I'm one year post-menopause. On the estrogen patch for hot flashes. I have progesterone too, but my doctor told me it was for sleep. It's expensive, so I was only using it when I felt like I needed help with sleep. I didn't know I needed it to counter-balance the estrogen to prevent overgrowth of the uterine lining and subsequent UTERINE CANCER.

I've had vaginal bleeding off and on for several months. I thought it was just a side effect of the estrogen. I didn't think it was a big deal. I didn't know it's the most common symptom of UTERINE CANCER.

But when I called to get a refill of the estrogen patch and mentioned the bleeding to the nurse, she immediately scheduled an ultrasound. That ultrasound happened three weeks ago. I watched the technician mark several spots as "fib" on the ultrasound. Internet research tells me those are fibroids.

They told me a doctor would call with my results in 3 days. After 7 days with no update, I called the office. "Oh, oops. We had a note to call you. But with the holiday weekend and all..." 🙄

The lining of my uterus is thickened. They scheduled me for a biopsy. That term is, obviously, terrifying.

My biopsy was this afternoon. The doctor, who I'd never met before, tried her best to reassure me. She said they do about 2-3 biopsies a week, and she can't remember the last time there was a bad result.

But I'm still really concerned, because I let the bleeding go on for so long before I mentioned it.

Now I have to wait another week before I get the results.

Please, sisters, please tell me someone has been through this. Please tell me it's likely nothing serious and everything will be okay. I'm so scared.

I didn't know which flair to use, so chose Science.

The last couple years, my heart palpitations were so bad that I had to go to an emerg. There, they said my PVC is over 30%, so they referred me to a cardiologist. After many testes later, they said ablation is not an option since 30% is not enough.

Then I was put on Nextstellis for peri symptoms early this year, and it was gone!

Has anyone experienced or advised of the correlation by any chance?

Hey all, I'll be going on the one and only dose of Duavee. Currently I'm on the Sandoz .075 Estradiol patch. I'm progesterone intolerant and having the Mirena removed, I don't want another one. I'm 56 and one year post menopause.

For those of you who have 'moved down' in the estrogen dosage, how was that for you?

Frankly I think I'm a pretty crappy transdermal absorber with the patch as it is - Day 1 I'm in recovery, Day 2 I see colors and taste flavors again, Day 3 I'm headed into the dreaded E trough.

I am hoping so very much that this is not going to feel like a crash with the .045 conjugated estrogen dose in Duavee.

Thoughts?

Is anyone dealing with severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression. I’m sweating and my feet are super cold. I have nausea. My blood pressure is high and then low. I feel like I have a rock on my chest. Should i try HRT.

I’m 65 and went through menopause at 59. I recently started HRT—200 mg oral progesterone at night and a 0.05 mg estradiol patch twice a week. I just started last Saturday, so it hasn’t even been a week.
Since starting, I’ve been waking up feeling extremely exhausted. Not just a little tired, but sedated, foggy, and out of sorts all day. It’s the kind of all-encompassing fatigue where all I want to do is lie on the couch. I feel like a zombie.
I’m wondering if this is a common side effect when first starting progesterone. Did anyone else experience this, and if so:
Did it improve after your body adjusted?
About how long did it take?
Did you end up lowering your progesterone from 200 mg to 100 mg, and did that help?
One of the main reasons I decided to start HRT (along with a recent diagnosis of osteopenia) was that I’ve barely slept for the last few years. I typically wake up in the middle of the night and am awake for 2–3 hours. I haven’t noticed any improvement in my sleep yet, but I also realize it’s only been a few days.
I know it may simply be too soon to judge, but I’m concerned that I can’t function like this for very long. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who experienced similar fatigue in the beginning. Did it pass? Did you give it more time, or did you need to adjust your dose?
Thanks in advance for any experiences or advice.

I'm 56, on HRT Oestrogel and Progesterone. We are tweaking doses to stop bleeding. Question: I'm getting PMT symptoms monthly - does that mean im still ovulating?

