Do I have oestrogen dominance or low oestrogen?

[Vansbrowneyedgirl]

I’m 50 with the following symptoms - still have periods every 28 days, they are heavy for the first 4 days then 2 days of v light.

Poor sleep, wake up early hours literally vibrating. I’ll need the loo then when I get back into bed I get a hot flush. Lay awake hours.
Headaches
Achy joints
Itchy skin and dryness / soreness down below. Vulva skin feel burning inside which make me feel like I need a wee all the time
Weight gain
Fatigue
The rage, irrationality.
Often anxious
Unpredictable bowels. Often loose with urgency, sometimes out of the blue constipation.
Loss of muscle tone - cannot hold my wind / wee (when I need to go to the loo I NEED TO GO).
Loss of libido
Blurred vision / ringing ears

Considering HRT. So, what’s the issue here? Too much oestrogen? Low Progesterone?

If I have HRT I DONT want anything that will risk my stomach getting worse.

GP is happy to prescribe when I ready.

Should I have patches? Would gel be better on my gut?

All advice very welcome please so I know what to ask for.

Thanks

I’d go mirena coil for the heavy periods and gel, as you can control it, unlike patches.

Sounds like Peri symptoms to me. Did my peri symptom I have oestrogen only 50 patches and take utrogestan 12 days a month for my progesterone. You can get patches with combined progesterone and oestrogen but the progesterone is synthetic. Having utrogestan progesterone is body identical. You can have it with the gel, spray or oestrogen only patches x

sounds like peri menopause/low oestrogen to me. 50 is the average age for menopause and symptoms can start up to ten years before. Don’t delay go and see your doctor. I have oestrogen patches and a Mirena coil. I also take testosterone gel for low libido. I suffer from IBS and I found that I got constipated more often and my bowels generally slowed down with menopause, the patches have not affected this at all in fact I think it has helped although I also take a fibre drink every day too.

The problem is that both low and high oestrogen develop similar symptoms so it's difficult to know.
I use DIM tablets to detox the oestrogen I have...I always thought I had high levels after a blood test but we know these aren't that accurate.
They helped with loads of symptoms and I still take them now I'm on HRT

www.nutriadvanced.co.uk/dim-100mg-capsules.html

What are DIM tablets?

I'm confused, why would you take something to detox your oestrogen whilst also taking oestrogen???

“Detox the oestrogen I have” ? What on earth do you mean?! There is so much rubbish spouted about menopause - mostly designed to make you buy stuff.

There is no such thing as 'estrogen dominance' @Vansbrowneyedgirl
Going back a few decades, this was a term invented in the US by a Dr who wanted to sell (useless) progesterone cream to 'negate' estrogen.
There are still some commercial sites using this term (mainly the US and people read it online.)

All your symptoms sound like peri and low estrogen.
If you're happy to try HRT give it a whirl.
Patches or gel are better as they don't go through the stomach (like pills) so they are your best bet.

@VioletLillyRoseDaisyIrisJasmineDahlia What do you mean by detoxing estrogen?

Seriously, whatever you're buying is a waste of money and especially so if you're using HRT which is supplementing your estrogen levels.

A lot of that sounds like my symptoms prior to starting HRT - hugely improved on oestrogen patches and utrogestan (progesterone) 2 weeks per cycle. You might need topical oestrogen for the vaginal pain if it’s due to atrophy. Go speak to your doctor….

@VioletLillyRoseDaisyIrisJasmineDahlia there's a complete description on the site I've linked to.
Basically they give you a massive bit of cruciferous veg which detoxes your oestrogen and makes sure it goes down the right pathways, rather than negative ones.

It's not rubbish at all...a GP told me about it and I've been taking it for years with good effects. Please do not dismiss something you clearly know nothing about.

I had all of the same symptoms op. Got too much to cope with about 6 months after my 50th birthday. Already had the mirena coil in to help with heavy periods. Gp then prescribed HRT, oestrogen only. It's been a lifesaver. It's got rid of or reduced pretty much all of the symptoms for me.

