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[nicky_boo]

Hi,

Thanks for at least starting to read this. If you can leave a comment based on your experience, I will be grateful as I am going mad. I am 47 and peri.

Some history, this time last year I went up to 50mg oestrogen patches and ultrogestan for progesterone but I had clear symptoms of too much oestrogen, big and hurting breasts, pelvic cramps etc... I even grew a big ovarian cyst. A gynae recommended that I move to 1 pump oestrogen and up it to 2 pumps if necessary. 8 weeks on this regime and the cyst and other excess oestrogen symptoms disappeared. I upped the gel later on.

I have Mirena fitted 4 months ago. I was on 3-4 pumps of oestrogel by then. However, after Mirena, my body started to crave for more oestrogen. I upped it to 6 pumps and then decided to move to oestrogen patches again. I am now on 100mg oestrogen, twice the amount that give me huge problems last year and I don't have any excess oestrogen symptoms. The worst part of peri are mood swings for me and I may still have really bad temper and I am generally moody. I worry about upping oestrogen even more. I hear the symptoms of too much or too little oestrogen are very similar. Today, I am very jittery and easily annoyed but I am not dry or I don't suffer from night sweats or hot flushes. Is it because I have too much estrogen? If so, why aren't my breasts hurting? I am so confused.

I will talk to my GP for new prescription on Thursday and I have no idea what dosage to ask for. Please please give me your opinion.

Kind Regards,
nicky_boo

[Bobidy]

Hi

I've gone from 2 to 6-8 pumps in 12 months as my peri has progressed and after I had a hysterectomy last year retaining ovaries (which I think keep conking out a bit more).

When I increase dose I get some breast tenderness which soon settles. For me though I have no sweats I just get worse muscle and joint aches, more sleeplessness, blurry eyes, ringing ears, nethers pains when my oestrogen drops so I know the signs now.

I use patch gel combo to get the levels I need as high levels of gel are difficult to absorb and a right old faff to put on.

I think the key is to increase really slowly and find a dose that minimised if not stops your symptoms.

[corianne]

Hi Nicky_boo,
I'm also 47 and Peri and I've just started on Mirena/Oestrogel treatment this week,  -  I can't advise much on dosage I'm afraid as I am still early days. (Gynae has started me on 3 pumps daily - 2 am and 1 pm) - Before this I was on Estradot patches (50mg) and Provera (the Provera drove me insane so had to come off it!)
The only thing I've found so far is that about an hour after my dose of gel I get all the symptoms I was trying to allieviate, including the jitters, fuzzy head and tender breasts! Also insomnia has been worse of an evening, but this could just be me and my aversion to hot weather..
This is still very early days for me, but I would be interested to see how you get on, especially with the dosage as I think mine might need tweaking at some point, but sticking with the 3 pumps for now, and I do hope you find some answers and a dose that works for you

[racjen]

Hi Nicky_boo,
 100mcg of estrogen (equivalent to 4 pumps of gel I think?) isn't an excessively high amount once you're well into peri - I'm post-menopausal and I need a minimum of 100, sometimes up to 125, to feel OK, although my symptoms are all mood-based (depression if too low, anxiety if too high). It makes sense that you'd need more as you progress through per,i as your natural level of estrogen will be dropping; also if your levels of progesterone are fluctuating that'll affect how much estrogen you need to balance it out.

[KittyM]

I starter on 2 pumps (nothing else as have had hysterectomy so no womb) and have had bad upset tummy - bloating and reflux.  The sore breasts settled. The night sweats definitely better and I have had the occasional better mood day. The stomach issues has had me reduce to one pump a day and although tummy better I am getting regular 'period like aches' which I just dont understand as there is no womb to ache. If I could I really feel like I would be having a period. I definitely do not like the achey stomache - jury is out on the anxiety and libido. My anxiety kicks in on a social level so cant test that at the moment! And with stomache ache I dont fancy sex anyway!  Anyone else only on one pump? Anyone else with no womb but having period like pain?

[Perinowpost]

Hi Nicky_boo

Have you considered the mood swings and bad temper may be due to your mirena? I had persistent low mood/lack of joy with mine. It resolved within 48 hours of having it removed x

[sheila99]

I also think it's more likely to be the mirena. Did you keep a mood diary you so you look back? You've been using nearly double your previous dose and still don't feel good. You shouldn't need this sort of increase. Because mirena is designed as a contraceptive it gives you a much higher dose of progesterone than you need for hrt.

[DS68]

I had marina too. Made me so emotional. Replaced with copper coil. Much better although heavier periods.

[nicky_boo]

Thanks so much for all the responses. Sorry I haven't seen them all until today.

After over around 5 weeks on 100mg, I started to get weird "sizzling" feeling in my breasts and also there was some slight pelvic pain every now and then. I was a bit bossy and impatient and I concluded that these are the symptoms of excess oestrogen and reduced to 75mg 5 days ago. It caused slight spotting despite the Mirena coil a couple of days ago. However the main problem is I am a terrible mess at the moment.

I am a full time working mom of a 6 year old boy. Homeschooling + quarter end pressure + escalations at work make life tricky already but I had a bad day yesterday and even worse today after a sleepless night last night due to work stress. I found myself crying in front of my computer in between meetings today. Ok, life is stressful but this is not a new thing, I have never reacted like this before. Blurry eyes made me think my eyesight suddenly worsened but I read in the comments here that one of you has that problem in case of low oestrogen (thanks for sharing).

I applied 1 pump of gel to try to feel more normal earlier tonight, not sure if it made a difference to be honest. I am not sure whether to stick with 75mg longer to see if this oestrogen decline will settle or to move back up to 100mg. I know I shouldn't chop and change that quickly. What would you do?

[Perinowpost]

Blurry eyes is a definite symptom of too much progesterone. I get it every time I'm on the prog phase of my hrt and it goes as soon as I stop taking it x

[Perinowpost]

Sorry Nicky didn't mean to come across short I was rushing off to work when I answered.

To put it into perspective my friend had the mirena fitted (she is not prog intolerant like me).  However, every time I saw her she'd say I'm going to have to have it removed if it doesn't get better soon. 9 months later it's only just settled down. She's going to keep it because it will take her through to 60 when she may be in a position not to work again. However, she said she wouldn't have another one, unless the memory fades with time (who knows).

Anyway, what I'm saying is it may get better, only you can decide, but I'm sure your symptoms are down to the progesterone. Wishing you well x