Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: NuclearScientist on July 15, 2019, 09:31:39 PM
-
Please can you help me to understand. I am 6 weeks in to oestrogen gel with Utrogestan and Vagifem. I started to feel low and cry at the slightest thing so doubled oestrogen dose as advised to try after 4-6 weeks but have gone back to 1 pump again after a week of double dose . My self esteem is non existent. I have always dressed nicely for work and taken pride in being smart. My hair is now like a ball of fluff , soft unmanageable, dry and I feel low as it is without looking even worse. I've just been seeing all the stories about impact on hair. I started taking Utrogestan orally but it affected me causing constipation so I checked with menopause clinic and was told to take it vaginally instead.
I don't know if it's the oestrogen gel or Utrogestan that is making me tearful, affecting my self confidence and affecting my hair. My husband and family have noticed my low mood. I've been struggling with confidence as it is now just feel even worse. I've managed to get my 3 month follow up brought forward to next week. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I don't have children still have a womb. I am 54. I've never smoked and was on the pill for many years without effects like these.
-
Hi, i am sorry to read that you are feeling like this,particularly regarding your hair
Is it only since starting on hrt that your hair has deteriorated
I wish i knew the answer, so sorry can't help, just wanted to sympathise, as i am suffering a lot of dry hair and now hair loss
I have read that some women blame vagifem, but others disagree, saying it is only a very small amount of oestrogen, so i am very interested to hear what your Dr has to say,mine has only got worse in the last 12 months, but very bad in the last 6 months
I started on Livial and vagifem 18 months ago, but having been on Livial previously then had a break,i had no problems with my hair at that time
Have you googled the effects on hair that your hrt could have?
Please do update as to what your Dr has to say
Any oestrogen should improve hair , so my Dr says
I hope you can get some answers and feel better soon
-
Thank you for taking time to respond. I have used this site to look at effects of HRT. I will be seeing a consultant at menopause clinic run by NHS next week so will let you know what she says.
-
:'( feel your pain on this one. although i dont take hrt. since the menopause i am suffering with hair loss and low self esteem. i spoke to my doctor and was diagnosed with clinical depression the happy tablets i take have helped with my low mood. also started to take a hair skin and nail tablet which has helped with my hair loss. :-*
-
HC i have quite severe hair loss, as i have posted about before so wont go on about it, but i started taking Biotin, tried the usual hair and nails vitamins but didn't make any difference, and although not sure if it will help with the actual hair i have lost,the hair that i have is growing so fast i can't keep up with it, it seems to grow almost overnight,and has never been as long,even when i was younger could never grow my hair beyond certain length
-
I've heard great things about Biotin too!
Very sorry to hear you are feeling so low. My hair's been through some changes since I've been...well.. changing! Firstly the mild kink has turned into a full-on wave. Then I had a spell of greasy hair and I've never had that in my life! I keep it short anyway but I had to change style because of it. Sympathetic hairdressers are a godsend.
The latest thing is noticing a bit more hair after a shower but as I've only just started HRT I don't know whether that's making a difference yet. Sorry I'm not much use I just wanted to confirm you're not alone, and send a hug X
-
Mogster, can i ask what HRT you are on'some cite loss of hair in their info, and since my Dr changed me to Evoral Conti,i have read now that hair loss is a side effect, i don't want to lose anymore, but when i mentioned it to him he said Oestrogen is good for hair, but i think it is the progesterone part that that is the problem as it is quite strong in EC ,it is Northeristone
-
Hi Jaycee
I am on Novofem...it is norethesterone, yes...you're worrying me now!! :'( I am taking 1mg of each. I just looked up Evoral Conti and it says 3.2 estradiol and 11.2 mg of norothesterone? x
-
Oh i'm sorry,didn't want to worry you, i have spoken to people on EC and not all have had hair loss,i think if people are prone to hairloss, it could affect them, like me, but i am only on my second month so no idea yet
It sounds as if your Noretheristone is a lot less than mine on EV if i have read it correctly, if so mine sounds very strong stuff
Have you looked at the side effects on Novafem? i mean does it mention hair loss on it?
