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[Scampidoodle]

Hi and good luck on the hrt Gilla. Did gynae recommend the lenzetto? I’ve never tried that. Just from my experience on estrogel maybe work up to the three pumps if you’re sensitive to oestrogen. Let us know how it goes.

I’m not taking anything at the mo. I need a break from stuff I think so doing some gut repair stuff with nutritionist to fix some stuff that may have contributed to the histamine intolerance and see where I am. Considered combined pill, Estradot patches, anti depressants in my head changing my mind every minute and now decided to just leave it all for a while!! Xx

[Gilla999]

I'm not keen on the patches so she suggested either the spray or the cream. It's slightly stronger than the patches or cream - I think 1 Lenzetto spray is equivalent to two pumps of Oestrogel. She suggested I start on one spray which is the standard HRT dose (and equivalent to one 50mcg Estradot patch) and see how I get on.

Day 2 of my 7 day break and so far doing ok - no bleed yet. Both my digestion and boobs are already a million times better though.

I can totally understand the wanting to take a break and step away for a while. As you can tell from my last few messages I also constantly change my mind about the right approach - which is partly down to not really being given any definitive answers by doctors, but also just from desperation of wanting my normal life back again! But it's easy to lose yourself down a rabbit hole. HRT is sort of my last ditch attempt - I'll try to give it a good 6 months. Would be really interested to hear how the gut repair work goes Scampi and if you feel it helps things in that area! I need some of that!

Crispy I hope your stomach's a little better today xx

[Scampidoodle]

Good news re the digestion and boobs! So it was the pill causing the digestive issues! Really hope the spray helps you. Xxx

[CrispyChick]

How are you feeling now Gilla??? What pill free day are you on???

Very interesting to find your digestive issues hsve eased...!

[Gilla999]

Day 4 pill free today and a little bleed but hardly anything. Not sure if that's unusual after 4 months of pills back to back!

My digestive issues are so much better and I generally just feel a million times better in myself physically, despite having a touch of sad type PMT. I really can't articulate how much better off I feel from a physical stand point.

t has really made me think about whether I am overall better off hormone free completely... But I am not quite willing to accept yet that I have to spend 50% of my life suffering from sleep deprivation! HRT is my last attempt. Was planning to start it on Friday but I'm now having my vaccine then too so may rethink!

How are you doing ladies? Xx

[CrispyChick]

That's great Gilla.

I guess it doesn't matter when you start HRT. Indeed, would you be getter to let your body get back to its own rhythm, so you can then identify any positives and negatives?

The one thing I can offer - and I'm not trying to burst your bubble - but with some of the awful pills I tried (like millinette which made me feel poisoned) I too felt amazing the first 7 days off... But then normality returned and all my old stuff instead...but I managed 3 months before I was desperate to try again... So it might he worth a proper break. And, for all you know now, you might be better 🤷‍♀️

[Gilla999]

Oh no, you're totally right. I'm not under any illusions that it's all sorted! I just meant that physically in my body I feel SO much better off the pill than on it. But I don't in any way think my original symptoms have disappeared and won't re-appear! But I'm feeling overall a bit sceptical that any form of hormone medication is going to fix those problems, because nothing seems to have done so far, at all.

I hadn't thought about giving my body a proper break to let my own cycle kick in before starting HRT - that's actually not a bad idea and perhaps I'll do that.

How's things been with you? x

[CrispyChick]

Yeah, it might not be a bad idea to take a proper break. As HRT is topping up, might be good to ensure you're own levels are back to 'normal'.

When I did my 10 days of HRT that's what I did... It meant I could see straight away any side affects...

But... Also going EU naturele can be awful.

I'm doing OK. My nose is still bothering me, but been less severe. Turned the heating off in bedroom. I'm freezing, but maybe helping. I've started my steroid spray again too. If I can be certain it's not connected then I won't change... Jury's out at present.

The re start grumpiness has gone again. Yay.

Stomach still up and down... But again, could be re start, or could've been the ibuprofen or something else.

So still plodding along. I keep waking with a sore boob at night, which is odd, as not particularly painful normally. Maybe slightly to press. Must be the estrogen, and assume just the way I lie on it 🤷‍♀️

[Gilla999]

I'm glad things are a little more stable for you at least - will be interesting to see how it goes for the rest of the month and whether your stomach eases up a little. Great news that the rage has subsided!

After another sleepless night (it is literally all the time now, with the odd good night thrown in) I've now been signed off work sick for a couple of months    Just feeling so completely worn down by the last year of constant insomnia. The last 3 weeks I've slept for about 3 or 4 hours nearly every night. Still debating when to start the HRT - don't really know which way is up or down at the moment - but perhaps you're right Crispy and I should give it a cycle so I know where I'm at.

