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[Tina1957]

Hi

Can hormone levels fluctuate each month if Post Menopausal??

I have been diagnosed with severe Progesterone Intolerance (Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis) which has caused me to have to stop HRT and has now left me extremely sensitive to my own Progesterone. 

It was thought that once I had stopped taking Progesterone my symptoms would subside especially as I am Post Menopausal, but  7 months later still experiencing severe symptoms for part of the month - can our Progesterone levels still fluctuate through Post Menopause even though no longer having bleeds?

Tinaxx

For one week each month I seem to experience really severe symptoms

[Taz2]

Hi Tina - I am not sure about how much fluctuation there is once you are post menopausal. How long have you been post menopausal for? 

Taz

[Tina1957]

Hi Taz

Estimating about 15 months - part of this time was on HRT - stopped HRT at Xmas.

Tina

[honeybun]

How long did you go without a bleed before you came off HRT.


Honeyb
X

[Taz2]

It's a tricky one really Tina. As you are over 54 I suppose that you are considered to be post-menopause but it's not an exact science and even at 58 my own cycle broke through a couple of times - necessitating a scan to check on the womb lining - and this was put down to a hormone surge so I guess it is possible you are still experiencing fluctuations.

I have had a look at the syndrome you are suffering from and I find it really interesting as I always develop a itchy and painful rash on my arms during the progesterone phase of HRT. I had always had a rash during the week before menstruation too so I always thought it was just "normal" for me and part and parcel of my cycle. I have never found another reason for the rash and have been tested for allergies and also coeliac disease. You have got me thinking now!

Taz x

[Tina1957]

Taz

Been offline for a few days so only just saw your post - my diagnosis has come to light since becoming allergic to progesterone in my HRT - not many docs have even heard of it.  Having said that my Endo has diagnosed me with it, but an Allergist has disagreed and said it is just hormone levels.

I am also under a Dermatologist, who also thought the rash was caused by something else, but each month it has re-appeared together with the same systemic symptoms I used to get when trying to take separate oral progesterone.  This is also new to him too and he has prescribed several different steroid creams since Xmas to try to stop the rash . 

Six weeks ago he put me on a preventative Cream and this month is the first month  I have not come out in the rash, however, I have still experienced the systemic symptoms - feeling hot all the time (like a constant high temperature) severe sweating, burning/stinging face, itching to scalp and also the hot flushes increase during these days and actually become painful.  During these days of the month I also become really sensitive and have been experiencing allergic reactions to different things that normally never bother me.  (I have just been tested for Lupus, but it has come back negative.)

Really struggling at the moment with even the normal hot flushes and sweating which have become more frequent and severe over the months since stopping the HRT - have been taking Clonidine for 4 weeks in the hope that it would stop the horrendous flushes/sweating, but it is obviously not working, so not sure what I can try next.   

Tina