Added 1/4 more Climara patch, increased symptoms, wait it out?

Two weeks ago I started back on Climara patch, .5, but only 1/4 patch. I seemed to tolerate that okay, so with increased hot flashes I thought I would add 1/4 more. This seems like such a low dose. A while after I put the extra 1/4 on yesterday morning, I felt real dizzy and nauseated for hours. Then my heart started to pound a bit off and on. I woke up sweating a lot in the night and am generally sweating right now. I have had such weird problems the past year that it is hard to know what causes what.

So, I think I have read many times on here that it is common to have increased symptoms until one's body adjusts to the fluctuation in hormones. And having my own ovaries still, I'm never quite sure what's going on with them.

What do you think sisters? Should I give it more time to adjust or go back to the 1/4 patch? I also wonder what effect estrogen has on my mitral valve prolapse heart condition. I seem to have more pressure on my chest.

Still in the jungle!!!! Linda

This is just my humble opinion, ok?... I sense that your ovaries are actually working. ...It seems that by adding the Climara patch, maybe ...well I'm thinking that maybe you don't need any estrogen addition. Soooooo I'll just throw this out:
If I were in your shoes, before I'd tweak around anymore, I'd go see about asking my doc about getting some hormone testing done.

Also, it's not nice to ask, but how old are you? That might have a bearing on your hormones needs too.

NoNoLoLola

NoNoLoLoLa, I'm 52 yrs. old. My ovaries are very unpredictable-last month I'm pretty sure I ovulated and felt better. Then, it seems all the hormones bottom out, pick up again, etc.

It's really like being on a drug roller coaster day to day and sometimes hour to hour.

I think a lot of the misery and ailments I have experienced this past 14 months have been brought about by a REALLY troublesome perimenopause into menopause. Not enough studies have been done to address problems past hot flashes, nite sweats and dryness. The list is way bigger than that, I know.

Thanks sister, for your reply! Linda

Ok I see.....I have a friend who is exactly in the same *can of worms*. She sees an Endocrinologist for this weenie of a situation and on a very regular basis. It's taken a while but she is feeling so much better and has started to excercise again.

I know, I know...it sounds tedious, but I really think you need someone to do some tests and get this figured out. You don't need to be suffering the way you are. How do you feel about that?

Maybe you have some other physical issues that are keeping you unbalanced.

For some of us, we have to get tested and then start pin-pointing how to adjust your HRT. It's a bumpy road, but I know you can get this worked out and feeling better.

NoNoLoLola

Linda,
Did you ever try using progesterone cream? It has helped me so much with anxiety issue and I have seen it help countless others. Have you read Dr. Lee's book, "What your doctor didn't tell you about pre-menopause"? It is really worthwhile and think that since you still have your ovaries that perhaps you might be a candidate for using it supplementally just the second two weeks of your cycle. Please look into it.

Becky in OHIO

I tired OTC progesterone cream about a year ago-don't know if it really helped or was strong enough to do anything. Have asked to try prescription strength and haven't been able to get any of the myriad of drs. I've visited to prescribe. Am going to try the gyn who gave me the Climara as she did my surgery and finally decided I needed progesterone to protect me as I have cervix and had 10 mos. of mini periods after my hyst. Of course, her solution was using Combipatch for 2 wks. alternating w/ Climara 4 wks. Know that's progestin and don't want to go there.

As to the endocrinologist, he did not want to do any testing having to do with female hormones. Neither did the internist, osteopath, GP, 2 other gyns and the surgery gyn whose business card says she is also a reproductive endocrinologist.

Seems the feeling of all drs. I've seen is "this will pass, get over it, take Zoloft or something." That may be true, but how long will this go on before I "get over it?"

My husband is diabetic and any of his concerns are taken seriously. Why is a very symptomatic menopause suppose to just suffer? They spent a lot of time helping my husband get the right dose of meds and control his blood sugar, but I can't find anyone interested in doing the same for my hormone mess.

Just venting! Linda

Linda,
I have been in your shoes as far as doctors and have learned that it is well worth a few hours on the phone screening potential doctors rather than just going to them out of the blue. If you don't feel like doing that, compose a letter and send it to 50 doctors in your area and see what kind of response if any you get. There is an answer for you, I am sure. I wish you were here in OHIO so you could see my NP, but I am sure there are others like her in your area. You just have to dig a little more.
Incidentally it took way more than the OTC doseof progesterone cream to get results for me.

Becky in OHIO

(((linda)))
Just sending 's and understanding. The RE I saw here told me this:
It can be a wild time of huge fluctuations (no joke )
Blood tests are very unreliable because of that
Taking HRT will not suppress your ovaries if you are still cycling - it's not strong enough
His solution was try St John's Wort (strongest version) for 8 weeks (it can take that long to work)- it made me depressed!
If that failed 20mg Prozac (grr) daily - it bombed me out and made me sleep for 3 hours! Only took it once, then tried again recently - gave me a boomer headache!
Now that's me and as you know I have other far reaching problems as yet undiagnosed, but in most cases these things can help most patients. i've seen some women here who had SJW before surgery and it did help they said. Different story once you are IN menopause though.
He wasn't interested in NP cream (he's a gyn ) whereas I'd be inclined to try it..............it's worth a go...........but you have to find someone to prescribe it:hair:

I found it took 2mg estrogen to 'calm' my remaining ovarian activity, I had to creep up on that (and creep down when weaning off). With anything I learnt to only increase by 1/2mg every FOUR weeks - he said give it 8 and in retrospect I think he was right but I couldn't leave it that long. It's now 8 weeks since I was on my last 1/2mg & it's really hitting just now, think it took that long to get out of my system completely, so it makes sense it would take that long to get 'in'.
Try all you can to get a hold of some NP cream by prescription - it may have a more calming effect on everything for you and you hve the ability to turn it into estrogen if that's what your body needs.

I am surprised that no doctor has tested your hormone
levels in light of all of your medical complaints. A couple
of sisters here have had a saliva testing done, and were
very surprised at the results. Kim once wrote saying that
you can have a saliva test done without a doctor's
prescription. Maybe Kim will come to the rescue here with
more information about it. It seems like you have had so
many medical tests. What do you think about one more
round of tests to see if all your hormone levels are ok? I
have read posts where they can even check cortisol levels.
Maybe this would offer you some more pieces to the puzzle.
You said that after you ovulate, your hormones seem to
bottom out. Is that the time you are more prone to the
high bp attacks? Or do the attacks happen during the
ovulation? Just some questions to ponder.

Here are some links to help with obtaining Saliva Testing. Some Labs will offer one time testing of specific hormones, others will offer testing over a period of time to determine the cycle. This is particularly helpful if you still have ovaries.

Aeron Labs Saliva hormone test

Home Health Testing® saliva tests

ZRT Saliva Testing of Steroidal Hormones


Becky in OHIO