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[Gilla999]

I've been going through loads over the last few months with Covid etc so I haven't been able to be sure, but now I am: I am consistently feeling terrible at the same point in my cycle every month, which is from about day 3 until whenever I ovulate (usually day 14).

This is a complete U turn from the pattern I experienced for the first year of peri in 2020/2021 (which is what lead me to being on HRT) and those symptoms were horrendous 3am insomnia and night sweats from day 14 until my period arrived, but I used to be totally fine in the first half of the cycle.

However in the last 6 months I actually feel really good from ovulation and even when i'm on my period - absolutely no PMT at all - but then on Day 3 onwards I start to feel overwhelming fatigue (even though I'm sleeping fine thankfully!) and I seem to get a flare up of my allergy symptoms too.

Just wondering if any other ladies out there who are still having periods have noticed a similar pattern, and/or wondered if anyone had any thoughts as to why it would be? I know this is the time of the month when your Estrogen is at its lowest but I know from my regular blood tests taken in the luteal phase that my Estrogen level in general is fine (and i'm not having any of my classic low E symptoms of insomnia or night sweats). I wondered if it could be anything to do with the stopping of the Utrogestan and if anyone else has experienced anything similar? The fatigue is overwhelming, it's like wading through treacle and all I can do is rest on the sofa all day. It seems to disappear as soon as I hit ovulation....

[ATB]

Hi! I experience tiredness and irritability during the Utrogestan days, so ovulation until my period when I start to feel great again. It’s not a huge difference but it is there. My doctor said something about it to me and that some women add ab extra pump of gel for two weeks of their cycle, depending on symptoms. I’m on patches but I could get gel if I needed it for this purpose. Perhaps discuss with your doctor and see if you maybe need more at that stage?

[Gilla999]

Interesting! I had thought perhaps increasing my HRT at a time of the month when your own E has naturally fallen might be a bit tricky, but it's absolutely clear to me that SOMETHING is happening during the first 10 days and it can't hurt to try. Speaking to the doc tomorrow! Thanks for the reply xx

[ATB]

You’re welcome. I’m trying to figure out why my mornings are a bit moody despite generally feeling much better. So I’m going to apply my testosterone earlier. We have to tweak things a bit I guess! Good luck.

[Gilla999]

Thanks and you too! Have you found much of a benefit from the T in general? I did try some put it made me gain weight and skin go very oily so I stopped... sent my sex drive through the roof though and I generally felt very good on it!

[CrispyChick]

Hi Gilla

Just a thought - but I'm pretty certain now my problems stem from progesterone deficiency. My estrogen levels are fine.

I get terrible symptoms day 3 to ovulation - for me I think it's the imbalance and estrogenic affects.

Could your estrogen be too high??? Just a thought x

[ATB]

Yes I have found that testosterone made a noticeable amount of difference. I can exercise consistently and has had a good impact on my body, building muscle etc my free testosterone isn’t that high though, 1.9% Did you ever test yours?

[Gilla999]

I'm not too sure about the difference of T and free T but my T test result was 0.35 nmol which was at the very bottom of the normal range of 0.29-1.67. My free Androgen index (which I understand is connected) was 0.4 ratio, also at the very bottom of the range of 0.4-7.1

Really helpful to hear of the positive result it's had for you. So you didn't find that you put on weight with it? Perhaps I should think about giving it another try!

[ATB]

The androgen index, free testosterone, is the one you want to watch. My doctor at Newson said it should be between 2-5%. So you’re quite low.

[Gilla999]

Thanks ATB, you've been super helpful 

[ATB]

No problem! Hope you find a solution to these symptoms soon.

[Angelasurrey]

Hi Gill,

How are you doing? Previously like you.. I was mostly symptomatic ovulation to Day 2 of my period. I am now feeling symptomatic most of the month. It’s really thrown me. I’m on 4 sachets of Sandrena daily now via a consultant. They seem reluctant to increase further.

How many sprays of Lenzetto did you settle on in the end?

Thanks

Angela

[Gilla999]

Hi Angela - I'm doing much better thanks, I increased to 4 sprays and it did the trick. Now I'm trying to decide whether I should drop back to 3 sprays after ovulation (so I'm in a pattern where I increase it slightly during the 10 days of the month I seem to have a problem, as ATB suggested) or just stick with 4 throughout. I know I was fine on 3 sprays after ovulation last month so am hoping that the varied dose according to when I need it during the month will work.

@crispy! I have only just seen your reply below, I somehow completely missed it. Yes I did also consider the Progsterone thing, as the days of the month I am symptomatic are the days your Prog is at its very lowest. But wasn't really sure where to "go" with that, as I can't take the Utro throughout the month without preventing ovulation which isn't really what I want to do (from my experiences on the Pill last year that caused me even more problems). In a way I'm looking forward to naturally reaching the next stage where my periods stop and I can move onto a Conti regime without all the changes.

I do question what the next phase will be when my own hormones continue to drop, and how high a dose of HRT I can or should be taking, if I'm already on 4 sprays of Lenzetto to be non symptomatic, yet I'm not even at the stage where my periods are irregular! I know Louise Newsom always says younger women often need higher doses of HRT but it does seem like an awful lot (though I know there is also a lot of debate about the strength of Lenzetto specifically)

[VanillaLover]

I have roughly the same pattern as you….has been the other way round in the past though! I’m afraid I’ve given up wondering what specific hormone is doing what at what time in my cycle…I decided it was a waste of time trying to figure it out all the time! However as pp said symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats then began to come all the time. That was when I started HRT. I have had a general improvement but there is still some strange monthly variations in there. I am 46 and still have periods though getting irregular (cycle shortened to 21-25 days for a few years though occasionally could go up to 33-35 days. Now every cycle is 33 days plus.) I do take cyclical utrogestan but I am pretty sure my own cycle is overriding it currently.

[VanillaLover]

That probably isn’t very helpful to you I know! Basically I’m just trying to go with the flow. If I’m tired, I rest. If I feel ok, I try to make the most of it. It’s tiresome not knowing how you will feel on a particular day though. I too long for it all to just stop and then you know where you stand!