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[twoodie]

Hi newbie here,

just a quick summary. I was a happy 49 year old, full of beans, fit and sociable, who enjoyed baking and eating ! Then I got what I thought was a stomach bug at the beginning of January this year. Undortunately the nausea never subsided and after some horrible investigations ( endoscopy, colonoscopy etc) the gastroenterologist felt that it was my menopause causing nausea. Since then as well as having either nausea or no appetite, I have developed the most awful anxiety. Its like a monster sitting in my body with no thoughts attached to it. Mornings are the worst and my life has literally ground to a halt. I just try and get through every day but there is no joy in anything.

I researched bio identicals (My GP was truly useless, she said at first it was a virus, and then when my hormones were tested she  said that she had never heard of nausea and the menopause) and  found  doctor in the North East who offered bio identical treatment. He tested my bloods again. my results were
FSH 89
Oestrodial less than 44
progesterone .8
testosterone .7
these numbers are meaningless to me other than I know the oestrogen is very low.

He prescribed a gel combining oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone 2 pumps per day.
I have only been on them 10 days and although my sleep has improved, my anxiety and nausea are terrible.

I would love some advice, support or reassurance that life does get better as I feel that life is unbearable at the moment and I so want to get on with my lovely life again.

[twoodie]

hi thanks for quick reply. I haven't worked out how to use this site yet.

[DaisyB]

Hi twoodie

I am new to MM myself. The women on this site are very knowledgeable and reassuring. I am sure they will be along soon to reassure and help. Firstly like yourself I was a foodie and had a real joy for life. Out of nowhere I developed a dread and crippling anxiety along with aches and pains etc I tried bio identical but was proving very expensive from USA. Many visits to GP as well as tests and I resigned myself to being in peri menopause. I had IBS flare ups ME flare ups and felt like it was all going wrong and I couldn't control. I finally accepted good advice from private GP and got private gynae assessment- she has prescribed Mirena coil with estrogen. I'm still off work but things are improving. Check my posts as I detailed what I am doing at the moment to help me manage symptoms. I think the bio identicals took about 2/3 months to work for me when I was using them. Stay strong - you will get through and get your old self back. The key is having support guidance and some patience to get the right combo for you. This forum will be invaluable to you. Hugs from DaisyB

[twoodie]

thanks for encouragement x

[MicheleMaBelle]

Hi twoodie- there's a bit of confusion as to what bio-identicals actually are. They are available on the NHS but from the sound of it, you've got a preparation specially made up for you. Can you confirm please.We can then give you some further advice.

Can't speak for testesterone but nausea and anxiety can be caused by progesterone. Did you have PMT or post natal depression? 

[twoodie]

hi, i had my script made up at private pharmacy. each pump contains
1mg estradiol
progesteroe 50mg
testosterone 0.5 mg

My nausea predates HRT .

I have no children, and I had v bad periods so was on Merina for 6 years . I had the second coil fitted last August without any blood tests. I had it taken out this January as we were wondering whether this was making me sick. Taking it out made a tiny difference, but not much.

TBH I have been a fit healthy happy person all my life until the nausea started in January. I feel Im in a nightmare and Im frightened. My mum is having to stay with me as my husband works away mid week.
I could sob - this anxiety is just sitting in my chest and I dont feel like anything will ever change.
thank you so much for replying to my post.

[Kathleen]

Hello twoodie and welcome to the forum.

I am not one of the expert ladies but I do recognise all your symptoms as hormonal. When I was 49 I remember wondering what all the fuss was about regarding the menopause then everything happened at once and it was like being hit by a train so you do have my sympathy!

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.

[twoodie]

how are you now?

[MicheleMaBelle]

Thanks twoodie. I'm certainly not as well clued up as some of the ladies on the site but know a little bit. The erratic peri menopausal hormones can play havoc with the digestive system. The hormones drive the whole body and mind and when they go out of kilter, there are so many ( on the surface) unrelated symptoms that can appear but digestive issues and mood/ anxiety disorders are common. So, don't be afraid, you're normal!

Maybe trying calming herbal teas might help as  would small meals, more often, to help blood sugar levels. You could try a little dry toast first thing in the morning. There are also anti nausea drugs on prescription but I'd try some simple home remedies first.

