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[Sammiejane]

hi

i have posted a couple of times but not had much response if any so here’s hoping someone can help with there experience

i’ve been taking 2 pumps gel daily progesterone suffered with watery discharge and felt wasnt enough estrogen in my body even though my levels were 435 pmol so i upped to 2.5 pumps and have been doing great intill about 4-6 weeks in and then bloating happened heavy boobs flushes at night sweating from armpits and more hair shedding so GP decided to do bloods but suggested i drop to 2 pumps (which was 3.5 weeks ago) and alternate progesterone however sweating remains flushes remain hair shedding even worse and bloating and boobs improved a little . i in myself felt so much better on higher dose and watery discharge had virtually gone
so my blood results came back and estradiol was a whopping 1238 pmol so in 4 months has tripled i’m stuck what to do as menopause don’t want me increasing back up because estrogen is on the high side

my questions are : is my hair shedding because the ratio between estrogen and progesterone now way off ?

are my return of symtoms due to the high level ?

should i go back to the 2.5 pumps daily utro but apply to my thighs as i didn’t obsorb aswell on my legs so could get away with the higher dose

or do i do as menopause said and add in tesosterone sticking at 2 pumps and alternate progesterone even though i don’t feel great ?

do i except that this regime just isn’t for me take a break and see !

i feel so confused drained and now my state of mind is back in this hole of not knowing what to do my energy had plummeted i can’t be bothered attitude is back i’m emotionally up and down

please can you kind ladies offer some advice xx

[Bring me Sunshine]

Sammiejane

Hello sorry you are having such a rough time it is a nightmare for some I totally empathise with what you are going through.  I was told when you do feel well to then have a blood test and see what the level is to know then what you are well on.

I asked my menopause lady about the ratio between estrogen and progestorone too as I dipped dreadfully from feeling okish and my reading came back a whopping 2149pmol.  She told me that as I have the mirena coil then the progestorone it needs to protect the lining it just takes so no i wasnt deficient in progestorne despite the oestorgen being so high.  She also said high estrogen is as bad as low estrogen jeez!! I then had to come off hrt for a week and have now restarted on a 50 patch and one pump of gel and testoserone tostran not every other day but twice a week.  I feel totally crap confused drained and all the gps want to do is offer new anti depressants into the mix its a bloody minefield of emotions.

I have had hair shredding this year only not the previous 2 when I was just on the gel 3 pumps.  I have no idea if its the patches but I use John Frieda volumising shampoo conditioner and the root spray and that either disguises it as it just looks the same.  Its just around the temples I shred it where it grows.

I am sorry if I am no help to your problem but I just wanted you to know that you are so not alone it is so much trial and error.  If you are easily able to get bloods done then the only advice I can give you is have a test done when you feel well and see what it says.  Mine was around 800 but I know we are all different.

Good Luck keep posting you are not alone in this menopause hell. xx

[Baby]

Just to agree with bringmesunsine. I have been trying different HRTs for 11 months and have still not got it right. Yesterday I felt completely like my old self. Today I am a quivering crying nervous wreck. Just dont understand how you can feel normal one day and so I'll the next. 

[Sammiejane]

hi ladies

i was hrt free for 4 yrs and had no hairloss since started hrt i have had nothing but . i’ve also had hysterectomy so no need for progesterone but felt awful on estrogen alone and hair still shed infact was worse compared to adding in progesterone .

i just don’t feel right on 2 pumps alternate progesterone i need progesterone every day to feel balanced but had watery discharge so i then increased estrogen but then had side effects and a level really high.

menopause have told me to stick at 2 pumps and alternate days of progesterone and add in tesosterone every other day but i don’t feel great my only other option is to apply the gel back to my thighs as i didn’t obsorb well on this area and my arms i clearly am to much x

if i swapped over to a patch is it better to take a break first x

[Bring me Sunshine]

Gosh SammieJane I wish I had the answers for you and me and all the other lasses.  One size fits all and works wouldnt that be brilliant!

I have the mirena coil for the progestorone and im one of those who tolerates it well and the progestoreone goes straight into the uterus with it.  This is my 3rd one, so been on it 12 years so dont know anything about the other progestorones out there.

I cant advise you what to do im no expert though I probably know more than gps and some menopause clinic people who are really gps.  I did run menopause cafes on the 2 years I was well and still do zoom calls when Helen one of the original founders of Menopause cafe invites me and then you see everyone and hear their stories.  Thats nice sometimes to see people and hear their stories.

Have you ever emailed Heather Currie on this website.  She is so lovely I may even email her again on her take on changing anti depressants and if there are any new ones on the block that help hormone imbalances (i can only hope) .  I would even have electric shock therapy if I knew it would cure me and go bald if I was cured of depression I would wear a wig.  How I long for lockdown again so I can go back to hiding away like everyone else and take pressure of me having to cancel things I dont want to go to because im not me.