-
Hi Jaycee
I have just looked at the side effects and alopecia is mentioned (in a grid) as an uncommon side effect on the progesterone side of the cycle, but no accompanying text. It does also say "a product similar to Novofem", so it could be very generalised?
No need to apologise lovely :) x
-
I just wanted to update the ladies who responded to my post. I was advised at the menopause clinic that Utrogestan can cause low mood and PMT type symptoms so the consultant I saw has changed this to Provera 2.5 mg.
I've also been advised to double the oestrogen gel to two pumps daily. I've implemented this too.
The Consultant did some blood tests and called me the next day. This is our wonderful NHS :) and advised that my testosterone was extremely low and she has advised me to try it on private prescription which I am intending to do. She also tested for anaemia and thyroid but blood samples came back fine which is a relief.
-
Hopefully you will be feeling better soon, i believe that Provera is much more gentle than Utrugestan
What did they say about your hair/ if anything,?
I am now convinced it is the Vagifem and Norethisterone which has affected my hair so badly that i will not take it anymore
I will ask my Dr if there is anything else more gentle and suitble
If i stop taking these i will soon tell if they are the cause/or not
Thanks for updating ,good luck with he Provera
-
Hi ladies. I first noticed hair loss after coming off HRT but the loss/ shedding had been going on long before that. Probably when I started HRT. I just hadn't made the connection. I had 16 months of an androgenetic progesterone and a few months of Utrogestan before I threw in the towel.
Once I noticed the loss, I went back on Estraderm patches and Utrogestan. The hair loss has continued.
Been to see a trichologist who has diagnosed telegenic effluvium ( overall thinning) and he has me on iron and vitamin b supplements. Not sure if it's helping at all. I'd like to think that the progesterone plays a part but I'm not totally convinced. If you look around you at the hair of middle aged and elderly women, a significant number have thinning hair. They can't all be taking or have taken HRT. So, I reckon that some women are just unlucky and suffer from it more than others. Testosterone may help but if the hair loss is due to female pattern baldness ( androgenetic hair loss ) it will make the situation worse. I wish I knew the answer.
-
MichelMaBelle,you are right after the menopause hair does generally thin out, but there is thinning and losing a lot up to baldness,which mine has almost got to
I know my hair had thinned compared to when i was younger, which was to be expected, but i am devastated by the amount i have lost, quite suddenly since having these patches, even in the last week i took them my hair was liteally falling out in front of my eyes, while on my laptop hairs were just floating down, which is when i decided to stop, the patches and Vagifem
-
Dear Ladies
Thank you so much for your replies. I asked about Vagifem and hair loss and the lady consultant said unlikely as the dose is so low in Vagifem. I restarted this on twice weekly. Just had my hair colour done and it is fine and frizzy. Something is affecting my hair badly. I've always had fine hair but at the minute it's hard to do anything with it. I feel such a mess.
I am new to Provera. She did say Utrogestan is known to cause low mood in other patients she's had. I wonder why they aren't more open and advise you what to look out for.
The testosterone will only replenish what should have been their naturally and is very low dose and should not cause hair issues. If it restores cognitive function, energy and libido then it is priceless. I will keep you posted. The blog by Dr Louise Newsome explains
https://www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menopause/testosterone
-
I have been told this before that it is only a small amount so wont do any harm ,but i am judging by the women who are not taking any other HRT but Vagifem and losng hair, so i am going to stop and ask my Dr if there is anything els i can use instead,or maybe wont need it if taking other HRT
If it can cause breast pain it must be able to cause other side effects
-
Tracy,i know it is a small amount in the vagifem, but it all startd just after being given it, well within a couple of months maybe,it is just the timing, all seems to coincide, and my argument is,if it can cause breast pain,it must be getting into the system,
The Vagifem website gives these side effects just for the vagifem, also Drugs.com, vagifem side effects
-
Jaycee- I know, it's really quite distressing. I'm going to try and come off HRT after I come back from holiday and see how I get on. X
-
MicheleMaBelle, i have stopped it all for now at least,it is really getting me down and stressing me out, which wont help i know
NuclearScientist, did you have any reasons given as to why your hair is in such bad condition, i don't think you will get an answer,that is the annoying thing,so you still have no idea, so can't do anything about it
-
I stopped the vagifem too as it seems to make my hair behave really badly, soft, frizzy, dry, floppy and very difficult to style or maintain any style.
