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[Mandee]

Hi all,

Whenever I increase the dose of my patch I get a load of hair loss. It happens every time and goes on for quite a while.
The hairdresser mentioned it today and said it's very thin and wispy on the top. I get a fair bit whenever I comb it as well.
Has anyone else had this happen or am I just a freak as I've always read that estrogen is what makes hair grow thicker when you're young or pregnant.
I also use utrogestan which doesn't come from testosterone so it's not that causing it.

[MicheleMaBelle]

And if you look at the possible side effects listed in the Utrogestan leaflet, hair thinning is mentioned!
It's the most hair friendly one but I do believe that it may be implicated. I'd get your thyroid, ferritin, vitamin B and vitamin D levels checked. Even although they might be within normal ranges, if they are on the low side, they can affect hair loss and condition.

[Mandee]

Thanks for your replies.
I haven't had thyroid checked recently but previous tests showed normal including the other vitamins etc and I take supplements including a high dose vitamin D3. It only happens when I increase the estrogen and not any other times.
I am on testogel as well and haven't altered the dose at all.
I only use the utrogestan for 12 days a month.
I'm wondering if it's happening due to the sudden increase from upping the dose rather than the gradual ebb and flow that happens during  the body's own cycle before the menopause.

[Annie0710]

I had dudddn hair shedding back in 2015.  If I remember correctly I think it coincided with changing oestrogen from pill to patch but didn't blame that.  Lots of tests later didn't reveal a cause so when the chance to try testosterone occurred I had nothing to lose (hair wise).  I think it's actually helped. My hair has been more manageable but the weirdest thing of all is within the last few months my hair has thickened. X

[Saffy]

I was terrified of losing even more hair on HRT which is why I insisted on Utrogestan rather any of the testosterone-derived progestogens. It seemed to have settled down - no more loss but not much in the way of regrowth TBH. Have now, rather tentatively, started testosterone and so far there's been no more hair loss (8 weeks on it so far), although it doesn't seem to be doing much else so it might be I'm not absorbing it  .

[Annie0710]

Saffy give it time.  It was months after starting I noticed my hair was more manageable x

[Mandee]

Birdy, I don't have other high T symptoms that you mentioned. I have been using the testogel right from the start of my symptoms, around 6 years, along with the evorel patches.

[Mandee]

I have always been using a fifth sachet of testogel as prescribed by my meno doctor at the beginning. I do get a few bristles on my chin, but not a large amount, which I just pluck out.
I just cannot understand why this hairloss happens when the estrogen dose is increased though, makes me feel like a freak when the opposite happens to everyone else as it's supposed to.

I have been experimenting with upping my patch dose from 100 up to 150 by leaving half the old patch on alongside the new one when I change them. It's the only way I can increase the dose, as my doctor won't do it, due to returning symptoms a few months ago.
I tried an extra quarter patch for a month in February which did nothing, I didn't even get a bleed the following month. I then upped it to half and had a bleed last month which was a red/brown colour and light enough to use a panty liner. I am keeping it at this dose for this month to see what the bleed is like.
It does seem as if I've never absorbed the patch very well as I'm still getting symptoms but my sleep has improved slightly recently and I got the better bleed so I must be absorbing something but it takes ages for it to take effect. On the other hand, the thing with the sudden hairloss points to high T alongside low estrogen. How can I get a bleed on upping the patch dose, meaning higher estrogen levels, yet get hairloss at the same time meaning low estrogen? Nothing makes any sense whatsoever and I've no idea what's going on. I'm 54.

My bleeds are never on time, being out by 3 days either way and usually start around 10 days after the 12 days of utrogestan ends. It should be around 3 days after. Another thing that makes no sense and doesn't happen to other people. I have always kept a diary over the years and there are hardly any patterns relating to dosage and symptoms other than in the first year when I was on evorel sequi and the bleeds were very regular and on time until I missed a few bleeds. The doc upped the dose to 75 with utrogestan and that's when everything went weird from then on.

I've been thinking of getting one of those online hormone tests to see if I'm actually absorbing anything. Has anyone on here used these and if so, which are the best ones?
I have asked the docs for tests before but they all just say they're no good, yet I've read many times on here about others having them done with no problems and getting accurate results.

[Mandee]

Thanks for your help.

I read an article on here, by Hurdity I think, which said that if your estrogen levels are too low and you are using testosterone, it's changed by the body to estrogen to make up the shortfall so I would think I'm converting the small amount I'm using before it has chance to cause any problems.

I've been doing some research today and may have found the cause of the hairloss whenever I up the estrogen dose, it all seems to add up.
I found several articles which said that hairloss is a common symptom cause by estrogen levels being too high compared to progesterone which explains why it gets worse whenever I up the dose.
My overall estrogen levels are obviously too low hence the returning symptoms but it looks like they're too high compared to the progesterone dose I'm using.
I've never had any signs of excess estrogen such as sore breasts, weight gain etc so I'm not overdosing on the patch which is a relief, it seems that the balance could be way off.
We can increase the estrogen levels but there doesn't seem to be any options for increasing the progesterone to balance things out.

If this is the case then it's just going to get worse if I have to up the dose again.

I never had any issues with this in the 2 years I was on evorel sequi with the built-in progesterone, it started as soon as I went on the 75 patch with separate prog. The sequi patches must have a well balanced estrogen to prog ratio I guess.

[Mandee]

No idea if I'm converting T to E or what on earth's going on.

I use the testogel to help with libido so I won't be cutting it out, I'd rather put up with thin hair as long as I don't go bald!

I've just read a new thread on here today about HRT and SHBG, maybe that's the cause but I don't have a clue. Nothing makes any sense whatsoever.
Hopefully someone else on here with similar issues can advise.

[allie007]

Mine did for months when I started using Estrogel. Went to the doctors, she said HRT makes hair grow and not fall out and gave me a prescription for psoriasis shampoo 🙄
Stopped when I changed to patches xx

[Mandee]

Hi allie007,
I've never used estrogel, only patches so I'm the opposite. Weird how we all react so differently to the HRT types isn't it?
I'm going to ask the doc if I can try estrogel when I have my review next month if things don't improve.

Seems that the most common symptoms of menopause are flushes, depression, anxiety, brain fog and mood issues. I've never had any of those, just zero libido, joint pains at night and awful sleep!

[allie007]

Hope you have some luck with the Estrogel, its fab in that you are in control with the doseage. I may go back to it xx