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[Self_Love_Required]

This is my second post and I want to thank those who have replied to my first post - I actually forgot I had signed up here!

I am still suffering with tiredness and cannot deal with any stress.  I've always been busy and bubbly, but no more.  My stamina has gone and I am left feeling sooo tired.  I have chronic headaches, sore hands, like I can't grip a toothbrush or hold a hairbrush easily any more.  My eyes are constantly heavy, my elbows hurt and I ache after putting a vacuum around my living room only.

Re HRT, I stopped using Oestrogel as it made no difference what so ever but I still have the Mirena coil inserted.

I'm actually wondering if this is fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome - can anyone advise>?

As my GP has run tests but nothing has come back abnormal and I am still signed off work, with the GP not finding what is wrong I am so worried about not being able to go back to work in my current condition.  I don't seem to have the energy any more for the things I have always had the energy for.

An example of a typical week:
Mon: tired all day, needed a nap mid-morning.  Feel a bit better by evening so go for a gentle walk - head feels foggy and my eyes struggle adjusting when reading.
Tues: wake with terrible headache and face pain, sore shoulders, sore elbows and medication not helping
Wed: still have the same headaches, etc.
Thurs: still have the same headaches, etc.
Fri: Feel ok - do bits and bobs around the house, go for a walk
Sat: tired all day, need nap mid afternoon, eyes heavy all day - cannot think or read properly
Sun: tired again and achy, need mid morning nap

I've been like this for 3 months and bloods so far are normal - having more bloods done next Monday.

Thank you for reading.

XX

[joziel]

Well I'd definitely start back up on the oestrogel. How much were you taking? It doesn't sound like enough if you still had symptoms.

I had similar symptoms before starting HRT - it would hurt me to pull the cord on the light in the bathroom with my fingers or to unscrew a jamjar lid. Every time I was still for a while (sleeping or sitting somewhere) I would feel very stiff and sore when I then moved. I was exhausted and had to sleep in the afternoon. I couldn't think properly or put two sentences together, couldn't read or concentrate - or work.

As soon as I started on the right dose of estrogen all the psychological symptoms resolved immediately. (I also started testosterone, which is great for all the psychological stuff too.) The joint pain got a lot better and it no longer hurts to pull light switches or open jamjars - I do still feel a bit stiff if I haven't moved for a while but it's much improved. Joint pain can I think take a while to go on HRT and I've only been on it 14wks so I'm not going to judge its effect on that symptom until 6 months in.

All my bloods were normal for RA. X-rays on my hands were normal. I was referred to rheumatology where I got another more specialised blood test for RA (cyclic peptide test) - which was also negative.

If you are lucky enough to have the Mirena in and to be okay with that, get some oestrogel started again and make sure you are using enough of it (increase gradually with many weeks at each dose). You might need 5+ pumps a day.... but if you get to 4 pumps and you still feel bad, you should get bloods run to be sure you are absorbing it. If you're not absorbing it, it's not going to work of course. In which case you could switch to patches....

By the way, don't accept a doctor telling you that results are "normal" - ask to know what they are, to get a copy of them. Because low estrogen IS very normal in menopause. But of course that doesn't mean it's healthy or something you want to see on your blood results...

[Self_Love_Required]

Thank you for your reply, you have reassured me. 

The thing is that I didn't feel ANY different on 2 pumps of the Oestrogel and don't feel any different not taking it.  Can I just increase without asking my GP?  Gosh, I can't believe this is likely all due to perimenopause - it's crazy!

Thank you for replying once again.

BW

SLR

[Peana]

One of the problems with peri / menopause is that the symptoms often over-lap with other things, making a diagnosis tricky and hard to pin down.  Over the past few years I've been tested for all sorts of things - Lyme's, thyroid, etc..  I've finally got a rheumatology appointment through for later this month, but only because my blood results led the GP to think there is an immune condition getting in on the act.  Maybe the new blood tests will help shed some light - good luck with that, but it can take a long time to reach a conclusion.  I think joziel's suggestion to stick with the oestrogen for longer is a good one - it can take a while to settle, but once you find the correct regime for you it might offer relief from some of the symptoms.

[joziel]

How long were you taking the 2 pumps of Oestrogel for? You want to take it for at least 8wks. If still no difference, then you would increase by a pump for another 8wks - and so on, up to 4 pumps.

