Back On Estrogen

[lifesaver]

After a miserable 3 months, I saw a gynecologist and am now back on estrogen. I am 55, had a total abdominal hysterectomy 17 years ago.

I dreaded going off, but felt my GP knew best for me. The hot flashes kept me from sleeping and made the dysautonomia symptoms much worse when I got overheated. It made my depression worse and I felt worse than I usually do.

When the gyn examined me, he found an infection. My GP said I didn't need a pelvic exam, it was a waste of money. I wonder how long I have had the infection and how long it might have gone on if I hadn't gotten fed up with the hot flashes. Have a script for antibiotics for a week.

I am on the Vivelle patch which works much better than estrogen pills--and my bladder function is much better since going back on the Vivelle!!!!! The risk of stroke increases from 2/10,000 to 3-4/10,000 a very small increase. My stroke risk is very low so the risk may be non-existant.

I don't think I will go back to this gyn though. He didn't take any of the dysautonomia or other medical history very seriously--it seemed to me. He just gave me his canned speeches and told me to take a boat load of supplements other than the calcium/Vit D and magnesium. Next doc will be a gyn only--so they aren't running off to deliver babies. They didn't give me the script for the infection until this week, he forgot to talk to me about it when called to deliver a baby. I understand that--but also want my medical needs taken care of too.

I am rambling a bit--tegretol stupor tonight. I just wanted to share a bit of good news and some thoughts.

[Guest tearose]

I'm just a little younger than you and also went through surgical menopause due to terrible painful total pelvic collapse. I went onto the Vivelle patch right away and stayed on it for 9 years.

I only recently came off my Vivelle patch. I felt the estrogen had was not being absorbed in a steady way and I was having more POTS flares.

The research is what helped me decide. They discovered that estrogen is NOT neuroprotective and more women had developed dementia on estrogen.

My Pots gives me enough cognitive issues so I chose the stick to the caffeine and avoid the estrogen route.

What was you main reason for going back on? The night sweats?

[Guest tearose]

How is it going with the estrogen?

What is it helping to resolve?

thanks for any information you can share,

tearose

[kayjay]

I was started on birth control pills that I take back to back ( no period for 4 months at a time). Huge improvement for me. I'm 36 but have endometriosis and had lots of bleeding thoughout the month.

The wrong pill can cause flares though- YAZ sent me to the hospital. Now I am on Kariva and have made out very well.

[lifesaver]

Things are going very well with the estrogen. Very thankful I am back on it.

It has helped my depression by leaps and bounds--one reason for going back on it. The hot flashes are gone. They made all my dysautonomic symptoms worse. Those are the two big reasons other than not having certain dainties atrophy and cause urinary problems. That too has improved and I won't need protection or surgery to fix things--nothing was broken. I just needed estrogen. The dysautonomia can cause bladder problems--one of the most embarrasing I can imagine other than having bowel control problems.

All I can say is that my body still needs it but at a lower dose.

Becky