New Here and Need Some Help or Support or Something!!!

Hi. My name is Tonya. I just recently found this site and this is the first time I ever posted here. I'm 25 yrs. old and had a complete hysterectomy last June. I have been on several different estrogens since then. I started feeling the effects as soon as I woke up from the surgery. (I've heard the younger you are the harder it is) I don't know if that's true or not but I know from my experience it's pretty hard. I am so grouchy I can't stand myself and nobody else can stand me. My poor husband must really love me. I was doing pretty good on estradiol 1mg until I got so irritable. So my Dr. lowered my dose to .5mg and my hot flashes and night sweats are already coming back. It seems like I get immune to the estrogen after I take it for a while. That's probably not what happens but that's how it feels. If something don't give I feel like I'm going to go crazy and I know I'm driving everybody around me crazy. I've tried premarin, estratest,bi-estrogen,and now the estradiol. I never knew it would be this hard. HELP!!!!!! Tonya

Hi Tonya...I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling so bad. I don't know what exactly you are feeling, but can say I've had some rough road also since my July surgery. I recently, (2 weeks ago) started taking an antidepressant that I had taken for 3 years about 15 years ago. The difference in me is honestly, 100%. I really felt as though I maybe was dying, this was in my head all the time. I was full of anxiety, could'nt get a nights rest. You may be having anxiety, which is affecting your mood and everything else. I saw on here that many women were on an antidepressant along with their estrogen. It has really worked for me so far. I am on estratest, which are full strength, but a few times a week, I break them in half, as my doc told me I could do this. The antidepressant I am on is elavil, an old timer, been around for years. It is 25 milligram, but I also bite those in half everyday. It is just that my doc tried me on these a year ago and I quit taking them, so they were here, and I decided to try half dose first to see how it made me feel. So he is refilling them, as it's cheaper to get the higher milligram and break them anyway. So eventually, you will find a balance and be ok. I really thought I was going nuts or dying. I could'nt even drive sometimes, as the anxiety was so bad or panic attacks, I think I had both. Do you feel nervous and on edge? If so, your doctor will be able to help you. Don't go on feeling this way, there is something that will make you feel normal again, we just have to keep trying. I personally think this might be something for you to look into. Hope you feel better real soon, I know it's awful. Sandy

I am sorry your having a rough go of it, ya know you can get irritable and witchey on both sides, sitting to low makes me a witch. All though dropping down would stop that for me, it would be temporary, and i would just be replacing it with other problems, if it meant i would be sitting to low. The dose your taking is pretty low and for many i don't think it would be enuf to keep you from bottoming out in a 24 hour period. (of course, we are all different, so you have to go with your own intuition). I will tell you what works very well for my sis. She takes a estrace in the morning, and 1/2 one around noon and another 1/2 at night. After the transitioning period, she is now doing great. I say that just to show being a little creative, and watching for falling levels may help. Splitting doses can help smoothe you out. Or maybe 1/2 in morning 1/2 in the evening. Kinda have to feel it out, and slowly learn what your body requires for balance, hope that helps some. Good luck and maybe it won't be long until you find the right comb. for you. It does get better!!!

Hi Tonya! I am 30 and had a complete hysterectomy (TAH/BSO) last August. I know what you mean about the grouchiness! My hot flashes also started immediately after waking from the surgery. My doctor started me on the Climara Patch which was fine, except for the fact that they wouldn't stay on. Because of that, I kept having the hot flashes. (Well, it turned out that the pharmacy had given me the generic version of Climara.) I requested a change and my doctor started me on Estratest Full Strength. This was WONDERFUL at first. I was on it about 5 1/2 months and I startd biting my family's heads off! LOL!! It was terrible. I felt so angry all the time. I started having shortness of breath, also. I asked my doc to prescribe the Climara patch again and to tell the pharmacy that it had to be brand name---not generic. I've had this patch on for 1 week today (I change tonight) and my whole mood has smoothed out. I haven't had any trouble keeping it on and my skin has begun to clear up from the Estatest. (It caused me to have terrible acne!) I just wanted to respond to your post and tell you to keep looking and you'll find the hormone that is right for you. My doc also prescribed Celexa, which is an anti-depressant, but I haven't felt the need to take it. Good luck, Tonya. I hope you feel better soon and I will keep you in my prayers!
Kelly

hi and welcome to the jungle. the women here are great and just knowing we are here will help to calm you down. i was on just estrogen and had horrible problems, then i went on progesterone with the estrogen and it just made a world of difference for me. at the top of the list on the jungle page are some articles you should read...there is wonderful information there. one in particular i think you should look at is "what's your hormone type" by john collins. it's a little test to help you figure out which hormones you may be missing. i can't figure out how to give you the link so i'll just have to tell you how to get there. it's the 3rd or 4th post down the list...helpful hormone links, prescription info and warnings...on that page go down almost to the bottom to .....information dr web sites.....then look for ..what's your hormone type.
also i know from experience that hormones take a little while (a month?) to get into your system and then they "level off" on their own. you don't want to jump around with different kinds and different dosages too much, unless you're havin DRASTIC problems. this is one of the things that makes dealing with hormons such a pain is that you have to wait so long each time you change to see if the combo is right for you. don't get too frustrated...your sisters are here for you. cynthia