Any experience with estrogen in peri?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi everyone, 

I had a question about estrogen. I was given progesterone to take without being tested. After a few months, I was feeling awful (dizzy, heart palps, very short of breath, depression and anxiety went thru the roof). Took it upon myself to do saliva testing and when I got the results back, my progesterone levels were sky high, and estrogen was in the very low normal catagory. My Progesterone to estrogen levels (as you can imagine) are out of balance. My doc just told me to quit using the progesterone cream for awhile and I quit cold turkey. Not advisable by the way, I felt like I was going thru a drug withdrawal. Anyhoo, I couldn't stand the depression and anxiety any longer and felt like I needed some estrogen. I bought some bioidentical estriol cream and used the lowest dose, and for the past few days, I have felt like a person agian.

I still have a uterus and know that any estrogen needs to be balanced out with progesterone, but since my levels are so elevated, and I felt like crap while taking it, I don't know what to do. My doc is so unwilling to give me anything, as she thinks my hormones are not that imbalanced. (I certainly feel like they are badly imbalanced, anyone who deals with horrible depression, dizziness and anxiety knows this)

Does anyone here with peri have any experience taking estrogen, while still having a uterus?  I am at my wits end and want to have more good days like I have had but dont' want to risk hurting myself just taking estrogen. 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    It's a pain isnt it when you have to take matters into your own hands because those who can won't help. I'm really suffering with depression, am on ADs but theyre just not shifting it at all. Doctor won't prescribe HRT as i have high blood pressure ( which he's now treating me for), and because i have the occasional migraine with aura.

    I would like to do the saliva tests for peace of mind that my depression is in part hormonal, where do you get the kit from (pm me if necessary)? Ive also thought about coming of the pill (progesterone only) to see if that helps.

    I'll keep watching your thread & i hope someone comes along with some useful info, take care xx

    • Posted

      Hi Tina, I'm so sorry you are in the same situation. It is very frustrating that these docs don't offer more help. I have to use myself as a guinea pig o find relief. I am in the US and found that ZRT Labs does home saliva test kits. So worth every penny. My doc wouldn't even test me! But she was very quick to put me on progesterone cream at a high dose, then tell me to just increase when I was having horrible symptoms. Now she sees the test results are elevated and just tells me to stop. No answers or willingness to try some estrogen to see if it will help balance me. She doesn't think my symptoms are all that bad. Ha! If only she could feel how I feel. I am so angry. Yes, Hopefully someone knows something and can chime in. Hope you feel better xx
  • Posted

    You do need to be careful taking hormones however natural they are as your risks are the same as if you were taking actual HRT, if your gp says they are balanced, then your gonna knock one out again, you dont want one higher than the other, and you dont want one going to low either, but how will you know? hormones going to high, can be as risky as them going to low.  Also,  if you have fibroids taking in oestrogen will make them continue to grow, as it is their food, and specialists prefer you to take nothing as menopause causes them to shrink, maybe as soon as you start to feel balanced again come off it, wouldnt take them long term without getting your balances tested again, trouble is, blood tests are very unreliable during peri as our hormones fluctuate so much, so how does the dr know for sure they are balanced all the time, typical drs answer, your fine your fine, cos your tests say so, well why do i feel like this then............arrgh
    • Posted

      Elaine, I agree. It scares me to add estrogen without the ok from my doc, but she has been so unhelpful. I need to find another hormone doc and soon. She is always in a hurry to get out of the room and onto the next patient, I don't think she hears half of what I've even said. How sad when they act that way and you are clearly in distress. The medical field makes me sad.
    • Posted

      Snowbell.........totally agree, the care has just gone completey hasnt it? you go and see someone else, and keep going until you find someone who is listening to you.

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