Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Tc on April 11, 2019, 11:45:56 AM
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Hiya ladies.
I'm on 100 estradot which I upped to one 100 patch plus half a 75 because I've had worsening depression over the last few weeks and I wont bore you with the details but it is now severe.
The increase hasn't helped at all. I didnt absorb on the gel and it realy feels like I'm getting nothing from the patches. My physical symptoms are getting worse and worse as the months go by with not enough E.
But my immediate issue is the depression. whether to up the dose to two 100 patches as it cant get any worse or whether to stop utrogestan which I'm on continuously. Maybe after months on it continuously it has built up in my system I dont know if that can happen? But maybe that's causing the depression or maybe it's the low E.
My next gynae appt isnt til late MAy and my GP isnt great when it comes to HRT.
So whether to up the patch or stop the utrogestan.? I dont think I should do both.
Thanks for any advice/experience.
X
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Oh dear, I was about to say have a break from the P. That's not very helpful is it, two contradictory bits of advice - sorry. But I definitely had the experience of Utrogestan building up in my system when I was taking it continuously, resulting in worse and worse depression. I now can't get thru more than 7 or 8 days on U without the depression returning. If I were you I'd give yourself a good month to 6 weeks break from U and see what happens. But that's just me....xxx
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It sure does ladies. Thanks for your replies.
I will sleep.on itxxx
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I'm late again! On balance, I think I would go with Racjen's idea. Stick where you are with the oestrogen to give it a chance to build up in your system slowly and ditch the progesterone for a couple of months. Then you could increase the oestrogen further if necessary and reintroduce the progesterone on a cycle? It's tricky as I completely understand that feeling that you just want to dump the progesterone and whack on another patch to feel better faster :(.
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Hi Tc - I presume you are on 100 mg utro (?orally or vaginally)? In any case there is no way that I would ever take progesterone continuously and because of its pronounced sedative effect which can cause other progestogenic sdie effects as it builds up - eg foggy head, headaches, lethargy and even depression in some women. The difference with how I feel when on the different phases is remarkable. Sometimes I sort of get used to the progesterone but as soon as it's cleared I think - ah yes- I feel (relatively!) nornal now!
I feel for you in your position though in surgical meno and retaining your womb because you want oestrogen to be high enough but then you need to have high enough P to protect your womb. Is it due to endometriosis that you are taking it continuously? I would seriously think of going to a cycle and preferably a long one if you can keep your womb lining helathy ( under medical supervision). At least then you can assess whether the oestrogen dose is sufficient for you. Also sorry I can't remember if you are taking T too - this could be the missing link?
I hope you manage to get this sorted soon so you feel better....
Hurdity x
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Thank you ladies. My gynae was horrified when I suggested a cycle and tried to scare the life out of me.
I havent got endo hurdity. Would a long cycle be 12 days on 200mg? I am taking it orally.
I have testogel but I havent started it yet as I thought if E levels were low it would just convert but maybe that wouldnt be a bad thing for me. Conversley someone said on here that non absorption of E might be due to SHBG and that T can help lower it.so youn then absorb patch better.im a bit confused about that.
I was trying to get E up before throwing T into the mix.
Maybe I should start the T before changing P. To see if it helps mood but It still doesnt solve all the other symptoms of low eastrogen though. I feel as though every cell in my body is screaming for it. .bit dramatic I know but that's how it feels.
I must say it's hard to find advice on surgical meno at my age. My gynae says that levels of eastrogen as low as mine are found in women my age post natural meno not on HRT and the only difference is the T. and she may be right. Surgical meno maybe more akin to natural in a woman of 53 than in a woman of 33 and who's to say I wouldnt have ended up having just as bad a time in natural meno. I cant accept tho that she seems to think its o.k that my levels are the same as someone not on HRT and feel like shouting at her "but I AM on HRT.!!!
Why oh why am I not absorbing
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Hi Tc - a long cycle means going longer than 4 weeks between your first dose of utrogestan. The normal menstrual cycle happens on average within 4 weeks from start to finish and including the rise and fall in prog together with the bleed. Some gynaes stretch this to a calendar month ( eg starting prog on the 1st of each month) and some of us stretch further with medical supervision - the longest being 12 weeks or even 3 months although not generally favoured by medics.
