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Menopause

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Original poster

Nowhere else to go from 4 pumps?

18 replies

Mumsday · 10/04/2023 21:54

I’ve been on HRT for over a year and after increasing to 4 pumps oestrogel + 2 Utrogestan for 2 weeks out of 4 my symptoms had got quite manageable.

Then I had Covid at the end of December and gradually since then all my symptoms have come back. I now feel like I’m almost back where I started nearly 2 years ago.

I’m so, so fed up. I’m relatively young to be going through this and I now feel like I’ve got nowhere else to go. I do EVERYTHING else right - diet, weight, exercise, gut health, supplements etc. and yet still I feel like shit. All other tests (thyroid, B12, iron etc etc) are normal.

I don’t know what I’m asking really. Does the Covid disruption ever get better?

I’ve got an GP appointment in a couple of weeks and will raise all of this, but I don’t know what she will offer me as I can’t increase my dose further. I don’t think I need testosterone as libido is ok and brain fog not really a problem. Also prone to acne.

I just wanted some solidarity and to know I’m not alone. And to see if anyone else had problems after Covid but they resolved.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumsday · 11/04/2023 07:48

Bump.

Anyone?

OP posts:
CrystalMaisie · 11/04/2023 07:56

From what I have read, we all absorb the different types of oestrogen differently, so if one doesn’t work so well, try a different one. So if you’re on oestrogel, maybe give estadot a try instead?

JinglingSpringbells · 11/04/2023 08:59

Maybe this is more of a long Covid thing rather than menopause?

I can't see that adding more estrogen is the answer. To me, it sounds as if you just have to give your body time to adjust to the post-Covid symptoms. Depending on what you do (work etc) can you try to allow your body to recover and take it a bit easier for a while?

Original poster
Mumsday · 11/04/2023 09:54

JinglingSpringbells · 11/04/2023 08:59

Maybe this is more of a long Covid thing rather than menopause?

I can't see that adding more estrogen is the answer. To me, it sounds as if you just have to give your body time to adjust to the post-Covid symptoms. Depending on what you do (work etc) can you try to allow your body to recover and take it a bit easier for a while?

You could be right. It’s so difficult, isn’t it, when so many of the symptoms overlap.

My symptoms are exactly the same as the ones that led me to go on to HRT in the first place and it seemed to work quite well, which is why I feel it’s hormonal. But I know that there are more studies showing a link between menopause and long Covid, so the waters are definitely muddied.

I would love to take it easy but my life doesn’t really allow it, unfortunately (single parent, working).

I just want to feel like this is going to improve at some point!

OP posts:
DibbleDooDah · 13/04/2023 22:52

Covid messes with my periods BIG style. As did the jabs.

Have you had a different bottle style of Oestrogel since December? I did and all my symptoms returned. There are a couple of threads on here about it. My doctor switched me to Sandrena and after two weeks I was feeling a lot more normal again.

Original poster
Mumsday · 14/04/2023 19:01

DibbleDooDah · 13/04/2023 22:52

Covid messes with my periods BIG style. As did the jabs.

Have you had a different bottle style of Oestrogel since December? I did and all my symptoms returned. There are a couple of threads on here about it. My doctor switched me to Sandrena and after two weeks I was feeling a lot more normal again.

I’ve just been reading the thread about the different bottles. I got a new prescription at the beginning of March, which is actually when I started feeling really rubbish.

But it can’t be? I just can’t believe that it would be different due to a different bottle!

OP posts:
DibbleDooDah · 14/04/2023 21:59

Mumsday · 14/04/2023 19:01

I’ve just been reading the thread about the different bottles. I got a new prescription at the beginning of March, which is actually when I started feeling really rubbish.

But it can’t be? I just can’t believe that it would be different due to a different bottle!

Show quote history

I thought the exact same thing. That it couldn’t possibly make any difference. Within two weeks of the new bottle all my symptoms had come back and I hadn’t even read those posts. Everything slotted into place.

It’s worth asking your doctor to try Sandrena for a month. If it works then you have your answer.

Grimbelina · 14/04/2023 22:03

I had hormonal blood tests just before and then after Covid last Sept as my HRT just stopped working after Covid and the results were completely different and really shocked the Dr. I have struggled ever since to get back on an even keel with symptoms (and new ones) coming and going. It has frankly been a bit of a nightmare, like an acceleration of the menopause. I am sure Covid was something to do with it. I am hoping time will sort it out...

