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[Jeepers]

Hi all
 
Sorry, another question.  I have been on HRT for almost 18 months.  I started out with 2 pimps of Oestrogel and 100mg utrogestan, then added Androfeme in after 6 months, and upped my gel to 3 pumps.  However, I now feel like its not really working.  Been feeling rubbish, dizzy, achy, palps, headaches , super anxious etc.  Ive aslo had an outbreak of eczema and seem to have more skin allergies, my skin in now super sensitive.

So, can HRT simply stop working?  If ist not working, maybe I should start weaning myself off it.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

Thanks

Jeepers xx

PS, I stopped taking the Androfemme as I didn't feel it mad a difference

[Dotty]

Hi yes it can stop working. Maybe your own oestrogen levels have dropped and so you need more . Or maybe the Androfemme was helping you x

[shrosphirelass]

Jeepers, same has happened with me. I have gone from late peri to menopausal I'd guess, so I think my estrogen levels have dropped. Unfortunately, my GP isn't happy to prescribe anything other than a standard dose. He sent me for a blood test to check estrogen levels, but I know they're not really reliable and symptoms are the best indicator.

[Sgtvhilts]

Yep,
Did with me anyhow.
I just kept upping my patches and Femeston, to the chargrin of my GP. She is on side now though and she agrees to prescribe.
Current ref.= 1mgs Femeston (taken for progesterone only)
100mcg of patches.
It is a very long story how I got to this regime, but it is defo got rid of all my symptoms.
I will start reducing in about 6 months see what happens. I will start by slicing a bit off the patch.

[sheila99]

Are those the symptoms you had before when you were low on oestrogen? If so I'd suggest increasing it. Specialist said I could go up to 4 pumps if needed but so far I'm fine on 3. Just to add to the confusion I think you can get palps with too much oestrogen as well as too little though unless you're peri it's unlikely you're producing more of your own. Testosterone definitely improved my loww mood though so it might be worth using just for that. There's also a new post by someone who has been put on it to help with anxiety. It made no difference to my anxiety, it was oestrogen that sorted that out, but perhaps it does for some people. If it was me I'd take the Androfemme again and increase to 3.5 pumps and see if things improve. Good luck, I hope you find something that helps.

[Sgtvhilts]

Hi
Yes, sheila99. Oestrogen sorted out my anxiety . I have been ‘anxious' since a child, but this was different somehow as SSRI ( on them for 30 yrs) made no difference. The head fog went completely too. I am in a good place at the mo with my mood/hrt

[shrosphirelass]

I have a menopause clinic appointment but it keeps getting put back. Should have been September, then changed to January, then February. My GP is good , but he admits he doesn't know that much about treatment regimes, which is why I was originally referred to the clinic. He's written to them and asked them not to put it back again and asked for advice in the meantime re my reoccuring symptoms and VA.

[Sammiejane]

hi sheila 99

can i ask you as you are on the estrogel 3 pumps do you take progesterone at all. ?  and testosterone xx

can i ask you as yes i'm obsessing a little , lol 😂 how has your hair been on the regime ? i only ask as everyone pretty much knows that since i started hrt estrogen only it has caused my hair to fall out and since being in the gel 2 pumps can't increase to 3 as get bad consitpation  ! it's got a lot worse i've loose hairs everywhere . my hormone levels are up and down judging by blood results and this may be the reason for hair shedding g but my T is low and have just started that but i'm very worried that adding in T will make it worse

[kateJ]

hi sheila 99

can i ask you as you are on the estrogel 3 pumps do you take progesterone at all. ?  and testosterone xx

can i ask you as yes i'm obsessing a little , lol 😂 how has your hair been on the regime ? i only ask as everyone pretty much knows that since i started hrt estrogen only it has caused my hair to fall out and since being in the gel 2 pumps can't increase to 3 as get bad consitpation  ! it's got a lot worse i've loose hairs everywhere . my hormone levels are up and down judging by blood results and this may be the reason for hair shedding g but my T is low and have just started that but i'm very worried that adding in T will make it worse

Hi Sammie Jane,

When I first started on estrogel/utrogestan and later tostran, I definitely noticed shedding and was a little concerned, but now it has settled down to nothing. I am now on 3 pumps, 200mg cyclical of utrogestan and tostran about 3 times a week. Have just had some spotting, but will see the consultant at C & W about that soon. Otherwise, all good.

i can't see what doses you are on, but you might try playing around a little and see if that helps.

Kate

[Ladybt28]

Sgtvhilts- so glad to hear that after all your trials you are in a good place. 30 years of AD's made no difference to me either but 4 pumps of oestrogel and cycles of progesterone plus a little testosterone has cured issues I had since a teenager.  Hormones have a lot to answer for and not just in meno.

Jeepers - I'm not sure it "just stops working" I think that our bodies go through stages in the hourney and adjustments need to be made accordingly and yes lola's right GP's don't realise it's not static and that low dose for shortest possible time is not always effective.  Your body needs whatever fixes the symptoms.  I cant take utrogestan orally or continuously so at 57 I use my utro on a cycle and have a bleed and it works for me although GPs poo pah the idea and say I shouldn't be bleeding at 57 "its not necessary" - well it is because otherwise I couldn't take the utrogestan or any other progesterone which would mean that I couldn't have the oestrogen as I have to protect my womb.  I know from her posts that Sgtvhilts had to play around as she says but she eventually got to what worked just like me.  It may not be the receipe the doctors suggest but if it works, well up the dose and wait for it to settle and see whether you feel better if you do, well job done.  There doesn't appear to a really right or wrong way just a set of perameters to work in between.  If you are the top end of the scale and it works, so what as long as what you are doing is not totally outside the perameters. xx

[Jeepers]

Thank you all ladies

I'm trying to wait a little while before I try to increase. I know it's controversial, and we are told that oestrodose and oestrogen are the same, but I was using oestrodose for over two weeks, and I just felt worse and worse. I'm back on oestrogen now, so am hoping that things might improve again.

Jeepers xx

[sheila99]

hi sheila 99

can i ask you as you are on the estrogel 3 pumps do you take progesterone at all. ?  and testosterone xx

can i ask you as yes i'm obsessing a little , lol 😂 how has your hair been on the regime ?

I'm on Tostran every other day and utro 200mg 12 days per cycle, utro makes me tired. Can't say I've noticed my hair being any different, it's always been fine and thin and hairbrush looks like a hamster but I guess I replace as much as I loose. It hasn't stopped the grey either!

Jeepers - I forgot to say it was 3 months before oestrogen stopped my anxiety, it seems to be one of those symptoms that needs a build up over time. My anxiety wasn't as bad as yours seems to be though.