I have been taking 12 days x 200 mg vaginally every 6-8 weeks ( ie total cycle length) but currently trialling a shorter cycle than this and lower dose to try to reduce bleeds and side effects. With oral progesterone I'm not sure how well a longer cycle would work on that dose - I do it because vaginally more of the utro gets to the uterus so I'm satisfied (and my doc is) that enough is getting to where its needed to protect the endometrium. Taking 200 mg orally will also increase the chanes of side effects (fatigue, lethargy etc) if you are sensitive to it. I still get side effects taking vaginally but presumably not as bad (have never taken it orally).
You could discuss gradually lengthening the cycle to see how your bleeds/uterus responds - but not sure doc would refer for scan on NHS unless abnormal bleeding?
I'm not sure about all this conversion of (exogenous) testosterone to oestrogen with low oestrogen levels - I'd want to see evidence of that. Just because T is the precursor to O does not follow that all exogenous T will be metabolised to O - it depends on what the limiting factor is and in which tissues this happens. I don't know enough about that - the finer details nor about SHBG except in relation to binding free T and a vague idea about relative affinities for it! Sorry that's not much help is it!!!!
I get what you're saying about the gynae but I presume what she is meaning is that your levels are at least up to what they would be in the absence of HRT - with surgical meno you have a much lower starting point even post-menopausally. This is presumably why in surgical meno much higher doses are needed - to get your levels to where they should be for a post-meno woman on HRT - or rather so that your symptoms can be minimised!!!
Personally I would want to be on cyclical HRT before starting T - the sedative and depressing effects of P will surely counteract some of the benefits of T? Your choice though!
Hurdity x
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Thanks hurdity. Very helpful reply as always :thankyou:
I'm thinking I will try the utro vaginally for a week. Do you think that's long enough to see if it makes a difference, to mood? If it doesnt I will switch to cycle. I'm going to add the T anyway. It's a given that surgical meno ladies need it so with hindsight I should've just added it anyway instead of waiting for what has turned out to be a non exsistant rise in E.
All the best to you xx
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Tc - how long have you been on hrt now? (Yes indeed I'm alive :)) cos you know what I'm going to say don't you.... ;D Its boring I know.... but it's that P word again.
Yes try the Utro vaginally, nothing to lose and everything to gain and get on with the testogel. Yes, "normally" we would want to get oesteogen levels up but then we all know that "normally" doesn't apply to some of us! We just have to different from normal but frankly who cares if it works! huh!. I thought that some testosterone in the system helps oestrogen increase or metabolise? Maybe its your missing element? No doubt Hurdity will set me straight if I've read that wrong somewhere ;) and whatever I've read that's not what it means....which sometimes happens....alot! ::)
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Hi Tc
I wrote a really long reply, but it seems to have disappeared before I could post it!
I’m just wanting to describe the Oe, P and T and SBHG connection....
Progesterone (natural and the progestin Norethisterone) have low binding affinity with SBHG.
Oestrogen has high binding affinity.
Testosterone has the highest binding affinity.
So it’s probably not that you’re not absorbing the Oe, but that it’s binding with the SBHG and not leaving enough free (useful) Oe to be used by your body.
I started using T in mid December last year (I’d ditched the P two weeks earlier because I was just fed up). So after those two weeks of Oe only, I added the T (Androfeme 1%, .5ml on outer thigh daily). It took about two weeks for that anxious, gnawing, horror anxiety to quieten. I still had it, but much reduced compared to how it had been. My self confidence improved too. After four full weeks of no P, I then re introduced P (Utrogestan 100mg) vaginally for seven days. This was much better, although erratic bleeding continued to be a problem (as well as symptoms during P week). I had a Mirena inserted on 3rd of this month. And I’ve not felt so hormonally stable in about 25 years, since my late 20s (taking Diane 35, an ocp with oestrodial and cyproterone).
I researched it beforehand as I’d discussed potential side effects, etc with the gynae. Apparently Levonorgestrel (the progestin in Mirena) has almost as high a binding affinity for SHBG as T, which is possibly why so many ladies get on with it. (I’m very aware that many don’t, too, but I decided to try it first, before dismissing it out of hand). It can take 3 - 6 months to completely settle so I’m not cracking the champers just yet.
So give the T a try. I put mine on in the morning, and before I change my patch. I’m on 100mcg like you - and I’ve also found that changing it in the morning, every third day is better (rather than 3.5 days) as symptoms would be returning on the afternoon of that third day. I just have to remember what day I’m up to lol.
