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[Chi chi]

Yeah I don't really do a lot of exercise although constantly running around after 4 dogs that aren't housetrained!!  well 1 of them is Charlie our King Charles but the other 3 are chihuahuas 

I know I could feel a lot worse, I'm nowhere near as bad as when I had the breakdown but I know I could also feel a lot better too

[lancashirelass]

I agree a 100 test implant plus testim on top is too much.  High testosterone can cause anxiety.  From recollection your levels were high before the implant. 
I only have a 50 test implant my last level was 2.1.  I wouldnt want to be higher

High testosterone levels can cause anxiety, depression, fatigue, hypoglycemia, salt and sugar cravings, agitation and anger, facial hair and acne, insulin re

[Hurdity]

Ditto re the testosterone - and also the two different ADs - no wonder your body doesn't know if it's coming or going as CLKD says! I'm supposed to make a tube of T last 10 days but it lasts longer than that. We are supposed to replace a physiological amount.  Testing for T is difficult I gather due to the range being for men so our readings will always be at the bottom end so (the test for T) not so sensitive to small differences whereas our bodies are if you see what I mean? Have you noticed any side effects from T ie androgenous ones (male type)?

I agree with Dancinggirl re the smoking - if you do one thing to help yourself  - concentrate on this - it will pay dividends re your future health.

You should not ache everywhere, have headaches and fuzzy head!  How difficult that must be! Also as Taz said earlier - I am surprised about the progesterone ( not taking it some months) with such a high dose of extra oestrogen. Of course you will have a bleed every month (if you are ovulating - unless this has been suppressed?) but the progesterone from your own body may not be enough for the amount of oestrogen you're having. Still if you are seeing Prof Studd presumably he recommends a scan now and again to check your lining is OK?

Is it worth letting the implants fade away and starting again on a different regime eg Qlaira contraceptive pill (with bio-identical oestrogen) - along with a small amount of T - but maybe you wouldn't tolerate the progestogen?

Oh dear - sorry that none of us can really help you - if only you can find a regime that works!

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

Estelle, sorry to hear about the difficult time you are having but I can relate to it.  Do you mind me asking how the Utrogestan affects you?

I went to Studd and was given the same prescription i.e. 3 pumps of gel, 7 days of Utrogestan and testosterone and no, he does not like to be asked too many questions.  You obviously have the same problem with the Utrogestan that I do and it would appear you are intolerant to it.  I can't stand the stuff, I can now only take two before I get a silent migraine - this consists of migraine aura for about 25 minutes but no headache.  I have no idea why but there is something in artificial progesterones that does not agree with me which is very strange because I never had any problems with the pill and I never had PMT or any other problems.  The artificial stuff seems to have a very long half life and stays in your system for a long time.  For me, it all started when I stopped producing enough of my own oestrogen and progesterone. 

When I had the first migraine, I was on the Mirena coil which contains artificial progesterone and although I did not know it at the time, I was peri menopausal.  I have asked countless medics over the years why this has happened but none of them have any idea.  I have had to draw my own conclusions and that is the artificial progesterones are too strong and push my oestrogen levels too low and that sets off the silent migraines.  Therefore, I only take 2 Utrogestan capsules vaginally every 5 weeks (sometimes I skip it altogether) and when I start to get the migraine aura, I take an additional pump of oestrogen gel and that aborts the rest of the attack and makes it go away more quickly - the actual aura becomes milder too.  Before I started the oestrogen top up, I used to get a 72 hour post drome but that has stopped now.

The bottom line is this, I feel great on the oestrogen gel but the Utrogestan ruins everything because it is too strong.  Like you, I get periods whether I take the Utrogestan or not but the down side is they last for two weeks because my own progesterone levels are too low.  I have started taking DHEA tablets and they have made my periods lighter so that helps.  I'm afraid there is only one option for people in our position who are severely intolerant to artificial progesterone and that is to have a hysterectomy.  It is not something to be entered into lightly but I sometimes wonder if it would be best in the long run.

I hope that helps.

[Taz2]

Hi again Estelle - as you are still so young (compared with me!) I wondered what menopausal symptoms you were experiencing before you began HRT?

Taz x

[dazned]

Isn't utrogeston bio identical 

[CLKD]

As for 4 dogs not house-trained  ………..

I would also be very concerned if I saw a Consultant either on the NHS or privately who wasn't interested in discussion.  It's a bit 'my way works; take it or leave it' - I expect better from the Medical Profession!  After all, they are altering our bodies without being explicit!  Would you under-go surgery with such lack of info. 

