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[ATB]

You’re welcome and definitely I will share my results, I can see testing is in progress so I should get this today. I’m going to ask my husband to come up with a chart of some kind for me, where I can have a monthly calendar that tracks each hormone I’m taking, my cycle and my symptoms so I can see a pattern more clearly. I’m just taking notes and marking my calendar with my period. It would be much easier on some kind of spreadsheet or graph.

Also for those on testosterone, I started applying it early in the morning and it’s made a huge difference. I asked Newson health about best time of morning, did it matter etc and they had no advice. Which I find surprising. I’ve seen a few women say the earlier the better so they should really be able to pass on those kinds of tips and suggestions. Same with the syringe you get, I couldn’t get it to work after the first application initially and then I realised you needed to clean it by syringing water in and out of it after use so it’s super clean for next time.

[Wrensong]

The reduction in symptoms sounds promising ATB  .  I hope you manage to get everything working smoothly throughout your cycle.  A spreadsheet sounds a great idea to help you track changes.  I hope your TFT results are reassuring.

No probs Marchlove.
Wx

[ATB]

Thyroid results are in, and I’m definitely not over medicated or in a hyper state.

My Free T4 is exactly where it needs to be and my Free T3 is a teeny bit lower than I like it to be. My TSH is pretty much the same.

So I won’t be lowering it any more. I will redo the test in about 10 weeks, but when I’m taking Utrogestan just to see what affect that might have, so I can assess if I need to alter it to avoid surging at that time.

I had lowered it a bit since the last test showing high thyroxine or free T4, I did lower again last week thinking it felt like I needed to but I’ll keep it on the dose I’ve been on a few months now.

So now that rules out thyroid as a possible cause of GERD & palpitations.

I’m left with magnesium as an outside chance, but most likely falling/lower estrogen at a certain time of month. I’m off magnesium but I am not sleeping as well so I will wait another few weeks and try adding it back. I’m restarting Utrogestan this Friday so I’ll soon see if I’ve adjusted to this dose of evorel or I need to add a bit for that phase of the month. It’ll be three months on the lower dose on 6 June. Next appointment is mid July.

[Wrensong]

That's reassuring ATB.  I'm glad you've ruled out one variable & that the TFT has confirmed what thyroid replacement dose is right for you at this stage.

I consistently found over several trials with different doses of oestrogen, that Utro raises my heart rate uncomfortably, markedly disrupts the rhythm & makes me way too hot, wired & sleepless.  A few other women have reported similar on here, but the majority seem to find it sedating, so it seems to be a very individual thing.  I think perhaps because as hypothyroid women on thyroid replacement our homeostasis is already somewhat compromised, the body struggles more to adjust to other biochemical changes.

The palps & anxiety could well be a response to fluctuating oestrogen, as you say.  I do find even long postmenopause that my body responds with palpitations to changes of HRT dose, either up or down, but also with changes of thyroid meds.  It's all a learning process but with experience gets a bit easier to trust instinct.  Keeping a close eye on your thyroid status as you have been, testing whenever you're not sure how things stand, should safeguard against being inadvertently on the wrong NDT dose for long, as you continue through the menopausal transition while symptoms may become confusing again.

I think you're doing remarkably well with your process of elimination.  I hope things continue to be manageable for you & that you remain well.  Good luck with the thyroid scan too.
Wx

[ATB]

Thanks so much Wrensong. It is confusing me this estrogen thing! My estrogen test result before I dropped it in mid March was quite high, 1770!! So I felt quite confident that lowering was the right thing to do, as over the years pre HRT it was consistently low at 110-150 and my symptoms indicated this too- the waking at night was awful and I gained weight too. So I feel like I can be confident that 75 is too high. I’m annoyed at not having magnesium as I was sleeping so well with it. If I take Utrogestan earlier as well, then I fall asleep early and have a lovely sleep- I was insomniac for years so it’s so nice! I’m hoping that I figure out it’s nothing to do with magnesium!

[Wrensong]

Absolutely, it's confusing for us.  Yes, that does sound a high oestradiol result, but it can vary so much in peri.

I so hear you on the insomnia.  It's a very longstanding condition for me & still my most problematically resistant symptom.  150mg magnesium citrate helped me with sleep & more before peri, so it's gutting that any more than a tiny dose now worsens my sleep.  I've tried different forms as some types are said to have a stimulating effect on some people, but can't get back to that blissful state where it used to feel like the missing bit of the jigsaw.

You could always try reintroducing magnesium if stopping has worsened your sleep, perhaps at a lower dose?  But it will be probably be easier for you to evaluate Utrogestan's effect when you start that again without another variable in the equation.
Wx

[Marchlove]

Hopefully it is nothing to do with magnesium ATB!

