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[vintagefiend]

Hello,

I'm 47 and essentially menopausal (well, 7 months post last period but regular blood tests- finger ****, private company-always show post meno levels of oestradiol)

I have been using 2 pumps oestrogel for a month and don't know my levels of oestradiol since starting this.
It has got me out of a very depressive hole, so it's clearly what I needed.
However, I find I'm slipping somewhat- nothing as bad as I was but difficulty falling asleep/ anxious dreams/ quite low, anxious and irritable in the mornings and always wake up with a gasp and my heart pounding!!
I'm pretty fatigued but I have had a bug so difficult to tell what's what.
Also, I've started more noticeably (to me) leaking urine during day!! (I know I can get oestrogen pessaries, but should I be considering a more global increase in oestradiol as well?)

My dilemma is that I know that my testosterone is on the floor and has been for at least a year.
Could some of my symptoms be attributable to this rather than low oestrogen?
Would it be worth trying some testosterone therapy before increasing oestrogel?
Seems daft not to address something that I know is deficient rather than adding to something that may or may not be.
No idea what my oestradiol levlels are now that I'm on oestrogel- could be at optimal level for all I know.
I did try increasing oestrogel recently but felt quite crappy quite quickly so discontinued (I realise, though, that things generally need time!)
There is then the hurdle of actually getting testosterone but I'll cross that bridge as and when! (and I may have an illicit sachet stashed away  )
Thank you.

[Ladybt28]

Hi Vintagefiend,  it could well be that the oestrogel isn't high enough. You haven't been using the regime very long.  1 month is very short in terms of hrt.  3 months on anyone thing to let things settle is recommeneded. I had to use 4 pumps to start off with and have recently just dropped it to 3 in the last 2 months.  My testosterone was not added into my regime until I was 7 months into the gel and progesterone.  It seems a lot of GP's an meno consultants go by symptoms and not blood levels because what is the right level for me wont fix the symptoms and what is right for you will be different, if you see what I mean.

Sometimes when starting a regime, you get a "hit" for a while and then the body adjusts and then it seems to dip and you go backwards a bit and then you increase the gel and it levels off again.  Leaky urine can be a thing but you said a bug??? Is it a UTI or are you starting to suffer with a bit of vaginal atrophy.

I increased my doses every 3 weeks by half a pump until my symptoms seemed to come under control.  Whole process (including adding in testosterone) to feel really ok has taken 9 months - so unfortunately it is not always as quick fix...it can take patience.  I upped things slowly because I knew from reading the forum that just upping things radically doesn't give the body time to adjust nor for you to work out what is really going on.  Sometimes when you up the gel, you feel worse for a week and then very much better.  I was very bad...I am 57 and had been struggling to find the right regime for 3 years but now everything is much better, I have most of my life back.  xx

[vintagefiend]

wow! LadyBT28
thank you very much- that is a very helpful, unequivocal post and i can tell you "get" where I'm at.
and i was quick to give up on further increases of oestrogel when it didnt result in the miraclulous recovery that i had had initially- in fact, felt yuck. to know that you initially felt worse- even for a week- on increase is massively helpful.
sorry- i was being confusing: i've had a nausea bug- so it's difficult for me to tell whether my fatigue is down to that or meno.
i'm going to try increasing nominally (half a pump) because i have definitely slipped a bit.
Thanks again

[Ladybt28]

This meno **** is just not a quick thing - nothing really miraculous to be honest and you will find the ladies who come to forum are the ones who have a more "challenging" meno shall we say    not those who "sail through" - we never get to hear from them cos they don't have any issues. Stick with it honey and although they say 3 months on any regime my philosophy on what I have learnt is slowly, slowly unless you get really bad mental reactions to something.  I was on provera for a time 3 months...but it sent me mental and I knew that after 6 weeks!

I had really bad nausea with some of the hrts I was on, particularly Femeston.  I had some when I started my gel but it was gone after 2/3 months. Hope you feel better soon - keep us posted. x

[vintagefiend]

thank you- i will take on board the slowly, slowly philosophy.
i'm going to be honest: i havent yet started the prog part as historically do not get on with it so wanted first an even keel with oestrogen.
i do know that it's v important and i will start within next month.
yes, i felt nauseous initially on oestradiol and maybe it's meno that i'm confusing for a bug! (tho my kids have just been ill so could be that- who knows!)
it sure ain't no fun, this menopause- but this forum is a godsend.
thanks and i will update x