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[CrispyChick]

Ok. So, for the first time in a very long time, I've stopped messing with hormonal 'helps'. Everything just makes me worse.

I'm peri. Things have definitely changed recently. Getting hew symptoms, but all my hormonal trials of the pill, her and bhrt just create havoc in me.

I'm now looking at chemical menopause to shut down all these fluctuations.

But. I do wonder if it's worth me just stabilising on nothing and maybe trying non hormonal aids to help with some symptoms.

Who has endured a horrific peri and managed through to meno on no hormones?

My worst symptoms are dizziness and motion sickness, nausea and wooziness. All the hormonal treatments just make me worse! The other stuff is more toletable - mood, night sweats, aggitation etc.

[CLKD]

Has your GP referred you for appropriate appts if you suffer with motion sickness etc., it mayB an inner ear low grade infection for example.  Awful.  I had full-on vertigo several times  ..... 

KWELLS anti-sickness meds might. help in the interim.  Though they can cause drowsiness. 

How would chemical menopause work?  How is your mood affected, is this cyclical?

[bombsh3ll]

Chemical menopause is absolutely reasonable if you have tried everything else and are miserable.

That's the only way you can stabilise on nothing as you say, rather than being at the mercy of your own hormonal rollercoaster for however long.

Without treatment, you might be on nothing but you won't be stable.

I would strongly advise a low dose of add back hormone therapy however this is a decision you could make once shut down.

Have you got a specialist willing to provide you with the treatment?

I think I have said this before but I down regulated on buserelin for one of my IVF cycles and I loved it, I felt like Peter pan because it was like puberty had never happened!

I had a couple of headaches and was a bit sweaty under the armpits but nothing ibuprofen and a good deodorant couldn't handle.

It actually made me quite unsympathetic towards menopausal women at that time as having been in temporary chemical menopause I concluded that they were whining about nothing and used to joke that if they were that upset about their periods stopping I would gladly give them mine for the next 20 years.

[CrispyChick]

  thanks both.

Yes, I have it authorised, I'm making my decision by my next appointment on 1 aug. Or, if I'm not ready to, I'll delay.

Thanks bombshell. Good to hear a positive. I'm trying not to read too much as there's a log if negatives.

The plan would be to shut down with no add back to see how I respond. Then add back low dose if I heed to.

Unfortunately clkd this has been going on for 7 years. All my early referrals were to ENT. There is nothing wrong. It's definitely the hormones causing it all. Motion sickness tablets don't help. 

If I don't do shut down, I was planning on trying betahistine (tried before but never got very far). The query is the specialist meno gynae told me many woman get vertigo in meno. As in, I might keep that symptom. That's why I'm so reluctant to shut down. 

But your comments are helpful bombshell. Can you tell me anymore?? How long were you on it?

[CrispyChick]

And this idea if the add back is it'd be a stable dose???

I don't tolerate any extra E just now. But I guess a wee bit once shuf down might be ok. Which is what the specialist suggested. But she wants me to see how I feel on nothing first. Which, given my history, probably does make sense.

I'm just so scared of it.

[CLKD]

 

[bombsh3ll]

Pre- treatment I was on buserelin injections for about 5 weeks waiting to start my cycle. I went on holiday during that time.

After that cycle failed though (it was cancelled before egg collection due to severe OHSS as I'd been given way too aggressive ovarian stimulation for my age and reserve) I went back on buserelin to help me recover. It was only meant to be for 2-3 weeks but I had extra and felt so good on it that I stayed on it until it ran out, so about 2 months.

I really enjoyed having no menstrual cycle, no hormonal ups and downs and my skin cleared up too.

Having said that, I was 31 with high ovarian reserve so even shut down I would still have been producing a low level of estrogen, not zero.

[bombsh3ll]

I meant to add that although I was on buserelin, which is short term, I believe longer acting forms of GNRH analogue such as zoladex are used when chemical menopause is being sought for medical reasons not IVF.

Buserelin is injected daily as it is short acting however you could ask to try this first because it rapidly wears off when you stop, unlike the 3 monthly injections.

[CrispyChick]

Thanks bombshell.

I think I it's just weighing up if I'm so bad on nothing now that I need to try it. Today has been a yes.

They are monthly injections. You can get three monthly. She also said there is a daily nose spray. But, to be honest, I think the monthly is best bet. I can't have too much control or I'll be stopping if I have a bad day 

[bombsh3ll]

Monthly sounds like a good middle ground!

I don't think you've much to lose by trying it.

I agree daily is too user dependent for this indication.

Do let us know how you get on, I hope it works out well for you.

[ElkWarning]

Hi, apologies if this is completely inappropriate, but you've seen an immunologist, right?  I had raging hormonal intolerance issues, and my youngest does now, and I was under an immunologist and she is now - I had (and she has) quite complex autoimmune conditions as a result of hormonal intolerance.  Also a pharmacologist - i.e. a person with a specific understanding of how pharms can be used off label, interact with each other, etc.

[CrispyChick]

I have not.

I am in Scotland and there is no immunology service. Years ago I was referred to Newcastle for immunology due to my allergies - I was refused.

How did the immunologist solve your problems?

I have no autoimmune disorders that I am aware of.

[ElkWarning]

In both cases by suppressing the immune system responses with pharms and lifestyle changes based on a batteries of tests - all NHS.

My biggest problem was my body attacking itself whenever it perceived of something as a toxin, so like being in a loop characterised by crises followed by symptoms similar to CFS (but it wasn't CFS) - massive digestive problems, bad vertigo, weird bouts of fever, periods of severe fatigue, those sort of things.

Even if there's no immunology service, can't they run the tests?  Surely they can't just go with 'well pretend it's not a thing'

[CrispyChick]

Interesting. What were the tests?

[karab]

CrispyChick, could you never get the Slynd?  It has kind of felt like a hormonal shutdown to me. 

Kara