I was wondering if someone could please try to help me understand the following conundrum:
Why would a dose of roughly 1 mg of oestrogen (from a typical HRT gel version) and 100 mg of synthetic progesterone tablets (therefore of doubtful effectiveness) seem to reverse some of the nastier symptoms of menopause (flushes, lethargy, brain fog, flashes of bad temper, low libido, fat gain on upper body)??
Over a period of 6 months I returned to being pretty much as before menopause. It was nirvana, sleeping through the night, regaining my equilibrium, etc. Then I found out some more information on the negative aspects of oestrogen.
I am now genuinely surprised and confused.
I stopped the oestrogen and all the same symptoms slowly reappeared, I then increased the dosage of progesterone (admittedly the one I was prescribed) to about 300 mg - which made no difference.
* So is it a case that one needed extra oestrogen for some reason, would there ever be such a case???
* How could oestrogen have the effects that progesterone is supposed to have??
* Could the apparently typical menopause symptoms be caused by something else? The influence of another hormone or lack of? What role could thyroid have here?
* How would the theory 'listen to your body' apply here? I definitely experienced wellbeing at that level of extra oestrogen. Would I be totally mad returning to HRT and causing other damage?
I'd really appreciate some opinions and possible theories on any of the above issues.
I have read some threads which indicate similar confusion as to the effects of supplementing with hormones. I do also note from people around me that diet certainly seem to make a difference, women who managed never to gain extra weight seem to have lesser and shorter menopausal symptoms. And losing weight whilst hormonally imbalanced is a Herculean task...
Thanks!
Why would a dose of roughly 1 mg of oestrogen (from a typical HRT gel version) and 100 mg of synthetic progesterone tablets (therefore of doubtful effectiveness) seem to reverse some of the nastier symptoms of menopause (flushes, lethargy, brain fog, flashes of bad temper, low libido, fat gain on upper body)??
Over a period of 6 months I returned to being pretty much as before menopause. It was nirvana, sleeping through the night, regaining my equilibrium, etc. Then I found out some more information on the negative aspects of oestrogen.
I am now genuinely surprised and confused.
I stopped the oestrogen and all the same symptoms slowly reappeared, I then increased the dosage of progesterone (admittedly the one I was prescribed) to about 300 mg - which made no difference.
* So is it a case that one needed extra oestrogen for some reason, would there ever be such a case???
* How could oestrogen have the effects that progesterone is supposed to have??
* Could the apparently typical menopause symptoms be caused by something else? The influence of another hormone or lack of? What role could thyroid have here?
* How would the theory 'listen to your body' apply here? I definitely experienced wellbeing at that level of extra oestrogen. Would I be totally mad returning to HRT and causing other damage?
I'd really appreciate some opinions and possible theories on any of the above issues.
I have read some threads which indicate similar confusion as to the effects of supplementing with hormones. I do also note from people around me that diet certainly seem to make a difference, women who managed never to gain extra weight seem to have lesser and shorter menopausal symptoms. And losing weight whilst hormonally imbalanced is a Herculean task...
Thanks!