Peri Woes - any thoughts?

[PeriAndBright]

I’ve been on HRT for a year. I asked for it initially because I was struggling with fatigue, low libido, insomnia and forgetfulness. I think it did help, sadly not the insomnia, but I definitely had more energy.

After 6 months I noticed my clitoris had got smaller and my libido hadn’t really altered, but then I left my relationship and came off the pill, so my hormones were probably all over the place. After a consultation I then got Testosterone, privately at first, which was taken over by the NHS. During the private consultation I was advised to switch to the gel HRT rather than tablets and use the T alongside and keep using the vaginal E cream. Things seemed ok for a while and I definitely had more energy using both the E gel and T gel.

However since June I’ve had a short period literally every other week, it’s ridiculous. Just started another one after my previous only stopping for a few days. Also noticed thicker hair on my upper thighs where I used to be totally hairless, and my scalp hair drastically thinning. Coupled with my arms suddenly seeming to lose all muscle tone and despite 4 weekly weights workouts, my bingo wings have always been big but now are flappier and looser than ever! Huge belly looking pregnant even when eating a very healthy, clean diet. It’s like I’ve aged overnight. I turned 43 not long ago but previously I’ve been complimented on my skin, looking younger, things like my hairdresser always said I had lovely thick, healthy hair. At my appointment a fortnight ago she agreed it was definitely looking thinner and not as healthy as usual. My face suddenly looks more drawn, darker shadows, deeper forehead wrinkles and just generally not looking or feeling good.

I’ve called my doctor to get advice on if I need to reduce the T or E, and waiting for a callback next week. Obvs will ask if I need to get my bloods done again or just taper off the T, or what? But it’s such a shame as I feel like I did have my energy back when I added the T. However I don’t want to risk being bald and whatever the hell is going on with my body and skin continuing to decline at this rate. I have scalp psoriasis anyway so really can’t afford to lose any more coverage! I don’t know what the options might be.

Basically is this hair thing reversible and has anyone experienced similar with either HRT and/or T and had to stop?

No answers, I'm afraid, but I'm bumping for you.
I've been prescribed testosterone but am reluctant to start ot because of the sort of thing you have experienced.
Which type of testosterone and what dose have you been on? Someone might be able to share their experiences.

Sorry to hear this.

How long have you been on the testosterone and what dose are you taking?

What dosage of oestrogel and what progesterone are you taking?

To add - I have thick hair and it started to fall out dramatically a few years ago after a period of illness and stress. I had blood tests at GP and all were fine. But I started to take B Complete B vitamin oral spray and the hair loss stopped. Don't know if it was coincidence.

I would deffo ask for blood tests to address the hair loss, including your T levels, as too high a dosage of T can cause hair loss. But tell them all your symptoms because I think you'll need more than a testosterone test.

https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/gp-resources/testosterone-therapy/

My menopause centre are a private clinic but their advice pages are very good, and they follow the National Menopause Society
guidelines.

Thank you all for bumping/replying!

I started off on the standard dose of T (pea size dot of the little sachets of testogel) and it seemed ok for a fair few months. Started that in mid Feb, and it’s only been the last few weeks I’ve noticed the hair issues.

@SodThisHeadache I hadn’t thought about stress, but I have also had an incredibly stressful time with my dc which I hadn’t considered before, so I guess there’s a chance the hair loss could be connected to that issue, which is now thankfully resolved. Maybe my body will start to level out? I think I’ve been living in fight or flight. I will look into that site and the Vit B, thanks.

the Oestrogel is 2 pumps, progesterone is 2 round tablets for the first 12 days of the month. However with my periods being haywire there’s obviously something not working harmoniously!

since I noticed the hair loss, I’ve reduced washing my hair a lot, which is feeling grim for me as I normally wash every day due to the creams for the psoriasis making it greasy. I think the loss itself has slowed down thankfully, but hair still feels very thin. It’s due a dye touch up but I’m not risking any chemicals on it right now. Still waiting on a callback from the GP who prescribed the T and I’ve got a review with the menopause specialist at the surgery too.

I think the skin, weight, hair (and much worse insomnia than usual - forgot that bit, 3.15am every day I’m wide awake no matter when I go to sleep) has all scared me a bit. It was a real shock to see how quickly I looked so haggard despite doing everything “right”!

Increase your estrogen. In my humble opinion it very much sounds like you need more - you might be a low absorber, it’s hard to tell, its so personal.

Or try a different route - spray or patch x

thank you @Lostribbons I did wonder if that might be a potential solve. But I didn’t want to do that before checking with the GP. I’m still on the pill and at my last check I already had a good level of oestrogen, but when prescribing the T they switched me to the gel as apparently it’s better absorbed/more effective. So I wondered if with a third pump I’d now be getting too much. Clearly something is out of whack! My face skin is a mess too, weird dry patches appearing randomly 🙄 feel like the annoying new symptoms never end, once I sort something another pops up

Yes, I also wondered this. If you've been on the same 2 pumps all the time then it may be that you need more now (that you've lost more of your own natural oestrogen).

They've now upped the max gel oestrogen doses, so am presuming they're not as effective always. I've found the patches better than gel personally.

How often are you applying the T gel?

That’s interesting @herbetta I didn’t know they’d upped it.

I went from 1 oral pill to 2 pumps when I started the T back in Feb, was told then this is the standard starting dose for HRT gel. The T is one pea size blob per day. At the start of being on the T everything seemed to be ok and for about 3/4 months the only effects seemed to be positive, energy and libido did improve but sadly no result for the clitoral atrophy, then libido massively suddenly decreased again like an off switch and all this skin, hair and weight stuff followed soon after. I can’t see the HRT doc for another few weeks so hoping the hair situation doesn’t get much worse by then. I don’t know if to just stop the T completely or if that would make it even worse!

I decided personally to reduce my T doseage / frequency - so I use half to one pea a couple of times a week only.

I’m reading up on it more now @herbetta and I might have to do that too. I can’t talk to the doc who prescribed me the T until late Sept, however I can see the doc who prescribed the HRT in a couple of weeks. I’ve been reading not to make any changes without speaking to the professionals. But I really don’t want to keep doing the same thing for more weeks if it’s going to exacerbate the negative side effects.

I just put a tiny half pea of the T on today so I might do that every other day until I can speak to the HRT doc. I’m also unsure if to stop my pill, which is progesterone only. But I’ve read that not enough P can cause the irregular bleeding, yet too much can cause bloating, which I’ve definitely got. I’ve then read that not enough oestrogen can cause the saggy rashy skin issues, but not enough can also cause the irregular periods and bloating. Then not enough T can cause the low libido, energy, loss of muscle tone etc, but too much T could be the thinning scalp hair. Essentially I’ve no idea and basically it’s all a big mess and my body is falling apart 😂

Oh and I forgot to mention the weird ear pressure/blocked feeling! That was a new problem that came on suddenly last week, all of a sudden feeling like my ears were muffled. I’ve read that’s a sign of low oestrogen so I think I definitely need to up that and lower the T, but with the P I’m really not sure.

The hair loss makes me think your ferritin is under 70