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[Shell]

Hi Jessica97

Thats how I started out with prostap injections for 6 months prior to my hysterectomy.
Im keeping a log on how Im feeling day by day on tib and have had to adjust the time of day I was taking it...tried the morning, but no good for me as I just felt washed out and exhausted all day, tried just before bed ( I go to bed late on) that still left me feeling groggy until around lunch, so I take another tablet around 7pm so set an alarm on my phone and started taking it at that time each day. So far so good, im up for 6 with the kids etc. I could tell when I was ready for my next dose for the first week, by 5pm I could feel a hormonal type headache creeping in, but fingers crossed that seems to be settling...im remaining hopeful, but time will tell. Have very tender breasts, but every hormone change causes that for me, so hoping that will settle in the following weeks.

KiltedCupid
I am remaining as positive as possible, and focusing on it working and allowing my body time to adjust, im definitely going to see it into the new year with the follow up blood tests, and see how I am.
I think staying positive is the best option and allowing time for our bodies to adapt...im not expecting miracles, just hoping for a more stable sane life lol x

[Sammiejane]

hi shell

just to update you !

i've been suffering bad hair shedding since being on my estrogel 2 pumps as i've only been on hrt 1 yr following my op 5 yrs ago i wasn't on anything for 4 years and felt ok , in some ways i'm worse on hrt . how has your hair been ?
i had follow up with menopause clinic who agreed i could add in testosterone but could worsen hairloss but it may help as my level is low also i have tried progesterone in the past and seemed ok on it till day 4 and then had few hot flushes come on and bloating but helped relax me sleep improved but our plan is to try testosterone if my hair dosent stop shedding add in another pump of estrogen if still continues add in progesterone and if dosent stop then i'm quiting hrt !
dermatology believe my hairloss has been triggered by medication ie estradiol and changing my gel to a patch or tablet won't help .
my hormones level for estrogen a week apart has gone from 368 to 113 so up n down but all i can do is hope it works i wish i hadn't started hrt because my hair wasn't thinning before

[Sammiejane]

shell

i think i may look at tibilone !

[Anjia]

I had my hysterectomy 8 years ago they left one ovary I was 52 at the time and was put on hrt right after ,I was given oestrogen tablets first then patches and been through so many ups and downs I always believed my hormones were unbalanced still do but nobody would listen just  kept pumping the oestrogen.l tried tibelone but it dident suit me unfortunately it is true that so many doctors tell you oestrogen is all you need its just not true.

[Sammiejane]

hi ladies

how are we feeling today !

well i was quite positive yesterday after my menopause appointment yesterday and i've now woke up in a feeling of panic am i doing the right thing !