As for the Utrogestan - perhaps give it a break for a couple of weeks whilst you’re introducing the T. You’ll likely get the P withdrawal and a bleed for the first week or so. Then once your serum levels of T are up (you should be able to feel it after about 10 days to 2 weeks) you can always reintroduce it vaginally like so many of the other ladies on here use it. I personally found vaginally was a better option symptom wise.
Good luck with it all xx
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Lady and Northann thank you so much for your replies.
I think what you are saying makes perfect sense. Very helpful advice and experience.
Theres no point in me focusing solely on getting the E up any more. I've already gone almost as high as I can which quite frankly is worrying me a bit as i know i cant stay on that higher level for long.so i will try with the T and vaginal utro. I need to stop worrying about it and get on and do it. I wont know until I try.
Hope you are both as well as can be and have a good Sunday.
Much love xxxxxx
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Thanks birdy. I was on femseven sequi for 3 months which got discontinued so went on the gel and utrogestan for 3 months. I've been on the estradot since late Feb/early March.
Glad to hear you've seen an improvement. Even though its slight its a step in the right direction.
Much love to youXxxxx
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Me too Birdy...glad to hear there is slight improvement - it can be a long old haul but 2 months isn't that long in the scheme of things! If you feel you have slight improvement then it can only get better with time. Took 5 months for my anxiety and panic attacks to subside and before that I asked my GP about Alzheimers loads of times and she looked at me like I was mad - but I didnt know what else it might have been. I used to get halfway through a sentance and forget the words, not just for a seconds, just altogether. My family were really taking the P but it's not funny, its scary, so I know how you feel! Now all I'm left with is depression but that was an underlying issue anyway just made worse by meno and absolutely no libido which brings it's own problems.
Keep going Tc - you'll get there in the end....honest! ;) promise....honest!!!
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Thanks lady. I think my depression might be underlying too. But I guess I will see. For me I jump between prioritising what is worse at the time. Anxiety is a real issue and its affecting my life but when the depression is getting bad as I've felt myself slipping again recently and like yourself I know its happening and it scares me so much that it becomes my priority to address it over everything else.
Has your depression lifted any further?
Xxxx
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Me again. I've been writing down symptoms for last couple weeks as our good friend CLKD always advises. I finally took the advice.
a pattern has emerged with the estradot. The only days I seem to see a minor improvement are on day 2 of the patch. I change every 3 days. I thought they were supposed to give an even dose over that time.
I'm having a bit of an HRT meltdown the last few days so please excuse me ladies. I've even found out I have been taking the vagifem wrong but that's another thread.!!
Has anyone else found the same thing with the patches. I dont know what the answer is and I cant use the gel which I know some feel gives a more even dose.
Xxx
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Tc I have found I couldn't go the 4 days so change on day 3 regardless of what the instructions says about 3 then 4. I've noticed differences depending on when I change it late at night or first thing in the morning so I'm wondering if there's a knack to getting the best out of patches, so will watch replies with interest x
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Thank you CG.
Ladies. This is a bit of a long update but I had a telephone consultation early this morning with a meno nurse from the British meno society about my eastrogen issue.
She said I dont "fit into the typical box" as I'm not absorbing from anything Ive tried and someone with more expertise needs to look at why I'm so "eastrogen resistant". She said it realy is the main issue for me. . She said its unusual.. She advised me to ask for a referral to the panay clinic at C and Westminster.
She said that it was also unusual that at 53 I had no peri menopausal symptoms and totally regular periods. She wondered whether the cyst on my ovary might have caused the ovary to throw out more eastrogen so my levels were higher than would have been otherwise at my age. And that's why after the op I went "off the cliff from a greater height".
She said I'm sorry you probably dont want to hear this but you are not typical. A gp and your gynae with no disrespect are not specialised enough for you.
I'm not happy about being "atypical" obviously.it seems like it's going to be even more of a struggle than I thought. It's not what I wanted to hear but I did kind of know that already in my heart. I knew it wasnt right to not absorb anything after 7 months.i know it can take a while for most ladies but for me it seems my options are narrowed now If I'm never going to absorb transdermally.
She mentioned the hormone pill which I'm quite frankly scared of. She also said as I ve tried patches and gel to no effect I might be a candidate for the implant
. She said its " very very likely" that my low E is causing the depression. So I'm now thinking. Well it's not gonna lift until the eastrogen deficiency is sorted which may take some time, I dont know how long the waiting list is for C and W so I might .have to reluctantly go on AD's.
