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[janey9]

Hi,

Can anyone comment on whether increasing oestrogen can aggravate nerve pain? I have chronic pelvic nerve pain that i manage pretty well by adapting my lifestyle however it has kicked off for no obvious reason recently coinciding with an oestrogen increase not long before. I was on 2 pumps of Estrogel but this was doubled on GP advice to help with fatigue.

if there is any chance that oestrogen and nerve pain are sometimes related i will cope with the fatigue and reduce the HRT!

Thanks,
Jane

[CLKD]

Double by the GP - which bit of little steps don't they get  Why would a GP think that an increase would help fatigue?   

Was that double all at once?  Which may be far too much far too soon - no wonder the body reacts.  As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains. 

Have U had recent blood tests done, particularly for thyroid function and VitD levels?  Both can cause fatigue. 

Let us know how you get on.  Personally - although I don't use HRT other than for vaginal atrophy - I would drop down to the initial dose and increase gradually, giving my body time to react to the uptake.  R U getting periods at all?

[janey9]

yes, 2 to 4 in one go! i had the full range of blood tests and all fine except testosterone which was below the normal range - for what that's worth.

i have a coil so no periods but am late 50's so perhaps things have stopped naturally by now anyway.

If the increase in pumps had done anything apart from potentially exacerbate the pelvic nerve pain i would be more openminded but given the current situation i think going back to 2 and increasing little by little is very good advice. Thank you so much for the reassurance!

[CLKD]

U R welcome.  Medics simply don't understand how the body might/not work with HRT and to increase 'on the off chance' 

I would give yourself a couple of nights break then start again.  With 2.  Let us know how you get on.

[Bungo]

Just came across this post. My own pain is caused by dysfunctional nervous system( physio explain all about neural pathways and how pain can become chronic as nerves keep firing). My own oestrodial blood levels have more than doubled since switched to the patch a month ago and I've noticed more pain too. 

[janey9]

That sounds sadly familiar as in my pain has been explained to me as like phantom limb pain - a learned pathway rather than any ongoing injury.

Maybe increasing oestrogen needs to be treated with care when nerve pain is an issue? I have gone back to 2 pumps daily and will give things a couple of weeks or so to see if they settle at all. I discover i can deal a lot better with feeling wiped out than being in constant pain. Funnily enough 

[Bungo]

So annoying isn't it, when the pain is as intense as if had a muscle tear or damage , it's real pain . Today pain isn't so bad, I must start keeping a diary and see if any correlation. Maybe its just coincidence. I did have a virus a few weeks ago.Let me know if going back to the 2 pumps made a difference for you

[CLKD]