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[edelweiss]

I understand completely. Oh my goodness I hope you get some relief soon xxx

[jorainbow]

Somebody have put something in the water 4 months ago as that's when everything ramped up for me too. My worst symptoms are lack of appetite anxiety low mood and crying and insomnia - like my adrenaline switches on at around 2am and that's it. Plus the usual chin hair, spots, dry red bits, aching etc. I have had some stressors that certain my haven't helped but they are resolving yet I'm still feeling awful and most of the time like ik.not on this planet!! Just wanted to say I understand how awful it is xxx

[edelweiss]

Oh jorainbow I am sorry to hear that. Just awful. Yes, what was going on 4 months ago? xxx

[twoodie]

Jo its just awful isnt it. we are going to pull through. no matter what. hope your day just gets better and better xxx

[ALESIA]

Hang in there Twoodie you will be ok, how long have you been taking the AD's and what are they? I was given Diazapam, Fluoxetine twice, Mirtazipine and Amitriptyline because GP's thought I was suffering from anxiety and depression, I could not tolerate any of them for more than 5 days they made me so ill and my symptoms much worse! I think it's generally 2-4 weeks for AD's to kick in but sometimes the side effects are the same as your symptoms or worse in my case.

I don't know about the HRT as I have been on Oestrogel for 21 years and still these menopause symptoms hit me like a steam train, it's so confusing 

There have been days where I have felt so bad I just didn't want to be here any more but they are getting less since I've been on the supplements for adrenal stress and the magnesium that helps me to sleep. One thing I have worked out is that the Oestrogel gives me the jitters now like I've had 10 cans of red bull, DR thinks this is absorption too fast and so I use it in the morning instead of at night (which I had always done) as it keeps me awake all night otherwise, I can cope with feeling anxious and wired during the day but not at night when I'm so exhausted already.

It's so frustrating that all of us are suffering so much and the medical professionals don't seem to have a clue how to help us!

Love and hugs to all of you .... We are strong and we will get through this 

[twoodie]

Thanks Alesia- Its just all so terrifying. Ive ony been on AD a week, HRT 3 weeks . I just want a glimmer of feeling better. Did you get your appetite back? x

[ALESIA]

Hi Twoodie

Yes I did get my appetite back but only after I stopped taking all the medication I was given, the AD's in particular made me not want to eat at all, I was vomiting and retching all day every day until my Gastroenterologist told me to stop taking them and I stopped taking the AD Diazepam and Ranitidine for acid reflux (which as it turns out I did not have either)

I cannot recommend enough to find yourself a good kinesiologist they can test to see if your medication is right for you. I don't know where in the country you are but if you're down south I can recommend mine to you she's brilliant she has been through exactly the same herself and has helped me so much in just a short space of time.

Alesia x

[ALESIA]

Jorainbow sounds just like what happens to me! ... Adrenal stress is the problem

Alesia x

[Tempest]

I think so with the adrenals! I was no where near as bad as I am now until I had the ACTH Stimulation Test a week ago (apart from the thin skin etc).

This proves that a lot of this is adrenals! The ACTH test is a STRESS test of the adrenals. Basically, you're injected with synthetic hormone which causes your adrenals to release steroid hormones....as well as adrenaline. Since then I've been SICK. I had to get it done, but wish I hadn't! It's upset things even more. 

And as to what was happening 4 months ago? CHRISTMAS. Worse time of the year for increased stress, plus dark days/night's, rotten weather etc. 

[Meg]

Twoodie and all of the ladies on this thread, I am so sorry that you are feeling so bad.  I can totally empathise with all on this thread.  The nausea is the pits and the anxiety.   Feeling wired and simply that feeling of fear sums it up.  When your GP says she has never heard of the nausea, as mine did, it makes you feel very alone but thank goodness we have the MM site and we know that it is not uncommon.  I wish more of these GP's would come here and read what women are saying to each other.

Hugs from Meg

[SueLW]

Im still wondering how long I should give the bio identicals to work. I had the coil taken out as we wondered in the early days if this is what was making me sick.

Hi

I'm sorry you feel like this.  Menopause is dreadful.  I don't recognise myself anymore.

You need to give your body time to acclimatise to the new hormones.  There is a lot of negativity towards compounded bioidential hormones on this site.  I would say ignore them.  You presumably did your reading first as we all did (those of us who use them).  I want to use the lowest dose of hormones that I can to feel well so that I can continue taking them forever.  I am happy with them.  The pharmacies are regulated and the hormone ingredients are no different to those used in NHS issue bioidentical products.  The only reason people can say they are not regulated is because the doses are individual and therefore can't all be tested specifically.  The ingredients are tested.  Other countries who are far better at this than us use compounding pharmacies all the time for all sorts of things.  It's what a pharmacist was, once upon a time.  Now in the UK all they do is dish out pre-packed tablets to a prescription.  So don't worry about that aspect.

