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[felicity10]

Hi again, have been feeling pretty low and really panicky all day (which I hide at work). This has been on and off for the last few weeks now. I want to cry but I can't seem to cry. Am on 100mg Evorel patches and Provera 2.5 mg since Dec 16 and things WERE going better. Then suddenly things seem to have changed.
I have just had some bloods done and my Oestrogen has gone from 220 mol in January to 330 mol now.
My question is - is this still quite low given I am on 100 mg (high) patch ? Would I get better absorption through another method eg gel or tablets ? I have some Oestrogel that I got a while back but never used. How do you apply the gel - all in 4 pumps at the same time or apply 2 morning and 2 in evening?
All of the help so far has been from this forum for which I am very grateful indeed -  GPs seem to know very little. Thank you.

[CLKD]

GPs really do not know as much as they ought about the various HRT regimes and the uptake of same. 

Have a browse round here.  Put the HRT you are taking into the search button to see any threads about how others have got on.

[felicity10]

Thanks for your reply.
I did see a post somewhere about Oestrogen levels - but I now can't see it anywhere ?

[CLKD]

There's probably several about levels on here  hopefully someone with HRT knowledge will be along.

Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary is useful.  Also eating regularly can ease anxiety surges.  I take beta-blockas to stop anxiety as well as having an emergency pill for when anxiety floors me.  ADs have helped too. 

How do you feel when panic sets in?

[felicity10]

I have felt so anxious I haven't eaten anything today at all!  Have bursts of panic which subside and then come back -sometimes every few minutes. Very dry mouth, racing thoughts,difficulty trying to focus on anything. Tend to be worse in the mornings, sometimes better in the afternoon and evenings - sometimes not.

[Hurdity]

Hi felicity10

 


Whereabouts are you in menopause ie what were your periods and cycle doing in the months leading up to your starting HRT?

That is quite a low dose of progestogen for that amount of oestrogen - but since you are not absorbing it well ( judging by your blood test results) this might not be a problem, although these only provide a snapshot of oestrogen levels and you can't tell a lot from odd measurements here and there. I take it you are post-menopausal and on continuous combined ie take Provera every day?

It could be insufficient oestrogen or it could be the effects of the progestogen - causing you to feel like this - coupled with your own hormones kicking in if you are not yet at menopause. Have you had hot flushes at all?

If you think you are not absorbing the oestrogen then you could change to the gel although I wouldn't go straight to 4 pumps - in case you absorb  gel so much better! I would start with 3 pumps for a few weeks and take it from there.

Some women feel better on a cycle so that they don't have to take progestogens all the time (myself included) but you would have to put up with a withdrawal bleed.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Oh I know that lack of appetite well 

I have safe foods as well as trying to eat B4 the body is hungry.  My go-to emergency packet of Dextrose tablets is never far away, I use dried fruits and nuts to nibble on as well as bananas/oats as slow release energy foods.  Bovril or Oxo cube in hot water with toast if I can bear the smell  ........ chocolate buttons ;-)

[felicity10]

Hi Hurdity,
I am 52 but still peri. First symptoms I noticed were about 18 months ago - anxiety for no reason. Then started to get mild bursts of heat ( although in mid 40s would wake up in morning and back of neck would be wet- but this didn't wake me up at night). Periods have still been pretty normal UNTIL I started bleeding last week and haven't stopped yet - with flooding onto my clothing and had to dash home to change.
Last year I started having acupuncture for my low mood / anxiety. This worked well for about six months and then stopped working. I read some stuff on this forum then and started on the HRT in Dec 16 which has been overall good for my moods with some side effects but have carried on anyway.
Originally GP gave 10mg Provera but I feel awful for a week after I have stopped taking it. Dose was lowered to 2.5mg - for 14 days which I can tolerate.
So are you saying you agree with me that my Oestrogen is a bit low - it's actually 313? If you have suggested 3 pumps should I take them all together or split them? I don't have any flushes at night - just wake about 5am with dreadful anxiety.
Thanks for your support - it really means a lot as I am feeling a bit desperate at the moment x

[felicity10]

Thanks CLKD for your dietary advice - I guess it's good to keep blood sugars stable as possible. I saw that stress programme on last night with Fiona Philips and they were taking about how good nuts were.
I must get some and put them in my handbag !
Thank you again .

[CLKD]

Brazil nuts are supposedly good for selenium levels too.