u/VirgoVixenTX

I’m getting pretty discouraged and wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I’m in perimenopause and my gynecologist started hormone therapy primarily because I’ve already lost about 5% of my bone density since 2019. I also have Graves disease, so we’re trying to be proactive about protecting my bones.

The problem is that I seem to react poorly to every systemic hormone I’ve tried.

Estradiol patch: weight gain, bloating, slowed gut, didn’t feel great, and it constantly peeled off when I exercised.

Lo Loestrin Fe (started July 1): I’ve gained over 7 pounds, have significant bloating, constipation/very slow digestion, nausea, frequent burping, and just generally feel awful. I wake up every morning feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck.

I tolerate Intrarosa ok, but that’s a local treatment and doesn’t really address the bone health concern.

I realize some of these symptoms could overlap with other medical issues, so I’m not assuming hormones are responsible for everything. But the timing has me wondering if they’re playing a major role.

Has anyone else found that they simply couldn’t tolerate systemic estrogen or combination hormone therapy? Did you eventually find a formulation that worked?
Did you decide hormone therapy just wasn’t worth it?

Were your GI symptoms (bloating, constipation, nausea) part of the picture?
I’m not looking for medical advice, just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience because right now it’s feeling pretty isolating.