Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Applestar75 on March 08, 2025, 11:20:21 AM
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Good Morning
I am after some advice please
I'm 49 years old ,I take levothyroxine for an under active thyroid and have a coil as part of my hrt
my trouble is when I take Oestrogen I start with a headache that gradually gets worse then vertigo starts and I become ravenous constantly hungry.
when trying to get my dose right with levothyroxine at one point I was on to much and it very much feels exactly the same I'm only managing to be on it for 3-4 days and then take my patch off its worse with the gel I have persevered with it for 4 months and it just got worse and worse
I keep trying it ,I've even been given a 25mcg patch and cut that in half but still the same symptoms the nurse practitioner just says think your better without but I am dead below the neck can't bear to be touched lost all interest in everything my anxiety is through the roof my day is spent just trying to manage that.
the Oestrogen does having a calming effect on me but I still can't function or leave the house while taking it because of the headaches and vertigo
has anyone else experienced this and what was the outcome ,I am waiting for an assessment for ADHD which I should get the appointment in a months time
thank you for reading
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I would stop the oestrogen for 5-10 days to see how symptoms improve/not.
Thyroid function can go arry [sp] during peri. All those other hormone levels rising and falling may well impact.
MayB think why you began oestrogen, which symptom do you want to ease?
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I have no explanation for that, as your own ovaries have been producing exactly the same estrogen as that in the patch for many years, and your body cannot distinguish between estradiol coming into the bloodstream from a patch, or that produced by your ovaries.
I would therefore suggest further investigation of your headaches and vertigo by either a neurologist or ENT specialist to make sure another condition isn't being overlooked.
However if you feel you would benefit from hormone therapy and don't get on with patches you could look into tibolone instead.
This is not an estrogen, it is a synthetic compound with estrogenic, androgenic and progestogenic properties and often suits those who haven't got on with conventional MHT.
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Let us know how you get on?
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Is that right bombshell? I hope so.
I only question it, as when I added in E when I was in chemical menopause (my own was zero) I got pretty bad histamine reactions for about 2 weeks when I added in estrogen. I don't get that with my own hormones. Curious.
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Yes, that's why they call it "body identical". It is 17 beta estradiol, the exact same molecule.
It is possible that some people could have a reaction to the glue or one of the other components in the patch, but the actual estrogen itself is the same.
Trying a gel, pill or pellet might get around this however I would worry about a pellet in someone who may not tolerate it as it can't be easily reversed.
Alternatively it could have been the withdrawal then sudden reappearance of estrogen in your case that precipitated the reaction.
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Yes. It could well have been the withdrawl then reintroduction.
Still question it though. Utrogestan is body identical. Plenty cant take that. Me included.
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I believe that a sudden drop of oestrogen may cause a feeling of giddiness/dizziness? True vertigo is awful, I know the moment I open my eyes that it's there and daren't move. :-\
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Utrogestan is body identical. Plenty cant take that. Me included.
I can understand that - I don't tolerate my own progesterone very well at all so have been on back to back COCP for many years in order to prevent ovulation.
Fortunately I do tolerate most synthetic progestins as these don't antagonise mineralocorticoid receptors or convert to GABA-ergic metabolites.
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Applestar, there can often be side effects when acclimating to anything new. It can take a while for your body to get used to estrogen.
I'd suggest putting half the 25 patch on and just sticking with it for a few weeks. Take some time off work, if you can and need to.
As for being dead below the waist, you should be using local estrogen there. Vagifem pessaries or Ovestin cream. These do not go systemic, they stay local to the vagina - and you can use it as well as systemic HRT. Seeing you might take a while to get your systemic levels up, I would really introduce the local estrogen now....
Lastly, are you sure it is the estrogen causing this? And not the progesterone?