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[Tc]

Hiya ladies.
As you might know I have year long history of non absorption and trying to get my E up. Since March I've increased from 75 estradot to 150  and in the last 3 months from 150 to 250.

Since this increase I've had constantly very painful , lumpy hard breasts. I've also had my first 2 bleeds.

I increased 50 at a time and its highly feasible I have "overshot the mark".

I've had a stark realisation.

This excersise of increasing  has gone too far. Ii now see t's pointless to have gone so high on a patch which didnt work in the first place  but I now fear its potentially dangerous for me

At 40 I had a breast scare which turned out to be multiple cysts in both breasts. The specialist said at time they were hormonally driven and the pain would decrease as I aged. He was right. Until the last 3 months!!

I have told myself its o.k as my blood level was low 3 months ago  but I fear it might have shot up.since and the breast issue is indicative of that. I've also been getting migraines which I put down to P. But I wasnt having them before the increase in E.. I left my migraines behind in my 40s   Maybe another warning sign I've ignored   

I've been scared to lower but logically. If I didnt feel any benefits on the way up why would I feel any negatives on the way down.
I dont feel any better on 250 than I did on 100. So  the risks are not worth it 

I'm going to take my courage and reduce. Either ask for a different patch and start of lowish   and increase slowly so I dont overshoot again. . Or I can stay with this patclh cut a small piece off each change and keep reducing till the breast pain and lumpiness goes. Which I pray it does.i favour the first option as I might possibly absorb a different patch better. Any thoughts ladies?
 
I think I've been irresponsible taking it on myself to increase to 250. The extra eastrogen has obviously gone straight to my breasts which is a big worry. Plus I dont know how its affected my lining  I've become increasingly concerned and I'm panicking now.

I ve already decreased from 250 to 200 in the last week.. 

I couldnt sleep again last night worrying what damage I might have done.

. I've been scared to mention the breast pain and lumps  to doc in case she lowered my eastrogen. How fool hardy is that!!!. I've been so obsessed  and focused with getting eastrogen up thinking only good things can come of it, but excess is not good and I've ignored that possibility  common sense has flown out the window..and I now realise it.

Btw. I'm getting blood test today.

Any thoughts or experience gratefully received.

TC x

[Angel19]

I've only been taking hrt for 5 weeks but already my breasts are tender and enlarged. My oestrogen level was tested at the start and was very low

[Angel19]

Good to know. Hoping things will settle soon.

[Tc]

Well, that didnt go well at all.

A week or so after lowering from 250 to 200. The breast pain has eased a lot  they are noticeably less full and hard...but..I am realy depressed, anxious and my skin has gone realy dry and itchy again. Also itchy and sore down below.

Birdy how long did it take after you first started for the breast issue to ease?

Maybe I should've stuck with the 250 but it had been a couple of months with it 

Feels like I cant win!!

[wuzzie]

I remember before the whole blasted menopause business began that I would quite regularly have lumpy and hard breasts so I don't think it's necessarily an indicator that you have overdone things.  When I started taking HRT on Celeste Conti lowest dose I would get it too and when I mentioned it to my Dr. she said that was quite common.  I wouldn't worry too much but be aware of any permanent changes and it won't help your anxiety! 

[wuzzie]

P.S.  Have you tried the gel. It's so easy compared to the patches.   I take Estrogel which is the body identical hormone available on the NHS but you have to ask for it.

[Tc]

That's true birdy. And because I've had ovaries removed any naturally produced hormones are now only coming from the adrenals  I'm nor so much supplementing ovarian hormones I am completely trying to replace them.

High WUZZIE 🖐 thank you so much for your reassurance. I did panic last week and just took the 50 patch off.  As birdy says I didnt absorb the gel. Sadly.

Xx

[Hurdity]

Tc did you used to get lumpy breasts when fertile and menstruating? If so then it is likely that additional oestrogen (and maybe progesterone) is causing this, but you are right also to be cautious if you had breast cysts and a breast scare - especially as you say if 250 mcg has not made you feel any better than 100 mcg.

It would be interesting to hear the results of your blood tests though despite their inaccuracy, as an approx guide (hopefully) to whether you are absorbing the oestrogen from the patches.

I quite agree Birdy - HRT only provides a very crude approximation of the hormonal "milieu" (fancy word!) we normally experience - after all we are just replacing one hormone either daily or twice weekly and then the other one to protect our womb - again daily rather than in pulses from the ovary!

Tc I hope you get regular breast checks in view of your history because I think you are below the age for mamograms - under 50? Sorry can't remember!

Hurdity x

[Tc]

Hiya hurdity. Yes I did get painful breasts with my cycle.
I had a clear mammogram 2 years ago. I am 54. 
It is quite hard to check your breasts yourself when they have so many cysts.

I didnt get my blood test yet. I want to do it day 2 of the patch. But I'm not sure whether to do it when I'm on the utrogestan or not..  but I think you're right it is the only way to see for sure whether I've absorbed any more on this high dose. Because I dont feel I am.

Xxxx