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[pepperminty]

http://psycheducation.org/hormones-and-mood-introduction/basic-information-about-estrogen-in-psychiatry/

Hi Ladies ,

I found this while browsing. It is about oestrogen levels and anxiety/ depression.

Pepperminty x

[Annie0710]

Hmmmm it makes sense at least for me

But what confuses me is that I've been on max dose hrt since I was 32, and I know my ovaries were kind of working just not properly so would've been producing a little oestrogen etc every few months and I felt great, I think when peri hit the ovaries totally packed up and disappeared and suddenly threw me into low mood, anxiety etc, and all the while I've had high oestrogen levels, I have noticed that when I increased my patch dose I felt much more jittery, on edge

Maybe my body is craving lower doses nowadays? I'm stuck I think as I have introduced testosterone now so am keeping a higher dose oestrogen to balance out

I might try reducing the patch and see if that helps and reduce the T blob

X

[Dawncam]

Hi annie0710 - I posted this link a while back and whilst it's true for some women, you need to proceed with caution. Tweaking too much will cause more unbalance. I know this from personal experience, It's also a small study and (I think) conducted on women with pre-existing mental health problems.

You don't use prog do you?

It's probably better to give your current regime a little longer to settle and work. You're  already seeing benefits from the T and it's still early days. I know we all want instant remedies and want to feel like 'us' again but hormones don't work overnight unfortunately, although some women do see results from increasing/decreasing  E very quickly, I think T takes a little longer.

Maybe set a date in the near future for a full review of what's happening and then decide on tweaking?

Dx

[Annie0710]

Yeah you're right

When I've increased the patch before I've felt quite a quick reaction to the jitteriness etc

I'll carry on, wish I wasn't so impatient but then it's 4 years now I've been feeling like this.  Saying that though (I really should keep reminding myself) yesterday we were out quite a while Xmas and food shopping and I kept thinking of my social anxiety because it's played such a massive part these 4 years but I didn't feel half as lightheaded and nervous as to what I've done in the past

No pre meno anxiety/low mood so I know it's all blimmin' hormone related or related to the blinking way it's made me feel

X

[Dawncam]

That's good though Annie0710, sounds like you're close to the right amount of everything. Bit by bit things are changing and you're feeling better. Document all the feelings/symptoms and doses and you'll get a clear picture. Sounds like the T is helping so far?

Dxx

[Annie0710]

It could be, slowly .... just wish the libido would ramp up a gear !

I'm choosing libido over hair here.  That's MASSIVE to me , I can find ways to sort the hair but I can't the libido

X

[Dawncam]

Keep plodding on and try not to focus too much on one symptom, before you know it you might end up randy as an old yard dog!  If, after a proper trial of T you still don't feel 'right' you could consider tibolone? So you've got a back-up plan.

In terms of hair, have your tried Biotin? Some people swear by it. And minoxidil is the other products that specialists say is the only real cure. Worth investigating if you haven't already.

Dxx

[Annie0710]

Keep plodding on and try not to focus too much on one symptom, before you know it you might end up randy as an old yard dog!  If, after a proper trial of T you still don't feel 'right' you could consider tibolone? So you've got a back-up plan.

In terms of hair, have your tried Biotin? Some people swear by it. And minoxidil is the other products that specialists say is the only real cure. Worth investigating if you haven't already.

Dxx

I can dream !

Yes tried biotin and started minoxidil , I became a slave to it and didn't notice any improvements only more shedding, which was sad as I'd pinned my hopes on that.  Fact of the sad matter is, if it's hereditary female pattern hair loss, to ease the stress I think it's best to accept it and find ways (rather more ways) of concealing it, which I am looking into

X

[Dawncam]

Sorry if I'm stating the bleedin' obvious! Sometimes we don't think about the most obvious things and another suggestion can be a lightbulb moment. God knows I've been searching for a lot of lightbulbs recently!

Dxx

[warwick01]

Annie0710

Just read your post and I am struggling with anxiety/social phobia. Also I find I get very glittery panicky etc if I increase my oestrogen. If I decrease I have dizzy spells and VA symptoms which cause me to lose confidence. It's a no win situation. I am 58 in Jan and just want my life back.

Over the last few months lost my sex drive too.

Any advice on what helps you?

Wx

[Annie0710]

Hi Warwick

I'm early days into applying testosterone gel can't say about libido , I seem to cope a little better in social situations but not near where I want to be at

We all know low testosterone can reduce libido and bring on low mood, anxiety etc so that was my reason for trying it

I did pay privately for cognitive hypnotherapy but I don't think that helped

I guess the easiest route is ADs and anti anxiety meds but because I know this is hormonal , I will consider those as a very last resort

Hope you start to feel better Warwick x

[Tempest]

Ladies - I'm with you on ALL of this!!! If only we had the magic answer.

I'm encouraged that the T is helping with social anxiety for you Annie - yay! That a bit of a breakthrough! It might be worth giving it a go then, as I'm pretty much a recluse these days. If not, I'll be trying plan B with the Tibolone in the New Year I think. If I wait for my Estrogen levels to be high or stable enough to allow me to commence the T, I'll be too old and beyond caring by then at the rate things are going at the moment.

[Annie0710]

Ladies - I'm with you on ALL of this!!! If only we had the magic answer.

I'm encouraged that the T is helping with social anxiety for you Annie - yay! That a bit of a breakthrough! It might be worth giving it a go then, as I'm pretty much a recluse these days. If not, I'll be trying plan B with the Tibolone in the New Year I think. If I wait for my Estrogen levels to be high or stable enough to allow me to commence the T, I'll be too old and beyond caring by then at the rate things are going at the moment.

Only a smidgen better Tempest, I'm no party animal like I was 4 years ago, I still hate standing chatting to people and would rather be firmly ignored in the background but I'm attempting more things than before

X