Hello everyone
This is my first post here. Before I get started with my wondering, I just wanted to say thank you so much for this site and to you all for the sharing and wisdom I've found on here. The courage, solidarity, strength, care and support is inspiring. I've been quietly reading and learning as a guest since being recently being diagnosed. It has made an enormous and positive difference and brought me comfort, knowledge and guidance.
I wonder if anyone could help offer any advice with how to go about where I find myself with doses, treatments, and ongoing allergy issues.
In a nutshell, I was diagnosed with being peri a few months ago and started on oestrogel and utrogestan. This was done by a lovely, supportive and clever NHS GP (sadly who has just left). We never met and she looked after me since contracting covid in Feb 2020. I was ill with that and ended up with ongoing symptoms attributed to long covid (fatigue, breathlessness, sore joints, brain fog, chronic rhinitis and new allergies, profoundly low mood, which all increased over time). These left me unable to work. Things got so bad for me that I wouldn't be here if she hadn't wondered about the menopause with me and starting oestrogen. I feel that my symptoms are more peri due to how well I've responded to the oestrogen.
Somewhat embarrasingly, my cycle had become lighter over recent years but I hadn't thought anything of it as it was less of a hassle and I was busy with work (long shifts in NHS. More embarrassingly is I'm a mental healthcare professional and I knew so little of this areas until my own experiences brought it to my attention very recently). What I have quickly come to realise is that I've been peri for many years.
I was prescribed 200mg cyclical utrogestan for 12 days which I switched to taking as a pessary, approved by the GP due to side effects of profound grogginess. I've discovered I'm much better on 100mg, though I still feel shattered, which I've been trialled on my own for this cycle after careful reading on here through the research shared (thank you Hurdity x).
I don't want to take undue risks, and don't plan on doing anything long term like this, but I'm trying to figure out what is what, (peri/long covid) and be able to feed this back to the GP. I don't feel confident I'll get a referral to a specialist with how the NHS is currently, sad as this is. I'm also desperate to get back to better health and work and the job I love, having been really financially impacted. No savings left, surviving on benefits and can't afford to go private.
Currently on 2 pumps of oestrogel, and still experiencing cyclical very low mood, fatigue, brain fog, very painful joints. These all either disappeared/lessened when I started oestrogen and increased the dose, but creep back after a couple of weeks. I've been told I can go to 3 pumps, and a recent trial of a few days has helped me to feel a lot better. I'm concerned that my dose of 100mg is too low to protect me, so don't want to keep this up without medical guidance. I wonder what others experiences may be with similar symptoms?
I've also had increasing allergic issues around my cycle which, prior to starting hrt were bad, (this had been going for years but was easy to dismiss/forget). More recently this has been to the point where combinations and maximum doses of antihistamines weren't containing/resolving the symptoms. Unfortunately, I have a bit of experience with allergies and anaphylaxis, and unfortunately have issues with antihistamine side effects which mean I can't take them long term. Since starting the hrt this initially stopped, but has come back again too.
Reading research papers, I've learned more about testosterone having immunosuppressant effects. Does anyone have any experience of it with hormonal allergies and healthcare professionals?
I have a telephone GP appointment coming up with a GP I've never spoken to before, so we can discuss things. I would be so grateful if anyone could offer guidance in what to ask for, where to go next.
Having had enough poor experiences with inadequate care from GPs over the years, I can feel myself bracing myself to be able to advocate for myself and don't have the language or know what to say, other than to see if there is someone else who has experience in this area.
I'm 44 and prior to hrt I have a 24-day cycle bleeding very lightly for 2 days. It is currently 28 days, regular bleed for 4 days.
I know this is a lot, and I'm sorry to pour it all out in one place. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and for any help.
It's very much appreciated.
L
Author
Topic: utrogestan oestrogel doses and allergies, testosterone experience? (Read 1058 times)