Because these are a lower dose of hormone, it will take time for your body to get used to it and sort itself out a bit.  Please give it time.  I would say keep going for at least 6-8 weeks and then if you still feel terrible, contact the prescribing doctor and talk to him about it.  In the meantime, go to your GP and ask for anti-sickness medicine and perhaps a low dose anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medicine to help you through whilst you build up and find your sweet spot.

I understand about the fear and dread.  It will get better as you get more balanced.

Meanwhile, for gut health, you need to consume fermented foods.  They are so much better than probiotics.  Probiotics feed the good bacteria in your gut, but you sound as if you don't have any.  So take them by all means, but add in fermented foods like kefir (Ocado sell a nice one and there is a good goats milk one produced in Wales and sold by mail order) and fermented vegetables like kimchi and sauerkraut are good too.

Keep going.  Starting hormones has made me feel worse before I felt better.

[twoodie]

thanks for the glimmer of hope- its really appreciated. x

[Dana]

 There is a lot of negativity towards compounded bioidential hormones on this site.  I would say ignore them.  You presumably did your reading first as we all did (those of us who use them).  I want to use the lowest dose of hormones that I can to feel well so that I can continue taking them forever.  I am happy with them.  The pharmacies are regulated and the hormone ingredients are no different to those used in NHS issue bioidentical products.  The only reason people can say they are not regulated is because the doses are individual and therefore can't all be tested specifically.  The ingredients are tested.  Other countries who are far better at this than us use compounding pharmacies all the time for all sorts of things.

It's not just "this site" that is "negative" about compounded bioidentical hormones. International Menopause Society, Australasian Menopause Society, North American Menopause Society, FDA, NHS, TGA, Canadian Gynecology Society, even Dr Currie and Prof Studd all warn against the use of these compounded hormones. If you actually research those people and organisations you will find the information.

I keep posting the below link. Hopefully one day someone will read it. If I get time later on I will post some other links. Anyone who has a uterus should be especially cautious about using compounded progesterone creams and troches.

https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/212-bioidentical-hormones-for-menopausal-symptoms

This is post where Dr Currie posted her concerns about BHRT.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34497.0.html

[dangermouse]

I have read the links before Dana but I don't find them relevant to the type I take or talk about so I feel they are safe.

The concerns about some of the Australian and US products that had quality issues are unlikely to apply to British products as we have much higher checks.

The other (extremely important) concern is about using a strong enough progesterone to oppose the oestrogen prescribed. A UK doctor will not prescribe a compounded progesterone with a high dose oestrogen gel or patch, they will use Utrogestan (or synthetics). They will only prescribe a compounded low dose oestrogen with compounded progesterone (or progesterone alone) as they are fully aware of the danger of unopposed oestrogen.

Other countries may not be so strict and, even with the less trustworthy pre-packaged progesterone creams you can buy online (the opposite to compounded), they would not sell it, or advise its use, alongside a high dose oestrogen patch or gel.

It's great to make people aware on here that compounded products cannot be tested like pre-packaged but I think we're in fear of throwing out the baby with the bath water if we dismiss all compounded meds, particularly as some of us on here have had their lives literally saved by them. I've certainly not seen any posts where they are being encouraged before NHS options have been ruled out.

Appreciate your views though, especially if you've had a bad experience yourself with them. I'm dealing with unopposed oestrogen myself and none of the NHS options could help me and I do think it's dangerous to just leave it surging about and possibly stimulating more growths (beyond some benign liver nodules the NHS confirmed we're from high oestrogen).

[Dana]

I think you're a bit misguided about the compounded progesterone issue. I think you are also putting your head in the sand assuming that everything is so much better or safer in the UK. Australia probably has some of the strictest regulations in the world. We didn't even get Utrogestan until last year because the TGA wasn't convinced of its effectiveness. Read what Dr Currie and Prof Studd say and they are in the UK. If BHRT has only fairly recently shown up in the UK you have absolutely no idea how well they are or aren't being regulated. It will be exactly like it is in other countries because seeing as they are made on an individual basis they are able to bypass all the normal regulations. I only used compounded progesterone cream for about a month many years ago so it's not because any "bad experience". I've just done the research on it.

Of course there is a place for the compounding of medications for people who aren't able to take stock standard medications for whatever reasons, but many in the compounding industry are playing on the fears women still have about regulated HRT and making them feel like it is somehow a safer or more natural approach and it simply isn't. If you have a legitimate and genuine reason for using compounded hormones, and you are being supervised by a doctor who has specific knowledge of compounding (not all doctors do) fair enough, but if you are using it because you believe the spiel from the compounding industry then you are taking unnecessary risks IMO. Anyway I can only offer a warning. Everyone has to make their own choices.