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[Redlocks]

Hello ladies,

I'm a bit confused about my HRT regime. To cut a long story as short as possible, I started out last June on continuous 100mcg Estradot patches and 1 x 100mg Utrogestan tablets for 21 out of 28 days (days 8-28). I thought I would feel as rough as anything at first but other than a bit of tiredness I felt absolutely great.

On the fourth cycle, along with my consultant's (Dr Nick Panay, lovely man) advice, I cut down to just 10 days on Utrogestan (same 100mg dose) because I was getting a bleed every two weeks and wanted a bit more energy. This sorted that problem, but after a month on this dose I frankly lost my mind: crushing anxiety and constant panic attacks, despite being previously stable on 40mg fluoxetine. Not knowing what else to do I went back to my original dose of 21 days of Utrogestan, and after 4/5 months of relentless anxiety I found I no longer needed to take lorazepam and felt grounded again and back to myself (so there is light at the end of the tunnel).

I then saw Dr Panay again in the late summer after being stable for a while. I was still getting two bleeds a month so I asked him about that and he suggested doubling my dose of Utrogestan (200mg each day for 21 days out of 28) and to give it about 4 months.

I started this dosage in early August but it didn't stop the bleeding after 4 cycles. I had a few additional physical symptoms at times, such as nausea which I hadn't really had an issue with before.  I was willing to give it a bit longer but over the past 2 weeks my anxiety has gotten out of control again - it's like I've become possessed!

I'm worried because I was functioning well over the last four months. Last time I was ill I believe it was because I had too much estrogen compared to progesterone, and the panic took over after just a month on that dose. This time I thought I was OK as I didn't seem to get any adverse effects from doubling the progesterone at first, and now it almost seems to have crept up on me. I always felt more calm during the progesterone days, but could it be that the progesterone has built up and maybe I have a bit too much? I'm definitely not functioning at the moment Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

Hugs to everyone suffering and sorry for the long post!

XXXXX

[Redlocks]

Hello Lola50, thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

That's a good point. I've definitely been getting lots of adrenaline surges (it's horrible).

Erm, I'm actually neither...I'm taking HRT for severe PMS and PCOS, but a lot of the symptoms I've had overlap (e.g. irregular periods, night sweats, excess hair on chin and upper lip), so much so that they had to rule out premature ovarian failure.

I've been on antidepressants for many years as I wasn't really offered anything else and couldn't do without them, but I chose to try HRT as I wanted to see whether my anxiety was more connected with my hormone imbalance (also ADs did nothing for the night sweats etc.). I'm happy to take medication but ideally only if it's addressing the cause of a problem! My plan was to come off the ADs gradually as the HRT had stabilised me, but at the moment that's not really an option so I'm feeling lost.

[Redlocks]

Lola50, if you don't mind me asking, were you able to stop ADs after using HRT (assuming you have tried HRT?)

[Redlocks]

That was the plan, yes! Seems my cycle is hard to override (odd considering I used to get fewer periods - sometimes they would be two months apart).

I am able to email the clinic and have an appointment early next month, but it's expensive to see him and hard to know what to do when I'm so panicky, it's very frightening and hard to think straight.

And I'll check out those FB groups - thanks so much! I was interested in getting people's perspectives on Menopause Matters because when I used to google my symptoms lots of these posts would appear, and I could particularly relate to the extreme anxiety that some women get - I've had it bad since puberty. I've never had much luck with CBT for panic attacks and only in recent years began to wonder if my ‘illness' is at least partially hormonal. It was difficult to tell when I was younger - I couldn't Track symptoms as my periods were irregular (fun times).

PS: what you say about hormones is so spot on!!
PPS: you managed to get some Estradot?! This shortage is appalling - at least I could potentially fall back on just the ADs, but there's so many women who are suffering and need the HRT

[Redlocks]

Also wanted to say hope you feel good soon, such a pain having to start from scratch X

[Redlocks]

Lola50 let me know how you get on!  This trial and error business is tough.

[Redlocks]

Has anyone had any experiences of feeling great/stable on HRT and then dipped/bottomed out months later? If so, did you manage to level out again? Feel so scared as I don't know what's causing what at the moment.

[Hurdity]

Hi Redlocks

 

Just to say if you are peri-menopausal then your hormone levels won't be stable because your own cycle will be kicking in now and again. HRT at usual doses is not sufficient to suppress ovulation. However hRT will prevent the worst of the oestrogen crashes especially at that dose if you absorb well, although you will still feel the effect of the progesterone when you take it and then the few days withdrawal when you stop each cycle.

I have always been stable on HRT because I started it in pretty late peri-menopause and my cycle never broke through - although as above I get the progesterone side effects each cycle ( I'm on long cycle to avoid having too much prog).

Also if you are taking other drugs eg ADs then these will presumably also be having some sort of effect mood-wise - not sure how they interact with HRT though?

Are you able to access the Panay clinic on NHS? I know he does an NHS clinic (well at least he used to...) but I expect the waiting list is long!

I do hope you manage to stablise soon.

Hurdity x

[Redlocks]

Thanks so much Hurdity
The NHS waiting list is long It's scary because I've gone from a functioning person to someone who's frankly scared to be alone at the moment, I've lost my appetite and feel as though I'm in a deep bereavement...I just feel so hopeless. I thought hormones were the answer.

[Sammiejane]

red locks

what hormones do you take ?

i'm having similar on the gel very up and down last few days been horrible feel ill i can't think sleep function yet i was fine last week !

[Redlocks]

Hello Sammiejane,

Thanks for your message - I'm taking 100mcg Estradot patch and was taking 200mg Utrogestan for 21 out of 28 days. I was ok on this dose for the first few months but due to my symptoms over the last few weeks my consultant advised me over email to drop back to 100mg Utrogestan for 21 days (keeping estrogen dose the same).
It's horrible, isn't it? I had similar (if not the same) feelings last year when I lowered my dose of 100mg Utrogestan to 10 days out of 28. I thought the panic then was due to high estrogen, so how can I be experiencing the same when I've increased the progesterone?? I feel so lost.

[Sammiejane]

hi redlocks

i'm not sure if you were ever on the pill but i was and never had these issues as i'm getting with hrt

felt fine on combined microgynon 30 pill !

want to go back on it instead of hrt but won't let me as i smoke and my age

[Redlocks]

I never actually took the pill, just ADs. Thanks for that, might be a good suggestion as HRT doesn't seem to be able to override my cycle!

Are you able to get any alternatives from your doctor/consultant if you can't go back on the pill?

I really hope you feel better soon and get some answers. Seriously feels like I'm being injected with adrenaline (how I felt when I was taking way more estrogen than progesterone) and like I'm dying

[Redlocks]

Quick update: my consultant advised me over email to drop back to just one Utrogestan tablet a night as before, which I've done. You can do this no matter where you are in your cycle if you feel not right.

I thought I could never have enough progesterone! Doesn't seem to have had the calming effect I thought it would, which is odd considering they use it to treat seizures sometimes :/