Where is my period?

[Outoftheblew]

I’m 52, nearly 53 and have been trying to get settled on HRT for 2 years. Can only tolerate the smallest doses of oestrogen as more than 1 pump a day will lead to jitters, teeth gnashing, anxiety, ringing ears and awful aches and pains.

If I stop progesterone my sleep is appalling and when taking progesterone alone I bloat so badly and have moon face, water retention etc.

Up until now my periods have been sickeningly regular (I can’t wait for them to stop), turning up every 28-30 days like clockwork.

This month though I’m now on day 36 and nothing. I have a low grade constant headache, the teeth gnashing feeling and feel lightheaded and incredibly tired. I’m now wondering if these symptoms are actually low oestrogen and my daily 1/2 to 3/4 pump isn’t enough and it wears off - the symptoms could then be my oestrogen levels dropping off rather than being too high?

As an aside where on earth is my period? Should I try increasing the oestrogen? Stop the daily 100mg progesterone to see if it turns up or could this actually be it? And they’ll never return 🙏 or maybe they’ll just start being irregular?

What are the symptoms of ear pressure, slight tinnitus, tension in my jaw and low grade headache from? Too high or too low oestrogen? Surely at the very end of my cycle my oestrogen levels should be rock bottom?

So confused.

I’ve not had other symptoms, but my period was always super regular and in the past months has become erratic. I actually thought I was done as I had nothing for 4 months and then one showed up. Apparently you’re only considered to be done once you haven’t had one for 2 years, so they obviously come and go.

Well, the thing about peri is that things are all over the shop.
So, even on HRT, your periods may be irregular. That could be longer/shorter cycles, less or more bleeding, more of less of other symptoms (cramps/headache, etc) and, annoyingly, this could carry on for years.
If you read a few other threads in the menopause section, you'll soon see that 'irregular' is the only consistency ...

Yes I do realise it would be highly unusual for them to just stop but I can hope 🤣

Did you get strange symptoms whilst waiting for it to turn up? I feel awful! I hope it passes

The amount of gel is tiny. It's 1/4 of the normal dose.

What are the symptoms of ear pressure, slight tinnitus, tension in my jaw and low grade headache from?

These don't sound like anything to do with HRT or hormones. It may be better to have those assessed and see if you a problem with your ears , maybe? Do you grind your teeth?

If you're using Utrogestan daily, your womb lining isn't building up so no bleed. And your own periods are likely to have stopped too at your age. Maybe you will have some more but at the moment you're not.

Did you choose to take HRT continuously to help with sleep?
You might find using more estrogen is better.

Tinnitus is related to changing hormone levels.

https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/tinnitus-perimenopause-and-menopause

https://tinnitus.org.uk/understanding-tinnitus/living-with-tinnitus/tinnitus-and-menopause/

I had tinnitus and ear pressure for a couple of years before starting HRT - it just came out of nowhere. It was investigated and the ENT consultant told me it was likely linked to being perimenopausal.

It went away after I started HRT, but I'm not exactly sure when - it's just not there now and hasn't been for some time.

Botox can help you with the jaw tension. I'm not sure that would help you with the tinnitus or ear pressure though. ENT consultant said HRT trial is the usual suggestion in women of menopausal age who have additional symptoms (which I did, and it worked for me, thank god!)

Thanks all, woken up to my period this morning and the mother of all headaches which has been brewing for the past week. I can feel my heart beating in my head. So sick of this, I’m hoping that when they stop my hormones will just settle at a level and perhaps I can properly add HRT in. At the moment I feel there must be huge fluctuations as I just can’t seem to feel right on it.

Maybe go back to the normal use of HRT for someone in peri which is HRT on a cycle and not using continuous.

You're too young and still having too many natural periods to be using continuous HRT.

When I was first on HRT my consultant put me on a 3-month cycle of estrogen only for 10 weeks. That way I could find the right dose of estrogen.

It's just my opinion but you're not getting any benefits in 1/4 or half a pump you may as well not bother. (The lowest patch is 25 mcg and that's the same as 1 pump of gel.) If you stop you may find you have all the same issues you have now and that could be because of low estrogen.

If you're taking progesterone every day you're just 'zapping' the role that estrogen has and getting all the downsides.