Hi, Abby!
As Annie says, us ladies without ovaries often seem to struggle on higher doses of estrogen and this can clearly be seen if you head on over to Hystersisters and read the many posts there about this very thing! I have VERY strong feelings about us becoming estrogen dominant although many say this is not the cause of why we feel so bad (mainly in the UK where we don't have much of an idea about 'balance' when it comes to HRT after ovary removal). But it makes perfect sense - we have NO ovaries, thus are producing only a tiny smidge of progesterone and testosterone from our adrenals and stored fat etc. This can quickly get overridden by the higher doses of estrogen that get lobbed at us as professionals here ASSUME that we need more, when I fact it's BALANCE that we need. This particularly affects us mentally - and only us ladies with no ovaries know what this feels like!
It is also very important (and I speak from much experience here - especially over the last couple of months or so) to be allowed to stabilise on one dose even if it is not meeting your needs quite for alleviating your symptoms for at least one month. I was 'rushed up' into increasing my gel dose as my levels were low and it was a disaster! Subsequently, my Consultant then cut my patch dose which I started after having to stop the gel to 25mcg which was nothing short of torture. I had to endure another hormone crash! There is only so many times we can endure this before we become seriously unglued, and I think Consultant's etc. need to realise this and proceed carefully. It puts a huge strain on our adrenals if they are constantly forced into action with all this tinkering about, and can cause horrible symptoms of increased anxiety as well as all the physical issues. Think about it - the adrenals release adrenaline and when over stressed, this is going to make you feel really jittery and anxious. Fluctuations up and down can make you feel like this too as the adrenals have no idea whether they're coming or going!
And then of course, we get passed to mental health as no one has any idea why were not responding 'well' to treatment! I've read back over many old posts here of ladies who have no ovaries, and apart from a very few they have all pretty much been in desperate straits and have been up and down like a fiddler's elbow on their dosages. And then they stop posting......it makes me so sad and angry!
My advice to you would be to NOT be rushed. Go back down to the 50mcg patch and hold there for at least a month. And then titrate up by using a half of a 25mcg patch. Yes, we are THAT sensitive and if this is what it takes then your specialist will have to accommodate this in order to get you where you need to be if you want to try the Testosterone. I'll be sticking to my guns on this myself in the future, I can tell you!
As Annie says, I am also sorely tempted by the Tibolone as this provides a replicated balance of all 3 hormones, and this may be just what we need. I have done a lot of research into feedback from TAH/BSO and BSO ladies of using this, and for those that tolerate it it seems to be far superior as far as mood/libido/wellbeing than seperate estradiol and testosterone (and of course they won't give TAH ladies progesterone as 'we don't need it' even though it helps to balance the energising effect of estrogen which often pushes us into anxiety and jitteriness).
On the work front, this is just disgusting! I think you have a fairly clear cut case for constructive dismissal there, and I would research this as effectively you were forced to quit. Speaking to ACAS about this would be a very good bet.
As always, sending you biggest hugs!
xxxxxx
