Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Nas on June 26, 2022, 09:00:09 AM
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Well, it’s like peeling back an onion all of this.
The Mirena was fitted May 31st.
At the time, I was on the Evorel 75 patch.
Symptoms were bubbling ( I think ) as was concerned about absorption from the patch ( the thing was peeling at the corners too soon etc and they were irritating me a bit).
Went to see specialist and she prescribed oestrogel 2/3 pumps or sandrena 1.5mg if unavailable ( they both probably are!)
I started the sandrena gel last Wednesday ( as I had some already) and don’t feel great. But I didn’t feel that great on the 75 patch either.
Mood swings like a pendulum, irritability, period type cramps, heart palpitations, headaches, anxiety, waking early.. bearing in mind all of these were kind of in the background before the gel.
I’m quick to blame all this on the Mirena ( trying to persevere with that!) but I’m thinking low Oestrogen now ? Reason being... super hypersensitive to noise and smell and I jump at anything!
I know you are all on your own journeys and have your own rubbish to deal with, but how do I progress forward with this now? I don’t want to have to cover myself in gel from head to toe each day...
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I don't know about peeling back an onion, sometimes I think I am adding layers to the onion ;D ;D ;D
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Well joziel, I think you are right! Adding layers seems more apt right now! :o
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Hi Nas if you were on a 75 patch then its likely that you need more oestrogen than 1.5mg of Sandrena ... that is roughly equivalent to a 50 patch. x
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Ah thanks Dotty.
In my head, 1.5 mg was 3 pumps or a 75 patch.
Right, time to re think then.
X
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https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/03-BMS-TfC-HRT-Practical-Prescribing-02A-MAY2022.pdf
Look at page 2 for a table of equivalents x
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Thanks Dotty,
God, I’m going to need a ton of gel to equate to the 75 patch then.
The period pains are the worst today.
Suppose that’s the damm coil.
Although I’ve had them before pre coil, whilst on patches and utrogestan.
I give up! :'(
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I can definitely relate to this bit: "heart palpitations, anxiety, waking early."
I seem to be on some kind of ridiculous clock whereby I just wake up between 4.30am to 6am as if it is time to get up. Even if I go to bed late, at 1am, I will still wake up in this time frame.
When I do wake, I feel a bit jittery and cortisolled (for want of a better word, I just made that up), I occasionally have the heart palps at this time although that seems to be happening less. It's now more that I feel myself pulsing or throbbing a little bit and my heart beating a bit harder than usual.
None of this was happening for me before starting HRT (although I had a million other things that were and have been fixed with HRT), so for me it is caused by the estrogen. I am totally stumped as to why. It was even happening on the 50mcg patch. I stayed with the 50 for 7wks, so I don't think it can be said that I didn't give it time to settle.
If our natural estrogen fluctuates loads pre-menopause, why would we be this sensitive to what is body identical estrogen?! I don't get it. I'm also not sure what to do because I can't live like this permanently but I also can't go back to how I was before HRT. :(
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Hi Nas You would need 3 pumps of Oestrogel to equate to a 75 patch. I use 4 pumps and it's fine, not too much . x
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Joziel, sounds like you and me are in very similar situation.
Are you peri menopause then? I’m post (allegedly) and still not right!
I totally get where you coming from though. I dont seem to be able to live with or without HRT and certainly cannot envisage this life permanently either :'(
Come to think of it, I never had all these symptoms prior to HRT either. What drove me to HRT, was random crying, bladder issues, flushes and anxiety.
I also don’t understand the reactions we have to body identical hormones. Part of me wishes I had never touched HRT now.
How old are you joziel? I’m 51 and fear this is life!
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Joziel - love your new cortisolled word!
It just could be that cortisol and/or Dhea might be was causing you these issues. Have you ever tested? X
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Dotty,where do you apply the 4 pumps? X
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Hi Nas …. Inner thighs ….. 2 on each one. Or outer shoulders and arms….2 on each one every morning x
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Thanks Dotty xx
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joziel.....I totally relate to waking jittery and cortisolled (love that word it describes the feeling perfectly) plus very fast heartbeat sometimes too and always early in the morning. I also sometime wake up in the night in a total panic and then get a horrible bout of tachycardia after which its impossible to go back to sleep for ages. It's beyond frustrating to say the least and really unpleasant. I have tried using the Calm app for the last 3 mornings and also when I go to sleep at night and do find that has helped. The morning meditation for anxiety calming were particularly helpful. xx
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Morning.
5am wake up here with jitters and palps. First time in months.Run this morning was hard to complete, contemplated getting a tube home.
Reduced oestrogen 6 days ago, I’ll give it a few days more if I can.
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Well, it's very reassuring to find others with the same experiences.
Nas, I'm 44yo and I'm peri. But I'm on continuous HRT due to having mild endo. Besides 100mg utrogestan I'm also taking the desogestrel POP to keep the endo quiet. It seems to be working as far as that goes. I feel like this is giant game of whack-a-mole: I lurch from one concern to another. At first it was chronic constipation. That resolved when I increased estrogen. Then it was endo waking up. That resolved when I re-started desogestrel. Now it's these blimming palpitations.... Will there come a point where I can just be a person again...!?
Before HRT, I had every symptom that exists: Vaginal dryness; headaches/migraines without aura; skipped beat palpitations; feeling jet-lagged/brain fog; couldn't concentrate or read or think; night sweats; ringing in my ears; constipation and flatulence; joint pain in hips, knees and hands if I didn't move for a while; no motivation and just feeling like I should sit at home rocking by the fire (metaphorically) until it's time to die. Which was ridiculous because I potentially am only halfway through my life, considering three of my grandparents lived to 94!
ALL that has gone, except for the joint pain. Which has improved a lot but is still there a little and I hope will go even more when I get my estrogen up a bit (only at 233nmol on 50 patch). And I still have some flatulence(!), but I think that's now caused by the progesterone and I can live with it.
So the idea of going back to all that is just unthinkable and I have to deal with palps a couple times a week I guess. :(
Marchlove, this wasn't happening before HRT so I don't think it's cortisol or something else, unless HRT is causing that to work differently.
Pippa52, that sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with really. I've also tried various apps for medication and breathing (Headspace for meditation and Breathwrk for breathing) and I feel like it maybe just helps a teeny bit but not really.