The thought that I might be resistant to any HRT and the fact that I now know I'm not going to feel better anytime soon is devastating. I've come to my mums to try take my mind off it otherwise I know I'd just sit and cry all day.
Xxx
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Hi TC. I agree wholeheartedly with the BMS nurse and with Birdy. Don't give up but get a referral to the Chelsea & Westminster menopause clinic. Like you, I absorbed sod all from the gels, but have now got up to a stunning 467 pmol/l on 125mcg Estradot. My case is not as complicated as yours because I had a TAH/BSO years ago so only need oestrogen and testosterone. They will give you a thorough going over at the C&W. I don't know what the waiting list is like for new referrals so you may have to be patient, but put the wheels in motion asap. From your other posts, I think you have been mucked about for long enough and need better advice and treatment (cos we're worth it!).
Much love,
JP x
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Great post JP and thrilled to read your levels are up 🎉
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Great post JP and thrilled to read your levels are up 🎉
Thank you Robin. Apparently my face was a picture when she told me ;D.
I am dropping down to 100 mcg Estradot as she thinks that should be enough, but I can, of course, play around with the local oestrogen to compensate. Some will tell you that VA symptoms should improve with higher serum levels and others say that targeted treatment is the key. I guess the truth must like somewhere in between!
Hope you are keeping well.
Love
JP x
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Hiya ladies.
I decided on Monday morning to put 2 x 100 eastradot patches on after trying 175 for a couple of weeks to no avail.
My hot flushes have got worse. It's not that they are my main concern its just that it's the opposite of what I expected to happen.
I've also felt extremely tired,and weak. That might be unrelated but it's also the opposite of what I expected.
The womens physio I saw yesterday said the same as the meno nurse. All my symptoms poi t to low eastrogen.but I'm now on 200!!
I literally nodded off in a traffic jam whilst driving home!! Went straight to bed at 6.00pm and only woke up with hot flushes til 9.00 this morning. I dont mind sleeping because I havent been sleeping well for so long but it's such an exshausted wiped out feeling and i feel so weak.
I dont understand it. Could it be too soon to expect a difference on the higher dose.. I cant see how the extra eastrogen could cause symptoms to worsen but I may be wrong and maybe it can. Or maybe I'm still not absorbing anything at all and as time goes on my symptoms are just worsening because of that. .
Im at a complete loss. I've got gp appointment to ask for referral to Chelsea an w but the earliest I could get was 1 may to see gp. and my exsisting gynae appt is t til end of May. It seems a long time.to wait when after 7 months of this with zero relief I'm just getting worse and worse. 200 is the highest dose. I just dont know where to turn or what to do.
X
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Hi birdy. I havent noticed those symptoms before with the P except for the first couple weeks but maybe it has built up now and causing an imbalance. I guess only a blood test will tell. Ive got one end of may.i think a blood test is the only way as I'm realy in "second guessing" territory now.
Thanks for your reply. Hope your o.k today x
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The meno nurse mentioned the HRT pill and she also mentioned the implant. She said implant is not a first "provider" option and so would have to be through someone more specialised but that not absorbing transdermally might make me a candidate.
Thinking back. When I took the contraceptive pill in my teens and early 20s I had absolutely no problem with it whatsoever I know it's different but it's still hormones and some ladies who struggle with P also seem to have had issues with the contraceptive pill but I didnt. So maybe the HRT pill would be better for me.
I need to research the HRT pill as I have no knowledge of it at all. I do know that transdermal is considered safer though so I'm so disheartened that it hasn t worked for me.
I guess I could always try a different patch but I'm not sure that would make any difference.
Xx
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Hi TC
So sorry to hear that you have been going through this, you must be feeling wrung out. Its just rubbish, that the earliest you can get an appointment is 1st May!
How are you feeling this evening?
Sending much love
Jeepers xx
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Oh TC, what a nightmare this is for you :(. I can't remember - have you managed to increase your oestrogen levels at all by any method you've tried so far? I clearly don't absorb much but my levels have crept up somewhat as I've doubled from 100 to 200 patches, even if it doesn't really feel like it.
I still think you need to ditch the continuous progesterone for now as it really can mitigate any beneficial effects of oestrogen for some women.
