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[DottyD68]

Hi there,

Advice please. I'm 9 years into perimenopause. Aged 55.

I've been on Oestrogel and Utrogestan 14/28 days for 2 years. Have had to tweak Oestrogel along the way depending upon symptoms. Reduced from 4 to 3 pumps at beginning of year due to anxiety and palpitations. Reduced from 3 to 2 pumps a couple of months ago due to enlarged swollen sore breasts. In alleviating those symptoms I now have low mood, lack of motivation, irritability, anger, lack of wanting to socialise. I have not felt like this for this length of time before. I have read that these symptoms could be too much oestrogen, too little oestrogen or simply fluctuating hormones. I don't know which way to go now. More or less or sit tight?

The only way I can speak to my lovely GP is by completing a very lengthy and irrelevant e-consult form which forces me to answer a lot of unrelated questions and totally stresses me out. And I'm not even sure she will know the answer. Anyone been in this position before and any suggestions?

Thanks

[discogirl]

Hi DottyD68

As you know I'm in a similar position relating to sore and swollen breasts. I'm post meno by about 4yrs and on 3 pumps of oestrogel.

I don't know anything much relating to hrt etc, but I was wondering as your in peri if it could be fluctuating hormones? Would it be possible to increase by say half a pump so you're on 2.5 pumps per day? It could be the reduction from 3 to 2 was a bit too much.

I got the low moods from utrogestan, I had horrific low moods and as a result switched to cyclogest, however if you've been on utrogestan for 2 years then it's not likely to be that.

I really hope things get sorted for you, I get the awful feelings of dread from time to time xxx

[sheila99]

I'm also inclined to think your own hormones might have been messing it up and you may have reduced by too much. If you don't already keep a diary it might be interesting to do so. If it shows the sore boobs results in a stronger than normal bleed/pms then it's more likely to be your own hormones. Peri can be difficult and particularly late peri where can get huge spikes.

[SarahT]

Hi Dotty,
I am with the others on this one, I am also peri and I am certain our now fluctuating hormones are a factor in our hrt being either to high or too low depending on what our own hormones are up too. I try to think of it as a more intense version of before we hit peri, to simplifying thoughts I know my body pre peri cycle had its ups and downs every month during a normal menstrual cycle.  Now add in the perimenopause when hormones to crazy  in it's fluctuations then add in the extra hormones from our hrt and it's a bit of a perfect storm. The hormonal fluctuations are so much more intense.

I don't know if this is the right way but sometimes I just think to myself, which is th easiest to live with? Physical symptoms or mental\mood health and try to keep the hrt at a higher level to help the worse. For me, I have sore boobs, weight gain, which Inthjink are from a higher estrogen,  which I can live with or try to treat supplement wise, which is far better for myself and keep my moods more stable. ( I also use a low AD).

[Bandango42]

Another one here who agrees it's most likely fluctuating hormones. I am in the same boat. Started hrt 14 mths ago, first 10 months I felt 'meh', not horrific but not brilliant either. 3 mths of feeling fantastic but with very sore boobs, now the last 2 months feeling bloody awful on the utrogestan 2 weeks. It's such a roller-coaster, you think you're getting somewhere then it all comes crashing down! No advice I'm afraid, just wanted to say you're most definitely not alone in all this xx

[DottyD68]

Thank you ladies so much for your speedy responses. I have just got back from a walk with my very patient husband and offloaded my frustrations and come to a similar conclusion as you have suggested.

I think I will go to 2.5 pumps for a while and see where that takes me. I don't like the large sore boobs and weight gain but I think I prefer it over this awful low mood and irritability etc. I exercise daily (cycling, walking, pilates, yoga) so am frustrated that I am unable to have control over keeping my body in good shape. I suppose as an ex-personal trainer I am a bit embarrassed that it just looks like I've let myself go. If only people knew!  Then again people would describe me as having a sunny personality and I defo dont have that either at the moment  What a laugh eh!

I had kept a detailed diary of symptoms for a long while but stopped that earlier this year as I found it wasn't helping my health anxiety monitoring myself every single day. But I will keep a check on the main symptoms now.

Having been so long in perimenopause I am hoping this is a last ditch hoorah of my hormones fluctuating before it all starts to settle. One can but hope.

Thanks again. I really don't know what I would do without this forum. I have just had a text message back from my surgery to say that my GP doesn't have any availability and will be in touch in due course 

[Lisa_Oz]

Hi Dotty

Sorry you’re feeling this way. I’m going through something similar.  I’m 52, peri and on 2 pumps a day along with Mirena because I was intolerant to Utrogestan.  Lately, my mood has dipped and I’m anxious more than I was. I am going through a very stressful event at home so I thought my mood issues were mostly situational.  But I’ve started to have night sweats again a few days a month and am wondering if I should increase my gel.
It’s so hard to figure out!

