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[GypsyRoseLee]

Thank you Hurdity - I hadn't thought of that? But, actually it is a fingertip **** blood test, so I should be okay?

I am very puzzled about my very light periods? Everyone else on 4 pumps, or even just 2-3 seems to have fairly normal-heavy periods? I wonder if my cycle is supressed for about 80 of the time, but then my own hormones flare up (or down) and I get these nasty symptoms?

[Hurdity]

I think only your specialist ( Studd?) will be able to help you understand what is happening here!

Hope you're feeling better today

Hurdity x

[Elizabethrose]

My pal did continue to have periods as the HRT seemed unable to suppress her own cycle. She too experienced differing gaps between her own cycles the further in to peri she moved and it was suspected that her particularly difficult months were the ones that were anovulatory when the oestrogen can suddenly rocket.

I think we may have discussed that the same happened to me when HRT was used to try to control the migs. They couldn't suppress the cycles either.

Hopefully all will continue to plateau for you for a while. If you are going to chart hopefully by the time anything blips again you'll have a decent enough record to be able to reassure yourself about what is happening! x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thanks for that Elizabeth, your posts have done a lot to reassure me

I definitely get some months when 'something' different happens, and tips me over the edge, whereas other months pass by unremarked. I still haven't had a period yet, and no sign of one - and it's now been 37 days! About 10 days ago, I felt like my period was about to start as I had some cramps, and my tummy felt a bit swollen, but nothing happened. So, I wonder if I hadn't ovulated and that's why I had a really nasty episode?

I have just started my 7 days of 100mg Utrogestan, so might well have a withdrawl bleed in a few days?

I'm so pleased to hear your friend has now been able to move on and put all her hellish times behind her. It really gives me hope.

[Hurdity]

I'm not clear when you are deciding to take the progesterone GypsyRoseLee? You said you had been 37 days without a period - is that with or without progesterone? Then you are starting utrogestan soon - sorry I am a bit confused as to how you are playing this?! 

Hurdity x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi Hurdity

I didn't take any Utrogestan from Oct to Dec, last year (on advice of a GP, who said I could only take it every thirs month).

But, I then decided to stick with Prof Studd's regime - so, since Jan 1st, I have taken 100mg of Utro from the 1st - 7th of each month.

My last 'natural' period started on Feb. 25th, was extremely light and only lasted 2 days. I then started 100mg of Utro on March 1st, and on March 3rd another bleed started, a bit heavier than my natural period, and it lasted 4 days.

So, I expected my natural period to arrive on March 25th (as it's done this reliably for the last few months) but although I had a few cramps nothing happened. I started 100mg Utro on April 1st, but absolutely no sign of a bleed yet?

[Hurdity]

Hi again - I'm not sure you can say what and when your natural period is if you are taking utrogestan - it could be any number of things - I mean it could be, but equally it could be anovulatory - due to a drop in oestrogen or the lining shedding a bit by itself - especially if not accompanied by normal period feelings. As I said earlier down thread you don't really know what's happening at the moment - but if you are getting mood changes then definitely something hormonal is happening and presumably the 4 pumps are not suppressing your cycle completely - although you will not get the extreme fluctuations ( and particularly the oestrogen lows) you would get without the added oestrogen?

If you think your natural periods are still coming 4 weekly then why not count the first day of the bleed as Day 1 and take the utrogestan from days 19 - 25 and hope the bleed comes again on approx Day 1? if you are taking it monthly and your cycle is 4 weekly then it's bound to go gradually out of sync - but I presume the idea is your cycle is suppressed so if this were the case your bleed would come after stopping the utro as planned?

Aaaargh - it all sounds too complicated!!! Are you able to go with the flow? When you have your mood dips - are they improving ie for a shorter period of time or not so dreadful - can you see an improvement overall ( have you kept a mood diary etc as CLKD suggests?).

Sorry I can't really help - thinking aloud as always - but I do hope at least you feel better for more of the time now?

Hurdity x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi Hurdity

I assumed it was my own period arriving around the 25th of each month, as that's when it kept arriving last Autumn when I didn't take any Utro for 3 months.

Prof Studd did say I could try and sync my own bleed with the withdrawl bleed from Utro, so I would only have the one bleed per month to deal with. I think I tried that back in August, but felt really dreadful, and I think it was a combination of the Utro + my own progesterone giving me a double whammy of misery.

Overall, I DO think I am better. Especially compared to this time last year, which I don't really want to even think back on. In a strange way, the fact I felt so dreadful a week ago, but bounced back and now feeling great has given me a lot of faith/hope. I am really, really hoping that as my own cycle calms down, that these dips will become less severe and further apart. And then, it would be a case of perhaps gradually reducing my oestrogen to see what suited me.

Thank you again for all your input, as ever you are really informative and helpful.

[Hurdity]

So glad you feel you are seeing an improvement - long may it last

Hurdity x

[Frankie41]

Hi grl

Just popping in on your thread here. Your symptoms sound very similar to mine. Inexplicable mood shifts after periods of relative stability. Also accompanied by physical symptoms, cramping, nausea etc. I am on zoladex and progynova and I definitely know that despite this fairly 'hefty' regime, my cycle is breaking through, to some extent. I suspect it's to do with being late peri (fluctuations get stronger according to STRAW meno phases) - and in my case, insufficient add back estrogen to work synergistically
with the zoladex to suppress the cycle.  I am seeing a specialist today in Melbourne (female professor and psychiatrist who specialises in hormone responsive mood disorders including perimenopause.) I will let you know if she has any gems to share. I suspect there will be no silver bullets, but am hoping she can advise on optimal strategies to suppress the cycle.  Frankie

[Errol]

This thread has been very helpful for me.  I have had bad anxiety which i've struggled to articulate to myself, let alone others.  I do now think it is meno related and that helps, even if I don't know what to do about it.

good luck all.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thanks Frankie, I would be really interested to hear what your specialist has to say, please do keep me posted.

It's no wonder that many women get misdiagnosed with bi polar, when actually it is their hormones causing the problem.