I'm loathe to say it but perhaps you could consider an anti-depressant as an interim measure while you work towards raising your oestrogen levels? You sound so low and sometimes you just need to get yourself into a better space before you can tackle the next step. xx
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Thank you ladies saffy I've inceased to 200. 2 x 100 patch. I only did it Monday. Hot flushes horrendous last night. Did it take you long to see benefits from the increase
The other thing is when I took my patches off this morning I've got a rash where they've been. That's new!!
Love to you all and thanks for taking the time to reply. Xxx
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Umm well, I hate to say it but I have felt the sum total of zero improvements since I went from 100 to 200, even with a measured increase in blood levels of oestrogen :(. The (minimal) flushing, early morning adrenaline surges and most of the low level anxiety went once I got to the 75 patch, despite obviously very low blood levels of oestrogen at the time.
All increases since then plus the testosterone have been to try and sort the brain fog, lack of concentration, muscle aches and exhaustion but I could swear I am getting worse rather than better ::). I started with a 25 patch and it has taken well over 2 years to get to this point *sigh*.
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Saffy. It seems our bodies are realy fighting us on the old eastrogen front doesnt it. The morning surges are awful. It's a terrible way to start the day. If I could get rid of those and the flushes I'd feel I was realy getting somewhere. It's so strange that other ladies get their levels so much higher on lower doses. It seems the slight increase on 75 was enough to sort some of your symptoms but obviously not enough for others. How long have you been on 200?
My hot flushes are worse which would indicate it's not working for me as I've read that is the first symptom to go. But. I hate to say it and I will be very reluctant to tell the doc because I know what shell say but I've had constant breast pain since I increased. Hard to get comfortable in bed.and bra is killing me. This is new. If it's enough E to cause that why isnit dealing with the flushes.
When I was 40 I had painful breasts and lump which upon ultrasound found many cysts in both breasts. I was told st the time it was hormone related and as i got older the pain would lessen and cysts might shrink. The pain did lessen and only was sore before periods after that. It's such a worry as I dont want to set off any cysts I have especially as the HRT doesnt seem to be doing anything positive for me.
I think what has been said to me on here about utrogestan is probably right. I am very "spacey" and sleepy. But I'm scared to even change that now as I'm so confused about what my body is doing eastrogen wise. I stopped for 2 days this week but felt worse I guess it mightve been withdrawal but I panicked and went back on it. I just dont want to start a cycle up before I see the gynae 12 days a month might not be enough on such high eastrogen. It's all such a stresser and being .anxious over what's happening inside my body.
I feel so stuck.i realy feel like stopping it altogether cos of the worry its causing .me but then I dont want to be like this for years to come it's no quality of life.struggeling to get through every day feeling so depressed and defeated.
Sorry for having a moan saffy. I'm just sick and tired now literally. I just want to see even a small improvement. I'm so utterly fed up.
Xxxxxx
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You moan away TC, it's all so flippin' frustrating!! Oh yes, the morning surges were horrible. I would start every day feeling really grim with a feeling of doom that I couldn't shake off :(.
Mentally I'm mostly OK now (I decided to see a counsellor at around the same time I started HRT as a two-pronged approach really and I still see her every few months or so). I still have a feeling in the back of my mind that everything is a bit precarious and it wouldn't take much to drop down a dark hole or set off anxiety. I have certainly retreated into myself and I was pretty heavily introverted to start with :-\.
I've been on the 200 about six months now and the only thing I have had to show for it is also breast pain. I have a ton of cysts too. My breasts were really sore and lumpy, mainly cyclically, for years (since early 40s really) but it ramped up in peri. In fact, although my breasts had softened and shrunk a little, the cysts were still forming almost overnight at times. Have been down the 2 week referral for mammo/ultrasound route and everything is fine but hair-raising nonetheless. Every HRT change led to breast pain which subsided after a few weeks but moving up to 200 it took pretty much five months until it subsided (still comes back halfway through Utro phase though). The specialist suspects I may be at the maximum level of oestrogen that my breasts will tolerate but that makes no sense to me - surely it must've been higher than this when I was younger? Do give it some time 'though. You really do need to let the hormones settle and your flushes and breast pain may well subside too, given a few months.
Re: the progesterone. My GP was panicked about me using the 100 patches with only the standard 12 days X 200 dose of Utrogestan until my meno specialist reassured her that it wasn't a problem due to my low blood levels of oestrogen. I mean many women have much higher blood levels into the 600s or more with much lower dose patches and no one would bat an eyelid. She still has no worries at 2 x 100 patches as my blood levels are still pretty low. I do understand your concern, 'though.
