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[redandpinkstripes]

I posted on here 3 weeks and you lovely ladies were so helpful. I had a hysterectomy 3 months ago and was left over 2 months without hrt. My symptoms were brutal. Thankfully I had my appointment and my gp has put me on  gel and vagifem.

My eye sight deteriorated so much, that I saw an optician. He said my eyes were so dry. He could tell as he added an orange dye to my eyes. He said I blink and there is literally nothing there. I asked if it was menopause related and he said he wasn't sure. I also had pressures and am being referred to Opthalmology.

I have been on gel for 3 weeks. 2 pumps daily and can increase to 3 pumps.

The skin issues and sore boobs have improved but my mood, anxiety and brain fog haven't. Should I increase to 3 pumps? I'm not sure if you can have too much estrogen.

Thank you xx

[CLKD]

As oestrogen levels drop so the body may become dry: inside and out; deep in the ears, eyes, vagina, skin, nostrils - as well as the muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  What I would suggest is that you don't add an extra does every night - mayB this evening for example to see how your body reacts.

How long until the appt for Ophthalmology?

[sheila99]

Symptoms of too much oestrogen can be just as bad as those of too little. Anxiety is a symptom of both and if you increase too much too soon you may not know which it is. It seems to be one of those symptoms that needs a build up of oestrogen, my anxiety took 3 months to go completely. 3 weeks is no time at all, they say you should trial each change for 3 months to get the full effect. You may find you need 3 pumps bit IIWY I'd stick to 2 for a bit longer. Did you have flushes and have they gone? They're one of the first symptoms to go and usually (though not always) if they are under control it's a good indication that the dose is right.

[Gnatty]

I think with surgical menopause, generally a higher dose is needed as there are no ovaries to help out even a little.  In a way this can be helpful as we are less likely to have to navigate fluctuations. I know it's best not to rush but actually your symptoms are still quite severe and two pumps is a very very small dose for someone in surgical menopause. As an example, I am 58 and found I needed 4 pumps immediately. In fact at one point I was taking 5, but then it became too much as I couldn't even fall asleep. Go to three, and I suspect you will probably need to go up again. But give it two or three weeks at three. Being in surgical menopause you don't need to wait so long to see if it settles as I have already said there is no input from ovaries so you will know quite quickly if you are heading in the right direction. You will likely too need a small amount of testosterone as half of our requirements is made in the ovaries. But get yourself as well as you can first on oestrogen! Good luck and keep us posted x

[redandpinkstripes]

Thank you for your replies. I think that is my concern, if I increase and it's too high and that affects my anxiety.
I'm.wondering if I need to see a specialist?
I've requested to see an Opthalmologist privately, so I'm waiting for an appointment. I'm having to put drops in 7 times a day and night ointment.  X

[Wrensong]

Hi redandpinkstripes, so sorry to know you are sufferening post-op.  I'm another who's had hysterectomy (& some years prior to that oophorectomies) & have been diagnosed with severe dry eye syndrome, both very inadequate tear production & Meibomian gland dysfunction.  I was diagnosed with dry eye long before the BSO but it worsened markedly after the op.  I'm under Ophthalmology & currently on a regimen of 3 different types of eye drops, a combo that seems to be working quite well after more than 3 decades on one type after another.  Anyway this is just a quickie today to say you may want to search for posts on dry eye on here.  There is thought to be a connection with oophorectomy, not necessarily the loss of oestrogen, but possibly due to the decline in testosterone that results or to an imbalance between oestrogen & androgens.  But it seems to be quite complex & how we respond to HRT in this respect may also depend on other factors.  I've posted quite a lot on this  inc various links!  Hope you make good progress at the eye clinic.
Wx

[redandpinkstripes]

Hi Wrensong
Thank you for your message.  I'm sorry to hear you suffer too with your eyes. I'm glad to hear your combo is working for you 🙏 I will have a look at your other posts too.
I found out today it is an 80 week wait for Opthalmology. Thankfully I joined Beneden and will go via them. There is a chance I have Glaucoma as my pressures are high and the angle in my eye is very narrow. That is separate to the dry eye problem.
It's interesting about Testosterone. I will look into that further too x

[Wrensong]

Hi, I'm glad to know you are going private for Ophthalmology.  That NHS list length is shocking, but all the clinics I go to seem to be full, with often a long wait past appt time when you get there.  If Cons says next review 2 months the earliest it comes is usually for 5-6 months, and if he says 6 months, then usually around a year to wait in reality.  Like you, I went private for one appointment in lockdown when my NHS review was long overdue & the inflammation had got worse.   Sorry to know about the possible glaucoma.  They surprised me by testing my pressures at recent review as I've usually only had that done by the optician.  I'm not on here so much at the mo so feel free to PM me any time if you want detail of drops etc.  Hope the Ophthalmology appt goes well & sorts out the dryness for you.
Wx

[redandpinkstripes]

Thank you Wrensong. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for my private appt x