The menopause gp told me to take a break as my reading was 2149.  I have gone back on one everol patch 50 and i pump of gel no idea what the reading is now its almost like I could do with a finger **** test like with diabetics to check it daily!!  All i can go on are symptons at the moment and I was weepy all day so definitely not working for me at this moment in time.

Sorry I cant  bring sunshine at this moment in time if I get any answers I will share them I promise xx

[Sammiejane]

hi

i’m contemplating just going back up or swap the application site to my thighs and do higher dose because i didn’t obsorb as well on thighs and my arms clearly it’s to much but i feel worse

just don’t know ! give it up all together

[Hurdity]

hi

i have posted a couple of times but not had much response if any so here’s hoping someone can help with there experience

i’ve been taking 2 pumps gel daily progesterone suffered with watery discharge and felt wasnt enough estrogen in my body even though my levels were 435 pmol so i upped to 2.5 pumps and have been doing great intill about 4-6 weeks in and then bloating happened heavy boobs flushes at night sweating from armpits and more hair shedding so GP decided to do bloods but suggested i drop to 2 pumps (which was 3.5 weeks ago) and alternate progesterone however sweating remains flushes remain hair shedding even worse and bloating and boobs improved a little . i in myself felt so much better on higher dose and watery discharge had virtually gone
so my blood results came back and estradiol was a whopping 1238 pmol so in 4 months has tripled i’m stuck what to do as menopause don’t want me increasing back up because estrogen is on the high side

my questions are : is my hair shedding because the ratio between estrogen and progesterone now way off ?

are my return of symtoms due to the high level ?

should i go back to the 2.5 pumps daily utro but apply to my thighs as i didn’t obsorb aswell on my legs so could get away with the higher dose

or do i do as menopause said and add in tesosterone sticking at 2 pumps and alternate progesterone even though i don’t feel great ?

do i except that this regime just isn’t for me take a break and see !

i feel so confused drained and now my state of mind is back in this hole of not knowing what to do my energy had plummeted i can’t be bothered attitude is back i’m emotionally up and down

please can you kind ladies offer some advice xx

is my hair shedding because the ratio between estrogen and progesterone now way off ?


I can't comment on the hair shedding but I don't think it has anything to do with the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone that you are taking. AS you know it's a complex issue that members have tried to help with and there are whole threads on it,  but it seems to be an individual thing (the hair-shedding) with so many other factors to take into consideration.

are my return of symtoms due to the high level ?

That level is quite high but not what is known as "supraphysiological" which means higher than you would normally find at any point in the menstrual cycle. However it is pretty high if it is at that level all the time. The thing is the level is just a spot result. When did you have the blood taken in relation to the timing of gel application? Also where on your body do you apply the gel? If eg you apply to arms and have blood drawn soon after from that same arm then the reading could be artificially high. With the supraphysiological levels it is possible to experience a phenomenon known as tachyphylaxis where the body is not longer responsive to the drug or in this case estradiol but I don't think your levels are high enough for that. May be better to reduce it but I wouldn't be in a hurry to do so just from that one blood tests in case, like I said, it is not really indicative of your average levels.

should i go back to the 2.5 pumps daily utro but apply to my thighs as i didn’t obsorb aswell on my legs so could get away with the higher dose

Only you can tell what level is right for you by trial and error, and where to apply - although it is important to give each change in dose a good few weeks before deciding you may need more or less.

or do i do as menopause said and add in tesosterone sticking at 2 pumps and alternate progesterone even though i don’t feel great ?

My view would be yes do try the testosterone and personally as you know I wouldn't be taking the progesterone as it muddies the waters, although probably best not to change too many things at once. If you start the T then depending on what preparation you have been given I would start with a very tiny pea-sized blob.

do i except that this regime just isn’t for me take a break and see !

This is up to you but it sounds like there is still some tweaking you can do - and also I think you are still only in your 40's so it is worth persevering because you do need the oestrogen.

I hope this helps a little

Hurdity x

[Sammiejane]

hi hurdity

thank you so much for your response

i’m sticking at 2 pumps and alternate days progesterone as progesterone suits me it’s the only thing keeping me calm i’ve added on testosterone but i’m. not feeling great i’m less bloated but that’s it still having flushes sweaty armpits and hair shedding worse this was worse before adding the tesosterone i feel
weak headaches back ache low mood less energy tummy aches on sides and my famous watery discharge coming back so not great i can’t go 8 weeks like this .

my GP did say that the level of estradiol would be part a reflection of the higher level 2.5 but at this rate i’m gunna be bold x