When will this surgical menopause end!

Hi, I had my TAH in September and I'm still trying to adjust. I feel like even though I'm taking estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, I'm still going through all the symptoms of surgical menopause just to a lesser degree. The hormones kind of mask the change, but I still feel many things including cold flashes, extreme fatigue, anxiety, depression, joint pains, loss of libido, etc. Is there any hystersister veteran out there who has experienced these same symptoms and eventually gotten over them. Will this end some day or am I destined to be sad, anxious, cold, arthritic, tired, and sexless forever!! My estrogen dose has been bumped up to two .1 vivelle dot patches, I use enough testosterone to produce little hairs on my chin, and I use a little progesterone. I could really use some good news about my future, because most of the time it feels pretty hopeless. I used to feel this way only before my period, now I feel this way all the time. I even started on an anti-depressant (Remeron) three weeks ago and I take Ativan when needed, but I can't seem to get my spark back. I need good news!!! Thanks

hi honest...so sorry for you...had my hysterectomy 8 years ago and it does get better...have they checked your thyroid...the cold and tired part makes me think of this...am not a doctor,just my personal thoughts...am hypothyroid and take thyroid pills...if you do get this done...get a full thyroid panel done...tsh...t3...t4...antibodies test...hope your meds hope you feel better soon...pinkprincess

It may be worthwhile to have your thyroid checked. A thyroid imbalance can mimic some of the symptoms of menopause. It is not unusual for the thyroid to become balanced while taking estrogen. You can read more about thyroid and hrt here https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=97225

If the thyroid checks out okay it may be that the patch is not for you. Some women don't absorb the patch well and may do better on oral, sublingual or a cream. There are many options out there for you.

Hello Honest

I had tah/bso on 4/3 and am on my 3rd hrt. I have had and am still having all kinds of symptoms - cold flashes, hot flashes, nausea, face break out, headaches, no sleep, tears and more tears. I went for 5 week check up on Wednesday, my dr wanted to me to to a compound pharmacy. I went today and also I had thyroid test on Wednesday. The lady at the pharmacy wanted the results and even though it is within normal range it is in the very low end. I was very pleased with my visit today. They customize a natural harmone for you. She will try to have one ready for me on Monday and she said she may treat me for the thyroid thing too. I take prozac and have been for quite sometime. You are not alone in this harmone confusion and it is no fun at all. But I am excited about the natural harmone. Hope you get everything worked out I can't imagine going on for long like this. Good luck!

Hi everyone, thanks for your help. I went to see a new gyn today. Specialists at UCSF and this Dr. think it would be wise for me to try the birth control pill. They have seen women who were cycling normally before their ovaries remove do well on the pill because it is a much higher dose of estrogen and progesterone that is closer to the levels I had prior to the surgery. I've used all natural hormones up to this point. The gyn today suggested that I try the birth control patch starting with cutting it in half and adjust from there. She said to expect side effects until my body adjusts, even up to two months after starting this. These people are well educated and they also understand bio-identical hormones, but they think this is the best way to go. I'm a little nervous about the change. I plan on contacting Bellevue Pharmacy for a compounding pharmacist if this doesn't work out in two months. I hope this is the answer!! Thanks, again Honest P.S. my thyroid checked out fine, but I do have a nerve entrpament problem in my pelvis that could be causing the fatigue, because it is terribly painful. I had the hysterectomy to get rid of the pain and it didn't work!

I have a question more than an answer to your problem. I have looked at what is in a birth control pill and it is usually a lower amount of estrogen than what most of us are on except it also has progestrin. Now am I reading something wrong here?

In answer to your question, my Doctor said it was higher, because it takes a lot more estrogen to stop ovulation. Sometimes it is hard to compare the various amounts due to the way they are written. If I am wrong, please let me know. I was on a .1 mg. and a .075 mg. vivelle dot patch. I took those off and put on 1/2 patch of the birth control and I've had no hot flashes. In fact, I haven't felt anything different at all (except a little more energy this morning) and it has been 24 hours. Does it take longer to feel a change? The Doctor said that my body was reacting to any change because of the lower estrogen level. She said that the birth control patch would bump me up to a higher level and I wouldn't react so much to the little changes like having a stressful day. She wanted me to start with 1/2 patch and go to 3/4 if that wasn't enough. I'm going to stick to this for at least 2 months. Honest

Yes, it does take longer than 24 hours to feel a change. So you may have symptons while your body is adjusting to something different. Be patient and give it some time to work. Good Luck.

Hi honest Is your birth control patch called Ortho Evra? The ingredients in Ortho Evra are norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol. Norelgestromin is a synthetic progestin, and ethinyl estradiol is a synthetic modified estrogen which is stronger than bio-identical estradiol, so it's not possible to directly compare them. "x" grams of ethinyl estradiol in the Ortho Evra patch will be stronger than the same number of grams of estradiol in an HRT patch.

Actually, it's the combination of estrogen and progestin that can make the birth control patch more effective for some women. And it's true that it can take two or three months on the birth control patch for things to 'level out', so give it a little time. Here's a link to some information about Ortho Evra:

http://contraceptive-patch.orthoevra...vra/works.html

I hope this helps!
s,
-Linda

hi suffable im having problems with my implant called oestradiol 50 mg have tried the patches and tabs having hot flushes vivid dreams and ive also been depresed your not alone i thought i was going mad but have just loged on to internet this wk i feel so much better knowing others are expericing the same symtons generaly fit and healthy any help would be apreciatedfrom yvonne 1965