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[aurora]

Hi all - I've tried researching this on line but allergies - by which I mean itchy eyes and sneezing - never seem to come up as side effects of Estrogel but mine seem to have worsened since starting it. This seems odd as when I was using bioidentical creams (the sort you get on line) I found that biest (80 estriol/20estradiol) improved allergies.  I don't think it's the Utrogestan as I'm cycling that and allergies are just as bad when on estrogel only. But it could be something else! I just can't work out what. Anyone else experienced allergies either worsening or improving? Thanks

[Dancinggirl]

It's unlikely to be the Oestrogel but it could well be the Utrogestan - I got a nasty rash with Utrogestan.
Dry and itchy eyes and more reaction to allergics generally are a menopausal symptom as a result of oestrogen deficiency - everything dries out and becomes more sensitive.  Sadly HRT can't solve everything. 
Try saline nasal sprays.  DG x

[aurora]

thanks DG - maybe i should up the estrogel - i've been using 1 and a half pumps as that was enough to stop hot flushes but maybe I should go up to 2...

[Annie0710]

Take anti histamines but I'm an anaphylaxis sufferer for years and during peri menopause by allergies increased tenfold, I never got to know what I was reacting to as there were so many.  It's calmed right down now to my original allergens x

[Rosti]

Hi

My allergy worsened significantly on oestrogel.  It seems, as I understand it that it somehow increases histamine production which for me gave me hayfever symptoms, itchy eyes, sneezing etc etc.

Not such a problem now I have reduced the dose.  Whether moving to patches has also had an impact I couldn't say.

xxx

[aurora]

Thanks Rosti - yes that's exactly what I've been getting - by patches do you mean estrogel or is this something else like Sandrena? Would you mind saying what dose you were using when you had histamine response and what you're on now? Thanks so much!

[Annie0710]

Just goes to show how different we all are.  I am post meno and use oestrogel and my allergies have reduced so I put it down to peri menopause being the culprit x

[aurora]

Yes I agree Annie - it's so hard to tell - I used 2 pumps today instead of 1 and half and have been a lot better :O but have also had iodine and lots of other supplements - hard to know what's going on as I'm hypothyroid too. I did find sites saying estrogen itself increases histamine production and decreases clearance so it seems in any case it may not be the estrogel specifically. But progesterone is supposed to improve it yet I find it makes it worse - not just Utrogestan but the bio cream I used to use if I used too much ... Oy vey!

[Rosti]

Hi Aurora,

I am currently on 37.5mcg estradot patches with Synarel to shut down my oestrogen production. I had some unpleasant side effects on 2 pumps oestrogel including severe muscular problems in my shoulder where I administered the gel.

Looking for fewer peaks and troughs and less shoulder aggro it was suggested that I change to patches.  I began with estradot 50mcg and it was more consistently not brilliant.  I was having to take Telfast 180 antihistamine daily and I still had sneezing.

Conventional wisdom then said that I should increase my oestrogen dosage as I was still having "hot nights" and flushes.  Increasing to 75mcg as suggested made things a million times worse and the allergy symptoms got quite a lot worse too.  By this time my oestrogen count was 1171.

I had to reduce the patches big style and returned to 50mcg.

I then began to increase the progesterone element which seemed to work (levonorgestrel) and reduced the estradot patch to 37.5mcg. 

I suspect that this isn't the final suitable dosage but it is so much better than what was for me too much oestrogen...

Hope this helps...

xxx

[Tempest]

It's quite simple, really - estrogen causes release of histamine from mast cells. For some people this isn't a problem - for others, it can be. I had bad rhinitis during natural peri - allergies now are non existent now that my estrogen is practically zero post surgical menopause (no HRT). xxxx

[aurora]

Thanks Rosti and Tempest - yes I now understand about the estrogen/histamine relationship but I have no wish to go without estrogen - I know some people seem to have transitional problems through peri then improve but I got worse and worse and my estrogen measured unbelievably  low - about 2 or 3 I think but I'm not sure if the way it was measured was on the same scale or whatever as people here as I've read someone had 37 and that was considered ridiculously low - I must get another print out of my results to check!  Anyway I've realised this evening that earlier in the year I had no allergies at all despite hay fever season - at that time I was taking a probiotic called latero-flora but switched to a cheaper one so I'm going to try it again and see if it helps! I was taking it for bloating so didn't make the allergy conection before now ...

[Annie0710]

Well didn't I speak too soon and not touch wood ?!!!

Currently in A&E after suffering anaphylaxis laying on my bed watching tv and not a clue what the cause of the reaction was.

Did my first self administer epipen and came by ambulance.  Hoping to leave as soon as they're happy with me

[Annie0710]

Yeah can you imagine if they'd not given me them ? We now live 20+ minutes from the nearest hospital so even more vital I had them. 

I'm fine now.  Bp always goes low and I start shaking but those pens are amazing.  Bp was 104/61 by the time I got there so dread to think what it was before.  Oxygen had gone up too paramedic said from when they got there to when I got to a&e

I don't think I'll find the cause of last nights, I literally was watching tv on the bed whilst hubby had footie on downstairs.  Plus the sequence was different to other times, I usually get hives, breathing then feeling of doom.    Last nights was feeling strange/doom, breathing, then itching and swollen tongue x

[Tempest]

Oh no, Annie!!! Been there, done that!!! Sending you so much love and hoping you're ok. The epipen thing is a bit scarey but it certainly does the job, very quickly!

They'll likely do bloods to see what your IgE markers are doing and may keep you overnight and give you a short course of steroids as a precaution. That is all routine, so try not to panic. xxxx

[Annie0710]

No they let me home 2.30am

My fault, they were preparing bloods and gown but I said I feel fine and no need to fuss.  Sent me home with steroids, peak flow and a generic piriton pack. 

They want me to see gp to have asthma review too as inhalers weren't helping last night.  Did few ecgs but by the time I got to hospital oxygen was up to 95% and bp had risen, probably even more after that but I wasn't looking.  Shaking went and my cheeks started flushing so colour came back to me.  Last time they kept me in overnight and I got no rest as I was running round after the old ladies in the ward xx