Oestrogen is a hormone. It cannot be “detoxed” and will go down the right pathways all by itself.

Have you read the product info on their website?
It says it is a supplement for women AND men!
It also says that women in the 'child bearing years' can have estrogen dominance.

cruciferous veg which detoxes your oestrogen and makes sure it goes down the right pathways, rather than negative ones.

Using cruciferous veg does not make estrogen 'go down a right pathway' .

IF it worked, private consultants who aren't bound by the NHS prescribing guidance would recommend it. They don't.

These companies that sell this kind of thing work on the basis that consumers are vulnerable and don't understand science.

And more to the point, anyone with menopause symptoms should not be reducing their own estrogen unless for medical reasons with licensed drugs.

As far as I know, it is an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, and usually the first to drop is progesterone.

I am wary of going HRT, have done it, but I don't think any of us are adequately tested to understand exactly what our hormones are doing. Everyone gets the same prescription, and that just can't be correct.

I've gone lifestyle instead - no UPF, no sugar, lots of exercise and fresh air, magnesium and Vit D supplements, plenty of red meat.

I am 49 and my symptoms are actually ok. I get the occasional night sweat but that is usually 2-3 days after alcohol so my own fault.

As far as I know, it is an imbalanceof estrogen and progesterone, and usually the first to drop is progesterone.

Menopause symptoms are due to a drop in estrogen and no/erratic ovulation. Menopause is when no eggs are left. This is a medically established.

Progesterone is only produced after ovulation. Women who are post menopause have no progesterone in their bodies.

Progesterone (as part of HRT) is only given to protect the womb lining.
Many decades ago, when HRT was first used, some women were not prescribed progesterone with the consequence of endometrial over growth/ cancer.

At 49, @hamstersarse you might have a way to go before (if at all) you experience more symptoms. (I got to 53 before I had any but all the lifestyle changes possible didn't stop hot flushes and bone loss.)

@JinglingSpringbells I disagree with you and your posts do come across quite rude. I know you are knowledgable but there are nicer ways of dismissing people’s comments.

Anyway regardless of what you have said, oestrogen dominance is just the ratio between oestrogen and progesterone being out of balance. I have upped my progesterone and decreased my oestrogen and for the first time since starting HRT almost 2 years ago I have started to feel better.

I'm not buying anything!

Detoxing oestrogen? Cruciferous veg affecting hormonal pathways? What a load of tripe.

And terms such as oestrogen dominance are inaccurate, misleading and unnecessary.

The menopause occurs because of declining oestrogen, and then progesterone. Menopausal symptoms benefit from replacing oestrogen. The progesterone is mainly for endometrial protection. There’s no need for repeated testing of hormone levels, we prescribe based on symptoms and tweak dosing dependent on response.

@Krazykitty you might not like what @JinglingSpringbells says but she’s right. There’s no such thing as oestrogen and progesterone being “out of balance” - they’re not balanced naturally, thats how the menstrual cycle works….

Of course we need to optimise dosing for oestrogen and progesterone separately - if a woman is having oestrogenic side effects I would suggest reducing or altering her oestrogen. Ditto progesterone. But all this talk of dominance/balancing/detoxing is just fluff and guff.

https://deannaminich.com/the-best-foods-to-eat-for-supporting-estrogen-metabolism/

Eating and hormonal pathways

https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/menopause-and-perimenopause/progesterone-for-menopause-relief/#:~:text=During%20perimenopause%2C%20progesterone%20levels%20decline,causes%20a%20lot%20of%20trouble.

unbalance and sudden reduction in progesterone in peri menopause

It's easy to list a lot of data (as in the link) and imply/ suggest it proves something. The author says that 'this may suggest' or 'more research is needed' for almost everything that she lists.

Healthy eating is important but the problem with websites like that is they are usually selling something and the science is not sound. Most of the population without a science background won't understand those scientific terms or be able to make a proper assessment of the 'evidence'.

The links are to US sites. These theories are not accepted in the UK and the 'drs' writing on those sites are not medical doctors. The Women's Health Network is run by naturopaths.

However, everyone can make their own choices if they feel it's helping them.