Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Kb21]

Hi everyone. I'm 39yo and have suspected I've had hormone issues for some years. The last couple of months I've not been able to sleep and have been highly anxious (I do suffer from anxiety intermittently), but this seems relentless general anxiety. So I spoke to Dr, had blood test and went for results. To my surprise, he says my FSH and LH were low in the test two weeks ago but were very high in 2010, 2011, 2016 and in January this year. So he presumed I'm in perimenopause. (Drs have never told me about the previous results) I recall asking about premature ovarian failure many years ago because of symptoms.
As well as the anxiety and insomnia, I've had hot flushes for a few years but these have been better the last 6 months.i have intermittent bloating but that has been better recently, fatigue, numerous aches and pains and my most recent symptom is a bad digestive system, recently a constantly upset stomach.

Anyhow. Back to today. GP prescribed lowest dose estraderm patch (I've had a hysterectomy) I popped that on last Wednesday, Friday morning woke up and felt like I'd had a lobotomy, really spaced out. Spoke with GP who said take it off, immediately. Then she chatted about how unusual my reaction was and my blood test results and she's prescribed Gabapentin. I'm too scared to take them.

Last year I had a spontaneous bout of anxiety and the ssri's they tried made me really unwell, I ended up seeing a psychiatrist. Who thought I had bad anxiety and we decided to not treat at the time.

So I suppose I'm just interested to hear other people's experiences and things which have worked for them.

I feel the Drs haven't behaved very well at all and I don't really trust them. I was also found to be folate deficient and the Dr didn't even bother to suggest anything for that.

Thanks for listening 

[AgathaC]

Hello KB21. Lots of sympathy for and empathy with your hormone issues and physical symptoms. I have terrible digestive problems, aches and pains and anxiety that knocks me sideways. I have no experience of the anti depressants or the HRT but someone here will doubtless comment soon. Hope things improve for you xxx

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Kb21
I had a premature meno so I can relate to what you are going through.
Why did you have the hysterectomy and how long ago was this done?

Your body may be very sensitive to medication so perhaps you do need to approach things very gently. ADs are not what you need.

The first thing that you need to do is tackle your lifestyle - so keep a diary of what you eat and when and also what exercise you are doing. Eating small meals regularly and cutting out as much sugar as possible can help prevent dips in mood and even anxiety because it maintains your blood sugar levels. Brisk walks or dances classes can be very helpful for lifting the mood and do learn relaxation techniques to help you through when you feel stressed and anxious.
Perhaps take some Feroglobin capsules to help with your iron deficiency and it is probably a good idea to add in some calcium, magnesium and Vit D3 - possibly some B vitamins as well. Supplements are no replacement for a good diet but it sounds as though you are needing some extra nutrient support for a while.
If your oestrogen levels are low then at your age it is important you have some oestrogen to protect your heart and bones for the long term. Patches can give quite a big hit of oestrogen initially when first put on (I got this reaction)and I suspect this is why you reacted badly. I would suggest you ask for some Oestrogel which is applied to inner thighs each day but for you I would suggest you apply one pump every other day for a week and then every day for 2-4 weeks and perhaps increase by half a pump for a few weeks after that and if this is ok you could go to 2 pumps per day.  This gradual approach would allow your body to adjust and settle better. If increasing beyond one pump per day does not suit you then stick with one pump per day.
I think this gentle approach might work for you and once things have settled you'll feel much better.
Sadly doctors do not take a holistic approach when treating women for the menopause - we are all different and the menopause and hrt treatments effect us all differently.
This is why this site can be so great.
We are here to support you. DG x

[Kb21]

The GP said that my reaction to the oestrogen was unheard of, which of course made me worried.. On top of the spaced out feeling I also had a weird taste in my mouth, nausea and a little chest pain, but that could've been anxiety. The patch did appear to make me less jittery in the short time I was on it, but it's hard to tell if it was that or I was just having a couple of better days. Have other people reacted to oestrogen like this? I'm wondering if I could've stuck it out it would've settled??

I had a hysterectomy in 2014 for suspected adenomyosis, severe pain and heavy bleeding. But I was sterilised in 2009, which I believe can make your ovaries fail.

I just feel quite confused and let down at the mo. The dr never seems to look at the whole picture or even the test results!!

[NorthArm]

Hi Kb21, and welcome 😁😁

I'm curious as to which strength oestrogen patch you were started on? In the early days, oestrogen can make you feel a little spaced out as your receptors soak up what they've been missing - it soon settles though. I felt it as a kind of relief from the unrelenting anxiety I had been suffering.

If she started you on a 50mcg patch straight up, maybe you could try a 25mcg patch initially? Just a thought, 50 seems to be what they start most people on, and for some ladies it might be a bit of a shock to the system if you know what I mean? You could always experiment with the patches you have by cutting one in half and trialling that?

[Dancinggirl]

Kp21?- do ready post again. GPs are not specialists and many gynaecologists are not that clued up on treating the menopause either - I'm afraid doctors are not good at listening or treating us as individuals with different reactions or needs - so ignore what your GP said about your reaction to the patch.  I did say that patches can give quite a big initial hit - when I tried patches I felt very strange on the first day (hot, agitated and dizzy) but then by day 3 my flushes were returning - so I think I got a big hit on the first day but by day 3 the patch was running out.  Some women do well on patches but they don't suit everyone. To suddenly get the extra hormones would make the body react but once oestrogen levels have stabilised then you should feel better.  The last specialist gynaecologist I saw did tell me to slowly build the amount of oestrogen over a few weeks and, as NorthAnn has said, if you were given a 50mcg patch this was perhaps too high to start with. Her suggestion of starting with a 25mcg patch is sensible and maybe even cut this in half for the first couple of weeks. I still think you might be better with Oestrogel to start with as you could even put one whole pump dose of this gel into you hand and only rub in a half dose for the first few days to really build things slowly.
I think your anxiety is making
things worse and the sooner you get yourself on a bit of oestrogen the better. Hrt won't fix everything - it will be a whole range of strategies that will get you back on track - so do look at how you can improve diet and exercise and relaxation techniques, to really improve your whole quality of life. It does take a lot of discipline but if people expect drugs or a bit HRT to magically fix everything, then they are in for disappointment. Having said this, a bit of oestrogen can restore energy and give better sleep which makes it much easier to start living better.
Pop back to your GP and either ask for the 25mcg Estrodot patches and cut these in half for the first couple of weeks or ask for the Oestrogel. I'm afraid it is up to us to find out what we need and then ask for it when it comes to getting help for the menopause.
DGx

[Kb21]

Hi ladies. Thanks for your responses. The patch was 25.

I'm going to call the Dr tomorrow and see if she'll prescribe the gel.

I'm currently taking magnesium, primrose oil and a folate supplement. I've just started trying avena sativa at night and cedarwood oil.

I've also just put on the magnet!!

I'm trying to cut out sugar and am exercising as much as possible, which is not enough.

However I've slept 6 + hours for the last 4 nights which has really helped.

Trying to stay positive and motivated which is really hard

[Dancinggirl]

You doing some very positive things - just get going on some oestrogen and I'm sure you will feel better soon. Do add in some Vitamin D and Omega 3.
 DG x