Hi Hurdity and all you lovely ladies
I apologise for the delay in replying to your v. helpful advice, have had a pretty rough time of it.
Back on the antidepressants (Citalopram - 10mg) after what was an awful time (was off them for 19 months and really hoped to avoid going back on them - tried everything). Pleased to say they have definitely helped with the awful gutted feeling and crying though. I am learning to take life a moment at a time. CLKD's post from a while back helped me too I screen grabbed it and it really helped!
'Of course they change your brain
.......
the brain is an organ very often neglected. Until depression sets in. If you are hungry, do you not eat? If you have pain, do you not take relief? For many years I fought against taking ADs because I need/ed to know what is causing my constant depression. Usually it's lack of chemicals. When I accepted that I need to take a low maintance dose FOR LIFE, I was able to move forwards.
Many things we eat/drink/imbibe - do nor not - alter our bodies/brain for ever!'
THANK YOU CLKD!!!
Reduced Oestrogel to 2 pumps a day and so far seem to be 'ok'. It is a faff applying the gel but I do like to know I can alter it as necessary (will keep in mind Estradot though for the future).
I think you may be right re: me not being completely post meno as I had a withdrawal bleed on my last Utrogestan break (I take 25 out of 28 days) - I presume this means there is still some life in this old dog yet?!
I am seeing my consultant early Feb and will ask for blood tests just to see if levels are getting better.
I have also begun Androfeme (Testosterone cream for women) as my levels were v. low. Husband has noticed 'moments' of confidence (not enough for me I want the old me back!!).
Sorry for waffling on. Thanks so much again for all the advice and help.
CW
Hi curlywurly
Yes low oestrogen does cause low mood - some women have called it "the feel good hormone". Most women feel at their best during the mid point of their menstrual cycle when oestrogen is at its highest. Low oestrogen is also thought to contribute to post-natal blues and depression as well as low mood just before and at the beginning of menstural cycle.
It is sometimes difficult to get to right when administering externally (as SuzyQ points out) and also I can imagine if you took the amount needed to give levels at what is known as the "pre-ovulatory peak" = very high levels, all the time - we would feel quite odd (maybe that's what you are experiencing when levels are very high SuzyQ?), which is why HRT aims to give levels as an average over the whole cycle.
As SuzyQ says sometimes also applying gel correctly can muck things up a bit - I know the area of absorption is critical. It needs to be spread in such a way that the oestrogen is absorbed before it dries. If it dries too quickly then some of the oestrogen won't be absorbed. I have never used gel so this is just what I've read.
Like SuziQ I use Estradot and have always used this - and I find my levels are always stable.
I would find it too much of a faff to have to put it on every day - let alone three times! Also personally I would not put it on the upper body at all - none of the patches nor the other gel (Sandrena) recommend this - all say the lower half of the body.
Also maybe you weren't quite post-meno - there are some women who will continue to have a bit of a cycle more than 12 months after they've had a period - but this is the cut-off time for investigations. If this was the case for you, you might still experience hormonal fluctuations and associated mood swings. The other thing is your own oestrogen levels will continue to fall for 2 years following the last (ie final) period ie menopause - so you may well be sensitive to this fall as well and require an increased dose.
Hurdity x
Author
Topic: utrogestan/estrogel support group (Read 728777 times)