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[Yarg43]

Hi - I have just joined and my first post.  I am in peri-menopause and was getting some very mild symptoms.  I thought at the time that getting ahead of things would be a good idea and so went to GP at end of May - they put me on evorel sequi patches.  After 3 months I started getting really bad panic attacks and anxiety at night (I have been prone to this in past which was part of the reason for starting HRT).  I thought at that time that it was progesterone intolerance and so was swapped to estrogel and utrestogan orally.  I was still getting REALLY bad insomnia nearly every night , i could get to sleep ok but then ping awake like i'd been shot after 2/3 hours and that was it, no hope of sleep.  I was put on zopiclone and diazepam for when the panic attacks are bad.  They tried me on citalopram but i had a major reaction and had to stop.  For last few weeks the panic and anxiety has become chronic during day as well as insomnia.  I have been on 2/4 hours sleep for weeks.  They suggested trying mirtazepam as well last week.  I have been to docs nearly weekly for last 8 weeks and not once did they mention HRT.  On sunday after going down a rabbit hole and finding a small thread on here about oestrogen dominance and reactions to estrogel - same thing as me - fine to get to sleep then cortisol spike so bad nothing helps.  I came to the conclusion that it must be HRT so going cold turkey.  Am on day 2 without and things are calming in my system and not having the full body reaction.  I have been having very expensive therapy as well as we thought it was just stress and anxiety causing it initially.  I run my own business and a single mum of three and the last 2.5 months have been hell.  I am wondering whether anyone else has had a similar experience.  I've come to the conclusion on my own that my levels were probably ok and the hrt pushed my system over the edge? 

[sheila99]

It's possible. Symptoms of too much and too little oestrogen can be very similar and your symptoms could be from either. What were your original symptoms? If you feel the need for oestrogen it might be better to start on a low dose, as you have gel you could use one or even half a pump to start with and increase only if you need it. I'd agree your original prescription was probably too high. My anxiety and insomnia was from oestrogen deficiency. I assume you're on a sequi regime so can rule out progesterone as the cause?

[Yarg43]

I am pretty sure that it is the oestrogen as on Sunday (the first day i connected the dots) I put the gel on at 10am and for 9 hours had extreme anxiety and then off like a switch.  Originally i did think it was progesterone from the patches but i am leaning towards it being too much oestrogen.  My original symptoms were a bit of brain fog, lots of sneezing (weird but understand histamine is connected) Anxiety levels up and down but tbh no more than normal.  I couldn't tolerate the pill when i was younger either so perhaps it just isn't for me!