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[Katia]

Does anyone find that the HRT is pushing their own estrogen too high at times? I'm getting puffy for two weeks of my cycle and I'm sure the HRT may be raising my estrogen too much at this time. Would that be possible?  Does anyone else find it hard to balance the HRT with their own cycle?

[Dancinggirl]

I found that a bit of bloating or fluid retention was all part of being on HRT- the amount of oestrogen didn't make any difference. DG x

[Katia]

Was it consistent though DG?   Mine is not

[Katia]

It's for a couple of weeks every month, which I'm thinking must be cyclical. I never got any with the pill.

[Dancinggirl]

Oh yes, the bloating would  build through the progesterone phase and this then reduced with the withdrawal bleed. When on conti HRT then there was a consistent slight bloating. Many women experience this through their natural cycle when young.
DG x

[Katia]

Dancing girl, I'm taking continuous HRT and am getting the bloating for two weeks of the cycle. I do t seem to feel quite right with just estrogen. It wouldn't be too bad but it gives me puffy eyes too and this week I have felt really puffy and uncomfortable

[Katia]

DG, It doesn't seem to matter how I adjust the HRT or which HRT, I get bloated for two weeks out of four.

[Dancinggirl]

A bit of a mystery then. Perhaps you need to simply go onto a lower dose of your conti HRT? What HRT are your using? It could be down to the progesterone controlling your hormone balance? Unlikely to be too high a dose of oestrogen - if your were peri meno then this would explain what you are experiencing but not in post meno. DG x

[Katia]

I'm peri DG

[Dancinggirl]

If you are peri, why are you on a continuous HRT?  You should be on sequential HRT.  Which HRT are you on?   
In peri meno you need to be on a sequential HRT that has 12-14 days of oestrogen alone and then 12-14 days progesterone plus oestrogen.  After finishing the progesterone plus oestrogen phase, then you usually get a withdrawal bleed.
Taking progesterone every day would give more side effects.

If you were on a sequential HRT then it would be normal to get some bloating towards the end of the progesterone + oestrogen phase and possibly a few days into the oestrogen only phase - this would be very normal.  It is also very common to start getting weight gain when we hit menopause - whether on HRT or not. Unfortunately the peri stage is particularly challenging, as your own hormones will be fluctuating - so kicking in now and again.

If you can tell us a bit more about the meno symptoms you are trying to control, how old you are and the type of HRT you are on, we maybe able to advice better. DG x

[dangermouse]

I only tried Oestrogel for a couple of weeks (when thought I needed it) and it made me really bloat up. Couldn't get any of my rings on either. Once I stopped it it went away. I have naturally high oestrogen (in peri) so that was a sign of too high oestrogen for me.

[Katia]

Dangermouse, I am the same this week. I'm so bloated. My estrogen is in the middle when we did the blood tests so it doesn't run low.  I checked my blood pressure today and it's usually very bottom of normal and can run low, but it was up a bit. Still in normal, but higher than its ever been. I'm wondering if it's the too much estrogen, but then how on earth do I adjust it for when I need it and when I don't?

[dangermouse]

If you are having oestrogen surges (as I do), I’ve been told that adding oestrogen is counter productive. However, I believe some here have taken very high levels (like 4 pumps of gel) to override the cycle.

My GP advised only the combined pill to also override the cycle, which was effective when I was very ill from the oestrogen but it still didn’t fully suppress the surges. I did try the minipill but it wasn’t strong enough to counter the oestrogen on it’s own. My menopause specialist prescribed a compounded progesterone cream which was strong enough but for one week around ovulation it causes extreme nausea and dizziness which I think (but can’t prove) it’s from it displacing the oestrogen and I suffer as it recirculates and leaves my body causing an intense silent migraine. After this I feel amazing for a couple of weeks, like when I was younger, but the hell week has been too hard to stand lately.

My point is that it’s not easy to balance hormones in perimenopause when your surges are strong but this will all calm down as we getter closer to menopause. I’ve also found that a ketogenic diet, where more fat is eaten and much less sugar, helps my body to cope better.

[Hurdity]

Katia remind us what type of HRT you are using? I seem to think it's Premarin and if so what prog are you using for the 10-12 days that you use it?

Hurdity x

[Katia]

DG & Hurdity - I take continuous.  My consultant suggested this as my body prefers to be more even. I'm trying to feel more level and less tired and better memory.  I have a busy job.

Dangermouse, I will look at that diet.  I eat a meditteranean diet and don't really eat sugar, but maybe a bit too much fruit.  My own estrogen I think runs high and I do better with the pill/mini pill that are higher P.  I seem to feel better when I skip the E for a few days and i think it's high E that might cause the hot flushes as they go away when I don't take it.  I'm going on hols, but when i come back I'm going to try a herbal soya estrogen or go back on the pill.  The gel caused me to have terrible puffy eyes and the utro made me look so foggy eyed and groggy.