Sore boobs on estrogel

[lurchermummy]

Those of you who have experienced this, how long did it take to settle down?

My already large boobs feel so sore and engorged and tender. Gp says it will settle down but it's been 3 months now. I'm using like half a single pump per day.

She says progesterone only HRT is not recommended and I can't have testosterone until my other hormones are balanced.

I believe I'm sensitive to estrogen as I used to get extremely sore boobs with PMT (partly why I had the coil fitted - now removed as I'm 57).

I'm currently on the bio identical progesterone tablets which I am happy with as they help me sleep.

Other symptoms like joint pain and lack of libido have not changed a bit.

Any one else been in this situation?
Thinking of stopping altogether as the boob tenderness is extremely debilitating.

I sympathise as i have the same issue

It didn't settle down for me. The painful breasts and terrible emotional symptoms were too much for me and I switched to estrogen patches. Symptoms resolved within a few days on patches.

@WhereAreWeNow oh that's interesting I tried the patches on a previous attempt at HRT but found they kept coming off - maybe worth another go

I know some people have problems with them coming off but I haven't had that problem. Estrodot are smaller than Evorel and stay on well IME. Just make sure skin is clean and dry (no greasy body lotion etc) and hold the patch down and give it a rub for a bit to make sure it's properly stuck on.
Not sure if maybe people who have trouble with the stickiness swim a lot or have hot baths maybe?

@lurchermummy Have you considered it might be the micronised progesterone, not estrogen doing this?

I believe I'm sensitive to estrogen as I used to get extremely sore boobs with PMT

It's usually the progesterone in our own natural cycles that cause boob pain as part of PMS.

If you're using Utrogestan every day I'd be tempted to say think about changing to a sequential type for 3 months (where you use it for 12 days a month) and see how that feels.

You're using a minute amount of gel - in fact so little it won't be doing much at all. Half a pump is nothing- it's less than the lowest 25mcg patch.

Is there a reason you're on such a low dose?

I came on here to start a threat about sore boobs and HRT and found this.

I'm only two weeks in so wanted to see if that was normal.

@JinglingSpringbells thanks but no I don't think so because when I pretty much stopped using the gel my boobs went completely back to normal, but GP said it wasn't advisable. She said I needed to use some oestrogen with the progesterone as using it alone increased the risk of breast cancer - she advised me to try using "just a smidge" - half a pump is pretty much the smallest amount I can use. I found this confusing tbh as I always thought it was the oestrogen that raised the risk of breast cancer.

@WhereAreWeNow thanks I don't swim or use saunas etc - I actually have quite dry skin - but I will ask about the patches, maybe because it's released over a longer period of time it helps?

On HRT for 2 years mine still hurt for a few days each month. I had them checked and they found a lump - it was benign fibroadenoma.

She said I needed to use some oestrogen with the progesterone as using it alone increased the risk of breast cancer -

What she said is a bit muddled.
The risk of HRT is when you use estrogen + progesterone.
Progesterone on its own doesn't increase risk.
Estrogen on its own doesn't increase risk. (women on estrogen only hrt have less breast cancer than women not on HRT at all.)

The biggest risk is estrogen+progesterone every day.

You can have another coil at 57 if you wanted to instead of using utrogestan but the risks of breast cancer are slightly higher than with body identical progesterone.

@JinglingSpringbells Estrogen only HRT can only be taken by women without a womb. So for those with their uterus E & P is the norm - either with daily P or 14 days on/off. Why is this the greatest risk?

@JinglingSpringbells I'm happy enough with the progesterone tablets to be honest, they seem to help my sleep, I don't especially want to go through another coil insertion. It only seems to be the estrogen that bothers me.