Salad
Just catching up with a few posts as have been on holiday...
Sorry to hear about your problems with too much oestrogen. Did your GP explain abpout tachyphylaxis? This is a phenomenon that can occur when oestrogen levels get too high - by that is meant at a level that greatly exceeds levels that ever occur naturally. Prof Stuidd explains how this can occur with implants here (scroll down):
http://www.studd.co.uk/implants.phpHere is what it says (but best to read through as there is a discussion about the levels which occur throughout the menstural cycle). The article is referring to hormone implants generally.
Tachyphylaxis
Too frequent implantation or too high doses of oestrogen leads to supra-physiological oestradiol levels and the recurrence of symptoms even at these high levels.(4) It is not easy to treat and it must be said that the secret is to avoid it happening by using the correct dose of hormones in the first place. The normal range of plasma oestradiol during the ovarian cycle is between 100-1500 pmol/l but plasma oestradiol levels greatly exceeding these values can be found in patients with tachyphylaxis.
The symptoms that these women suffer are real, not imaginary although they are not always typical menopausal symptoms.(5) In fact many of these women have a history of psychological disorders.(6) Because of this potential problem, the implants should be used with caution in women with a known history of chronic anxiety or stress disorders. The recurrence of apparently oestrogen deficiency symptoms at these levels are no doubt due to the change of oestradiol levels from "very high" to "high" and they become accustomed to a higher threshold. These high levels may be unnecessary and avoidable but sometimes women with convincing oestrogen responsive depression need even higher oestradiol levels but there is little or no evidence that they are harmful.
There would rarely be an indication for repeat implant if the oestradiol levels are above 1000 pmol but sometimes women with convincing oestrogen responsive depression need even higher oestradiol levels and a repeat implant should not, after very careful consideration, be prohibited.(3) It is wrong to deny women further oestrogen therapy thus making them suffer many months or years of symptoms, particularly depression, anxiety and loss of energy. They can be given a low dose oestradiol implant of 25 mg usually with testosterone 100 mg, with explanation that this must last for six months. Alternatively this period can be covered by patches, gel or oral therapy. The oestradiol levels will fall to more acceptable levels within one or two years without the patient suffering greatly from oestrogen deficiency symptoms.(7) The "cold turkey" treatment is not acceptable as profound depression is very common in these patients denied further oestrogen therapy.The problem is that if they are that high, then one can experience oestrogen deficiency symptoms and also that you can become very sensitive to change in estradiol levels.
I don't know what size patch you are on but in view of those very high levels that you were reaching using the gel, it is unlikely that it will be giving you the same very high levels, but just that your body is reacting to the change - and possibly the decrease in oestrogen. However very strange that you are experiencing sore boobs from the patch though??? Blood tests are unreliable in testing for estradiol although you can't argue with a single very high reading - that must have occurred at some point! Theoretically as you and honeybun say the patches should give you a more consistent dose if they remain stuck and changed as recommended.
If you are on a 100 mcg patch then maybe start with 75 mcg but keep on with it for a while (a month at least) to see if your symptoms subside?
Hurdity x
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Topic: Feeling awful on Evorel 100 patch .... Too much or too little oestrogen? (Read 22772 times)