Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Cookie25]

Hi Ladies

I’m again asking your advice in trying to get my oestrogel dose right. I’d felt pretty good on 4 pumps with reduction of some symptoms and at the same time as being prescribed testosterone I was told to reduce the Oestrogel to 3 pumps as my bloods showed a high level of 1300.
I’m peri, so hard to know if that’s a regular or one off level for me?
I crashed mood terribly reducing to 3 pumps even though I did it gradually so after a couple of rock bottom scary days I went back up to 4.
I’m waiting to see my specialist but it’ll likely to be a month or two yet.
A month further on my mood was okay again but my bloating was horrendous making me think Oestrogen is definitely too high? So I’ve again this past week tried coming back to 3 pumps. So far my mood is ok but my nights are horrendous. Cortisol high, wakening panicked, restless legs, burning in my throat, getting up to the toilet again and a disoriented feeling of scary thoughts of who is in my house, is it really my husband in bed with me (!!!) etc!
Please help as I’d appreciate your insight x
Cookie xxxx

[Gnatty]

If it were me,Cookie I think I would rather have bloating than those awful nighttimes you are describing. And also, the bloating might settle down after a while. Once your testosterone is in your system and remember this can take three to six months, you may find you can reduce your oestrogen without such awful side effects x

[Kathleen]

Hello Cookie25

I can't help you I'm afraid (oh how I wish I could! Plus myself and everyone else on this fabulous forum).

I did want to say however that I am very post meno but having similar difficulties. I just can't seem to get my HRT right and I have also asked the ladies for their input. My Oestradiol levels were supposedly good at  600 pmo/L on 4 pumps of Oestrogel but my moods continued to to be unstable, I was also using Utrogestan and Testosterone (Androfeme). I am now using Sandrena gel sachets and Cyclogest but the moods are still a problem.

I also have a lot of cortisol and panicky sensations but mine occur in the morning and can last until about mid afternoon.

My only thought is that the gel may cause fluctuations and perhaps a patch would be a better option. Apologies if you have already tried that. I have used patches in the past but I would give them a go again if necessary.

Sorry that I can't be of any real help but I sympathise with your plight and hopefully other ladies will be along soon.

Take care.

K.

[Floo36]

It’s most likely cookie25 that your bloods are not a true reflection on how your Estrogen is most of the time.  They never seem to factor in fluctuations, in peri you are never going to know how much is your own Estrogen and how much of it is from the HRT, it’s impossible to work out which is why they say go by symptoms, but yet still make us do bloods. 

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I agree that blood test results can be a bit distracting. I have been told that my numbers were good so I should be feeling much better than I was. Quite what I was supposed to do with that information I don't know, surely how you feel is the important thing. The map is not the territory people lol!

Having said that, if your levels are extreme then it is worth knowing so monitoring has its place I suppose.

In addition frequent blood tests can be expensive  if done privately and they need to be relevant to be helpful. I am with NH and my most recent blood test was in May last year and my Dr was still referring to it at my last appointment a month ago. Not only was it almost a year out of date but I had changed my regime since then.
To be fair I have been asked to have another blood test but I am waiting to see if I stay with NH before I commit to anything.

Take care ladies.

K.

[ATB]

How long have you been on the testosterone? I was advised once I started not to alter the estrogen until I’d been on both for 3 months minimum, then test the free testosterone. We have to remember these things take time, months, and tweaking in between just makes it take longer for us to actually understand  how much we need. How many months do you wait before adjusting your estrogel?

[Cookie25]

Hello Ladies & thank you for taking the time to read my woes & reply!

Thanks Gnatty, the bloating has actually been really uncomfortable as well as unsightly, but I certainly agree that it is the lesser evil when compared to how bad last night was for both me & my poor husband!

Thanks Kathleen, I tried the patches before the gel but I didn't absorb well do have found the gel much better. I hope you feel better soon too - I have seen on here that some ladies need a high level of oestrogen for improved mood and if my level is really 1300 then I would say for me that's true too.

I agree with you all on the blood results and more and more am inclined to just want to go by my symptoms.

Thanks ATB, when my specialist wrote to my GP, she advised me to bein the T and reduce the E at that point. This must be about 2 months ago now but yes admittedly in that time I've come down to 3 pumps, back to 4 and now back to 3 again.
My GP has requested my review be sooner but I've heard nothing yet.
If tonight is bad then I think I'll have to go back to 4 pumps and await my review. I certainly can't function with those stressful sleepless nights.

I'll update when I have more to tell. In the meantime many thanks to you all,
Cookie xxxxx