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[blondie82]

Hi all, wonder if anyone might be able to advise based on personal experiences.
I have been suffering with symptoms for 7 years.
I think I also have a histamine intolerance but that’s yet to be confirmed so some symptoms could be related to that however, I have been on HRT for just over two months.
I started on Evorel25, then increased to 50. Felt that was too high as I was getting tight chest and racing heart so I dropped back down to 25.
I started to notice a few weeks ago that I was really on edge and incredibly jumpy, I could literally see another person out walking and I’d jump out of my skin and feel anxious, even my watch making a noise and a parked car around a corner could trigger it. Then last week (wk10) the anxiety increased so much that when driving I was feeling so awful I had to pull over and cut the 25 patch in half.
I have stuck with that but it’s probably not even worth being on as that’s so low.
Has anyone else experienced increased and extreme anxiety once on the patches and did you find that it passed because I can’t live with it at that level.
I literally feel like I want to vomit it’s unbearable.
I also struggle with the progesterone. This makes me feel really low, causes symptoms that mimic period like cramps and I have tried that both ways, orally and vaginally.
I’m at the point of giving up on it but at the same time I don’t want to quit so I’m hoping to see if anyone else went through this and came out the other side without having to give up HRT.
Many thanks. 

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Blondie and welcome to the forum. I am sorry you have been having to deal with all this. Did you try the oestrogen patch alone at first just to see how you tolerated the oestrogen? It was a good idea to start from 25. Sometimes increasing by half a patch at a time can help as it allows the body to adjust at a more gentle pace. It could also be that Evorel does not suit you and perhaps a different brand may. There is Estradot for example.

I have read many threads on here were members have struggled when starting HRT and have been helped by changing to a different one so you are not alone.

[PoppyPopcorn]

I didn't get on with Evorel either, i'm allergic to the glue. I really think HRT is a trial and error thing - no one thing is better than another, it's just a matter of finding what suits you best. I remember when I started on the pill I had to try a couple of brands before finding one which suited me and this is just the same.

I'd say get back to the GP to discuss your symptoms but one thing they'll probably say is that chopping and changing isn't really recommended - my GP said give it at least 6-8 weeks before upping or decreasing doses. Might be also worth a referral to a specialist clinic if there is one in your area.

[blondie82]

Hi Poppypopcorn and Flossieteacake,
Thank you for responding so quick.
I was building slowly on the 25 and have been on that dose for 8 of the 10 weeks since starting. It just seemed that as it built up the anxiety/on edge feeling triggered and worsened until I couldn’t bear it.
I thought maybe I should try the gel for a low daily dose rather than a flood from a patch every few days.
I was on the pill for 14 years but I never had any real issues with that apart from a little pms rage.
I started with just the Oestrogen and I had some side effects but nothing I couldn’t cope with.
The progesterone is just a whole other thing but there are some other ways I’m going to attempt to take that.
It was definitely the Oestrogen triggering the anxiety as I wasn’t on the prog at the time, I think I was just hoping to hear a few positive stories of people overcoming the anxiety and it all settling.
I can’t do that level of anxiety long term, it is impacting my work and I’m self employed 🤦🏼‍♀️
I think I will try a different type.
I have an app with my GP this coming week but she’s not too knowledgable but I also have a private follow up app as well so hoping that will shed some light.
I hear positives and negatives so it feels very conflicting at times.
Thank you both again, great advice and reassuring. X

[Flossieteacake]

Hi Poppypopcorn and Flossieteacake,
Thank you for responding so quick.
I was building slowly on the 25 and have been on that dose for 8 of the 10 weeks since starting. It just seemed that as it built up the anxiety/on edge feeling triggered and worsened until I couldn’t bear it.
I thought maybe I should try the gel for a low daily dose rather than a flood from a patch every few days.
I was on the pill for 14 years but I never had any real issues with that apart from a little pms rage.
I started with just the Oestrogen and I had some side effects but nothing I couldn’t cope with.
The progesterone is just a whole other thing but there are some other ways I’m going to attempt to take that.
It was definitely the Oestrogen triggering the anxiety as I wasn’t on the prog at the time, I think I was just hoping to hear a few positive stories of people overcoming the anxiety and it all settling.
I can’t do that level of anxiety long term, it is impacting my work and I’m self employed 🤦🏼‍♀️
I think I will try a different type.
I have an app with my GP this coming week but she’s not too knowledgable but I also have a private follow up app as well so hoping that will shed some light.
I hear positives and negatives so it feels very conflicting at times.
Thank you both again, great advice and reassuring. X

They say to give it a few months before an increase so perhaps it was a little too fast for your body to deal with. If you feel the oestrogen is causing you anxiety then you are not alone and there are some threads on here with members who struggle with the oestrogen side of HRT. On the other hand, for many people they do feel anxious and it does settle. Anxiety is a common peri symptom and once you get the balance right it should improve.

You can ask your GP to refer you to an NHS menopause clinic at your appointment. In the meantime I hope you get on better with the gel.

I totally understand about the anxiety. Even without working feeling anxious is awful and so distressing. You will find much support on here.

