Hello Andie, and I am sorry that I didn't respond earlier but was really occupied with work these past two days (just finishing a consultant assignment ). Thank you for your generous response. I am a relatively shy person overall, but this forum has been a lifesaver for me through the years (registered I think 5 years ago when peri started). The women here helped me so much go through the rough times. Now, weird or not as it may sound, I am afraid to post when I feel well for the fear that things may deteriorate the next day
But you and everyone else is right: sharing your wobbles is probably better than keeping to yourself . When I feel rough , I open the forum and read and I usually , immediately, find someone else that has felt just like me or feels like me at the moment. This is such a great help at moments when things go really dark! Thank you all, wonderful women here! You have been my rock !
In terms of the Mirena, I have many times considered this option. I am definitely not progesterone intolerant as when on Femoston, I definitely felt much better on the progesterone/estrogen days than the estrogen-alone days! I was sleeping better, felt more composed and content and with more energy! But - and this is just me perhaps - and my fobia of pills and ailments - I don't want to have something in me that I cannot remove straight away if I feel bad! If you can understand what I mean. So, no , Mirena at this point is not an option for me.
As to getting Dr. Currie's advise - this is such a great service with MM and I would love to be able to get access to it, but I am not in the UK (I live in Bulgaria), and the preparations and combinations here are not the same as in the UK, so I don't want to put Dr. Currie in position to advise on a different medical system than in the UK. I don't know fully the pharmaceutical market here, there is no such website as MM to summarize in a great way what is available to women. I have to trust the doctors here to prescribe what's available.
For now, I have decided to change a few lifestyle approaches like doing more regular walks and trying to add more supplements to my daily routine. I eat very healthy, cook every day from scratch , no conservation foods, everything is bought from the local market (same for the whole family, this is how we are used to). We rarely eat outside, as we are so used to cooking at home. No frozen meals, lots of vegetable dishes (for me - I don't like meat), no sugar ( I don't like sugar ) , lot's of vegetable juices, lemon water. So the problem is not in my diet, nor in my exercise. I am sure it is from the hormones, but for now I have decided that until I am convinced that my estrogen has fallen down steadily, I will not take HRT in order not to aggravate things further (re the hyperplasia).
My symptoms that make me think my estrogen is too high are:
- water retention, with blotches of puffiness on face, arms and mid-section;
- all of a sudden, developed cellulitis - never had that before! I have been a tiny skinny person all my life.
- constant anxiousness , jittery, esp. in the mornings, nausea in the mornings;
- sleep disturbances - I wake up at least 3-4 times /night with anxiety and have to get up, go outside and calm down;
- hot flushes and night sweats stopped miraculously a month ago. No hot flushes now.
- feeling sluggish, lethargy, no motivation, brain fog, forgetfulness;
- Periods come every 17-20 days, last 4 days with dark blood, not particularly heavy, but sufficiently (sorry TMI).
- enlarged boobs , painful, as if in a constant PMS.
So my questions are, if anyone can help:
1. If I am deficient in progesterone, which I probably am, can I go to a continuous combined HRT regime at a low dose so that it can ensure that I have a steady dose of progesterone and a relatively small dose of estrogen throughout the month to avoid the wild fluctuations, skyrocketing estrogen in particular, during this peri period? I know I still menstruate , frequently, and I am not a candidate for a continuous regime but has anyone gone to a continuous before they have reached the menopause?
2. If that is not an option, is there a way that I can only add a progestin as a everyday support (i.e. we have dydrogesterone sold separately here (Duphaston) and Utrogestan as well coming only at 100mg)?
3. If none of the above is an option, what do women do to alleviate these estrogen surges when they happen? Any success stories will be very helpful!
Thank you !
Milamam XXX