Print

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

[VanillaLover]

Hi Floo, yes I know! However it was the consultant at the NHS menopause clinic that asked for them so I thought I’d better go along. They are day 5 so I should get minimum oestrogen and FSH numbers (or thereabouts) at least. Also testosterone and SHBG (have I got those letters the right way round?) :-)

“Luckily” I get hot flushes and irregular (though not missing-yet) periods so there’s never been any argument that I am def in peri.

I’ll get the results in a week so there may be some interest there. Consultant hasn’t made an appointment to follow up with me yet … should be in next couple of months I imagine.

[Kat36]

Hi,
I’m literally reading all about this stuff all the time at the minute.  I’ve had a rough ride with hrt so far ( I have POI) and I’ve figured out that unstable estrogen is the only reason I get side effects (not the dose necessarily). I stopped doing my own thing (messing with it) and did as my doc told me lol. I’ve also found that a conti regime is working well for me (in terms of avoiding lots of fluctuations). After a month on a low dose the side effects I had dissipated. Utrogestan made me feel lousy and so tired I could have cried, but after 3 weeks on it that lifted. I have been instructed to increase the dose of estrogen very slowly, which also seems to be working for me (1/4 patch increase at a time from my initial dose). I am on my first increase at the min and have had a resurgence of side effects (which do scare me at times) but after the first month I have faith they will dissipate after a while. I think my point is, bouncing around with different hormones is going to make anyone feel terrible…as well as affect a multitude of other systems in your body-eg. at the minute I eat every 2-3 hours otherwise I feel sick which I’m guessing is related to my body finding it’s feet again in some system (remember estrogen affects a lot). Be gentle with yourself.  Our poor bodies are being put through a lot.  I hope this is of some help

[Vicky81]

Aww thanks kat....yeah makes alot of sense xxx

[CrispyChick]

Kat36 great post 

I'm currently in a different boat as I'm just trying progesterone for my peri synptoms. I too yoyod with doses fir the first 3 months. It was dreadful. Like you, I thi k it's the estrogen fluctuations that cause me problems...im trying to dampen them with prog.

Then I took it right down to a really low dose - where I have sat for 2 full cycles. The first was horrific, the second not as bad. I now think I need to increase.

Like you, I've found consistency of dose is key. It's hard when going through initial side affects - but your post is so helpful to try and grasp that it doesn't last forever. And, in fact, I think the side affects last longer when we chop and change.

These are long slow months (and days) when trying to adjust, but I really think your post says a lot.

Hopefully for Vicky too, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

We're with you through this Vicky. Xx

[Vicky81]

Aww thanks Crispy...lots of love xxxx

[Kat36]

@crispychick I think our bodies know when we need an increase (not necessarily on a generic timeline). 
I get the whole dampening with progesterone thing.  Taking the constant progesterone for me helps temper that wild party estrogen seems to enjoy in my body whenever it gets an increased dose.
I hope you find the optimal dose that works for you