[Scampidoodle]

Hi sorry you’re struggling. Just to say if you do have histamine intolerance and it’s not fully under control then added estrogen through the patch will make it worse and cause anxiety, jitters, all sorts of physical and emotional issues. In my experience anyway. A lot of histamine symptoms mirror perimeno and meno symptoms. So might be worth coming off the patch for now? If you do have histamine issues the anxiety is unlikely to improve on the patch as estrogen increases histamine xx

[blondie82]

Hi sorry you’re struggling. Just to say if you do have histamine intolerance and it’s not fully under control then added estrogen through the patch will make it worse and cause anxiety, jitters, all sorts of physical and emotional issues. In my experience anyway. A lot of histamine symptoms mirror perimeno and meno symptoms. So might be worth coming off the patch for now? If you do have histamine issues the anxiety is unlikely to improve on the patch as estrogen increases histamine xx

Hey. Yeah that’s what I’ve been told but also that if you do the HIT diet then you can still take HRT but I’m not certain it’s true. Also have not had it confirmed that it’s HIT. Maybe I should be starting there but I felt like some of my symptoms improved once I’d been on the HRT and then it just went the other way again.
It’s really confusing given how tied in they are with each other.
Did you experience the anxiety side of it with HRT? X

[Scampidoodle]

Yes massively. Really jittery and anxiety/stress. I also started getting hot flushes and I didn’t have them before! I ended up coming off it as it made me very ill. for me, all my symptoms were histamine related and low progesterone in peri. X

[blondie82]

Yes massively. Really jittery and anxiety/stress. I also started getting hot flushes and I didn’t have them before! I ended up coming off it as it made me very ill. for me, all my symptoms were histamine related and low progesterone in peri. X

Yeah that’s exactly how it has made me feel. I used to get overheated before taking the HRT and that had settled down but that could also be attributed to HIT.
It’s a strange thing as some of my symptoms seemed to ease but others massively increased. I think it’s also very hard to confirm HIT at the age I’m at because that and PERI are so alike.
I don’t know if I was to stay on HRT if my symptoms would all eventually level out.
This is the problem with the lack of study.
Now I’ve dropped the Oestrogen dose one of my main symptoms that I had non stop since 2017 has returned, itchy painful scalp. Literally can’t win. 🤦🏼‍♀️
So have you been doing the HIT diet? Did you find anything that helped?

[Scampidoodle]

Yes low histamine diet and antihistamines but I’d say the most helpful things in the last few years have been balancing estrogen. I’ve got a thread in the alternative therapies section and there’s a good chat with a few of us in there that may help x

[blondie82]

Yes low histamine diet and antihistamines but I’d say the most helpful things in the last few years have been balancing estrogen. I’ve got a thread in the alternative therapies section and there’s a good chat with a few of us in there that may help x

It’s interesting you say that because one of the problems I’ve had from the start was itchy scalp but on a very extreme level. It was made worse with certain foods but never fully went away. The HRT did calm this down. It was the only positive really but made me think that I needed Oestrogen to help level this out somehow. I’d be interested in reading more, how do I find that thread? X

[Scampidoodle]

If you go to ‘forum’ then it’s a section further down from this one.

[Pippa52]

Hi and welcome - I have suffered with horrible anxiety when trying to get the dose right. Evorel patches didn't suit me at all and gave me horrendous migraines but I know many people who get on with them really well. It truly is what suits one person may not suit another.  I have been round the houses the last year and a half with HRT due to the shortages I had to stop Oestrogel and was transferred onto Lenzetto to start with ten patches then Oestrogel again which for some reason even though having been on it for over 20 years previously I just did not absorb at all so am now on Estradot 50 patches - - still not totally right and still get some anxiety but am slowly improving.  As the ladies on here will tell you it takes several months to level out.  Do hope you start to feel better soon the anxiety I found the worst bit to cope with and mine was when my oestrogen levels get too low. xx

[blondie82]

Hi and welcome - I have suffered with horrible anxiety when trying to get the dose right. Evorel patches didn't suit me at all and gave me horrendous migraines but I know many people who get on with them really well. It truly is what suits one person may not suit another.  I have been round the houses the last year and a half with HRT due to the shortages I had to stop Oestrogel and was transferred onto Lenzetto to start with ten patches then Oestrogel again which for some reason even though having been on it for over 20 years previously I just did not absorb at all so am now on Estradot 50 patches - - still not totally right and still get some anxiety but am slowly improving.  As the ladies on here will tell you it takes several months to level out.  Do hope you start to feel better soon the anxiety I found the worst bit to cope with and mine was when my oestrogen levels get too low. xx

Hey thank you for commenting.
Yes I definitely felt more improved when my natural oestrogen levels would have been higher and on HRT but it was very short lived.
The anxiety level before HRT was bad enough and has completely destroyed parts of my life but the anxiety I then had on the HRT was the worst it’s been, it was exactly how I had been at the start of all this. Completely unbearable, I was not able to function. I couldn’t even cope with doing a food shop. Felt like I was just in a constant state of panic and on edge.
I can’t go on like that for a long period it’s impacting my work as well. I work with dogs so being anxious is not good as they pick up on it.
After dropping to 1/4 patch last week, I completely stopped the HRT yesterday and already feel some relief but of course some other symptoms have returned almost instantly, itching and brain fog.
I could be suffering with HIT as well but that’s not been fully determined so I’m also trying to get that worked out.
It certainly does seem that no two people have the same experience but I think I had hoped for some positive stories of people whose anxiety had increased but had settled. It’s just not as easy as we think is it. Some people have no issues. My sister has gone on it and has had no side effects really. I’m very envious of that. 😕 I think I am going to try the Gel if it is available. Depends what the doc recommends.
Do you take anything else to help or are you just doing the HRT? Xx

[Pippa52]

Hi blondie82 - I just take oestrogen HRT as have had a full hysterectomy so don't need progesterone. I don't take any anti anxiety meds or anything - I do try and meditate most days although always seem to run out of time but know full well that's a poor excuse and I should make time!! xxx