Dizziness and Palpitations

[Lissaaz]

Hi I'm 40 and have been having issues with dizziness, palpitations and hot flushes for a couple of months which have gradually got worse and are now daily with a fuzzy head and fatigue all the time.

The GP has been great and have ruled out anything serious and ran some hormone blood tests, the oestrogen level came back as 71 which they said was low and could be perimenopause, so prescribed me the Evorel Conti patches and said this should help my symptoms.

How long do these take to work and have they helped anyone with similar symptoms? Has anyone tried anything else that's has helped alongside them? I'm just fed up, I have had to take time off work and just want to feel normal again.

I think you could potentially expect to feel the benefits of HRT pretty quickly if peri is the issue. Interesting that your GP has prescribed HRT that is for people who have been through the menopause though. I think the Sequi version is for peri.

In terms of what else could be going on - did you request copies of blood tests? You might be interested to see your ferritin levels. GPs aren't great when it comes to optimising your levels.
You might find this website helpful
https://theironprotocol.com/

Thank you for your message, I will look into the link below. I think they have done most bloods and I have low vitamin d and slightly low calcium and slightly raised inflammatory markers but everything else ok. The reason for the combined patch is because I'm on the pill and haven't had a period for years on it so she said I will need the combination one for that reason.

Did you have thyroid checked and if so what were the results? Its not unusual to develop underactive thyroid in peri/menopause and some of the symptoms are dizzyness, fuzzy head, headaches, palpitations, but then also these symptoms can be some of your low readings and peri/menopause in itself

HRT is often used in peri, not just for menopause, I have that option at the moment but havent taken it up yet (apart from vaginal pessaries)

Yes. thyroid all came back normal that was one of their first thoughts. The doctor said my oestrogen level should be above 200 and mine was 71 so hoping that is what is causing symptoms and really hoping the patches work.

You need someone with more specialist knowledge to come along, but my understanding is that blood tests for hormone levels aren't accurate if you're on the pill because the pill has an impact on the body's natural hormone levels.
Were you on a combined one or POP?

I have been having palpitations for a few years and they got to a point that they would wake me up.

I stopped eating sugar and bread. Now I get a few per day but nothing like they were.

I think in perimenopause our body is changing and so needs less of some things and more of others.

You'd not usually be given HRT as a conti form . This is for women post menopause with no periods.

The fact you're on the Pill doesn't change anything and many young women are prescribed the Pill as a form of HRT.

I think your GP should refer you to someone who knows about early menopause if that's what is going on.

Did you check the results yourself though or did you just get told they were ok?

Hi @Lissaaz , did your symptoms improve? Many thanks

@Abby8989 Yes they did, it took a couple of months to settle but now I hardly have issues at all, I get the occasional hot flush and dizzy spell but nothing like they were so more manageable. I did have to change the HRT I was on to tables and gel, the patches gave me a rash from the adhesive and was leaving marks for weeks so my doctors changed it and things have still been good.