As you might know I moved my taking of progesterone to the morning a few weeks ago and am sleeping better for it. When I was on Utrogestan 100 and 200 at night my sleep was absolutely rubbish, had no sedating effect at all. Something to do with my gaba receptors not working correctly apparently.
Bizarrely I find I sleep better by taking my estrogen late evening. My theory is that as it supposedly lowers cortisol my sleep is improved. That along with the magnesium of course.

We’re all so different, I’m not suggesting that what seems to be working better for me will be right for others but just wanted to share my experience so far.
X

[ATB]

That’s something to keep in mind. I’m getting to sleep well now including when on Utrogestan- it used to take me 1-2 hours to get to sleep. I’m now fixing off at 9.30pm! But without magnesium I’m waking really early and not sleeping as long or waking up as well. I was taking mag glycinate 500 with 90 elemental. It also helped anxiety. But there’s an outside chance it affected me to the extent I got palpitations, a new symptom, so yes watching this next few weeks on Utro. will be revealing I feel.

I’m on evorel and found it a big improvement for me over the gel. Taking both the testosterone and Utrogestan earlier improved things a lot. I wouldn’t know to try either if it wasn’t for this forum, the clinic never gave advice on time really.

Thank you both again! So lovely to have this support and wisdom from other women. You can’t replace this! Women are amazing when they get together!!

[Marchlove]

Yes hopefully very revealing, if you can manage to stay off the magnesium when you start the Utro and the palpitations restart, it could be quite a revelation.

I’m very interested in the whole timing issue and diurnal rhythm of the whole of our endocrine system. I feel it’s very much a missing part of the puzzle.

Yes we’re amazing when we work together in this way!! X

[ATB]

Thought I would update today as I’m on day 26 of my cycle, this is my last day of Utrogestan- cutting it down from taking 14 days as instructed, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, as I know you only need it for 12 days and I don’t feel as good on it. Anyway, so far I’m definitely feeling much better than this time last month, I’ve had no burping yet! No palpitations, flutters but I breathe through them and they pass in seconds. I’m not even as tired as I usually am. I take my Utrogestan much earlier than before, at around 6pm. I don’t take ACV before every meal but would do so if I get GERD with my period due in the next few days. The only differences are my thyroid med lowering from March may be having more of an effect this cycle, and I’m not taking magnesium. I’m sleeping ok but waking very early- 5.30am. My Evorel patch is the same, but it’s now been almost 3 months on the reduced patch, from 75 to 50. Depending on how my period week goes, as that was my worst week last few months, I may not need to tweak my estrogen at all. I’m even doing a road trip today that would normally trigger anxiety too much to do- when I go new places I panic about traffic and tunnels ( got stuck on the tube for hours once it’s been happening since then ).

So overall massive improvements throughout the Utrogestan phase. My period week will be interesting to observe as if it goes as well as the last few weeks then I would say finally, my HRT is right for me right now, and my thyroid meds definitely seem to be. Im falling asleep fine without magnesium but not sleeping as long. I’m still not as full of energy on Utrogestan, but can work outside in the garden all day no problem.

I’ll let you all know how my period week goes! Fingers crossed I may just have got this sorted!! Then all I have on my health to-so is this ultrasound on my neck lump coming up in 2 weeks. 7 years is all it took to feel better  Hope everyone else is feeling as good as I am!

[Wrensong]

Pleased for you ATB.  I hope you continue to feel well. 

[Marchlove]

Wow, am so pleased for you ATB! Let us know how it goes xx

[ATB]

Hello! Update today is that I got through my period without any real palpitations, just a few flutters and at night slight pounding but it didn’t really bother me. No GERD! I can’t believe it! I’ve had this burping digestion problem for a few years and it got much worse and this is the first month I’ve not had it. I hope it stays that way!

Anxiety wise, it’s so much better it’s hard to believe. I just had my ultrasound today, definitely got anxiety and almost started panicking going in but I put music on and started dancing around near a window and it passed! Once I was in the room, although my worst nightmare is a small room with no windows and that’s what I was in, I was completely fine. Last hospital appointment was March and this was even better than that visit. I feel like I’m more accepting of it now, and don’t fight it so much so despite still having those horrid feelings it seems to pass quite quickly. Travel used to be a nightmare but it doesn’t bother me at all now.

Now all I need is for the ultrasound report to be clear with nothing serious and I feel like I’m sorted. I did wonder if it’s something because the radiologist didn’t say anything. Do they usually tell you then and there if it’s nothing to worry about?

[Marchlove]

That’s all sounding very positive ATB, well done!

Most don’t tell you anything, some will if you ask. It’s all a bit hit and miss, so it’s hard to read anything into it really.

Do you know when you will get results? xx

[ATB]

Thanks Marchlove. They didn’t say when I would get results, I wouldn’t expect it too quickly atm and I’m trying not to Google anything till I do! Thanks again