When can you tell the HRT dose is too high??

[jonnyrose]

Hello

I've been on everol 50 for 3 months now. Main symptoms previous was crushing anxiety, hot flushes and brain fog and loss of interest in everything. I've never had a hot flush since I started. However the other symptoms have not shifted yet and if anything the anxiety is worse. I also have very tender breasts still from onset of HRT. So, could I be on too much? Should I drop down to a 25 mg Patch???

Is it the progesterone that makes you anxious? I stopped taking it every day. I dont take the progesterone tablet Tues, Thurs and Sat now. I feel a bit lighter. I think 🤔 or maybe it's spring coming?

If yr hot flushes have stopped then maybe oestrogen is right but progesterone is too high???
Tablets tend to be fixed amounts though.

I googled it and if you're prescribed to take it every day then taking it every second day isn't a risk.

I have the coil for progesterone and have had so for 15 years approx. So estrogen only patches.

If I have too much oestrogen, I end up with far worse insomnia and anxiety than pre-HRT, it’s brutal, but I think we’re all so different that all I can say is that halving my dose worked for me. (In contrast to Chanelno19EDT my body loves the utrogestan).

I had never even thought of this. I just assumed anxiety couldn't be treated with HRT. I have awful anxiety and am on HRT for just over 2 years. I also get awful chest pains at night that no medical exams. can explain. I have 2 pumps of Oestrogel and 1 tablet of Progestérone (I think it's 100g ?) every morning.

@ChanelNo19EDT Could you say where you have seen that it's okay to take half the dose? (on alternate days.)

That' s a bit risky because you (anyone) could end up with erratic bleeding.
The dose is either 200mgs for 12 consecutive days, or 100mgs daily.
The first ( 200mgs x 12 days) is for women in peri and the daily dose is for women who are post menopause, if they wish to change to a continuous/no bleed sort.

Well, I have decided to half my patch to 25 and see how that goes. I have persevered with the 50 for 3 months now and went from an increasing anxiety pre patch, to daily intolerable anxiety post.

I’m 50 with very regular periods.

My peri symptoms are mild anxiety, insomnia poor concentration, fatigue, weight gain, itching.
No hot sweats, flushing etc.

I started HRT, Oestrogen gel and within a week I was a shaking, jittery, anxious lightheaded mess with intrusive thoughts and nausea, stomach pains.

Ditched that and gave it a free month with nothing and tried again, this time with a 25mg patch.

This was slightly better but again within a week I had terrible back pain, anxiety and was tense and jittery. Terrific breast pain.

So I think it’s safe to say that I don’t need any more Oestrogen.

So, after doing some reading around the subject and realising that some menopause doctors prescribe just progesterone for perimenopause (it’s the first hormone to drop) I’ve been taking just 200mg Utrogestan for the 14 days of the luteal phase.

I sleep better, I’m calmer and I think I’ll be ok just doing this at the moment. If I start getting hot flushes then I know the oestrogen is low.

I just wanted to update. Plus give some insight into the experience I have had with crushing anxiety.

I've reduced my patch to 25 mg and my intense anxiety and jitters have improved dramatically.

Went onto HRT due to hot flushes and anxiety. Plus brain fog and muscle aches. 50 took away hot flushes in 48 hrs. Anxiety and jitters spiralled. I thought at the time maybe my anxiety is just increasing with peri menopause and 50 isn't enough. Went up to 75, it was even worse. So down to 50 and further to 25.

I've now been on 25 for the last 2 weeks and my jitters and anxiety/feelings of dread have all but gone. So the oestrogen I'm patch definitely exacerbated things. Hot flushes havent returned as yet.

Just my experience - but those with anxiety can be quite sensitive to adding in oestrogen so starting low can be potentially beneficial rather than thinking a big dose will be the answer!

Thanks for sharing - that's helpful to know x