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[pinkteapot]

44, still regular though spotting for longer and longer before and after period.

I’ve always had a short cycle (23-24 days) and don’t ovulate till day 16/17, so have always had a short luteal phase.

I’m considering HRT but am worried because I seem to be opposite to most. The time from the end of my period to ovulation (follicular phase) is by far my worst time - I feel a bit better in the run-up to my period, when most people feel awful. Worried that if I feel worst when estrogen is rising, more of it may be the last thing I need?!

To be precise, I only feel fully like myself just after ovulation, and at start of period. Couple of days each time. It feels like I’m only really OK when hormones aren’t changing much, no matter whether they’re low or high?!

***

Symptoms, starting with the worst:

Crippling anxiety from when I wake up to late afternoon, almost every day. Only goes away for 2 days at ovulation and 2 days at start of period. Worse from end of period to ovulation than in luteal phase. But I’m a COMPLETELY different person most of the month. This has been going on for 15 MONTHS! It started out of nowhere Jan 2024 with two weeks during follicular of extreme agitation and anxiety, only sleeping 1-2 hours a night, and unable to eat due to nausea. It’s not been that severe since thankfully, but the anxiety is ridiculous and feels fully physical.

Doom/fear/uncontrollable crying and thinking I need to run away from my life. Only between period and ovulation again.

Cardio workouts that used to make me feel on top of the world now seem to be followed by a massive mood crash (lots of tears and doom) a couple of hours later?!

So, so much less energy than I used to have. Doing far less and still exhausted.

Feeling chilled to the bone during evenings (around period only).

Feeling hot in the early hours (daily), but no night sweats yet.

Burning sore facial flushing (constant).

Thumping palpitations and skipped beats (around period only).

***

GP is happy for me to try HRT and usually tries people on Evorel first.

Did anyone else feel this way and have HRT help them?

Should I be considering the pill instead of HRT - would that lead to steadier hormones?

I’m terrified of either HRT or the pill because I’ve never reacted well to having my hormones altered. Tried several types of pill when I was young and gave up, and was suicidal during IVF treatment from the hormones - it was so bad we only tried one cycle.

I’m just worried my symptoms may suggest hormones are swinging too high rather than too low, and HRT will add fuel to the fire. I don’t have the classic hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia yet.

It’s been 15 months of completely altered mental state. I’m unrecognisable compared to the person I was before. 

[CLKD]

   Hormones  .  As they drop moods and anxiety may become troublesome. 

How is your diet overall?  I was advised to eat every 3 hours, 24/7 which did help a lot. I try to continue with this regime: bananas, dried fruits/nuts, oats - slow release foods stop that sudden energy drop.

[bombsh3ll]

I would say you're in quite a favourable position if you feel better with a modest estrogen level and progesterone present, as this is what hormone therapy typically replicates.

If you do choose the hormone therapy I would suggest you go for continuous progesterone from the start rather than sequential - this way you should feel more like "luteal you" all the time.

However there is also an argument for continuous use of a combined pill, which can make for a better quality of life during perimenopause as it completely gets rid of your menstrual cycle so there's no bleeding or hormonal chaos.

I know you have had a rough time with pills and IVF but have you tried Zoely, which has body identical estradiol and a really kind progestin?

That's what I take now, active pills every day, and given your age Zoely may not have been on the market the last time you tried the COCP route.

[pinkteapot]

Thanks for the welcome!

My diet is good. Cereal/porridge and smoothie for breakfast. Sandwich/jacket/salad with protein for lunch. Fresh meat or fish with potatoes or rice and fresh veggies for dinner. Snack on fruit and seeds, with a protein shake or two a day. Zero alcohol (makes my face burn so bad now!) and only one caffeinated tea a day (no other caffeine).

Part of the reason my diet is good is another symptom. I CANNOT keep my ferritin up anymore. Sept 23 I had iron deficiency with anaemia. Tablets got ferritin up by Feb 24. Come July 24 it had tanked again! And was still low in Dec despite supplements (I couldn’t tolerate the prescription iron pills this time). I have red meat several times a week, Feroglobin and two Spatones a day. Will retest soon to see if it’s there.

What’s weird is my ferritin was fine for 40 years. GP blames my heavy periods but they’ve been just as heavy for the last 25 years. God knows where all my iron goes. I never used to take any supplements at all, or worry about how much iron my diet had in it. 

I did have the stool test to check for blood, and also had a full body CT scan to check for cancer, but nothing found.

Anyway…!!

Thank you so much for the tips re HRT or the pill, especially Zoely! You’re right - I haven’t been on the pill for over 20 years so the options probably are better now. I’ll do more research and decide what to try first.

[Pippi85]

Hello,

first time posting here and can't tell you how relieved I felt reading that I'm not the only one whose worst time is follicular rather than luteal. Like you, my symptoms are worst from around day 5-11 when I usually ovulate. There's hardly anything online about women feeling worse in follicular. I have seen a Newson doctor who prescribed Cyclogest which I am taking from day 12-26. First month on it it really helped, second month now and not so much. In actual fact it seems to make me quite flat and almost depressed She also prescribed Oestrogel but like you I was worried trying it when it seems that the rising Oestrogen seems to cause my symptoms. My symptoms started when my second child was 6 months old totally out of the blue and this is now 5 years ago. I then suffered with debilitating health anxiety and later OCD and sometimes depression. AD's have helped a lot as well as diet changes and especially exercise.
Like you, my ferritin isn't great either but it came up from 24 to in the 40's so hopefully nothing sinister going on.

I am sorry, I am just waffling and not really helping I suppose but just wanted you to know you're not alone.

[Pippi85]

forgot to add I'm 39

[Clairebear587]

Hi ladies
I know an older thread but did you try anything as I'm completely the same. Ovulation can be an awful time then better week before period..
Ive got HRT but is it the answer?