Menopause
'Menopause isn't really that bad'...said no woman ever.
For those who are approaching or experiencing 'the change' (think reverse puberty), a time where hormone levels decline either through the aging process or by medical/surgical means.
Menopause and Perimenopause (the transitional time before Menopause) are unique to every person, and while there's no one-size fits all, we support each other on this roller coaster ride of wacked out hormones, absurd mood swings and random sweaty hot flashes.
Be kind. Be respectful. We are all in this together!
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1. All genders can post We are all here to learn about menopause and how to help anyone experiencing menopause, so be supportive and respectful.
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6. No posting lab results We are not a substitute for medical advice. Questions about your lab results should be directed to your medical professional. Hormonal tests are not an accurate diagnosing tool for perimenopause.
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My doc first wanted to start at 200 prog. But I wanted to start slow. I don’t know the safety ratio of progesterone to estrogen. And I’m not really clear on which hormones affect which problem (ie PMS, mood swings, energy).
I know that progesterone on its own can be used half way through the menstrual cycle to help with PMS symptoms. And I know my MD insists on using it with estrogen to offset the possible negative effects of estrogen (cancer), or so she told me.
My doctor told me not to increase the progesterone without increasing the estrogen, for what it's worth. I was at 200 progesterone, and I was supposed to do two pumps of estrogen, but only did one because I couldn't tolerate two. So now I am on 100 progesterone. It's working okay, but there was a period of adjustment where I had more night sweats/brain fog before it leveled out.
At one pump, you're on a lower dosage of estrogen. But because your own hormones are still wildly fluctuating, you're likely getting symptoms when those hormones are swinging one way or another. Generally the dosage is "right" when hot flashes are gone entirely, but for your other symptoms, it's due to the fluctuations....and periods will continue and be unpredictable on MHT/HRT, unless you switch to a cyclical progesterone method.