High estrogen due to HRT

I apologize. It is pg/ml   Just I was upset.   This was total estrogen serum.  Do you happen to know the difference ??! My dr did call me today.  And he is getting up in his years  77.  And he thought I was in menapause   He unfortunately could t remember I still getting my periods    I  should of never of been on prempro .   So now have to just wean off.   I will be 52 tomorrow.  I wonder after stopping this hormone   Menapause will actually come ??!   Thank u for your response 

No worries Lisa, I totally get being upset and unless you are used to looking at labs it can be very confusing.  

Ok, so you are 52 and still having periods.  Are they regular?  Typically you are getting close to the average age of menopause.  But your original post said you were having peri symptoms, and that's the reason for the Prempro.  

So there are many many types of estrogen in a women's body, but the three that are often discussed are E2= Estradiol (The predominant female estrogen in our young furtile years) E=1 Estrone (the predominant female estrogen after menopause) and E3= Estriol (a weak estrogen but somethng we have a huge amount of during pregnancy as it's made by the placenta)  So this huge number you saw on your labs, was mostly made of estradiol and estrone.  (However must throw in here that you were using Prempro which contains synthetic estrogens, so those lab may have been measuring and reflecting some of those additional estrogens).

Now as far as menopause coming, there is nothing you can do to stop it.  It will happen whether you are on hormones or not.  As one example, some women are put on a Birth Control Pill when they develop peri symptoms.  If they are lucky enough to find one that works well and makes them feel right, they can/do stay on it for many years.  But their ovaries continue to wind down anyway, and when they get closer to meno age, their doctors will take them off the pill and see if indeed they have reached menopause and periods stop completely.  Make sense?  So what I'm suggesting, is that the prompro was propping up your system, but menopause will still happen. 

But this is an interesting situation.  So you've taken the Prempro for 15 months, and my guess is that originally it did make you feel better?  But you've recently had anxiety, hair loss and poor sleep? Just something to consider, but your body has continued to change in these 15 months, possible you aren't metabolizing the estrogens as well as you once did and now they are building up in your system.  

You might consider tapering to try to get away from a harsh let down coming off hormones. While you are taking a small dose, you can use a pill cutter to reduce the dose, or go to an every other day dose schedule to reduce your overall exposure.   

And by the way, happy birthday!      

Thank you so much for all this information!  In the beginning it did..but then past say 4 months..i felt worse, more nervous and my mind just cannot settle down at times ...but seems to be better as i have started to taper down immediatley...my dr said to stop cold turkey, but i am to much afraid of a hormone crash!..so this is day 5 and down 1/4 of a pill...i am on prempro .3mg/1.5 mg..i was only taking 3/4 of a pill anyways for the past 6 months...so i figure try 2 weeks now on the 1/2 of pill and if ok, i will switch to 1/4 for another two weeks, then 1/8 for a month...do you think taking the Prempro has caused a delay in menapause? as before i took it my periods were becoming irregular...thank you very much for the birthday wishes ...

Lisa, I think your plan sounds fabulous for tapering down. The amount you are taking is very small, but boy those hormones have a big impact on our systems.  

Has it caused a delay in menopause?  The answer is NO.  Your ovaries will continue to age and slow down no matter what you take.  The difference is, yes, taking hormones can cause you to still have a period.  (example: I was menopausal for 4 years, no periods at all.  Went to a doc who believes getting your system running again will help you feel normal.  With a low and go slow replacement therapy I was back up having normal 5 day periods every 28 days.  Periods didn't mean I wasn't menopausal, just that I was taking enough hormones to create my uterus to have a monthly bleed again)  Hope that makes sense to you.  But just remember, my ovaries weren't producing anything any more. This was all from taking hormones.  So another way to look at this is the hormones you are taking could prop up your failing system, but they won't stop your ovaries from failing.  

What I find somewhat curious is that your ovaries were pushing off enough to give you irregular periods before the Prempro.  That product has both synthetic estrogen and progesterone and SHOULD over time make you not bleed, as the daily progestin in the pill would prevent your lining from building up.  Sometimes, menopausal women who start Prempro might have a random bleed, but as I said, it will stop as your body adjusts to the daily combination.  Again, this is because the daily progestin should limit (or completely inhibit) your lining from getting thick.   

You might want to consider continuing with a small piece of the Premarin, if you find an amount that your body feels good with.  

Ok I simply have to ask.  (Hope you don't mind)  But you were running a high estrogen level, and I know you didn't feel good.  But did you see any other signs of excess? Painful breasts?  Bloating?  How about your figure?  Did you have excess fat you couldn't get rid of?  How about your skin and hair?  Did either change texture?  Sorry I know this sounds silly, but I'm looking for a some specifics of what this was doing to your overall being, if you don't mind sharing.    

Hi, first thank you for taking the time to explain all this to me.  Makes me feel much better understanding what these hormones are doing to me!  I fiugred it would slow the process, but what I have read in your message makes complete sense.  I wonder now if i didnt start the Prempro, if i would of had fewer periods?  They were coming the months of april  frequently..every two weeks, exception this last month..was 27 days.   I will make sure in say 2 or 3 months to get another blood test and make sure my levels are dropping.  I assume they will.  I am down to 1/2 pill of dosage 0.3mg/1.5mg of prempro... will be a week tomorrow since cuting it down, i feel ok so far.  hoping some of the anixety and nervousness will leave me sooner then later!  i do feel a tiny bit better already!   

In reference to your last paragraph, my God, my hair started falling out immediately upon using the Prempro! and stopped growing pretty much, and horribly dry! skin is ok..thank God.   A tiny bit in belly area, but i am an yoga instructor and work everyday on my core...but theres a tiny bit there that wasnt.  boobs are ok, in beginning the were swollent though.  I guess i should of figured that out in beginning, but i was assuming it was just side effects ...i Pray now my hair will grow! I am a Matron of HOnor next June for my sister's wedding, and would love my hair to look nice..

Thank you again for your time, i hope these messages help others who also may have this issue.  You know much about all these things. Are you a dr? nurse? or just from experience?  have a great day!

None of the above. I've been a natural birth educator since the 80s and read a ton of research. When peri hit me I started researching and been doing it ever since. Unfortunately personal experience fueled my quest. HRT isn't always that easy. I've gone to medical conference on aging and hormones. So while I'm not a practioner I have a strong background in women's issues and a couple decades of research in my head. 

good morning, thank you so much for replying to me....I am gald to know that the high estrogen is the root of my problem! feeling so shaky and hard time sleeping alot of nights! i have read its an excitable hormone estrogen.  it robs the body of melintonin and zinc. I do use a progesterone cream, is that what your using? or are you taking a pill.  I have read a bit about this Dim, i may try after i come off of the HRT, and hope my levels return to normal.  Oh its hell for sure. trying to get through some days is just very hard. thank you for helping me out ..please let me know of the bhrt progesterone. feel well 

Morning Lisa, I take my progesterone orally in a troche that dissolves under my tongue. I have it made by a compound pharmacist. Might be wirth consider taking the dim while you're coming off the hrt as it will help your body break down and get rid of the bad estrogen that causes these problems. It's such a simple and affordable supplement that can have a lot of benefits.

GM, i am already feeling bettter cuting out 1/4 of the HRT...been only 4 days...i will wait i think 2 weeks though before the next decrease ...Do you know if the Oral progesterone would work better then the cream? i use the cream, and supose to give a break once a month for a week. since i still having periods. I never tried the DIM.  But i may consider it, I am afraid to take anything anymore ..thank you again for your help.. hope your well.