Original poster
Mumsday · 15/04/2023 11:59

I’m going to do exactly this. Thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumsday · 15/04/2023 12:00

Sorry, that was meant for @DibbleDooDah

OP posts:
Original poster
Mumsday · 15/04/2023 12:02

Grimbelina · 14/04/2023 22:03

I had hormonal blood tests just before and then after Covid last Sept as my HRT just stopped working after Covid and the results were completely different and really shocked the Dr. I have struggled ever since to get back on an even keel with symptoms (and new ones) coming and going. It has frankly been a bit of a nightmare, like an acceleration of the menopause. I am sure Covid was something to do with it. I am hoping time will sort it out...

I know for certain that Covid messes with my hormones. In fact, I think it was having Covid initially that speeded up my perimenopause in the first place.

The thing is, I think it was actually ok straight after this latest Covid infection. Symptoms started returning from about the beginning of March and I had Covid at the beginning of January. So maybe it’s not that.

I’m sorry you still haven’t got back on track.

OP posts:
CorsicaDreaming · 15/04/2023 12:56

I agree with you @Mumsday - I'm pretty sure Covid triggered my perimenopause. I track my periods on an app and had Covid badly for the first time in April 2022. From the next month, my periods shortened from a 27/28 day cycle to a 23/24 day cycle. Having been regular for years. Full-on peri set in end of last year (also triggered by some significant work related stress) and I'm now on HRT.

To be honest, jury's out on effectiveness of HRT for me, as after some crap times with Utrogestan, I've now got pneumonia and on second set of antibiotics!!!

So solidarity on them being linked (and Covid being the virus that just keeps on giving!) but not sure I'm currently a great boost for it getting better. Here's looking forward to a better second half of the year...

FWIW - I'm on 2 pumps of Estrogel and have got the curvy shaped bottles (not the cylinders) - and when everything else is on an even keel, it seems to work for me.

Are your bottles curvy or cylindrical?

DibbleDooDah · 15/04/2023 13:20

@CorsicaDreaming the curvy bottles worked great for me. The cylindrical bottles are the ones that are useless for me.

PlainSkyr · 15/04/2023 18:48

Read this:

Oestrogel: new packaging (yet again)? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/menopause/4696464-oestrogel-new-packaging-yet-again

PlainSkyr · 15/04/2023 18:50

I have had to move to 4 pumps this year after being on 2 pumps until December. I'm worried too - what do I do if 4 aren't enough?!

WombatCubes · 15/04/2023 19:08

I could have written your OP. In desperation after Covid I have recently resorted to over medicating on the 100mcg Evorel patch that I was prescribed (overmedicating myself to 150mcg) and I have a Mirena. I seem to get Covid about every 3 or 4 times a year. And each time I feel awful afterwards and this has helped a lot. I still feel exhausted and have some other long Covid symptoms but I think it’s helped with a lot of other things- joint pain, insomnia, itchy skin issues, dry itchy foof, dry eyes, headaches.
I didn’t have any peri symptoms at all before Covid and I definitely think it plunged me into peri which was absolutely awful.
Anyway I definitely don’t recommend anyone else do this but I have been feeling better by putting myself on 150mcg and am about to try to negotiate with my GP who won’t prescribe me any higher than 100mcg so far to see if I can keep it up.

Original poster
Mumsday · 16/04/2023 12:53

@CorsicaDreaming My current bottles are cylindrical. The curvy ones were what I had before. I’m starting to think there is a difference tbh.

I didn’t think long Covid could come and go? But maybe it can. I’m just sick of feeling awful all the time.

I’ve gone up to 5 pumps the last few days in desperation and possibly feel slightly better, although a bit nauseous. Pretty sure we shouldn’t have to self-medicate like this, but when there’s no knowledge about links between Covid and menopause what else can we do?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 16/04/2023 14:39

Yes Long Covid is worse some days than others - some days my DH can do a full days work, some he can manage only an hour or two - some days crippling headache and breathlessness, others none at all

Weirdest disease ever, my Dh is literally disabled from having caught Covid in school Sad

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