I will ask about Ovestim which I saw you take now when I go back to menopause clinic.
I suffer soreness especially if I wear trousers and itchiness sometimes general discomfort so I do think I need something I never had issues like this when I took the pill for 28 years.
-
Hi ladies
I was put on Vagifem for VA after suffering dampness following a uti which didn't let up ! Not sure if it was a bit of in continent.
Anyway 5 weeks into taking hair started shedding but prior to this about 8 weeks previous I started elleste solo patch but had to stop it after 7 weeks due to side effects so not sure if starting hrt triggered my hair to go into a shedding cycle and then 12/13 weeks later it then shed or if the Vagifem triggered it so I swapped the Vagifem for Ovestin and then started Estrogel but my hair was still shedding loads I had my estrogen levels tested and were 195 and then 3 months later dropped to 104 on 2 pumps gel I tried to increase to 3 pumps but couldn't take it I suffered constipation foggy head fatigue on Estrogel n felt crap but it helped VA! I'm now on Estradot patch but it's not helping VA symptoms even with Ovestin and my hair is shedding more , I'm so fed up right now it can't be low estrogen as I had hysterectomy and ovaries removed 5 hrs ago and only started hrt a year ago and suffered no hair loss prior to hrt !
Dermatology think TE and triggered by hormone imbalance my gynecologist thinks hormone imbalance we need all 3 hormones regardless of hysterectomy as that's what our ovaries made !
I'm seriously thinking about combined pill as I'm only 40 and never had this much hassle on the pill nor hair loss I mean yes might be worse but I have to try as bio identical hormones are not suiting me
-
Hi Sammie, if your doctors ok with you taking the contraceptive pill then why not? :) I was on the pill untill the age of 50 and loved it. Estrodrial in what ever format you take it can cause hair loss, just like imbalances in your hormones can. Sometimes it's really difficult to get the hormone ratio right especially if you're extremely sensitive to the product in the first place. And adding to the mix, the constant recommendations of 'upping your gel doses'. Which, I'm sure with me had the negative effect of upping my intolerance to the Estrodrial. Good luck Sammie with what ever you decide to do. X
-
Hi Tracey e
I just remember being on the pill all through my 20s till I had my boy at 3/ then was fitted with coil and having no issues and for me it's hormonal the hairloss cause all bloods test are fine !
Ive swapped to estradot patch 75 and my boobs are so sore and my breasts just keep growing my nipples are hard and the areolars are hard and lumpy I mentioned it to the doctor and she said will be hormones but when I google it it says it's to much hormone x
-
How long have you been on the 75 patch because I had breast sensitivity for the first month then it seemed to settle down therafter. x
-
Hi Tracey e
I have only been on it a week . But my boobs are unbearable and my hair is still shedding I went doctors yesterday and she advised me to try the estrogel again at 2.5 pumps and add in progesterone ! This should balance some of estrogen effects, I did say though that if it dosent then I would like to try the combined pill I know I'm at a higher risk for blot clots and dvt as I'm 40 and I smoke but u have these risks with hrt so u can't win. !
One question I did have though was can I still have testosterone if needed as well as combined pill ?
-
I also think you would be better with the combined pill. You are only young. I took it to age 52 from age 28. It may take a while to find the right pill but I never had the side effects like I had on HRT. Good luck.
-
Thank u guys for your comments
I'm at doctors next week so shall see I have took progesterone last night with 2 pumps of gel but already wearing for Britain and the gel I do believe triggers my hair loss because I get irritated behind my ears on the hair line which happens when hair is lost
But I will ask about the pill again ! Cause hrt I'm having nightmare certainly estrogen on its own