[tambourine queen]

Wanted to come on and agree- I’m about to go into my HRT review and working out what to say as I’m in the same boat as you. I can only imagine my own fluctuations in my peri hormones are going to make HRT hard to work with. So it’s what I’m prepared to live with. I found the HRT has helped my low mood and joint pain but I’m getting bad pms symptoms which I hate: like you I feel too aware of my body which is making health anxiety hard!!! Gah. Will see what they say at 4.30 but I feel a bit like I need to go in with a plan which is tough. Hope you’re ok again soon!

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I am post meno but still experiencing the fluctuations that you are all mentioning.

I assume that for me it is just general low hormones causing these problems and my current HRT isn't helping. I am on a medium dose of 50 mcg of gel and I have noticed some physical symptoms returning eg night sweats, flushing and occasional vaginal dryness. My biggest problems however are the mood/ emotional changes.

I send my sympathy to all you ladies who have similar issues but also have your own hormones added to the mix. I wonder if it is relevant but I didn't have any such difficulties in peri meno however everything started to go wrong on post meno. Perhaps a bad dress rehearsal means a good performance lol.

I completely understand the question of whether to raise or lower HRT. I have tried different doses in the past but this time I plan to stick to my current regime and hope that at some point my body adapts to a steady amount of Oestrogen and progesterone and things will then stabilise. I assume this is what happens for women who never take HRT, in other words their bodies adapt to the new normal. Fingers crossed that we all get to that point soon.

Wishing you all well ladies and sending hugs.

K.

[DottyD68]

Hi Lisa,

Sorry that you too are in a similar situation. For me I haven't ever had low mood for a prolonged length of time but its been over 6 weeks now. I too have family issues going on (3 very elderly parents/in law) with health issues that have now been going on years so it feels like groundhog day every day, having the same old (pointless) discussions. So this doesn't help my own normal positivity and lust for old age. But I know the root of it all is hormonal now as I have dealt with similar stuff ok in the past.

I'm going to try what Discogirl suggested and up it half a pump for the next month and see if there's any improvement. Let me know what you decide to do and if you have success. Good luck.

Tambourine Queen, thanks for your reply. How did you get on at your HRT review?

[DottyD68]

Hi Kathleen,

Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry to hear that you too are experiencing similar issues getting the balance right. I think it is a sensible approach to stick to your current regime and wait for everything to balance out.

For me the increase in breast size and soreness was so intense and rapid I just wanted to get out of my body. It's a shame we don't have a dial that we can see what our hormones are on any given day then at least we could understand what exactly was going on inside.

I love your quote about a bad dress rehearsal and I am praying for a good performance.  Thank you.

Sending lots of good wishes X

[tambourine queen]

Hey
We talked it over and she thinks the progesterone is my issue which, to be fair, I had issues with on the pill back in the day. So we could change it but she also wondered if I just need a bit more time on it. (Been on since Jan) So after a lot of chat, we’ve decided to stick with it for 3 more months and see how I go. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[discogirl]

Hi Lisa,

Sorry that you too are in a similar situation. For me I haven't ever had low mood for a prolonged length of time but its been over 6 weeks now. I too have family issues going on (3 very elderly parents/in law) with health issues that have now been going on years so it feels like groundhog day every day, having the same old (pointless) discussions. So this doesn't help my own normal positivity and lust for old age. But I know the root of it all is hormonal now as I have dealt with similar stuff ok in the past.

I'm going to try what Discogirl suggested and up it half a pump for the next month and see if there's any improvement. Let me know what you decide to do and if you have success. Good luck.

Tambourine Queen, thanks for your reply. How did you get on at your HRT review?

Hi DottyD68

I will keep my fingers (and toes) crossed for you xxx

[discogirl]

Hello ladies.

I am post meno but still experiencing the fluctuations that you are all mentioning.

I assume that for me it is just general low hormones causing these problems and my current HRT isn't helping. I am on a medium dose of 50 mcg of gel and I have noticed some physical symptoms returning eg night sweats, flushing and occasional vaginal dryness. My biggest problems however are the mood/ emotional changes.

I send my sympathy to all you ladies who have similar issues but also have your own hormones added to the mix. I wonder if it is relevant but I didn't have any such difficulties in peri meno however everything started to go wrong on post meno. Perhaps a bad dress rehearsal means a good performance lol.

I completely understand the question of whether to raise or lower HRT. I have tried different doses in the past but this time I plan to stick to my current regime and hope that at some point my body adapts to a steady amount of Oestrogen and progesterone and things will then stabilise. I assume this is what happens for women who never take HRT, in other words their bodies adapt to the new normal. Fingers crossed that we all get to that point soon.

Wishing you all well ladies and sending hugs.

K.

Hi Kathleen,

I just wanted to add that I didn't have any major problems in peri, however like yourself everything went wrong post meno.

I'm on 3 pumps of gel and my boobs are really sore, however I am sleeping so I am loathe to drop my gel just yet xx

[DottyD68]

Good luck ladies. Let's hope things settle X