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[Dandelion]

Hi

I have been on 100mcg evorel for a couple of years, I started when I was 47.

Lately, I've been getting night sweats, even though I have been sleeping with the window open.
These night sweats affect my groin area but also my neck and breasts.
I think its a bit early in the year to be sweating in bed, especially with a window open, but I might be wrong, given the weather we have been having

I used to get night sweats in July/Aug when weather boiling hot but not May or even June, unless we had really hot weather in June.

I have also started getting IBS symptoms through, every morning, going to the loo about 3 times, till I am fully empty.

I haven't noticed any of those hot flushes where your bra is soaked, but I am still anxious and depressed with low mood despite getting regular excercise and eating ok.

Could it be that I may need a higher dose of hrt, higher than 100mcg evorel?
Is my menopause symptoms getting worse and 100mcg evorel no longer enough?

Many thanks

[Dancinggirl]

Dandelion - I doubt it's a higher dose of oestrogen you need.  I have found I do sweat more generally these days and even at this time of year, if the weather is humid, I'm poring sweat even when on HRT.
It could be worth having your thyroid function checked as our thyroid can often become a problem at the time of the menopause and cause more sweatingetc.  Dg x

[Dana]

Just throwing this out there, but have you considered that you might be getting too much estrogen?

I did an experiment a little while ago where I increased my 50mcg patch to 100mcg because I was having some sleeping issues, and I wanted to see if it was extra estrogen that I needed. Well, my symptoms got a whole lot worse. I started flushing and my insomnia was terrible. I was obviously getting too much estrogen, and too much can be just as bad as too little. As soon as I cut back to the normal 50mcg everything settled down and it's been fine ever since.

100mcg is already a high dose, so I would think it's unlikely that you would need more, especially if you are still peri. I agree with Dancinggirl that perhaps you should investigate other issues or medications, as it's not just menopause that causes flushes.

[Dancinggirl]

I agree with Dana - I have personally found that too high an amount of oestrogen gives me flushes, headaches etc.
I also find that there is a build up of oestrogen within the body, so if on a big amount over a long term this must have an effect.  Worht perhaps having your oestrogen level checked - if it's above 600 pmol/i  then this could be too high for you dandelion and causing some of your problems?  Dg x

[Dandelion]

Dandelion - I doubt it's a higher dose of oestrogen you need.  I have found I do sweat more generally these days and even at this time of year, if the weather is humid, I'm poring sweat even when on HRT.
It could be worth having your thyroid function checked as our thyroid can often become a problem at the time of the menopause and cause more sweatingetc.  Dg x

Thank you Dancinggirl. I have also been unlucky enough to be selected for a pre 50yr old mammogram. I already had one of those and it hurt like hell.
I remember screwing up my face as she asked if I was ok while screwing that clamp down.
I know they have to, and I am not worrying about breast cancer cos I don't buy into the belief that too much oestrogen can cause breast cancer, the risk is vanishingly small to me.
I'll still go though, it didn't come for nothing, so I gotta follow through with it, even if it is still just over 3month till my 50th birthday.

[Dandelion]

Just throwing this out there, but have you considered that you might be getting too much estrogen?

I did an experiment a little while ago where I increased my 50mcg patch to 100mcg because I was having some sleeping issues, and I wanted to see if it was extra estrogen that I needed. Well, my symptoms got a whole lot worse. I started flushing and my insomnia was terrible. I was obviously getting too much estrogen, and too much can be just as bad as too little. As soon as I cut back to the normal 50mcg everything settled down and it's been fine ever since.

100mcg is already a high dose, so I would think it's unlikely that you would need more, especially if you are still peri. I agree with Dancinggirl that perhaps you should investigate other issues or medications, as it's not just menopause that causes flushes.

I thought that the body just got rid of excess oestrogen it didn't need.
I read that somwhere respectable as well, some expert witness type of site, not someone trying to sell somthing or some idea, but I cant remember where I read it.
I'm sure someone like @Hurdity will know, she is welcome to come and share her knowledge, cos I am up for learning.
I worked my way up the oestrogen patches. Even though I had been getting flushes for 5yrs I blamed meds and 25 worked a tiny bit, 50 a bit more but sweats still annoying, 75 still not quite enough, 100, just right, but I was 47 and still menstruating despite having these peri symptoms, although the periods were becoming more 'varied' than the normal ones I was used to.

I'm also in the process of investigating other avenues.

Beleive it or not, there are some women who need something like 6 pumps of oestrogel a day, cos 100mcg just wasn't enough. It's suprising how much oestrogen some women can need, especially if they have been thin a long time.
They walk through these halls and post messages on these forums. I cant name any but there are some in my thread asking why some women use more
I spent years being thin, I didnt start putting weight on until I was 40 well over 40, prob more 42.
Prior to that I was 5ft5 and 7.5st or 8st for years and years, but now I am a healthy 12 stone.

[Dandelion]

I agree with Dana - I have personally found that too high an amount of oestrogen gives me flushes, headaches etc.
I also find that there is a build up of oestrogen within the body, so if on a big amount over a long term this must have an effect.  Worht perhaps having your oestrogen level checked - if it's above 600 pmol/i  then this could be too high for you dandelion and causing some of your problems?  Dg x

I do have other avenues to check, like meds, some meds sx resemble meno uncannily.
I'm in the process of testing, some meds don't let you know your body wants more until two weeks after you change your dose, its one of those one i can always increase, but it's very hard to get off, it blocks my creativity, so, when my inveatigations are over, i will br tapering off this drug and writing and being more creative again like the old days.

Another difference is before, during my hottest flushes that just would not go away, until after 5wks on 100mcg evorel, although my hair, bra and top was soaked plus pillows soaked, etc, my groin area remained bone dry. Soaking bra, bone dry knickers, now groin area is getting wet in bed, which tells me I came off diazepam too quick and need to backtrack a little and start again.
Having said that, I thought id buy some 25 patches and wear an extra 25 for a couplle of months, and if that does nowt, go back to my normal dose.
I dont want to involve doctors, they mess things up for me, and complcate things where no complications need to be made. Pharmacy2u you contact your doc if request made electronically. Dunno if by phone, or any other unknown means.
I'll do this mammogram, wont waste the space of another woman who might really want to be checked. Isn't the treatment a 2nd meno? Is it really worth getting treatment for breast cancer? that's just a question I am asking myself. Some woman, hell yeah, it is, others, hmmmm