OVerwhelmed Estrace and Anxiety

I am one year post-surgery and the nightmare continues with no end in sight! I started HRT with the vivelle dot patch - after 4 months my stomach started to become raw from the patch. That 4 months is the only period that I felt decent. I was then changed to premarin and the downward sprial began. The premarin gave me headaches and anxiety. I was put on zoloft. After 3 months I was changed back to the patch. The anxiety got even worse and then began the crying episodes. My dr checked my hormones and thyroid and said everything was normal but changed me to estrace and upped the zoloft. I am not getting much sleep and feel like an absolute wreck. I am really overwhelmed and don't know where to go from here.

There is a local HRC (bio-identical) - I have not been and quite honestly I am terrified to change anything because each time I have changed it has gotten worse.

PLEASE PLEASE offer any suggestions. I am desperate!

Hi Roxie55 -

I'm so sorry you're feeling so bad. Out of control anxiety and insomnia were two of my worst symptoms of low estrogen.

What dose of the patch are you on? It could be that you just need a larger dose now, that does happen. Even though you had problems with the adhesive of the Vivelle patch, there are other brands you could try. Climara comes to mind, or the generic if you don't mind something huge glued to your hip

I does seem from what you said that you don't do well with oral hormones, and that is not uncommon. Some women just don't absorb them well that way. I am one, so I know first hand. That said, if you don't want to go back to patches. there are other transdermal (through the skin) methods that may work for you, since you obviously do absorb estrogen that way. There are gels like Estrogel or Divigel, sprays like Evamist, the Femring for vaginal use, or even generic estrace like you already have dissolved between the cheek and gum. Or some of the ladies on this site have been using it vaginally with good results. All these things are available from any pharmacy with a prescription, so you don't have to go the compounding route just yet, especially if cost is an issue.

I know that overwhelmed feeling that comes when your body is unhappy with your hrt. But you do have options and can think through this rationally. Don't let your Dr just keep upping the Zoloft to get you out of his or her office - make him work with you on this!