Hello ladies
How do you know if you need more oestrogen?
Although I've got a lot going on at the moment, past few months have been a bit of a struggle mentally. When I last went to the doctor she did suggest upping my patch from 50 to 75.
I am reluctant to do this, have any of you increased and if so why? And what were the results for you?
Thank you
Shellb
xXx
I would imagine, but not sure, that if you were on hrt and your symptoms started creeping back in, ie, needing a fan, going out dressed inappropriately (like me, last november, in a vest) then though would indicate your hrt dose is no longer sufficient. I am not sure, but I don't hink you have too much oestrogen as the body just gets rid of the excesss
I went up the doses in patches, the reason was, I started on femoston, 1/10 and then 2/10, because I was still getting bad flushes.
The doctor I saw was reluctant to give me more, because she thought I would treat them like the valium that I was on. This puzzled me as oestrogen in not an addictive drug. but as she was quite curt when I spoke about hrt, it put me off going back to her, when the femoston 2/20 wasn't working.
I eventually went back armed with a letter from Dr Currie, asking for evorel plus utrogestan, as I was unwilling to try norethisterone, because other people had experienced bad mental and emotional side effects.
I didn't bother with the 25mcg patches, and bought myself 50mcg patches which worked a bit, not not enough to stop soggy bra syndrome and IBS. It was the IBS that stopped me from absorbing the femoston tablets.
I had another letter from Dr Currie saying it was ok to give patients with migraine patches, and I went back and saw a different GP who was willing to try me on 75mcg patches.
These worked a little better than the 50mcg but still not enough and the flushes were still troublesome, so, after a three months trial I went up to 100mcg patches and here I am still, dry bra, flush free, and the anxiety and depression have improved, but i have circumstantial things in my life that cause depression, nothing to do with my body, more situational.
I would imagine, that if my old menopause symptoms started to come through, I would have to request maybe wearing a 25mcg patch along with my 100mcg, or 50mcg if 25mcg was not sufficient, but I can't imagine the 100mcg patch being insufficient, as I am seven years into my perimenopause, and I still had periods for years after I started flushing.
I hate the way the doctors wont allow more oestrogen due to the risks, surely it is up to us as the patients as to whether we want to run the risk, which is small, by the way. I would rather run the risk of cancer, than live an un-liveable life, with a risk of suicide, as I was suicidal.
The doctor asked me how long I wanted hrt, and I said for life, and she refused, I said that without hrt my life was not worth living, and she said that although she didn't want to make my life bad, I would have to stop hrt at 55.
I know a few women who are still flushing at 55.
The doctors don't believe this, they think that by 55, all women are through the menopause.
Bottom line TL/DR syptoms emerging while still on patch indicates insufficient oestrogen. My meno based anxiety has all but gone, now that I am on the higher patch.