What’s with this constant estradiol patch supply issue? My pharmacy keeps telling me there’s a shortage. Are other folks running into this too or is it a regional thing? Is it everywhere or just the states? I’m based in Denver.
What am I supposed to do when I need my refill??
I guess all the millennials are hitting peri all at once and suddenly everyone is educated about peri care and going on hormones at the same time.
I am 41 years old and am in the throes of perimenopause and I believe I have been for at least 2 years. My biggest issue I have is with how much weight I am gaining. I have put on 35 pounds in the last year and a half and I can’t stand to look at myself. Nothing fits and I can’t keep buying new clothes. It feels like as soon as I find one or two things that look good, I gain weight and look like a potato again. To make it worse my mother in law sent me pictures of my daughter’s birthday from 2 years ago and I looked so good. It’s mad me so depressed.
Last year I tried MIDI. Started a .0375 estrogen patch and 100 mg progesterone. I gained 10 pounds in a month and freaked out and quit. I also have seen a doctor about my thyroid. They all say my numbers look normal, but my free t4 is always low normal or below range. I just saw an endocrinologist and she thinks there is something wrong with my thyroid, but doesn’t know what. I have to get another set of tests in a month and then see her in 3 months, so no actions are really being taken.
I have always been active. My current routine is lift 4 days a week, do sprint intervals a couple days a week. I’ve been consistently lifting weights for multiple years. I walk and try to hit my steps. I haven’t been as good about the steps lately because my fatigue is so bad. I eat fairly healthy. I feel like I have to be perfect all the time. I can’t miss my macros once or I gain more weight. I recently quit caffeine as well because I was getting heart palpitations, so my fatigue is even greater and my motivation is in the toilet.
I have to get this weight off. I don’t care what the scale says, it’s what I see. I am clearly overweight. What has worked for others? I am just so disgusted with myself.
I do have an appointment with an endocrinologist that is peri specialist, but it’s not until March 2027. I felt midi was so cookie cutter and maybe I didn’t need estrogen yet amd just progesterone. My total testosterone was run then too and was 20 and my shbg was 47. I have no idea what those number mean. My doctor just said my testosterone was normal.
I just want to have my confidence back and get this weight off. What do I need to do? Cut gluten, dairy, fast, dont fast. I’ve tried eating more, eating less, cutting carbs. I aim for 140g protein a day.
anyone else struggling with their estrogen patches being SO itchy? i am having a hard time not scratching the patch off!
is there a better placement than rotating between each side of the butt? that is where my doc told me to try, but it’s been pretty miserable.
maybe patches aren’t for me? did anyone else switch to a different form of estrogen?
Almost 43 years old, I had my labs pulled in April this year. Dr only pulled FSH, Estradiol, Free and Total Testosterone. Didn't pull progesterone because I have the mirena. All of my labs came back in "normal" range but I don't think they are really normal. He did say, although these are normal they might be lower than you normal baseline but then didn't prescribe anything.
Curious if these are low or truly normal. Also, side note, I know this is a really bad example of trying to see any kind of trends and I know hormones can fluctuate every day so it's a shot in the dark with trying to understand them. Doctors are not consistent with checking things each time they send you for blood work. Debating about going to an actual hormone facility vs my gynecologist.
April 2026:
February 2023:
November 2022:
October 2021:
2014:
Also have Increased heart palpitations, slight weight gain (~5 lbs over the course of 2026) and random onset of issues like increased PMS symptoms around ovulation, one-sided breast pain (mammogram was clear) and now vasomotor rhinitis/chronic sinusitis. But the worst part is definitely the anxiety! What gives? Is it all down hill from here?!
I’m mostly having extreme exhaustion and brain fog. I’m hydrated, I usually intermittent fast and I eat moderately healthy, but I really need to do better. I know it can’t hurt. Just looking for anyone else’s experiences, hoping for a final shove in the right direction. Thanks!
I have bad insomnia that progesterone and estradiol doesn't help and am considering the Dutch, but would probably have to stop depo provera for it. I've had symptoms of too many androgens my whole life, hormonal acne, and wonder if my adrenal hormones or estrone metabolites are high.
It's really expensive though and I'm wondering if it was worth it for you?
