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[Gilla999]

Good luck with the trial on gel! Hope it helps!

I can totally relate to the super sensitivity part. For me too, it seems to be especially the fluctuations, more than the levels per se, that cause all the symptoms. Interestingly, before starting HRT I had bloods taken and my E was very, very low, but I wasn't feeling that bad at all. Probably at that point it was steady, even if low. Later on have had bloods taken couple times and every time I've felt much worse even though the readings have been pretty OK. Must be the fluctuations as otherwise it doesn't make any sense.

I totally agree. When I tried the contraceptive Pill first I was horrendously symptomatic with night sweats and insomnia and the hormone tests I had done (which weren't just spot blood tests but a profile across the whole month) showed that my own E and P were spiking and falling like crazy - they did not like whatever hormones the Pill was putting in to me! And it was the fluctuations that caused me to be so symptomatic, rather than a clinically low level of either per se.

I think adding half a pump of oestrogel is a sensible move. It's normal to need more as your ovaries pack up, I started on 2 pumps and have have had to increase twice over the last 3 years as symptoms returned. Peri is difficult because it often isn't easy to distinguish between the effects of hrt and your own peaks and troughs. Insomnia and anxiety were my worst symptoms so I can sympathise, you're guaranteed to feel awful when you can't sleep. Do you keep a diary? It would be useful to know if it's cyclical. My sleep gets worse towards the end of the utro phase (even though it's still remarkably good at making me dopey in the day!).

Sheila thanks so much for the reassurance, it really helps. It has shaken me a bit mentally after having such a good run on Lenzetto for the last 4 months, though I know logically it's to be expected to a degree. I do keep a diary - it's what helped me realise what was going on in the first place about a year ago, it's been absolutely invaluable! This time of the month is normally my best time for sleep and mood and everything, which is why this continuing dip has really thrown me. I'll be really interested to see on Monday if my hunch is right and my Estrogen has dipped. Thanks again xx

[EllaAurora]

Hi Gilla, I got interested in the hormone profile test that you mention above. Would you mind sharing a bit more -how was it done and where did you get it? I've only done normal blood tests which as we know are not that helpful in peri.
Thanks again!

[Gilla999]

So it's the Rhythm Plus profile from Genova Diagnostics - you have to find a provider and pay through them (there are lots who offer it). There is a lot of question marks over whether saliva tests are as reliable as blood tests, but all I can say is that both times I have done the Rhythm test they have been extremely helpful. You do a saliva test pretty much every other day and it tracks your E and P (and their relation to each other) across the course of a month. Both times I have used them they have accurately shown what is going on with me, but I can only go on my own experience. It's not cheap, about £235 (and a pain in the a** doing saliva samples all the time) but they really have been a lot of help to me on both occasions, to help correlate what I experience to what happens with my hormones (eg a drop in one, or a plummet in another). If you like I'll PM you a screen shot of the results page so you can see what you get? x

[PMDD]

As you are peri and still have your own cycle, could it also be that your own hormones are starting to decline/fluctuate more in the background and due to this, the previous dose of Lenzetto is no longer working the same way?

These are my thoughts too xx

[Gilla999]

Thank you PMDD - it's really helpful to hear other's opinions as I'm still so relatively new to all of this. It'll be really interesting to see what my blood test result is tomorrow, but I've upped my dose a small amount in the meantime - hopefully it helps xx

[Gilla999]

Have actually felt worse today after increasing my Estrogen - palpitations, exhausted but wired sensation in my head. Now I've no idea what's going on 

[Gilla999]

So increasing estrogen doesn't seem to have worked - having palpitations, blinding headache, terrible anxiety and a horrible tense/wired feeling in my head. Still waking up at anywhere between 2 - 4am which has been for two weeks now - it all started on day 26 of my cycle and I'm now on day 8. Feel like my nerves are all jangling.

Really at a loss with what to do now. Not sure if I should drop back down to 2 sprays, carry on with the extra Lenzetto, or if I should try bringing forward my Utro in case the issue is actually low Prog... but really feeling like I'm stabbing wildly in the dark.