So weird question ladies lol
I been on patch and vaginal estrogen Imvexxy now for a few months. It’s going ok. Also using vaginal moisturizer. Well lately like within last couple days I have had a feeling I’m leaking but when I run to bathroom to check there is nothing. Unless it’s residue from products I use. I don’t actually smell urine. There could be a small amount of course but I don’t detect it. Is this something normal that we are blessed with as we go through this meno process? I don’t want to keep being in fear of leaking. Or wear liners. Can this be fixed? With like pelvic floor exercises?

I went up on my estrogen about three weeks ago and this week I keep waking up with awful cramps. Advil works, but once I’m up, I’m up, which sucks. Why does it only happen at night?! I had an ablation several years ago and haven’t had a period, but it almost feels like the E has brought it back. Is that a thing? Additionally, I also got cramps after having an orgasm.😩 Again, nothing Advil can’t take care of, but just want to make sure it’s normal (I see my doc in a couple of weeks).

I’ve (49F) have been on oral estrogen (adhesive allergy) and 100mg progesterone for about three months. I’ve seen significant improvement in my sleep but have had super long, heavy periods which isn’t a normal thing for me. At my check in appointment today, my doctor recommended a mirena IUD to deliver the progesterone and minimize bleeding. My worry is that I will lose the sleep improvement by stopping the oral progesterone. Has anyone made the swap and still recognized improved sleep quality? Thank you!

Title says it. I tried all meds, they didn’t work caused permanent movement disorders that made depression 1000x worse gave me nerve damage. Hrt hasn’t helped me due to all progesterone causing the bad anxiety and not want to keep going on thoughts. I’m suffering with severe anhedonia memory loss I sleep maybe 10 hrs a week. I’ve endo and adenomyosis SEVERE PMDD that’s now bonkers and not just at my cycle anymore. Idk what to do.

Has anyone’s hair started falling out after increasing the estradiol patch from .075 to .1? I noticed my hair has been coming out like crazy especially in the shower after I increased dosage. Nothing else changed.

Hi all! 35F. I went into medical menopause last December via surgery for ovarian cancer. I was having expected symptoms then, like five billion hot flashes every day. My oncologists and my PCP haven't been able to figure out what's happening to me now, and I was thinking it might be tied into early menopause.

In April, (after finishing chemo) for the first time I started getting aches in my ankles and the back of my calves. Now it's getting to the point where I have to grab onto stuff to walk around the house or if I need to stand up from sitting. The pain is constant but I'm mobile once I get going.

CK levels are high right now, and somehow continue to grow even though I've stopped exercising per doctor's orders. Kidney and heart function have come back okay, same with my nutrition.

I'm mostly just looking for something to ask or tell the doctors, because I think they've given up? Or at least are being quiet while they think about it on their end. I asked if menopause might've set off a different disease or disorder and they said maybe. Lmao. Unfortunately I can't do hormone therapy - sort of the opposite, I'm supposed to be on inhibitors but due to muscle damage, they took me off them about a month ago.

Hello everyone. I’ve been on HRT for a good while now, a little over a year I’m on 1.25 mg E gel in the morning and 1 mg at bedtime, along with 200 mg micronized progesterone. I am doing 80% better but still felt lots of joint pain, complete lack of libido, and motivation. My endocrinologist added 1.5 mg of testosterone cream compounded. I kid you not, 5 days into using it i notice my anxiety is kicking into high gear at night. The episodes would keep my up til 1 am. Then I noticed anxiety keeping me up ALL night and anxiety during the day too! I’ve only been on it for only 15 days and already noticed all of this. However, I also noticed that joint pain has seriously decreased and I am hardly in any pain. But now I’m having trouble sleeping cause of the anxiety. Has this happened to anyone? I love the no joint pain but cannot stand the anxiety. Any advice or experiences?

I mean it does the job if..
you put it on in the right place, if you leave to dry and absorb properly ..
if I split the dose to get better night time sleep ?

Any tips - it’s winter here and I’m wearing singlets at 6am for 15 mins while it soaks in.

I apply to upper arm as this was my pharmacist’s advice. Because of surgical menopause I do this morning (2 pumps, one each arm leave 5 mins add 3rd pump then leave about 15 mins.

Then I repeat at night. When I’m out it disrupts, when I travel it’s also disrupting the routine with different times etc!

