muscle pain,joint pain - estrogen crashed

Hi,
having symptoms very badly. My dr and I thought I had high E. We were wrong and by thetime I realized it was very very low. I've upped my e.alot
how long will it take to rebuild? any stress is too much.
I have bad muscle pain, joint pain, depressed, fragmented sleep, no energy, nausea, meal related bloating

Sorry you are still having problems with balance. I think it would take a few weeks to rebuild, and this is an individual thing , because everyone's needs are different.

Hang in there

thank you. Stress , esp. prolonged stress, really does a number on my e levels! once knocked down a little and I don't recognize it then I really get into trouble. I did it again this past fall. You would think by now that I would have a better handle on how to avoid crashes. If I am going thru the start of a stressor that looks like it could go on I should raise my e a little. not wait until I am in the thick of it then realizing then adding e. I got really low this time.
I have raised my e as I am going through the recovery of dislocated ribs. ugghh. those really hurt me. I was so not takng the pain well. My e was so low that I was teary all the time, shaky, dizzy, lightheaded. not good. I got the problem ribs "put back" and my pain is far less. it will take several weeks for the ligaments to tighten and will try not to do anything that will pop them out . I feel better mentally and physically since raising my e. not as lightheaded or headachy or shaky.

I just discovered that ALL my hormones crashed. I had no idea stress plays a part in this. My Dr didn't tell me that. I've been sick all fall. Sinus infections and strep.

This is all so confusing. So when my stressful time is over, will I need to lower them? My stress won't be over for a while tho. Vacation in Jan and my daughters wedding in April.

I usually respond to raising or lowering HRT within weeks. I hope you feel better very soon.

May I ask what you ladies mean by "crashed"? I am purposely being taken off estrogen had a TAH 2 yrs ago in Jan and since being off pretty much this last month, the muscle pain I had been thinking was just me, is getting a whole lot worse, nusea, headache, don't know what to eat or not eat that makes the pain worse, can't sleep it hurts so bad please explain if you wouldn't mind.. I am all new to this and am scared. I get lost as to what I am doing and stressed out MAX...

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Roses464 May I ask what you ladies mean by "crashed"? I am purposely being taken off estrogen had a TAH 2 yrs ago in Jan and since being off pretty much this last month, the muscle pain I had been thinking was just me, is getting a whole lot worse, nusea, headache, don't know what to eat or not eat that makes the pain worse, can't sleep it hurts so bad please explain if you wouldn't mind.. I am all new to this and am scared. I get lost as to what I am doing and stressed out MAX...

From what I understand-- when I say "crashed" It means my estrogen level has dropped to a lower level that is too low for my body and I get all those symptoms. I didn't recogize the subtle signs of the e dropping and then once it gets to a certain level I "hit " into the" wall of symptoms" and I "crash" .Just meaning this: the estrogen ha really gotten too low and you get hit with a lot of symptoms.. then you have to start rebuilding your estrogen level again. Depending upon the method of delivery you use and dose change it can take awhile to rebuild. It also depends on how low your estrogen got... If it hit rock bottom then it could take months to bring it back up. If the symptoms are more mild it may not take you long at all. Maybe a few weeks. All those symptoms you list sound like low estrogen symptoms to me. I have those same symptoms when my estrogen has hit a low. It would be a good idea to call your dr. have him/her run some hormone tests- even a full thyroid panel. Since you are newer to this, keep a journal of symptoms to show your dr. I really really hate estrogen crashes. It seems some of us are more prone than others at getting them. I think a big part is recognizing the symptoms. I didn't and still don't completely recognize right away but have gotten much better at it. I used to be scared by them now I see the familiar pattern of symptoms and I know I should act on it.

Thank you for the info I appreciate it. But what if the doc takes you off the Estrogen then what do you do...??? That's the predictment I am in.. I feel like a teenager/old woman all at the same time.. emtionally it sucks.. don't want to go on antidepressants, been there, and I like having my thinking back.. so I'm trying to find out what is out there to help me deal with this..
Thanks again Ann,

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Roses464 Thank you for the info I appreciate it. But what if the doc takes you off the Estrogen then what do you do...??? That's the predictment I am in.. I feel like a teenager/old woman all at the same time.. emtionally it sucks.. don't want to go on antidepressants, been there, and I like having my thinking back.. so I'm trying to find out what is out there to help me deal with this.. Thanks again Ann,

I feel for you!

You don't say why the estrogen was stopped-- was there a health issue, or did your doctor arbitrarily stop the therapy?

I went a few YEARS without any HRT because I had to change doctors and the new doctor refused to prescribe HRT, yet she would prescribe BC pills-- I posted my saga in another thread. Tried all the prescriptions, OTC's and stuff with no relief. During that time, I was miserable. I had no cancer or CV issues; that doctor just doesn't prescribe estrogen based HRT based on a study that used Premarin and ONLY Premarin-- and a number of women had serious complications. The women were also in their 60's and 70's, while I was much younger when I had my surgery (only in my mid-30's, didn't start estrogen until 3 years or so later). I had been on esterified estrogen, which seems to carry a far lower risk of the type of adverse events that happened with the CE's (Premarin). Nonetheless, the doctor figured that "all estrogen is the same as Premarin" and refused to listen to anything to the contrary.

I was DC'd from all estrogen at age 42 and it was hell ever since.

For me, it took going to another provider who would at least LISTEN to me and not simply deny me out of hand. We had a frank discussion, went over the risks and benefits, and decided that for at least the short term, I would be allowed back on my regimen (EEMT-h.s.), and I agreed to stay in close monitoring. That was all I wanted.

My HRT provider is a Nurse Practitioner, and my experience has been that a good NP is gold. NP's are trained to listen and base treatments on a patient history-- which can only be properly obtained by LISTENING to the patient. Not knocking any physicians, as there are many good listeners in the MD category (my original doctor was one of them). But too often, physicians are trained to treat from "books". Nurses treat more often from actual listening and hands-on. Nurses wait 5 minutes before talking; many doctors wait about 5 seconds. How can you listen to the patients if you don't let them speak? NP's can work independently, but are usually in consult with a physician for more complicated cases.

Nurse practitioners have specialties, just like physicians. If you can't find a physician to work with you or with whom you feel comfortable, and you have no health contraindications to HRT, it's worthy of consideration to find a NP who specializes in women's health. I wish I had thought of the NP route sooner-- I've had MANY good experiences with NP's in the past for other issues. It would have saved me probably a few years of misery.

Blessings, and hop you get back in the swing soon!

~Wheels

(No longer HOT! Well, okay, I'm still HOT, but not FLASHIN' )

The reason for beign taken off estogen is because my father passed away a yr ago this month from Luekima, but he also had breast, prostate, and melioma cancer. So because of the dangers of cancer in my family, especially him, it would be better for me to stop taking it. Estrogen is a promoter of breast cancer which I just had to be checked for. Thankfully I'm ok, but still. I understand and agree with her decsion, it's just I dont know how to do deal with all that comes with it.
thank you for writing back it's nice to have other experiences in which to draw from.