Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: pepperminty on August 05, 2021, 12:21:37 PM
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Hi Ladies,
after a Gp consulation I was advised to just up my Femosten again, and see what happens. A new regime could be looked at a later date.
So i have been doing so and only by a very small amount 1 estrogen tablet a week. That does not even bring me to a medium dose.
I tried 2/10 a while ago and that shall be known as 2/10 gate. ::). It did not work out .
I have been progressively worse over the last 2 months - itchy dry skin, teary , up and down every 5 minutes, waking up early ( always slept well the last 4 years) more aches, painful legs at night, fog, anxiety etc.
The exact same thing happed to me previuosly and seems to ramp up the higher the estrogen dose the longer I take it.- and i am only on a small dose! ???
The progesterone element in Femosten ( Duphaston) Dygesterone has been ok for me really, infact some months I have felt perfectly fine on it , except for the usual crap bit at the end of the packet.
My aches were getting progressively worse now and it was suggetsed that i increase, the estrogen. And I have done .
My question is why does this keep happening ? Why do I feel worse when I increase ?
The thought of changing regime scares the life out of me now as how will i know what dosage to take if I am so sensitive to even the smallest of increases/ changes of estrogen ?
But without it I cannot function but the low dose still leaves me with arthritic symptoms.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks for listening
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As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains. Not much help ........
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Pepperminty, I was on 1/5 Femoston and got carpal tunnel when I changed to lower estrogen effect Tibolone for a short while, even though sex binding hormone globulin test had showed I had too high levels of estrogen circulating.
I then went back on to Femoston which I always felt suited me, even though the tests were indicating this was a bad idea.
So be careful. I got atypical Ductal Hyperplasia and now I’m going in for a suspiciously thick uterine lining and post menopausal bleeding a month later.
I can’t say this is due to Femoston, but my previous gynae told me more recent studies show a strong correlation between ADH and hrt (which I have not found personally- I think she overstated). However if I had a do over I wish I’d tried the Tibolone longer.
After the 2 week gap of none I nearly passed out when I went back on to Femoston. Being hit so hard made me think about whether this was the right thing, but I was desperate to jettison the carpal tunnel.
My new gynae tells me Tibolone has a settling in time for muscles. I felt otherwise good on the Tibolone and it’s seen as ‘safer’.
I’d suggest you test your circulating levels if you haven’t in a few years as I also kept thinking I need more estrogen but it was less I needed.
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Hi Hereandthere,
thank you for you reply. How high was your estrogen level, if you don't mind me asking?
I have had my levels tested and I am at a normal level 301. I have had my SHBG tested in 2019 and it showed that it was very high , but my estrogen level was 367 and still within' normal' levels. I have had my womb lining checked and it is within normal limits.
PMXX
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Hi pepperminty
My SHBG in November 20 was 194.7. The normal range is 11.7-137.2, so too high.
Because SHBG has the greatest affinity for testosterone this indicates relatively too much estrogen. Ok this is an overly simplified answer but my gynae was more interested in this than my oestradiol reading- 291 (where normal is 37 to 528 on HRT). If you are peri the range goes way higher. Pre menopause mid cycle goes up to 2382. Or conversely if you are meno untreated by HRT, my results show 37 to 102 is normal.