Such a pain. Was on patches but found huge issues with a few batches and all my symptoms came flooding back. So moved to gel - but it’s a constant process…

It’s 1 am and awake so not even sure this routine with gel works.

Sigh.

I keep reading advice about improving recall and I have tried most of it. Sleep, supplements, brain games, paying better attention. Some of it helps a little.

But the thing that actually changed anything for me was giving up on the improving part. I stopped trying to remember and just started getting things out of my head and putting them in one spot. Not a complicated system, basically a list in a place I can find it.

I feel weird about it because it feels like conceding something. Like I should be able to fix this instead of working around it.

Has anyone else done this? Did it feel like giving up? Did it stop feeling that way?

Ever since I hit menopause, I have been getting thick hairs on my chin, cheeks and jawline and had to pluck twice a day.  They were driving me mad and beginning to make me feel so miserable.  I have tried using spearmint oil in a carrier oil, massaging it in twice a day but this didn’t help but then I read online about spearmint tea which apparently lowers the androgen levels.  I thought I'd give it a go as I've tried everything else and ordered some - it took a while to reach me but it was worth the wait! I've been drinking two cups a day for the past two weeks, and I cannot believe the difference already!  I have still had to pluck a few out over last couple of days but nothing like before so I think it’s actually working.  It’s quite hard to find 100% spearmint in the shops and it can be expensive, but I found some online.  It was £9.50 for 120 bags so enough to last me a couple of months.  I’m sharing this, hoping it will help others as it’s been an absolute Godsend!  It’s working for me so hopefully it might help others going through the same. 

I'm going from 1 pump up to 2 pumps of the estradiol to manage anxiety and it says to do them both at once but is there any benefit in doing it say morning and evening? For a more even dosage?

am currently on Femoston 2mg estrodial/dygesterone. At least a week before my period, sometimes two, I have felt very ordinary. Not least is the thoughts. Am very aware they are thoughts, and I ignore them, but whoa. it's annoying. The pain is the worst. and three days after: magic. Ive been told I'm in the highest dose. Not sure that's true. And continuous.

I don't tolerate progesterone in other forms. I've tried everything. Tablets, pessaries, and I wish I could do estrogel. That works. But the progesterone is horrible.

have contacted the supplies if progesterone and they can't or won't make a lower dose than 2mg. You can't cut it. Any thoughts?

I’ve been post meno for 11 years yet I’m STILL having hot flashes.
They are not as intense as they were at the start but c’mon. Enough is enough.
I’m 61. Doc says no HRT since I have a heart condition. Boo.

After trying many different progesterone options for uterine protection while on HRT, I’m finally ready go the Mirena route. However, this will be my 3rd attempt to put one in, and this time it will be done under anesthesia, in the OR.

Sharing in case there are other progesterone sensitive folks out there looking for solutions. My story is that I had a Mirena for the past 6 yrs, stopped bleeding so wasn’t sure how far along in peri vs menopause I was. After a year on trying diff HRT several diff docs recommended I replace the Mirena instead of taking other progesterone (it’s deemed safe for HRT for 5 yrs).

Unfortunately, the old Mirena came out (barely) but the new one did not want to go in, even though attempt 1 was prepped with misoprostol and cervical lidocaine, and attempt 2 was under light sedation. Diagnosis was cervical stenosis.

2 days later I started a full 5 day period, and have had 2 more since, on schedule. Didn’t realize how much I did NOT miss them.

So… it was decided to first try Climara Pro patch (only comes in one dose) since it does use the same type of progestin as Mirena. But, 6 weeks in I’m miserable, have bad PMS with my revived periods, etc. So doc and I both agree that it may be time to get serious about getting a Mirena back in place. So, anesthesia and operating room it is. Feels very over the top but to be honest I’m just looking forward to go back to “normal” - whatever that is!

Side note:
I wrote a post here before about my 2nd attempt to put in a Mirena but the focus in the comments ended up being about the fact that my doc wanted to do a biopsy at the same time (since they were going in anyway and I had had a short lapse of progesterone coverage). She will likely still want to do that, and I’m ok with it.

Did anyone who experienced insomnia on Yuvafem find that it went away if they a) inserted in the morning instead of at night or b) their body got used to it and that side effect stopped?

