Is it possible to feel worse on hrt? Or put another way, how do I know hrt is working? Lots of questions

[Lloydcolestilldoesitforme]

Hi
Hoping someone can help. I am in the throes of surgically induced menopause following the removal of my ovaries in December.

As expected I have been feeling pretty crap-ola. I had a mirena coil inserted during surgery but have not been given any oestrogen replacement therapy until a week ago, when I started a 50mg everol patch. I can't be sure but I think in some ways I feel worse since starting the patch. My moods are more erratic, it's feels like 15 mood changes an hour, much more emotional and the headaches are hideous. I still have the fatigue and forgetfulness I have always had, though I think I feel less hot. I also have this strange sensation of electricity running through me and my skin crawling. Before taking the hrt I actually felt much more balanced.
I am starting to worry as remember I couldn't tolerate the pill in any form and it sent me a bit bonkers/depressed. But I was producing oestrogen before as I had a regular cycle (though did have PCOS). So not sure why this is? Is it because it's essentially synthetic? I am not sure if the patches are not helping or if what I'm feeling is 6 weeks of no oestrogen at all and the dosage is too low to have real impact.
For those who have good experiences on hrt, what part of your previous cycle do you feel it most replicates? As I have feel this is extreme pms. I have an appointment at an menopause endocrine clinic in March and not sure if I should stop patch until then but worried about bone health or carry on and see if levels out .
Any input appreciated.

[pinkfrocks]

It could well be the dose is too low and / or has not built up in your system enough yet. You could go up to 75 mg patch. You might want to have your Mirena removed if that doesn't work. Some women finds it gives them bad PMT.

[Lloydcolestilldoesitforme]

Thanks. I was told I had to have progesterone as I still have my uterus so hoping it's not the mirenA. They advised the mirena as its a low dose progesterone apparently.. I think the thing is that emotionally I feel worse on the patch, I wasn't feeling like this before I started on it and I have now this extra emotional stuff plus all
Previous symptoms and extra headaches and bloating . I knew this was going to be crap. Just didn't realise it would be this crap!

[pinkfrocks]

Sadly you are going to have to experiment. The normal dose for women peri meno or even post meno is 37 or 50mgs patch ( that's the equivalent to 1.5 or 2mgs oestrogen as in pills / gel.)
With no ovaries now you may need more. Give it another month or so then ask to increase. If you were to use gel and not the patch you can increase up to 3gms a day by yourself by adding more each week. Realistically you cannot expect a huge improvement in 1 week on HRT- all drs say you give it 3 months then try another type. It's more likely you feel crap due to the impact of no ovaries and only 1 week on HRT.