I do hope you manage to achieve some kind of improvement soon TC as I totally understand the despair and the feeling that you have no quality of life. I feel the same even without the flushes and awful anxiety/depression so I can only imagine how grim it is for you. xx
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Thanks saffy. We seem to have very similar issues. I will give it more time on 200 but I agree with you. If its affecting the breasts why isnt it helping symptoms. The one place i dont want it to have an effect is the only place it does!!
I realy dont know if I can keep up the utrogestan til my appt though. I'll take it one day at a time.
Thanks for your reply. I hope you have a nice bank holiday weekend xxxxxx
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Update. I lowered from 200 to 175 and the breast pain lessened within 48 hours. So I guess that answers my question.
X
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Very quiet and somewhat grumpy Bank hols (me, that is!). Slightly despairing about feeling this knackered and achey for the rest of my life *sigh*. I confess I have also been contemplating lowering my oestrogen as the breast pain is back again halfway through the 12 days of Utro >:(. Will wait until I have had next blood test first, it's not as bad as it was but it does unnerve me a bit.
Perhaps backing off then increasing oestrogen more slowly later would work for both of us? We've both had quite a leap of oestrogen in one fell swoop I guess. xx
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Sorry to hear you're feeling rough saffy. I am thinki g maybe I've been "messing about" with the E too much. But it's the only way to find out isnt it. I think we both had have been realy disheartened at our lack of absorption so it's only natural to want to try higher doses to see if we get results. I'm sure neither of us "want" to be on a high dose. I must confess that when I hear of ladies who get relief from symptoms on lower doses whilst of course im happy for them I still think "why cant that be me too, what's wrong with me".
And then I heard from you and you have the same issue so whilst I wish you weren't in the same situation it helps to know someone understands. I was feeling very alone with my problem.
I do believe the build up of utrogestan is making me fatigued and depressed tbough.and I wonder if its interfering with my digestion.
I cant wait to see the doc to find a way around it. I'm just starting testogel today so I dont think I should mess around with anything else right now but I realy want to try a "cycle" instead of continous.
Aside from the breast pain I've noticed definite increased bloating on the higher E. Did you find this too? It's weird cos with the breast pain and bloating the E is obviously doing something, just nothing positive!!! Unless it's the P causing that as well. >:(
Saffy I realy hope one day we can look back on all this confusion as the past. Wouldnt it be nice to not have to spend so much time and thought on our effing hormones?
Whens your next blood test?
:foryou:
Xxxx
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Aww, thanks :). God yes, wouldn't it be nice to think about something else! I do hope we will be looking back at this period as 'the wasted years' and not still be experiencing them :(. Urgh , sorry, I'm a bundle of laughs ATM aren't I ;D. Of all the problems I thought I might encounter getting hold of and taking HRT, it not working was the furthest from my mind. I was so positive and thrilled that my GP allowed me to not only have HRT but to have the type I was most comfortable with. I feel quite resentful too that I made a huge number of lifestyle changes back before HRT and I still feel so rough at times.
Funnily enough, I've been lurking on the forum for years but it's only in the last year or so that I've noticed more and more women on here talking about absorption issues. I was really starting to think I was going mad (more mad!?).
I've been very lucky and experienced very few side effects from the HRT, although that may be due to lack of absorption! No bloating or digestive issues at all with the oestrogen, although my weight has crept up very slowly in the last year (possibly too many 'treats' and too tired to move much 'though). Initially I started very low and increased very slowly so that might have helped. I have always used the progesterone vaginally from the beginning and initially just one 100 capsule for 12 days as a test run. The first day I was like a walking zombie but haven't suffered significantly since except for the (what was) slight breast pain and noticeable tinnitus from about day 6 of the 12 days and (TMI alert) a tendency towards constipation occasionally. Everyone's side effects vary so much it amazes me how different we all are!
Well that was cheery, I'm not sure I've helped much ;D. It's all so much trial and error but at least on here we can pick up useful tips and bits of info that we would never have known about if we were relying on the medics alone. My next blood test is due when I can be bothered to book it - need to get brain (and arse) into gear! So probably a couple of weeks with a further couple for results if my GP practice is operating at it's usual pace.
Good grief, I've written an essay! Hope tomorrow is a better day for both of us TC. xx