Insomnia is a less common but known side effect of Yuvafem. On the loading dose I experienced bad insomnia so I quit. I’m trying again building up more slowly at twice a week and morning insertion but my sleep is getting wonky again and I’m worried timing doesn’t matter.

Any insights on this?

So forgive me if this is somewhere on the sub but I tried searching and didn't find one specifically addressing brain fog and menopause (edit: without HRT)

I had hormone positive breast cancer and CANNOT take HRT. I had my ovaries removed and am in menopause at 33. But my brain fog is pretty severe. I can't recall words, forget what I am doing, can't think clearly, and honestly, just feel dumber. I cant concentrate on anything! My job performance has been affected. If not for that, I could deal.

But what has worked for you guys that can't do HRT for brain fog?

Also, having issues with anxiety and panic attacks but I think it is stemming from the brain fog and concerns about work stemming from that. Just looking for any advice.

I tried HRT (gel daily and progesterone for two weeks) 18 months back to see if it would help brain fog and my general mood at 43. I had to stop the HRT as it made my already heavy periods a lot worse and I was sleeping very heavily and couldn't get out of bed in the morning on the progesterone.

Having tracked my cycles which are pretty regular but shorter than they were, my mood is worse (much worse - I am absolutely fuming or deathly miserable) from about a week after my period ends until around 5 days before. During the time before and during my period things are much much better - totally the reverse of what I used to experience.

Is this oestrogen sensitivity or something else? Any advice on what I need to do or ask the GP for please? I'm desperate. Thank you.

To start off, I’ve already been to the OB/GYN today. She seems to think everything will be fine, but I am having a panic attack over this and honestly want to stop HRT right now.

I’ve been on the CombiPatch for four weeks. I cannot tolerate oral progesterone, so that is not an option for me. The CombiPatch seemed to be working well, and then I started having a little bit of brown spotting. I wasn’t concerned because I knew some spotting could happen.

Then yesterday, I made a mistake. I put on my new patch and forgot to remove the old one for eight or nine hours. When I went to take a shower, I realized I had two patches on. I removed the old patch immediately, but afterward I started having what feels like a normal period: cramps, bleeding, and feeling generally awful. The bleeding seems moderately heavy. I’m not soaking through pads, but it is very noticeable and uncomfortable.

Luckily, I insisted on having a transvaginal ultrasound before starting HRT, so I knew everything looked normal beforehand. My OB/GYN said this can happen during the first six months of HRT, and she thinks it is even more likely because I accidentally had two patches on. She explained that the extra estrogen likely caused a temporary spike, which triggered the bleeding.

It’s not that I don’t believe her. I’m just panicking because today has been miserable. The bleeding and cramping don’t seem to be letting up, and she told me to give it about 10 days because she believes it will correct itself.
I am just so tired of trying to figure out HRT. It feels like nothing works well with my body, and something always seems to go wrong. I’m exhausted, overwhelmed, and I honestly don’t know how much more of this I can handle.

I finally got onto HRT and three months in, in March, I slept more than two hours without waking up for the first time in over a year! Yay!!!

Then a few weeks after that, I woke up and my middle finger was stiff and sore. No big deal - complaining about it sounds absolutely absurd: "Oh, no! My finger hurts!" Plus, I knit and it's not unusual for the muscles in my hands and shoulders to get tender after knitting for a long time (a knitting bender, if you will). Also, I'm only 50, so it's probably nothing. Right?!

Fast forward to now and I'm finally ready to admit I need to see a rheumatologist before it gets worse. My middle finger on my right hand is still stiff and sore. The middle joint is swollen, warm and sometimes pink, sometimes bruised looking. And just for funsies, sometimes it swells up like a sausage!

I talked to my sister about it, who reminded me that our dad had psoriatic arthritis. She - just over one year my senior - also has psoriatic arthritis, which she developed right around menopause, along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Hashimotos. "Sausage fingers" is also apparently a symptom of psoriatic arthritis. Delightful.

So, it's true: menopause really is the time when the gloves come off healthwise. The time when, suddenly, there is a whole menu of BS, a choose your own adventure, so to speak, of new and exciting things to choose from to make you go, "WTAF?"