as u know i'm in estrogel 2 pumps and my hair is shedding and thinning now i cannot say for sure this medication is the cause as i starting shedding prior to starting this but after i first went on hrt and introduced estrogen in a patch then i stopped it 6 weeks later it didn't suit 2 weeks later started vagifem and then 5 weeks into taking vagifem i started shedding so this would of been 13 weeks after starting hrt and 7 weeks after stopping it although the time i was on the patch i didn't shed hair it was triggered 13 weeks later ! but has continued to shed to this day and has got noticible thinner so being on estrogel hasn't improved it so i don't think it was low estrogen causing it as if the shedding was triggered from stoping the medication the fact that i'm on medication now should of stop it . do u think that if it is the estrogel causing it then changing to a different brand should help ! but if is estradiol itself it won't make any difference as hrt all contain the same ! this is one reason why menopause want me to try testosterone as may be an imbalance as testosterone is low in my body and as i have zero libido energy which have got worse since taking hrt . i'm scared of it not helping working and increasing my hairloss ! but then it may improve it . ladies it's so hard following my operation i got on with things and didn't second guess anything my decision which shell was the same problems as u but i didn't have endometriosis! then i had to be hit with vaginal dampness and i rushed to get hrt thinking it was calmer for not being on anything for 4 yrs but now i've a whole host of other issues hairloss weight gain fatigue my body shape change for the worse more fat everywhere and when where young it's hard to accept when you 50 odd and like myself would be a grandma by then it easier to accept you are older it natural time but at are age i don't want hairloss weight gain and then there is my boobs up 3 cup sizes and seem to keep growing ! my mood has altered my energy libido plummeted . on a positive it has improved thickness of skin proberbly because it causing more fat to hang around but i've lost my muscle tone ! and my dry eyes have improved and the gums in my mouth are not as pale and more pink but honestly that's it . have any of you ladies indured hairloss since starting hrt and what are you taking ! oh and the other thing i notice has happened since starting hrt for me which should improve is i've been getting a lot of uti infection bladder irritation so have reduced my vaginal estrogen to once a week was also getting a feeling in not emptying my bladder properly and my urine stream wasn't as powerful . i also suffer with my GI tract have done for years i have slow GI tract so have to have wheat free gluten free foods and stick to a low fod map diet to avoid constipation i have a lazy bowel to do take regular laxitives to go to toilet will be with me rest of life so am under collerectal specialist for this !
my dermatologist wants me to stop hrt for 4 months to see if my hair cycle tricks itself out of shedding mode of it continued ma then we no estrogen is not the cause ! but menopause don't agree as heart health and bone health is more important! so i'm doing there suggestion and we shall see ! i'm just concerned as to whether or not it's worth changing the estrogen part menopause said no because i may not obsorb as well from others and also i'm not keen on wearing a patch ! and won't make any difference to my hair if it's caused by estrogen ! so bloody confusing why can't they make a tablet for surgical menopause that contain everything bio identical E P T would be so much easier and say have 3-4 strengths just for us early birds !

sorry for the lengthy post needed to vent my frustration! much love to you all and please keep me updated on your progress or not so much progress x

[Shell]

Hi Sammiejane

How are you?

Thats why Im trying the tibilone again basically just to try and even out what my body needs, and because it allows your body to break it down and make, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone...im hoping my body can take what it needs. I dont believe that at 38 just being pumped full of oestrogen and hoping for the best is a good option...we are onviously proof of that!!.
Ive experienced hair shedding at times, and I know other women who experienced this due to shock...ie shock of what their bodies went through after ovary removal.
If your hair is already shedding then adding in testosterone etc surely wouldnt harm for say 6 weeks to see if there were any benefits to you??.
Since my hysterectomy like you I have suffered with food intolerances, constipation, IBS etc. Currently having further tests as im convinced I cant be in this much pain for no reason, but apparently once again very common in younger women after hysterectomies...if only they informed us before!!! 

[Sammiejane]

hi shell
i'm interested in tibilone although not sure they would let me have it due to smoking and Gi issues they don't want me having tablets !

i didn't have hair shedding after hysterectomy not effect to my hair is been provoked by hrt !

i hope things settle for you but how i feel there is no way i'm going 10 more years like this !

i'm asked to change to a patch to get a more steady dose the gel is up and down but i only knew this because the doctors missed one of hormones off so i had to have another lot of bloods done 10 days later and the fluctuation was allot . my thing is if i had quoted 113 level to menopause they would of said you are still not obsorbing yet if i had give the results from week before 368 level they would of said yep we can add testosterone but i think this fluctuation is what's making me feel the way i am and up and down and possibly hair shedding you would of thought by now there would be specific hormones for surgical menopause an all in one form like tibilone this wasn't ever offered to me !

[Shell]

Hi Sammiejane,

I was the same as you that I had different levels on the patch, first day I was sky high, then would taper off and the last day was horrendous...I was up and down like a yoyo so I dont believe its a constant consistent dose, certainly not in my case!! The same with gel I had surges and drops all the time.
I presume your iron levels and thyroid etc are all functioning ok?
The more oestrogen I seemed to mess with the worse my shedding became.
As I say like you I suffer with mant GI issues, but have to take other oral medications so figured one more wasn't going to cause anything more than I was dealing with already (just personal choice).
Ive kind of figured that I know my body, and sometimes trusting my own judgement is better.

