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[Alicess]

Hi Tc,

I'm really sorry you don't feel better. Honestly,  if C&W nor gp can help you I would try something myself.

Your SHBG clearly isn't the reason your estrogen is low. Its not that high that it would bind too much estrogen.

Also estrogen raises SHBG which isn't the case for your as your E is low.

Mirena also lowers SHBG and has androgenic properties.

I personally would try to stop testosterone for a while as it is already above range and in my experience when my estrogen is low testosterone made symptoms worse.

I wonder if you would absorb estrogen better with oral estradiol?


Alicess XX

[Mary G]

Tc, I'm really sorry to hear that the implant has not worked out, I had really high hopes for you and thought you had finally cracked your absorption problem.

From what I have read on here, it seems that women with surgical menopause, ovarian failure or reproductive depression need very specific and targeted treatment and specialist help.   I thought you would get this at the Chelsea and Westminster and I am surprised they don't have an emergency helpline even during lockdown.

You could try to get hold of some oestrogen to top up the implant - you said you have some Sandrena for now.   Perhaps a  combination oral and transdermal oestrogen like Alicess suggested would work.  It has to be worth a try.

If you haven't already done so, I would use this time to do as much research on the internet as you can and if all else fails, find a specialist who is experienced and successful at treating surgical menopause.  You could then sound them out and decide if you think they can help you and make an appointment, funds permitting of course.  Private clinics are doing telephone consultations during lockdown and still offering ongoing support.  Obviously it will cost money and only you can decide if it is worth it but it is an option. 

Re the Mirena coil, it does have a drag down effect if you do not have adequate oestrogen.   I was OK with it pre menopause but had problems once I hit the menopause and often had vaginal infections and thrush.   It has a drying effect if not supported with a decent amount of oestrogen.

I'm at a loss as to what else I can suggest but I hope you can get some professional help.

[Tc]

Thanks ladies.

Alice's I think you may have a point about the T. I'm wondering if it's making night sweats worse.. Not sure if its causing the dryness but isnt T supposed to help with lubrication? I'm sure I've read that.

 I've just finished a high dose of VIT d daily for 2 weeks (20,000 iul).  I thought maybe it had contributed to VA but having looked it up yesterday  it seems quite the opposite is thought to be true.

Mary g. Thank you. What you say makes sense. Maybe because E has fallen I'm imbalanced with P.  The mirena Is so local to that area and  gives out a higher dose in the first 6 months.  I believe.  It's not a good scenario for me to be progesteron heavy 

I wanted to take oral HRT but Due to many years of smoking and now  being overweight.  It was taken off the table early on.

I have put in a repeat sandrena. I have enough to go up to 2mg in the next week.

The clinic had asked for LH and FSH because on my first test with them back in October they thought it was a problem with the test that both were so low when they should be high. so I would be interested what they make of them being even lower now.

I have emailed c and w. But I wont hold my breath 🙄

Sheila. Thank you. I will do the thrush test. I only took 1 of those tabs last time. I got the generic. So it might be worth taking a follow up one as you did.

I was due to have T implant next time. Sorry to hear yours didnt work. I wasnt told the E could fail completely only that it might run out early possibly at 4 months.   It might sound mad but I'm wondering if the blinking thing rejected. .  The implant site felt strange.  It didnt hurt at the time but about a week later it felt like I had a piece of glass or a splinter there. It was  like that for about 2 weeks.and there is a raised scar now.  Rejection was only mentioned in relation to T. But I am wondering. I dont know how rejection looks when it happens.

Sammie. No discharge. . there is zero moisture.

Xxxxxx

 

[sheila99]

I wonder if you have some infection round it. This happened to someone with a t implant which then came out. I couldn't feel mine at all, only the cut which lasted a few days. If it is infected it might explain why you're not getting any benefit from it. Appalling there's no telephone backup.

[Tc]

Sheila,i dont think it was infected.  But when I brushed over the skin or laid on it it felt like a, splinter. Sharp. It stopped suddenly after a,couple of weeks. It dosnt hurt now.

Xxx

[Alicess]

I think Mary G is right; because your estrogen is low the progesterone in Mirena may be to high which complicaties things even more. I think to much
 P can also cause dryness. It does for me. Testosterone should help with lubrication  as you say but maybe in a combined action with estrogen?
Do you notice any androgenic side-effects like more body hair or more pimples?

I suggested lowering or stopping testosterone to see what happens because you don't have much options at the moment as you can't get in touch with C&W which is indeed appaling.

Yes, oral estradiol gives a higher risk of blood clots but it depends on the individual. I' ve been on birth control for 35 years and I smoked during that time. I knew the dangers but I chose quality of life as I couldn't cope without the pill.