If you reach 4 pumps and still no better, get bloods run and find out what your estrogen level is. (Don't accept 'normal' - get a result.)

Your Mirena is enough progesterone for you to increase the estrogen up to at least 4 pumps for sure. You may need to tell your GP only because you will be using up more gel than they expect you to...

[Self_Love_Required]

Thanks for getting back to me.  I was on the gel for 6 weeks with no real difference and stopped for 2 weeks.  So I have started again on 2 pumps and asked GP for higher dose and if I can have patches.

Another day of doing nothing today.  I woke at 7am with a plan to get a routine in this week but I couldn't fight my eyes by midday and slept for 2hrs.  I then had a headache and it is still there despite taking meds all day.

No aches today.  So weird that the pain, headaches and fatigue don't remain constant but fluctuate - although the fatigue pretty much there 24/7 now.  I feel worse and worse as the days pass.

xx

[joziel]

The headache could be due to starting estrogen again. When I first started, I had a slight ongoing headache for a couple of days.

Give the HRT a go for at least 12wks. I know that some symptoms take longer than others to go - some go almost immediately whilst others can take months to ease up. I'm not sure why. My theory is that the body prioritises where the estrogen needs to go most(!) and other bits get overlooked!

You could try increasing the estrogen after a few weeks if things don't improve. And if even that doesn't help, you might want to look into testosterone. I've found that to be really great for focus, concentration, mental alertness and everything brain-related really. And also for muscular strength. So it would likely help with your fatigue. To get it on the NHS you have to say that you have 'low libido' though - which is insane - but at the moment that's the only way they will prescribe it.

If all that doesn't work, could it be something viral? Long-Covid?

[sheila99]

If you see no improvement on 4 pumps it's worth considering that some people don't absorb well and you may be one of them. Blood tests are generally not very reliable in peri as you're own production fluctuates but it could be worth doing. You should ask for a copy of blood test results so you can see if they have tested all the likely candidates. Also he aware that that thyroid testing is less than ideal. The nhs didn't pick up that I have Hashimoto's as they don't do the relevant test (and 'within normal levels' can still leave you feeling lousy)

[Self_Love_Required]

Hi everyone - just a quick update.

Headaches are still approx 3 days a week, but I've been having those for a few years now.  I've increased my oestrogel to 3 pumps daily but I now have a very low mood and irritability, plus my breasts are soooo sore!

I'm feeling WORSE since being on this gel and none of my previous symptoms have improved.  All bloods have come back normal, too.  I have spent today feeling aches and pains in my hands, elbows and feet, nausea and sleepy.

I'm still convinced it's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

[CLKD]

At least results are within normal limits.

Had U considered that increasing all at once has thrown your body in free-fall?  Doubt if it's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome unless you have suffered a virus.

VitD and thyroid function levels 'normal'?  Perhaps drop down to what you were using  B U increased  .........   maybe then twice a week initially as the body doesn't get where it is suddenly so it stands to reason that any increase in HRT is likely to cause noticeable reactions.

A lack of VitD certainly had me sitting.  Doing nothing for hours.  Too weary to move ..... blood tests showed levels low, capsules sorted it.  Also if we don't drink enough we can feel extremely weary because the kidneys have nothing to 'work' on.  Pee should be straw coloured - any darker and we aren't drinking enough, too light and the body is too hydrated.  Remember that we get liquids from our whole diet.

Agre with sheila99 - GPs seem to be loathe to do further thyroid function tests even when patients continue to feel lousy.

[Self_Love_Required]

Hi CLKD 

Perhaps I'll go back to 2 pumps - I'm speaking with a women's health GP specialist tomorrow, so hopefully she can help further. 

VitD, Thyroid, Blood glucose, cholesterol, serums, CKD - all sorts - all within normal range.  I'm knowledgeable about health as I'm a medical secretary, so we pick up quite a lot in our job.  Urine is fine, stools fine - all fine.

So I think it's a toss up between hormones and CFS...

It just goes on and on. 

[CLKD]

Oh a fellow Medical Secretary - that was me from 1976 

Let us know how you get on!

[Self_Love_Required]

Lol - you know where I'm coming from!  Lovely to meet a fellow Med Sec x

[CLKD]

>wave<