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[Tracey E]

Hi Tracey e

I'm not sure I'f I already asked you this but have u suffered thinning hair since being on the estrogel I know u take utrogestan for 7 days but I'm on the gel 2 pumps and my scalp hair has thinned dramatically and not sure if it's the gel or just low estrogen but I had ovaries removed 5 years ago and have only been taking HRT for 9 months and prior to starting HRT I didn't have hairloss so HRT I believe has triggered it x

I'm wondering wether to swap to a patch as my estrogen levels suggest I'm not obsorbing the gel very well .

Hi Sammie,  yes I have a bit, it does say that Estrogel can cause this though. I'm still hoping once I get a Mirena fitted I'll have a better balance of progesterone. I had levonorgestrel in my contraceptive pill and seemed ok on it (no hair loss)

Sammie maybe the patch would be better for you. I got palpitations on that too ( Evorel Conti). Don't think I had much hair loss on it though. X

[Bobidy]

I have a couple of totally unscientific theories re palpitations:

- I definitely get them when hiatus hernia and reflux are playing up, also do chest ****les. I know not to worry though as it is the acid and stomach pushing up that causes them.

- If you are low in ovarian oestrogen your body will try to get it from your adrenalines instead which causes the rushes and palpitations, hrt should sort this, it has for me.

- When we get hot and flushy we get vasodilation, raised veins etc as our body pushes blood to the surface of our skin to cool down, this again causes palpitations and dizziness. Hrt again has really helped me with this as my veins always used to look like the hulk!

You could always pop to your doctors for an ecg / blood pressure test to put your mind at rest. X

[Tracey E]

I have a couple of totally unscientific theories re palpitations:

- I definitely get them when hiatus hernia and reflux are playing up, also do chest ****les. I know not to worry though as it is the acid and stomach pushing up that causes them.

- If you are low in ovarian oestrogen your body will try to get it from your adrenalines instead which causes the rushes and palpitations, hrt should sort this, it has for me.

- When we get hot and flushy we get vasodilation, raised veins etc as our body pushes blood to the surface of our skin to cool down, this again causes palpitations and dizziness. Hrt again has really helped me with this as my veins always used to look like the hulk!

You could always pop to your doctors for an ecg / blood pressure test to put your mind at rest. X

Hi Bobidy,

I totally agree with you,  it is the acid causing some of them. I never suffered from acid indigestion before starting HRT and when I stop taking the Estrogel the symptons dissipate. So maybe the estrogen is somehow causing the acid?  I've had ecg's in the past and they found nothing amiss.

[Bobidy]

There is lots you can do to help with the reflux so you can avoid those horrible tablets. I'm quite successful with the following. Sorry if I'm telling you things you already know:

Cut down/out caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, citrus, deadly nightshade veg (tomatoes, aubergines), carbonated drinks, chocolate.

Don't eat at least 2 hours before bed.

Don't lie or slouch after eating.

Don't drink liquid straight after eating.

Don't take supplements, meds, painkillers on an empty stomach (unless meds say so).

NSAIDS, Tranexamic Acid, Mefalonic Acids, antibiotics are terrible for the stomach.

An occasional teaspoon of Gaviscon before bed will usually sort it out, don't drink afterwards.

[Bobidy]

Forgot to say that I've recently read Liz Earle's Menopause and gut health books (when did I become this woman !?!) and there was something interesting in there that said sometimes it isn't too much stomach acid that is the problem but too little. That had never occurred to me. But apparently as we get older and go through this shitty menopause (my words not hers) it does really affect our stomachs too. She suggested a teaspoon on apple cider vinegar half an hour before eating a meal to help with the digestion process. It is an acquired taste, but I'm giving that a go too.

Your doctor will try to prescribe tablets but these can cause problems with vitamin and mineral absorption and when you stop them it can make the acid problem worse (it did for me). Best to try lifestyle changes first if possible.

[Tracey E]

Forgot to say that I've recently read Liz Earle's Menopause and gut health books (when did I become this woman !?!) and there was something interesting in there that said sometimes it isn't too much stomach acid that is the problem but too little. That had never occurred to me. But apparently as we get older and go through this shitty menopause (my words not hers) it does really affect our stomachs too. She suggested a teaspoon on apple cider vinegar half an hour before eating a meal to help with the digestion process. It is an acquired taste, but I'm giving that a go too.

Your doctor will try to prescribe tablets but these can cause problems with vitamin and mineral absorption and when you stop them it can make the acid problem worse (it did for me). Best to try lifestyle changes first if possible.

Thanks for that info, really useful.

I tried apple cider vinegar yesterday, 1 teaspoon in a glass of water it seemed to help. I don't know whether I've got low or high stomach acid, how can you tell the difference? I just know I'm belching all the time and it seems to trigger the palps..

[Sammiejane]

Hi Tracey e

As I'm only on estrogel do you think an Imbalance between estrogen and progesterone could be causing my hairloss rather then the estrogel itself ?
When u take your utrogestan do u have worse shedding ?

Have you tried a patch at all ?

[Bobidy]

Interesting Birdy, I'll give that a try x

[Tracey E]

Hi Tracey e

As I'm only on estrogel do you think an Imbalance between estrogen and progesterone could be causing my hairloss rather then the estrogel itself ?
When u take your utrogestan do u have worse shedding ?

Have you tried a patch at all ?

I think my hair loss dose increase slightly on the Utrogestan phase yes. I have tried patches but the palps were worse on them (Evorel Conti). However Femseven I loved but unfortunately not in production at the moment.

Thanks for all the info on the acid tests Birdy much appreciated.

Countrygirl (vagus nerve) something is triggering this in me, pretty sure it's my constant wind.

[Tracey E]

Well having upped to 2 pumps of  Estrogel my palpitations appear to have disappeared. Yipeeee!!! 

[Bobidy]

Yey, that's great. It really does make you realise how lack of oestrogen affects all the body doesn't it.

[Jari]

That's good news Tracey!

Keep posting how it's going! X

[Tracey E]

Well I've had a pretty dire weekend of palpitations, indigestion (gastric bloating), so I've come off the Estrogel yesterday. Pretty sure it was causing all these issues.

Are there any other Estrogen alternatives out there or are they all pretty much the same compounds?

Thinking of going back on topical Estrogen via the vaginal route coz taking Estrogen any other way seems screw me up. Don't understand why it's taken so long for the side effects to show, maybe it was the gradual build up of Estrogen in my body.

Cold turkey for me as the side effects of Estrogel are just too much for me. 

[Turkish delight]

Hia Tracey!

Sorry that you're still suffering. We are in it together, you and me.

I'm a bit further down the line as stopped all hrt almost 2 weeks ago cold turkey(started in Feb this year)after having mega bloating and loose stools. Did this under Docs instruction. I'm peri age 52 to answer your previous question. Doc told me to stop hrt inclu vagifem for 2 weeks and kind of reverse engineer back on to see what scausing it. I still have my symptoms so not sure what I'll do next. Have to report to Doc soon and see what he says.

Good luck with stopping hrt, hopefully you'll be feeling like yourself soon. x

TD

[juliemargaret]

Please do let us know how you feel after stopping the estrogel tracey.
Xx