I really sympatize as I'm in a simular situation. I hope you will feel a bit better when you increase Sandrena.

Alicess XX

[Tc]

Alice. We seem to have had similar issues dont we. How are you at moment? What regime are you on now?

As far as androgenic effects. No pimples.
but, and  feel a bit embarrassed but My mons pubis is more pronounced, a lot  more fat pad there (weight has been steady for 5 years now) and there is definitely a change in the pubic hairline. It has increased.upwards by quite a lot. I can tell by my surgery scar. I've never been very hairy person but when I have gone "natural" in the past, including after age 50 it has always been a lot lower and a lot  less.  Now its sprouting everywhere down there. . Everything I read says the opposite should happen post meno in both these things. .  Sorry if that's TMI. It's not the sort of thing you can normally ask others about so I dont know if its unusual or whether it can happen even when e is low.

Another embaressing thing.is  when I'm sweating over last couple weeks there is a strong body odour. I've never had that in my life even when working out.

Facial skin has been dry since meno but recently its texture its realy rough too.i had put this down to low E. But could this all be T? If so it's an imbalance of too much T for the amount of E I'm getting as I havent increased testogel. Maybe the mirena is contributing.

I havent noticed any increase in libido. I cant honestly say I've found any benefits at all from Testogel at all.
 
I've increased sandrena to 2 mg today. I think maybe I should stop T tommorow.

I realy need to be going over all my options now with the clinic. Maybe revisit the oral option. I've emailed requesting a phone consultation. At least I know I got a decent level on 3mg sandrena so I guess for time being it's back to that..

I've tried to put it to one side as theres not much I can do in lockdown,  but its hard to do when you feel the effects every day isnt it?  Especially the increasingly  lowering mood and constant  cortisol rushes.  And cant sleep with that and the sweats 

Thank you so much for taking the time to listen. You ladies realy  are the only people I can talk to about this. And, as i know other  ladies are,  living alone  I have no one to ask "do you think this or that".

So it's much appreciated 

Xxxx

[Alicess]

Yes, especially when you live alone it's difficult as you can't ask anyone. I also live alone and I keep second guessing myself as I don' t know if I can trust my own thoughts anymore. Brain fog isn't helping much.

I think it"s possible testosterone attributes to more pubic hair. It doesn't mean it's to high in itself but opposite low estrogen maybe. I don't know about
Mons pubic though? From what I 've read both testosterone and progesterone can change body odour. Not very helpfull but it is all about an imbalance.
That's what makes it so difficult to figure out.

I think a lot of your symptoms, like dry and rough skin are from low E and maybe testosterone and Mirena are not helping  at the moment. I have many of the same symptoms and I also have low E.

Every time I've tried HRT it made me feel worse, and it stayed worse. I think standard dosage estradiol just isn't enough for me for some unknown reason so I've decided to treat myself.  I've ordered oral estradiol online and I'm going to take a higher dose. I'm scared but something has to change as my life and my mind and body are falling to pieces. And as you say the effects are just to much to be ignored, it"s there all the time.

Sending you a big hug 🌷

Alicess Xx

[Tc]

Thanks Alice. I  need the higher levels of eastrogen. . . Unaposed P  and T obvs not a good combination for me.

Im going to increase sandrena again next week I think. We are always told 3 months at a dose but from trials I've read they always give it less time to reach its  optimum levels.  I know for myself  eastrogen wise everything that didnt work after 6 weeks didnt work after 3 months or 6. 

I hope the extra e helps you. I totally understand how you feel. I wish a lower dose worked for both of us but it just doesnt and when that leads to such a diminished quality of life it's no small thing. I've wasted over 18 months of my life already. We just need to be able to move forward and not feel so stuck.

During lockdown Are you talking on phone to ppl?   I hope so.
.
Sending love and a hug xxx

[Alicess]

Thank you, Tc., for understanding x. I do talk to people but not so much about hormones etc. Most of the time they look at me in disbelieve, especially women, when I tell them how hormones can effect our mental and physical.wellbeing. Maybe it frightens them that they are not as ' in control'' over their mind and body as they want to believe.  And for the last few years hormones where the only thing on my mind so I need some distraction...even small talk about the weather will do.

Do you have people around you who understand what you're going through? You have been through a lot. Do you have means or people who can distract you when the outside world gets to overwhelming?

I agree, if takes about 6 weeks to know you're on the right track re HRT, sometimes even sooner. And after so much trial and error you learn to read the signs. It''s different with birth control though, it can go up and down and up again so with BCP it took 2 or 3 months to be sure.

If you increased Sandrena I think you will feel some difference soon. Are you worried about increasing on your own?  I'm not afraid of BC or thrombosis of anything like that,  I'm just afraid it won't work or if it will make everything worse.

Hope you feel something positive soon X