Print

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

[LittleClaire]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for ranting here, I’m just so fed up now. I increased my HRT to Evorel 75 patches and 200 Utrogestan last month and initially felt great, was still having issues with VA but am trying topical Ovesse now which sometimes helps sometimes does nothing. For the past 3 days I’ve felt so crap again, bad anxiety, no motivation to do anything, sore muscles and joints, dry and really sore groin area down there, dry eyes, irritable restless legs at night, so tired. Is this symptoms of low oestrogen? Would anyone advise increasing again? I just don’t know what to do… the increase has only been about 5 weeks ago so not sure if my body needs to adjust to that level. I feel like since I’ve increased my boobs are more sore and weight/bloating around my middle but I get those are just unwanted side effects of the hormones. I think I’m just having one of them days where I’m p*ssed at everything. Another symptom rage lol

[Furyan]

Sorry to hear you’re feeling low with this. It could be a period of settling in or that you need to adjust your dosing. I just replied in another thread about similar symptoms I’ve been having over the course of taking HRT and only just made the connection that my dosing is off balance as I seem very sensitive to progesterone effects. I personally found that taking 200mg daily could well be the cause of my fatigue and other things. I increased from 75 patch to 100 (GP isn’t aware yet!) recently and I’m beginning to feel more even. It seems that you need enough of one to balance the other. Unfortunately, for some of us, progesterone at the dose required for lining protection can feel overwhelming so we need more oestrogen to counter it. Apparently the new dosing guidelines say that 200mg should protect your womb lining at 4 pumps of gel. Maybe speak to your GP about increasing your oestrogen? Good luck 

[LittleClaire]

Thanks so much for replying, sorry to hear you have also been feeling bad with dosing. It’s hard isn’t it to get that exact correct level where you feel good. Don’t get me wrong I do have days where I feel great and don’t notice my symptoms which must be the days where I’m more balanced. I’m currently on the first two weeks of my cycle where it’s oestrogen patch only, I don’t start the progesterone until this Tuesday however you’re right it could be an effect from me taking it last month and not enough oestrogen to balance it out. I guess during this stage of peri things are up and down anyway so you can never time when you’ll feel good or bad as it’s all over the place!

[Kathleen]

Hello LittleClaire

I completely sympathise!

My circumstances are different to yours in that I am very post meno so no fluctuations, however I have never got the balance right with my HRT. Like you I sometimes feel fine, almost normal, but other times I am low and tearful and anxious.  I certainly recognise your description of feeling all over the place!

Perhaps continue with the 75 mg patch until the three month mark and see how you feel then. As I recall I felt better emotionally on a higher patch but unfortunately I had to reduce again due to post meno bleeding.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[bombsh3ll]

I would think about your androgens too given the particular symptoms you describe.

Premature loss of ovarian function usually results in symptomatic hypoandrogenism as well, which is often overlooked in terms of treatment, but can make a significant difference.

[CLKD]

Using the VA treatment every night will ease that at least.  It may require a few months B4 the vaginal walls soak up the product = less soreness.

[LittleClaire]

Thank you all for replies. I’ll carry on with the VA treatment and higher HRT for a couple more months to see where I am. In terms of androgens, do you mean testosterone levels? I haven’t thought to ask about that but I’ve read a lot of NHS doctors don’t prescribe that so may have to go private. My libido at the moment is really high despite being dry down there, which is annoying! But other symptoms do seem to marry up

[CLKD]

Using KY Jelly B4 being intimate and then the VA treatment every night will help.

[LittleClaire]

Yeah it definitely does help. I use Yes moisturiser as well as lube and then the vagifem and also ovesse for the outside.

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on!

[Shelby5981]

I’m sorry you’re feeling yucky. I’ve had some of those symptoms. Restless legs can be a potassium deficiency and muscle issues can be magnesium deficiency. Your electrolytes could be out of whack. I use an electrolyte powder in my water.

[LittleClaire]

I realised tonight that my patch which was fresh on Friday, was really loose and half came off while I was in the bath tonight. That’s probably why I’ve felt so rough the past couple of days as it wasn’t stuck properly. Can symptoms return that quickly I don’t know? I have replaced it tonight and when I took the old one off, there was only half a square glue mark on my leg so I was probably only getting half a dose if that. Hopefully this one stays put 🤞