[sweettooth]

Hi estelle, sorry to read about your problem.  I totally sympathise with you, it is an awful way to feel.  I too went to prof studd as i was so desperate to feel ok again!  I was given script 4 pumps of estrogel and testogel pea sized amount daily...no prog as i had a hyster.  Previous to this i was on 100mcg patch which is virtually identical but mr studd seemed to ignore this.....and i dont think he wanted any questions which werent straight forward!  One of my diff symptoms was headaches almost daily and these were along with mood swings, nausea, palps etc.

Cutting a long story short Prof studd's treatment was not any more beneficial to me than the 100mcg patch which i was already on.   I am among the women who are extremely sensitive to any hormonal fluctuations. PMT/PND and nightmare meno..... It is all down to BALANCE and how that effects us.

It does sound Estelle that your levels are too high (wired feeling) problem is because hormones fluctuate so much in peri, its impossible to get it right!  I wonder estelle if you would be better to reduce your hormones but give all time to settle.  Sorry but did u say why u are using 2 diff ADs? X

[Dancinggirl]

sensible advice sweettooth
Estelle - I really think you need a review of all the things you are taking. To be taking 2 different ADs plus high doses of various hormones with no real benefit seems wrong. Perhaps it's time to go back to your GP or a different gynae to get a second opinion about everything that is going on. Lifestyle changes maybe important as well.
DGx

[Chi chi]

Thanks for all the replies 
The 2 AD's I'm on are escitalopram and lamotrigine, the 2nd is more of a mood stabiliser, my GP said they work alongside each other?? I've tried most if not all AD's in the last 3/4 years with no success (this is why I thought it could be hormonal ) so I decided I wanted to go back onto the AD I was on before the breakdown then GP suggested I take the mood stabiliser too.

Sweettooth can I ask, did you stop seeing studd and go somewhere else? Did they help? and how are things now?

CLKD that is exactly what he's like! 

Taz2 my main symptoms were/are low mood, anxiety, no enthusiasm for anything, tired all the time, aches and pains, headaches, no libido, pains in joints, constantly needing to wee day and night, problems with my teeth and gum recession, dizziness, always feeling cold, now I'm always hot! I don't know what my periods are like as I was on the cerazette which stopped them completely but mum was my age when she started with meno symptoms.

Mary G your post is very interesting, might take me a while to get my head around it  Meno brain! But the aura? Can I ask how exactly it feels? Maybe that's what I call my fuzzy head??

Hurdity, no he hasn't mentioned having scans  I have e-mailed him saying that I'm concerned that my treatment just isn't working and have mentioned maybe trying Qlaira? Again I'm waiting for a reply from him!
It's just that I don't remember feeling any of this until they took me off the combined pill, I just want to go back and try again. I thought that being on what I'm on now was the best out there and if anything was going to help then this was so I'm wondering if that's it for me? 

My last test showed my Testosterone was 8.5 he said he wasn't concerned by this as I'm using the gel??
My free thyroxine was also flagged as low but in the letter to my GP he said he would discuss this with me at our next appt 

[babyjane]

Hello, I cannot comment on your issues because I have no experience to share about HRT, until I came to your final comment in your last post.

If your Free T4 is low this will not help how you feel.  You could ask what your level actually was, (Free T4 and TSH) put the request in writing to your GP practice, they have to tell you, better still ask for a copy of the results even if they make a nominal charge for this then go and talk to your GP about it. I often go for a chat with my GP in between appointments with my endocrinologist, they work together for me.

Low thyroid and meno hormone turmoil is an awful combination to be struggling with and if one could be addressed properly it could go part way to helping with the others.

[Chi chi]

It was 11.9 range is 12-22

[babyjane]

yes, borderline, but numbers do not always give a true picture and the way you feel gives a better idea.  Do you feel cold, dry skin, hair loss, weight gain despite low appetite.  these are some of the symptoms of low thyroid but I would advise asking your doctor to retest in 3 months time.

Otherwise it could be the general hormonal turmoil you describe and the other ladies with experience of HRT are better to help support you.  Good luck.

[Chi chi]

Thanks, I used to feel cold all the time but lately I've been feeling hot, I have put weight on but I've also had a massive appetite, my skin has felt itchy of late and my hair has gone limp and lifeless, I do lose a bit when it's washed but wouldn't say it was handfuls 

[babyjane]

Keep an eye on it, get your GPs support in this. Good luck