What's interesting is that I was reading my diary today from 2018 where I am talking about this new onset of sleep maintenance insomnia - so it's actually been going on for much longer than I remembered. I think it just started to get really/consistently bad in 2020. When I read those entries in my diary I checked the dates on my Clue app they are ALWAYS in the week before my period - even going back longer than I had looked at until now. I really do wish I understood what was happening.

[Scampidoodle]

Hi ladies,

Crispy I’m glad some things are settling but annoying you have the nose thing still, are you going to continue on the current plan for now?

Gilla I was just trying to think what it could be that causes this for you. You must be so exhausted and I don’t blame you having the time off work. I’ve been off myself for three months now with all this and it’s a last resort isn’t it but you can’t push through some things. I hope the lenzetto does help. Fingers crossed.

I’m not on any treatment yet, just going to try some other meds for the histamine/mast cell issue as I think throwing hormones into the mix now for me would cause more havoc than it solves. Xx

[Gilla999]

I know Scampi it is so confusing - I know that something is going on, I just don't understand what it is.

I'm considering seeing a functional medicine doctor (although also loathe to spend any more money on this bloody situation!). Have you ever seen one before and is there anyone you'd recommend?

Thanks for the kind words - I really hope the histamine issue improves soon. I agree, sometimes you sort of need to get your baseline back before throwing more things into the mix. xx

[Scampidoodle]

Hi Gilla I’ll send you details of ones I’ve seen. Fortunately most are remote currently. Hear you on the financials! I’ve never spent so much money on my health! Xx

[CrispyChick]

How's everyone doing???

That's another pack of microgynon complete for me. That must be 5 packs, with just one 4 day break.

So... I have the awful intense fatigue, achy  back and fuzzy head. Seems, to arrive fir a full week out of every 3/4...so odd. I only had a break 3 weeks ago. It must be cyclical and just shows that my own hormones are definitely still controlling things.

I'm still struggling with my nose/head.

If things don't improve I think ill try eloine as it is a softer progesterone. Although I am worried about dropping to 20mg if I'm getting this much fatigue on 30mg...but levongesteral is a hardcore old school prog...

[Gilla999]

It's weird isn't it, that is seems to be so cyclical still for you? That's the place I got to and why I wanted to do the Rhythm test to prove or deny my suspicions (I'm waiting for the results).

If you think it's your natural hormones still going on underneath, do you think switching to another Pill will stop them? But yes, totally get your point regarding side effects of your current progesterone and that they might improve with a newer generation one, definitely worth a shot!

I've been fine - stopping the Yasmin was brutal (after the initial first good day or two).... I mean I literally felt like i was ill, the drop off a cliff face of hormones wasn't pretty, but it's passed now. I'm a week into using Lenzetto and been a good week. Overall feel so much better than when on the Pill, particularly Yasmin. Planning to start Utrogestan next week vaginally for 12 days and see how i get on. No episodes in this last week, but then it is during my "good" time of the month naturally (if we assume the withdrawal bleed from Yasmin was my period) so will be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I suspect my own hormones haven't properly kicked in yet after stopping the Pill, but I might be wrong.

I think I've reached a point where I am happy to try to work with my own hormones (with HRT) rather than suppress the cycle altogether - primarily because for whatever unknown reason it didn't seem to work for me. Even if I'm still symptomatic for 10 days before my bleed with HRT, at least it will be a predictable cycle rather than the total random unpredictability when on the Pill. That's about as much hope as I can muster at the moment!

When do you think you'll make the switch to Eloine Crispy? x

[CrispyChick]

That's great gilla. I'm so pleased for you.

I've not made any decision yet again, as I seemed to end up with a stomach bug... Possibly. Immense fatigue for 10 days. Stomach cramps /nausea in the night in day 5 then day 8 they were back with a vengeance... Been a bit off my food too. Terrible lower back ache.

I seriously seem to get an 'illness' every 3 to 4 weeks. I'm very suspicious. But I think I'll do one more month.

Still getting nose probs. And been very woozy avd thick headed which was one of my original symptoms. But I keep thinking the gp said pick the best of a bad bunch... Maybe this is as good as it will get for me until I'm on the other side.

If I switch to eloine and have no success, I'm seriously considering paying to see a private bioidevtical hrt specialist trained by the Marion gluck clinic. I just do t feel modern medicine is working for me...

Sounds like they do blood tests then treat both estrogen and prog with bioidentical...

The other reason I'm doing nothing is I'm due my 2nd astra zenica jab in 2 weeks... I'm only 44, so I'd rather not switch to a higher clot risk pill (eloine) right before...!