Your hormones will fluctuate- I don't know enough to comment on your private prescription and I believe that there's a bit of a concern about private pharmacies dispensing prescriptions that are unregulated. I'm also not sure about the efficacy of progesterone gel. Certainly the transdermal route is efficient but maybe your getting too much via this route or the wrong type ( e.g. What type of progesterone is it? - some can cause more unpleasant side effects than others)
I've paid privately to see a consultant gyny- he's prescribed bio-identical oestrogel ( dosage can be tweaked) vaginal  utrogestan ( bio- identical ) and topical oestrogen. He might add in some testesterone at a later date. Point is, it's all available on the NHS . You'll find a whole mix of opinions on the site so ultimately it's about what works for you. Professor john studd is eminent in his field - his gold standard regime consists of oestrogel, utrogestan and testim, with tweaking as necessary. Some women don't get on with any form of progesterone so he recommends that shorter does of progesterone are taken under supervision backed up with regular scans to check endometrial thickness. I understand that other doctors are also happy to go down this route. The anxiety is a common symptom regardless of HRT but conversely the HRT can also make it worse.
I hope you start to feel better soon- maybe a short course of CBT would help you manage the anxiety and remember that it will eventually pass although it's a challenge 

[Maryjane]

Menopause definitely causes 🤢 I feel like I am pregnant again , I have also had things down and up , and it's all pointing to menopause.

Does it get better ( I'll let you no , when /of out the other end 🙄).

Your GP can prescribe what the private specialist has on the NHS.


Your oestrogen is very low , also you tostesterone a private gynae can give you that , as T is to do with mood / depression.

Don't no about P.

[twoodie]

can't believe Ive had so much support already.thanks.

I am a bit worried about the doc Im using . He is a fully fledged medic but bio identicals are only one part ofhis practice. I was concerned about taking progesterone every day. Ive got a tel. consult with him in 3 weeks - but I had to ask for the follow up. My GP practice have been useless and I dont want to go them again ( hubbie thinks we should change GP but Im worried that we wont find any better). Maybe I should try someone else. Anyway the plan is to give hormone replacement a chance to see if it helps.

Im trying to keep busy and it does help to keep me distracted altho I still walk around with this lo level anxious /nausea feeling. I think if it wasnt for the anxiety I would feel much less nauseous & that my appetite would have a chance to kick in (although severe nausea without anxiety was my first symptom).

Best wishes to everyone. I know it has been said before but I really do feel like Im going mad- although I know Im not now.

[Mbrown001]

Had your periods stopped completely before you started this regime. If not then you really shouldn't be taking progesterone every day. You should be on a Sequi regime , ie one that mimics a natural cycle rather than one that stops your periods completely. Well that's what my GP told me. I did start off on a Sequi and after a few years moved onto the conti.

If you look around the site you can find details of all the types of HRT available. Or you can pay for an email consultation I think from Dr Currie.

Ive also picked up from reading here that your oestrogen test results should be a lot higher before you should take testosterone.

I really would have a good read and then print out what's available and go and discuss it with a GP, or maybe a clued up practise nurse.
I would also ask my GP for a referral for Cognitative Behavioral Therapy to help you cope with your anxiety.
If you can get your HRT properly sorted then you should start to feel much better but what you are using now sounds different from the normal that is available, but I'm no expert.
Also quite a few woman find they have to take an AD for a short while to help with things. That might be worth considering too.

Hope you can find a way through this.

The ladies here are so nice and as a new joiner I have found them friendly and supportive. It's nice not to feel so isolated as everyone else I know seems to have floated through menopause.

Mrs Brown

[twoodie]

unfortunately the nausea has been for almost 4 months now. It is better than it was but when Im not nauseous I have no appetite and dont fancy anything. I cant believe our bodies can do this to us. I think the hardest thing is to try and do things when you feel awful. Normally you get sick, take to your bed, get better then start doing things.
Im trying to get back into things and am dog walking, and going to yoga. I just cant face socialising with my pals though. What a mess. I cant wait to feel better.

[twoodie]

Morning - me again.
Just an update - I went privately to have my stool analysed and results just back show I have no good bacteria at all and a pathogenic level of a bad bacteria. I think that, together with no oestrogen could explain why I feel so ill emotionally and physically. Hopefully this means onwards and upwards.

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

[Jenna]

Hi twoodie - have you been given any advice on how to correct this imbalance? I take Holland and Barrett Mega Potency Acidophilus capsules and I also eat Onken Natural Biopot yogurt to keep a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria.

I hope this info might be of use to you!