[Shell]

Hi Lola

Yes at first I struggled and have had to play with the timings that I take it to allow me to not feel space out. (Its getting better) I know its not for everyone, but im just determined to get my body back to an even level of hormone for my age, and was told if my oestrogen is low in 6 weeks on repeat testing, I can add gel as a top up when required. Im hoping I  wont need to as I feel my body has just been fueled on oestrogen for years that it just needs to readjust...only time will tell. X

[Shell]

Lola,

Can i ask what level oestrogen you was on prior to tibilone?

[Sammiejane]

lola50

i am actually thinking of stopping for a while so i can see exactly what my body is doing because at the moment i'm so up and down and don't want to keep loosing my hair it is important to me !

or i need a more stable dose a patch or tablet form ! all i know being on the gel is causing me hair loss

[Shell]

Hi Lola,

Yes like you straight after surgical menopause was when I first started tibilone and it wasn't right for me then either.
Since then over the years I tried gels and patches, at different strengths trying to find the right level...unfortunately for me that never came, 75 too low, 100 too high trying to play about tweaking patches only added to the fluctuations unfortunately.

I feel the oestrogen over that time was just cauaing an imbalance for me personally, and although one part would be ok...another wouldn't there was always a trade off, which with the prospect of 20 years plus didnt seem fair on me personally or my family.

Im definitely thinking the constant oestrogen was no good for my long standing migranes, or left over endo...but we all are individuals and have to figure out whats best for us. I dont think anything will ever be a cure all, but Im determined to find the next best thing!!!.

Good luck to everyone on your journeys x

[Hurdity]

Hi there surgical meno women!

There have been several  new threads about surgical menopause and there seem to be quite a few of you out there. Just thought I'd let you knpow that there is a long-running Surgical Menopause thread which I will bump for you - started by an ex-member Tempest - so it might have some useful tips there - just to save reinventing the wheel!
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34701.0.html

Hurdity x

[Sammiejane]

morning ladies

i really need advice i'm going out of mind with panic and worry and can't lift it

i'm in the estrogel 2 pumps and shedding hair my menopause want me to add testosterone in which i've got but have also said this can worsen hairloss i can also try the progesterone utrogestan to balance things but don't know whether to add progesterone first then testosterone later on ?

also the gel is making my E levels up and down and i know this because i had to have two blood test 10 days apart due to cock up by GP and it showed my E levels were 368 on minute and then 113 next menopause said this is normal but wondering if that's why i'm on a rollercoster of emotion and feel very up and down plus thick headed every day and headaches constant ! i'm wondering if it's worth changing to a patch to get more consistent level !

or do i give up and stop it have a break and then start again x

[Hurdity]

morning ladies

i really need advice i'm going out of mind with panic and worry and can't lift it

i'm in the estrogel 2 pumps and shedding hair my menopause want me to add testosterone in which i've got but have also said this can worsen hairloss i can also try the progesterone utrogestan to balance things but don't know whether to add progesterone first then testosterone later on ?

also the gel is making my E levels up and down and i know this because i had to have two blood test 10 days apart due to cock up by GP and it showed my E levels were 368 on minute and then 113 next menopause said this is normal but wondering if that's why i'm on a rollercoster of emotion and feel very up and down plus thick headed every day and headaches constant ! i'm wondering if it's worth changing to a patch to get more consistent level !

or do i give up and stop it have a break and then start again x

Personally I wouldn't try progesterone as your body still produces sufficient for its needs. It only produces large amounts to prepare for a pregnancy. It;s oestorgen and tesosterone that are more important to be balanced especially after surgical menopause.

Speaking of which did you see I bumped a thread dedicated to surgical menopause - maybe post in this one so that those in surgical menopause can answer and find the info they want perhpas? I'll bump again for you!

As I've mentioned before those readings are no indication of actual oestrogen levels anyway - there is a daily rhythm - levels vary in the morning and at night, so also the time of day you had the readings done may also affect the result as well as where on the body, and when the blood was taken in relation to the gel application. You really need to go by symptoms - how you feel generally, ideally....

Why not perservere with the gel for a while - if you keep chopping and changing this is more hormonal disruption for your body?

Hurdity x