So my hair has been thinning for about a year now but has really picked up the last 6ish months. I am 44.This is what I lose typically when I wash my hair. Sometimes it's less than this. Then add the loss in-between when brushing my hair which is noticeable but not like when I wash my hair. I have been on HRT Therapy for a month now and at my follow up brought this up to my provider and how soul crushing this has been for me. She told me to give HRT a little more time and reassured me after it built up more in my system my hair thinning would slow down. Anyone else here experiencing this? Do I need to wait a little more as my provider suggested or do I need to do something else? What have you tried that helps? I have been taking certain supplements prior to HRT and still taking them... But maybe I am missing something? Please help!! I feel like I'll be bald by the time I'm 50!! 😭
I’m 40, in early peri. I Have been on progesterone since early May and started testosterone cyp beginning of June. My biggest symptoms are anxiety and first trimester fatigue.
Progesterone has helped greatly with my anxiety. We are getting the testosterone dialed in, it’s taken the “edge” off the fatigue but it’s still very much there. (My ferritin, vit d and b12 are all optimized- high end of normal). I’m taking creatine.
Has anyone been in the same situation?? Would adding estrogen help? I’m sick of slugging thru the days.
Hi! Been having medical circumstances and been trying to figure out what’s going on. I went to emergency room with substantial concerns and have been trying to figure out what’s going on for a couple weeks.
Symptoms have been chalked up to hashimotos, menopause, perimenopause. Just came across serotonin syndrome and it all clicked.
ER said thyroid storm, went to endocrinologist, they said i do not have a thyroid disorder. Endocrinologist ran labs, labs had high white blood count and really high estrogen.
I heard about high estrogen (perimenopause and or menopause caused) can cause increased sensitivity to serotonin. On the serotonin syndrome scales i have seen, i qualified for the severe level of the syndrome when i went to the Er. I started to feel better when i accidentally missed a dose of the Vyvanse Prozac and propranolol i take daily cause i was recovering from the hospital. Since then, i have spoken to my med provider and we have lessened the amount of serotonin in my system a lot, and i feel more myself. But, some of the effects are long lasting and wont go away- some insomnia, very dry mouth, sometimes mouth watering, muscle twitches, interval muscle twitches, extreme temperature variability, shivering even though i am not cold, mental fog around midday, high anxiety, forgetfulness, brain fog, heavy eyes, substantial tiredness and body pain and ache, also feeling like i am always fighting off some sort of cold or ear infection. Also weirdly increase of acne. Hot flashes a lot, and more clumsiness. Weird issues with hunger weight gain and also lots. Hard time catching breath, air hunger. Also feeling hard to swallow. Lots of other weird things like heavy lead legs and feeling really tumbly. And my eyes feel so weird, heavy and hard to keep open but also hard to focus. I feel like i am sometimes “really aware that i have eyes”.
Anything helps as i try to unravel what’s going on and feel more normal in my body.
l've been having a lot of adrenaline, panic, sweating. I finally bought a continuous glucose monitor and have been wearing it. I'm finding my blood sugar is all over the place especially at night when I wake up sweating with feelings of panic. I did buy some myo insitol and raw honey to try before bed to help.
I'm running on adrenaline and cortisol constantly! Can't sleep at night and sleep way too late in the day. I did just start my hrt back up. 200mg of progesterone 0.075 estrogen patch but I was having this happen before.
I had my bloodwork done and they say I'm fine but I wonder if blood sugar and hot flashes or night awakenings are connected?
I have some Ozempic I can start also. I wonder if it would stop the adrenaline/cortisol/sugar spikes?
Has anyone else tracked their sugar and night awakenings or panic?
My dr gave me gabapentin for "anxiety". I told her it's a body response that then feeds into my mind so it's not normal anxiety!
Picture of blood sugar swings for reference
Ive been on HRT for 5 months now including Androfem. I initially had very low testosterone, muscle atrophy, migraines, hair loss, facial hair, acne, long irregular periods, fatigue, insomnia, PMDD, night sweats, hot flushes and difficulty losing weight. I started HRT in March, it took me 4 doctors to finally get someone to listen to me.
My testosterone level is now normal but im not sure the improvements are worth the things that have gone wrong.
Pros.
-i have had one migraine since starting and my periods are back to normal
-my testosterone is normal
Cons.
-still have bad PMDD even after swapping to vaginal progesterone. Crying and miserable.
-I now have low iron and anemia which is actually incredible was I was diagnosed with heamochromotosis at 19 and have had phlebotomies all my life to manage high iron. My doctor dismissed it as heavy periods but I have had heavy period my whole life and still needed phlebotomies. I think it’s the testosterone.
-im still tired (low iton obviously)
-I now get heart palpitations during my luteal phase. Im already ob blood pressure tablets to lower blood pressure but now I get spikes in the evening during my luteal phase.
-still have facial hair (now getting electrolysis)
-still have haur falling out.
