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[Jolly]

Can anyone help? I have been on bio identical HRT for almost two years. In December I had a supra cervical hysterectomy and ovaries removed because of the heavy bleeding on HRT and my surgeon said to take just oestrogel for the rest of my life! Whppee. I have fully recovered except that I now have a bad asthma cough. I couldn't get it under control with inhalers and as a last resort started taking the utrogestan again for two weeks to see if it was hormonal. (I no longer need progesterone without a womb). Within three days of taking the Utrogestan the cough disappeared. I took it for 14 days then stopped. Cough back just as bad by day three.
There is no way I will stop taking the oestrogel but I wonder if I would be harming my health by taking utrogestan continually to stop the cough?
Does anyone else have this problem? I feel great other than the cough and I haven't fought for four years to get the HRT plus had surgery to stop taking it now as I feel alive again.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Jolly and welcome to MM
I am using Oestrogel with Utrogestan on a sequential regime but I'm not sure that there would be evidence that progesterone would help reduce an asthma cough. I always feel particularly good when on Oestrogel alone and most women are the same. I do find Utrogestan helps me to sleep better.
There was someone who posted about seeing a specialist in regard to allergies and there was some link between hormones and susceptibility to allergens but I found this difficult to understand.  The gynae I saw a few months ago did tell me about a case where a young women was hospitalised every month with a bad asthma attack when she got her period and he shut down her cycle to stop her having periods and this stopped her attacks but he said this was very unusual.  I do think we tend to blame hormones - or the lack of them - for all manner of ailments but there are often other factors at play.
There have been some really nasty viruses around this winter and many people are finding that they have a persistent cough as a result.
I would talk to your gynaecologist about continuing to use of Utrogestan as some women do find they feel good on this.
DG x

[Jolly]

Hi Dancinggirl. I can't put the cough down to anything else really as the only time I've had this type of asthma was with allergies but when I was much younger.  About 7 days after the hysterectomy, on oestrogel only, the cough started and didn't respond to steroid inhaler. I took the utrogestan again just to see if it made a difference. Now I've stopped and started twice and it's made a drastic difference I can't think it's anything else. I have read that there was a study in France which showed that women on oestrogel only had an 86% chance of getting asthma if they already had allergies. I have always had bad hay fever and I'm allergic to some antibiotics.
My consultant doesn't do routine follow up appointments after hysterectomy but I have emailed for advice but had no response. I thought I'd try the forum as I'm very worried I will be taken off the HRT. That would mean that I've gone through a complete hysterectomy for nothing and I can't face life without HRT. Before HRT my poor memory resulted in me leaving my profession until I realised HRT might make a difference. After just three days on HRT my memory started working much better and within weeks I was feeling great
Maybe someone out there has had a similar experience?
Thank you for your reply
Best wishes
Jolly

[Joyce]

I'm on oestrogen only & also have asthma, though think my asthma kicked in before starting oestrogen.

Found this article, though it is a few years old now.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/7183365/Women-on-oestrogen-only-HRT-at-increased-risk-of-asthma.html

[Jolly]

Thanks cubagirl that's very kind of you x

[Annie0710]

I can only tell you my history and what I take

I've had allergies since 21, I'm now 48 (I carry an epipen)

I developed allergy induced asthma aged 44/45 and was prescribed the reliever and preventative inhalers, I then went onto the combined pump as per nurses advice because of cost

Everything was under control until a few months ago when my new onset on menopause symptoms started. I need my blue pump now as well as combined as I am having more asthma attacks, I have also developed new minor allergies that I cannot pinpoint what to

My symptoms suggest I'm oestrogen dominant
I had a hysterectomy aged 32 and within a year I was on oestrogen max dose

I have read that during the fluctuations caused by menopause that new allergies can start and in my case my asthma is allergy induced

My blood tests last week showed my oestrogen is quite low despite the 2mg I take daily and progesterone is almost non existent

Next week I'm switching my oral dose for patches so that hopefully I'll get more in my system
And although I don't have a uterus my body (by symptoms) is needing progestrrone

But I shall see how I get on before I ask because it makes sense to try one new thing at a time

I can't give advice but thought I'd share my experiences xx

[Jolly]

Thanks Annie0710. What a nuisance it all is! My allergies were really bad when I was younger and after I turned 50 they got much better. I even joked I was growing out of hay fever! Of course I know now it was a good side effect of the menopause as last year it came back with a vengeance once I started HRT.
It's been a three year journey to be prescribed bio identical HRT by my GP , then excessive bleeding = hysterectomy. I thought that would be it and felt quite content that I'd happily pump estrogel until I died. I realise now that being prone to allergies is a lifetime problem.
I would wonder if it's my cat setting it off but the constant cough is just as bad at work. As you say what allergy is hard to detect.
I have never had my blood tested for hormone levels!
Jolly x

[Annie0710]

Thanks Annie0710. What a nuisance it all is! My allergies were really bad when I was younger and after I turned 50 they got much better. I even joked I was growing out of hay fever! Of course I know now it was a good side effect of the menopause as last year it came back with a vengeance once I started HRT.
It's been a three year journey to be prescribed bio identical HRT by my GP , then excessive bleeding = hysterectomy. I thought that would be it and felt quite content that I'd happily pump estrogel until I died. I realise now that being prone to allergies is a lifetime problem.
I would wonder if it's my cat setting it off but the constant cough is just as bad at work. As you say what allergy is hard to detect.
I have never had my blood tested for hormone levels!
Jolly x

I have had 3 blood tests for hormones
Aged 33 showed oestrogen 100 and something (she was expecting 700 +)
3 years ago bloods showed peri but they said nothing they can do !
Last week shows I think post meno

I'm allergic to cats and malting dogs (we have both!)

I used to be fine out of the house too but now I can get asthma whenever and whenever

Do you use inhalers ? I've always been given a spacer to use with mine, very cumbersome but helps when you hardly have any breath !
Xx

[Jolly]

Hi annie0710,
I take the brown inhaler four times a day and the blue when needed. We're moving house on Monday so it's dust mayhem here which isn't helping! The cough and wheezing is so debilitating I feel so sorry for people who have the condition constantly x

[Annie0710]

Good luck with the house move x

I was referred for allergy testing and they tested about 16 common allergens

2 of them were totally clear - dust mite and peanuts

Even the water scratch showed swelled up !
Xx

[GeordieGirl]

I've read that progesterone can help with asthma too (as well as a host of other issues) but in essence it's worth listening to your body -it appears that it's providing you relief. One thing that's clear reading on this forum is that there's definitely  no "one size fits all" panacea to menopause and if it helps, it's worth sticking with.

GG x