Hi Gaylew
from me too.
In answer to this:
Thank you.. I have to say I have trouble understanding why if we are just replacing something that should already be in our bodies, particularly the body-identical hormones, why they cause such sideeffects! (And also feel that if it were men who were facing these sideeffects, then maybe the pharmaceutical industry would ensure they weren't so bad!! 😭🤣)
The reason is mainly because we are replacing them EXOGENOUSLY ie originating from outside the body rather thsn ENDOGENOUSLY produced from inside, and this replacement is but a crude way of replicating what;s going on - but the best we have!
Different HRT products do this more or less - so the prduct you are taking - Femoston - contains oestradiol - which is bio-identical with our won oestrogen, but it is being taken ion tabllet form, so has to go through digestion and the liver etc before getting into your bloodstream. Also it is being taken once a day whereas the body (presumably) produces it continuously even if intermittently (ie more at certain times of the month) - and depending on menopausal status. Also there are different types of oestrogen and metabolism varies depending on menopause status.
Similarly the progestogen in Femoston is an artificial - synthetic one called dydrogesterone - so not identical to progesterone our bodies produce, though it is the closest one that there is to progesterone and taken orally is often qwell tolerated once you are acclimatised to it, unless very progesterone intolerant and unlucky.
The good thing about dydrogesterone is it is more stable in the body and therefore can be taken in much smaller doses to protect the womb, whereas progesterone itself (as utrogestan) breaks down very quickly and so has to be takne in much higher doses than when produced by the body ( from what I recall - the ovaries broadly produce sufficient progesterone post ovulation, in regular 20 mg bursts - may be slightly wrong there but the gist is correct).
Which Femoston dose are you on - 1 mg or 2 mg? If on thr 12 mg maybe if you increase to 2 mg the positive effects may outweigh the negative effects of the prog, although they dont balance each other out exasvtly in terms of symptoms - thinking of it as the feel good effects of oestrogen drowning out the bad parts of prog - like in pregnancy when levels of both are very high.
I hope this helps and also that you feel better soon
Hurdity x
Ps apols for typos!