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[LucyLoo]

I'm a Prof Studd patient and started his regime (via Mr Watson) of 3 pumps of oestrogel, a pea-sized blob of testim and 7 days of utrogestan from 1st day of calendar month about 5 weeks ago. I'm 41 and still menstruating - I'm taking the HRT for severe PMS and oesteopenia. I don't get on with the contraceptive pill and believe I'm progesterone intolerant. I've only been on the oestrogel and testim so far, due to start the utrogestan on 1st Feb (which I am nervous about!)

I felt fine for the first few weeks and had no side effects from the oestrogel. However for the last two weeks I have been completely wiped out with exhaustion and started my period on Monday. I therefore must still be ovulating and guess the oestrogel isn't high enough yet to surpress my cycle. I called Prof Studd's office and they've said to keep the doses as they are for the first 3 months and that I still have to take the utrogestan on 1st Feb, despite having a period. I am fine with this (understand I shouldn't mess around with doses for first 3 months) but I'm really struggling with the intense fatigue. Has anyone else experienced this when they started on oestrogel or oestrogen patches? I guess it might be the changes in hormone levels causing it? I expected to find the utrogestan difficult but I've been surprised to feel so wiped out on just the oestrogel/testim. I guess my own hormones must be doing stuff in the background?

[Dotty]

Hi I can't comment on the hrt you are taking but I thought fatigue was caused by low oestrogen . I'm suffering dreadfully with fatigue whilst waiting for the oestrogen to build up from hrt.

[LucyLoo]

Thanks for replying Dotty. I thought that too. Maybe my oestrogen levels are still too low? When I called Prof Studd's office, the receptionist did say it can take a while for the oestrogen to build up. The fatigue is awful isn't it? I'm really struggling and work and with the kids. Fingers crossed we both feel better soon x

[Dotty]

It's probably the fluctuation of your own hormones too.

[LucyLoo]

Hi Dotty,

Do you mind me asking what your situation is? Have you been on HRT for long? I definitely think my hormones are doing their own thing in the background - this last week I have had severe PMS symptoms - exhaustion, low mood, teary and craving sugar. I thought the oestrogel would help me to feel better? I think I perhaps need 4 pumps rather than 3 but I've been told to wait as it's still early days (I started 5 weeks ago). I'm just hoping I start to feel better soon before I have to take the utrogestan, which I'm really nervous about. The way I'm feeling now is how I've felt on the BCP in the past, which I'd always put down to the synthetic progesterone. Now I'm wondering if it's low oestrogen that causes these symptoms as well? I think mine must be low given I'm feeling like this and have just had my period. I wish there was an easy way to surpress ovulation and feel better. I feel like my life's on hold when I'm like this - it's such a struggle to get through each day  x

[Dotty]

Hi Lucyloo

I'm 53 and 3 years post meno. Have been taking hrt for 14 weeks now and still struggling with night sweats and exhaustion and insomnia ( which is getting worse). I'm presuming I'm still low on oestrogen.x

[LucyLoo]

I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling for a while Dotty and I really hope you feel better soon. I'm no expert on HRT but wonder if you could try a different type, especially if things are getting worse? I'm on the oestrogel/utro regime as I wanted to keep the oestrogen separate from the progesterone in the hope that it would be easier to cope as I've always found the BCP difficult (but oestrogen dominant pills better than others). I've heard the oestrogel is good as it's easy to adjust the dose. I'm too nervous to adjust the dose at the moment as it's early days for me and I'm hoping the oestrogen levels will build up. Is there any way you could up your oestrogen dose? It does sound like your oestrogen levels are too low.

[Dotty]

Hi Lucyloo

I saw a specialist who said I'd got to take these tablets for 3 months....she wouldn't change anything till I'd taken them for 3 months. So that's what I've done even though I've felt for weeks that they are not working for me.

I'm now booked to see a different specialist who can hopefully help me.

Thanks for your kind words. X

[LucyLoo]

Good luck Dotty, I really hope the specialist can help. I think you're brilliant for coping for the last 14 weeks. I've usually given up on hormone treatments like BCP's in the first month when I've felt dreadful. I need to keep going for 3 months too as I have osteopenia and have been told I must take oestrogen going forward now. Hopefully we'll both get there with the right medication for us and this difficult part is just part of the journey to getting our treatments right  x