-still have night sweats and hot flushes (can no longer drink coffee 😢)
-still fat.
-still tired.
My doctor has suggested the marina but im scared of doing it because I have heard mixed things and I don’t want something semi permanent if it’s going to cause issues.
I actually feel like this has all caused more problems. I almost passed out a work when I had palpations. The doctor says it my low iron.
I feel like a 4 day period instead of an irregular 8 day period is not a good enough trade off. Im also not sure if my migraines are hormonal or caused by back and neck issues.
Should I wait until my iron goes back to normal and see how I feel? Or should I just decide this isn’t right for my body and boot it? What would you do? Im 5-6 months in? I fought with 4 doctors to get HRT, so I feel bad giving up. But I can’t wotk or live like this.
So progesterone is making my sleep worse. Why?! I’m on the .025 patch and cyclical 100mg of progesterone. I’ve been a week on it and got 5 hrs of sleep. I’m exhausted.
I feel like this is the natural companion to "is my spouse an arsehole or is it my hormones?"
I'm a psychotherapist but somehow ended up in a middle-level leadership role in the public sector 3.5 years ago. Still doing therapy with some very traumatised people, but with added political bullshit. Switching between listening to gory, distressing stories and corporate speak is a form of mental gymnastics I can no longer perform. I don't have any motivation at work, I get anxious when people want anything from me as much as a reply to a fairly straightforward email, and I can't seem to organise my way out of a paper bag, let alone work strategically. Everything is slipping. Every time I try to do anything at work beyond sitting in my darkened office my brain goes NO.
I'm not depressed - I'm fine on the weekends and evenings, I'm still interested in my hobbies, still experience pleasure and excitement, my sleep and appetite and self esteem are all good. I can't take antidepressants anyway, even if they were relevant (long story). I've been on HRT for about 15 months at varying doses and it's been really helpful for a host of other things - I did feel pretty dead inside 100% of the time beforehand, alongside the hot flashes etc - but I still hate my job. SO MUCH.
I want to quit and go back to private practice - just the therapy, no more management crap. But there's a little part of me going "but this is such a secure job! What if you only hate it so much right now because of peri?". My (non-arsehole!) spouse and I are at the tail end of renovating our first house so it would be a bad time to lose my financial stability.
I want to divorce my job, but what if I'm just being a grumpy cow and I'm the problem, not work? How do you trust yourself and your decisions when your hormones are untrustworthy?
If I don't sleep soon I'm going to end up in hospital (again).
I haven't slept more than 2-3 hours since late June.
I've tried everything I've seen recommended anywhere at all.
Magnesium glycinate
L-Theanine
THC
Melatonin
Prescription meds like still nox
Xanax
Anti histamines
Sometimes a combination of all of these.
Nothing works and I'm losing my mind.
If anyone can suggest anything I haven't thought of, please please please please do.
I have another appointment on Wednesday and I know they're just going to continue saying I'm too young, but knowing there's the *slim chance* that I'm taken seriously this time has been enough to get me through the frustration and anxiety of the last few days. Whyyy is it so hard to be taken seriously?
I'll be 38 at the end of August and this is awful. I feel like a crazy person, and the harassment of ads by Midi is extreme. My skin has been freaking out, I've been having two periods a month since January and it is awful. I had one of my ovaries removed in 2023 and due to pcos and endometriosis, but they never told me that it could cause me to go into early PM. I wasn't allowed to learn about reproductive health growing up so a lot of this has been me learning things on the fly later in life and mostly having to use google to find out information about how much my body is changing. I guess I'm really just here looking for advice and support. I don't have anyone I am close with that is going through this and family mostly won't talk about these kind of things.
I’m having a really hard time with my memory issues. I don’t know for sure if I’m in perimenopause or if it’s just a random occurrence that I’ve been dealing with peri symptoms for the last few years, which seem to have increased this last year (daily migraines, depression, sweating all the time, and memory issues). I’ve treated the migraines and depression with meds from my doctors.
But the memory loss is really starting to get to me, and it feels like it’s getting worse. How do you all cope?
I’m in the process of getting bloodwork done to check my hormone levels and see if this is peri. I’m only 34, so I know it’s on the younger side. I’m worried this might be something else, but I had an MRI done because of the onset of daily migraines several years ago, which is when the memory issues started. I chalked it up to being in constant pain with migraines, but with the med I’m on for the migraines, they’ve mostly gone away/way less frequent. But I’m still dealing with memory issues that seem to have gotten worse. Just feeling fed up and defeated right now.