Has anyone else experienced a return of their symptoms after months of being fine, that didn't seem to improve when they upped their dose? Would really appreciate any thoughts as I'm struggling massively xx

[EllaAurora]

So increasing estrogen doesn't seem to have worked - having palpitations, blinding headache, terrible anxiety and a horrible tense/wired feeling in my head. Still waking up at anywhere between 2 - 4am which has been for two weeks now - it all started on day 26 of my cycle and I'm now on day 8. Feel like my nerves are all jangling.

Really at a loss with what to do now. Not sure if I should drop back down to 2 sprays, carry on with the extra Lenzetto, or if I should try bringing forward my Utro in case the issue is actually low Prog... but really feeling like I'm stabbing wildly in the dark.

Has anyone else experienced a return of their symptoms after months of being fine, that didn't seem to improve when they upped their dose? Would really appreciate any thoughts as I'm struggling massively xx

So sorry to hear you feel worse. How much did you up the dose? Perhaps it was too much increase on one go and you could go even slower?
Though as you have just upped the dose now, I guess its difficult to say if the symptoms are due to the increased dose, or perhaps just the original symptoms worsening? Do you have a chance to call or email your doctor for advice?

[PMDD]

I would bring the progesterone forward and try using it on a continuous basis.....I am just like you whereby I am super sensitive to changes, and its now the progesterone i cant seem to cope without xxx

[Gilla999]

Thanks ladies, really appreciate the replies. Ella, exactly... once you get to that panic point it's impossible to know if symptoms are from increased dose, worsening symptoms or just me having an anxiety meltdown! I am feeling noticeably better this morning - still awake in the night but managed to get back to sleep. I started to feel a little better yesterday evening, but I'm still not convinced that this whole thing has been about low E. Because I haven't had any of the crippling night sweats I had prior to starting Lenzetto and just in the 3 days I've been taking an extra half a spray my weight has already started creeping up (I gained a stone from initially starting Lenzetto). Weight gain like that from it would tend to point to estrogen dominance (which is where I thought I was before this sudden blip!) which doesn't make sense to me (how can I be estrogen dominant so it causes weight gain and constipation, and yet have sleep problems from lack of E).

I am starting to wonder as you've mentioned PMDD (and on other threads I've been reading) whether it could in fact have been low P. I guess the timing would also fit (day 26 to day 8 ) and I have felt for a while that the 100mg Utro vaginally wasn't quite enough systemically for the 2 sprays of Lenzetto + my own E. I actually have a compounded Prog cream from Marian Gluck here that I had been planning to try after ovulation anyway (on top of the 100mg Utro vaginally) so I think I'll try and hold out for a couple more days till ovulation has passed and then give it a try.

Blimmin wish my Estrogen blood test would come back (should have been yesterday) as that would at least help. I'm also waiting for a Prog test which should come back in a couple of days.

Thanks again ladies for your replies, I can't tell you how much they have helped in a really dark period xxxx   

[Floo36]

It may be that as you head towards menopause your own hormones are fluctuating and dropping and just when I start to think I’m getting there I go downhill again. 

[Gilla999]

Thanks Floo, I think you're right. Annoyingly my Estrogen finger prick test came back today at 11,000 pmol - even though I have been wearing gloves to use my Lenzetto for two weeks, it must still be contaminated somehow. So I'm now booked in to get a proper blood test on Thursday.

I am leaning towards the issues being a case of low Prog rather than estrogen now though - just because I haven't had the night sweats that I had prior to starting HRT and because the crazy weight gain and constipation really lean towards estrogen dominance rather than low E. I'm waiting for Prog blood test result but without knowing the corresponding estrogen also, it probably won't be of much use.

It's all just such a minefield - I know blood tests aren't everything but I do wish testing was more accessible to us so we could at least correspond changes to symptoms.

[Shannonplussed]

Have you tried taking DIM?

[Gilla999]

Yes, the first night I experienced problems in this recent blip 3 weeks ago was actually the first night I took DIM. I continued taking it for 2 weeks figuring it was too soon to have been a reaction to the DIM but then stopped taking it a week ago just in case it was the cause or contributing - I wanted to remove as many variables as possible!
.

[Shannonplussed]

The wired jangling nervy depression constipation are all high estrogen for me. I get what you mean about variables. And it’s like chasing your tail trying to treat it. Then the advice of just ride it out…easier said than done right!