are you taking Utrogestan?  If you are taking Utrogestan vaginally, that does cause cramps but on the positive side, it does work better at shedding the lining. 

I've never heard of oestrogen cream, is that similar to the gel?

[Hurdity]

Hi matildamouse - I think I answered on your other thread?
Yes got it - this is going to be  confusing - because Dancinggirl also answered there .....
Anyway I'll copy over the responses:

hi and welcome to MM matildamouse
Breakthrough bleeding in the first 3-6 months on any continuous HRT is quite normal.  Stomach cramps, tender breast etc. are also quite normal as you body is adjusting and welcoming the hormones so it's "waking everything up" - this is how my gynae describes these symptoms.
I am on one pump of Oestrogel per day with 100mg Utrogestan each night and now 8 weeks into this regime I am feeling really good. I have had bleeding and spotting but this has gradually reduced and I'm now just getting and bit of pink/brown discharge now and again.  My breasts were really tender and quite sore at first but this has settled.
I would stick with your current regime for at least 4 months - I bet it will all settle and you'll feel great. 
DG x

Hi again matildamouse

Do you mean oestrogen gel or are you from outside UK?  Cream is not available here. Also by BHRT due you mean compounded hormones by private prescription? If so, I would suggest you go through NHS and get the standardised hormones available on NHS. The BHRT hormones are not regulated as I understand. It may be that the dose is wrong? How long have you been on it? As Dancinggirl says - it can take a while to settle.

Hurdity x

Hehe yes I want to get off!

Hurdity I am from the land down under and things re HRT work different here. Yes it is a gel and from a compound pharmacy prescribed by a medical Dr. Been on it nearly a month. BHRT here is only prescribed by a few GP's who believe in it and they are rare to find. Synthetic HRT is easily obtainable via your GP but I wanted to try BHRT....

Are you from Aus or NZ? In UK we get all our bio-identical (body-identical) hormones through the NHS. You should be able to get the same from Aus although I know that utrogestan is not available there but I think it is now in NZ? I am sure you should be able to get estradiol in standard doses - patches and gel - which might suit you better.

Dana is the one to ask as she comes from there - she will know what's available. I think she went down the BHRT route but spent lots of money and ended up on normal - bio-identical HRT (although she is now using synthetic progestogen). Dana - hope you don't mind - don't want to speak for you but maybe you can help?

Re being allergic to your own hormones - some women are progesterone intolerant - ie they always feel particuarly rough during the second part of their menstrual cycle and these women have a erough time when they want to try oestrogen replacement - because they need to take progesterone.

The thing is when you replace your own hormones through HRT, even using exactly the same molecules (ie estradiol and progesterone) it is really only an approximation of our own hormonal system which is governed by a delicate balance and feedback of our complex endocrine system and all our hormones. It is a juggling act but most women should be able to find a regime that suits them eventually.

Hurdity x

[matildamouse]

Thanks ladies for the explanations.

I am from Australia and the annoying thing is we do not get Utrogestan here. The only way we are able to get oral micronized progesterone is via a compounding pharmacy on private script.  And it is so much more expensive to do it this way than the synthetic stuff.

I am off for my sonar this pm and hope to hear all is OK.

[CLKD]

Done yet?

[matildamouse]

CLKD yes thanks for asking. She found 5 fibroids but as it was Friday afternoon the radiographer still have to look at it on Monday. The sonographer did not look too concerned...or she was already in Friday mode as I was the last patient ;-) but I feel better overall and really believe it was too much estrogen! Will be speaking to the Dr on Monday regards this and asking for a different route of administration after my cat got exposed to my etrogen gel and fell ill.

[Hurdity]

Oestrogen can cause fibroids to grow and then bleed. How big are they - perhaps you will hear on Monday? I have just one small one but in fact mine has shrunk even though I am on long cycle HRT- but the dose in my case is obviously not high enough to stimulate it.

Hurdity x