Brain fog - how did you get rid of it?!

[WhiteAmericanoNoSugar]

I'm on Everol 50 for six months now. I don't date increase the hrt dose as I have family history of breast and ovarian cancers. When the GP recently prescribed it, I read the increased risks of these and got scared off. Does testosterone help? Or anything at all! It's debilitating.

Thank you. I actually saw a gynaecologist with specialism in menopause who prescribed the Everol patches. I told her my mum had breast cancer and my sister had it at a young age and maternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer.

I went back to her when the brain fog wouldn't clear and she prescribed testosterone gel which I'm too scared to take after reading again the increased cancer risks on the instruction sheet.

I have been having yearly mammograms too and did have an ovary scan a few years ago. I will ask for another. My mum had gene testing and so they said no need for me to have the same test as the results would be the same.

Maybe you ought to ask that Dr (or see another one) why you've been given a patch with a synthetic form of progesterone which has a higher risk profile?

You can also increase your estrogen by using a different form - gel or spray.

If you don't have the BRACa gene that's something but I'd still suggest you double check as presumably the gene can miss a generation between your mum and grandmother? (I don't know but that's how some genes work.)

I struggled really badly and am now on the following combo;
Estradiol gel X2 pumps daily
Progesterone
Testosterone (Testogel): this was really the icing on the cake when added and really improved cognitive function and energy etc.
Creatine: well worth a go.
Magnesium: I use a glycinate, malate,citrate blend.
Iron: my bleeding was quite erratic and heavy for a while and I was a bit anaemic.
Clean diet: low UPF, high protein, healthy fats.
Running
Strength training.

Testosterone cleared my brain fog. My career feels back on track. It also helped my joint pain.

I have just started on lionsmane...will update if it does any good!

Nouns and peoples names are my issue too! I'm bloody hopeless at times.

I've had my oestrogen increased, but so far no dice of getting my words back. 😩

I think for me - testosterone (once oestrogen levels had stabilised), creatine and lionsmane have helped. Throwing lots at the brain fog!

I’ve also heard once you are through the menopause it does get better. At the moment our brains are rewiring themselves (similar to puberty) then once they have rewired we will be better.

My 74 year old Mum has better cognitive function than me at the moment….she’s sharp as nails (she was also on HRT as went through an early menopause).

I agree with this. I still don’t have a perfect memory but the awful debilitating memory lapses that I had in perimenopause seem to have gone. It got to the point that I couldn’t enjoy reading as I couldn’t follow a plot and I thought I was going crazy. Now I am in menopause and it seems to be getting better. B12 has also helped.

You need to take 5mg of creatine daily for 3 months before you can judge fairly whether it has had an impact. What I have read recently is that all women, especially over 40, should be taking creatine daily.

Intermittent fasting and cutting carbs helped me. I found I felt sharper when I was a little bit hungry (could have been all the black coffee though!) and didn't get the afternoon sugar crash if I ate a healthy/ vegetable & protein first meal around 1-2pm. I fell off the fasting wagon though and feel a bit dull again now!

Omega 3 algae oil and ubiquinol help me.