I have been crying for the past 3 days. I am so fatigued and tired. I am supposed to start my period but I think I might skip it. I have not ever skipped one yet but I am 40 now. Do any of you feel worse with depression & crashing fatigue when you skip a period ? I feel like the bottom has dropped out from under me. I took a homeopathic remedy for sleep last night which helped but I still feel crashing fatigue today and like crying.




Wendy

(((Wendy)))

I am so sorry you are feeling so bad. Those hormone fluctuations are the absolute worse. At this point in your cycle your hormones are at their lowest levels, which would explain why you are feeling so darn horrible. Hang on, it will pass and you will feel better in a few days.

Many of us have had terrible problems with fatigue and depression when those hormones bottomed out. I know I sure did. I had to go on ADs and BHRT in order to function, but I didn't crash until I was 6 months into the menopausal transition. However during peri I had plenty of days, even weeks, when I felt just as you are describing.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!!!

Dear Friend
I too am sorry you have been feeling so down.It is very definitely hormonal in nature.
you become anxious,you are tired from fractured sleep and all this can lead to depression hence the constant crying.

Like Floater I too only felt much better when I started HRT,but this is my personal choice.
How about getting to your Gyno and having Hormone and Thyroid levels checked to see if you need some medication,homeopathic or otherwise.

Stay in Touch
God Bless
Elizabeth

I have been to my doctor and they did blood work. Everything was fine. They just did the normal usual bloodwork no hormones checked. I have been taking BHRT compounded progesterone and testosterone for over 2 years. My doc finally had me do a hormone saliva test. My progesterone was low and testosterone was rock bottom. It has been getting harder and harder to balance the hormones. I do frequent testing through ZRT lab. My adrenals have been fatigued in the past from hormone fluctuations and lack of SLEEP! I just started homeopathic remedies for hormones and sleep. I starting taking Sepia and rescue Bach remedy for sleep. I hope this gives me some relief. My doctor just says that this is normal at my age ( 40 ) and fluctuations will keep happening while my ovaries sputter to a halt. I think I could stand it if I weren't so tired and depressed. I also ordered a homepathic for depression. I have tried traditional AD & St. John's Wort with no relief. I just got back my testosterone test and it is low again ! I know this happens when ovaries don't make it. I am still waiting for my Vitamin D Test to come back. I am sure I am deficient which isn't helping. I feel hopeless because there's so many things wrong that I don't know what to do to get it all back in healthy ranges. It is overwhelming . I really love PS and all you because you give me hope and encouragement. I need that. Thanks


wendy

Hi Wendy I will be interested in what your vitamin D level comes back as too. Last October I had my first vitamin D blood test and it came back low so the holistic doctor I was seeing then had me take a sublingual vit D3 supplement for 2 months then retest my levels in December. They had come up significantly in that short time to right in the middle of the noraml range so I stopped using the supplement as I had run out of it anyway. I was feeling really good during late december and all of January then early Feb things started going downhill after I contracted a nasty dose of sinusitis/laryngitis and I haven't recovered yet from it and I have been feeling very very off. I am contemplating asking the holistic doctor for another vit D test to see if it has dropped low again and whether maybe I need to take the supplement on an ongoing basis but I was wary of taking too much and becoming toxic. I was only taking up to 2000ius per day. It seems to be a vital factor in depression and many other issues and technically it is apparently a hormome and not just a mere vitamin.

Like you I use a type of homeopathic remedy whish is a homeobotanical remedy I have been takign for some time now but I'm not sure it's doijg much anymore. I have tried tweaking my doses with no relief in fact it makes me worse. Yesterday I got a bach flower remedy made up for me that ws recommended by a naturopath I consulted a while ago and I have used that a few times last night, actually I need to take some now as I haven't had a dose yet today.

I am willing to bet a lot of my issues are adrenal related also as there is a definite pattern of when I feel my worse and according to a circadian cortisol chart I happened upon recently the times when cortisol is at its lowest are the exact times I feel at my worst every day like clockwork when I'm stressed like now. When I relaxed and happy I don't feel nearly as bad.

Please keep me posted of your Vit D results and any supplementation they may put you on and the results of that.

Rox

Wendy,
You might find getting blood levels of your hormones to be more helpful in determining your status. Saliva tests have been proven to be inconsistent and unreliable for sex hormones, although they are pretty accurate for cortisol.

Wendy, it sounds to me like you might require more estrogen during these times when you are experiencing the crying spells and worsening of symptoms... Can you increase your estrogen slightly to see if this has some benefits for you...then once the crisis is over go back to your normal dosage... Since you have been on HRT for a while, perhaps that is all that is needed tweaking the dose a bit when estrogen dips to its lowest and progesterone is at its highest...

I would also suggest going to womentowomen.com and clicking on menopause, then clicking on more articles, then clicking on Estrogen Dominance is Real, then go down and look at the chart of how estrogen and progesterone interacts with each other. Then think about where in that cycle you are feeling your worst! If that is now, then that would explain a lot...as you move closer to your period...estrogen decreases more and more!

Best Wishes,

TJ

I'd be happy to take estrogen but no doc will give it to me because I still have periods. They said as long as I have any period I cannot have it. All they will give me is progesterone cream and testosterone cream. I started taking sepia a homeopathic remedy . It seems to be helping a lot. My friend doesn't taking anything but sepia and has not symptoms at all from peri and she is 48. I hope it keep helping. I'll let you know what my Vit. D level is when I get it back next week. It is almost impossible to become toxic on it. It is very important to have for good health and wellbeing. Thanks for all your responses.

Bless You All

wendy

Yes, I don't understand their thinking and while I must admit that it has been a difficult road, Pete at Bellvue helped me to get mine... I am still having regular periods too. Perhaps you can contact Bellvue, they also gave me some names in my area. I'm not sure why they only gave you testosterone and progesterone unless your estrogen levels were high already and they felt you just needed the opposing progesterone.

I started the vitamin d and haven't noticed one bit of difference in how I feel in relationship to that...but everyone is different.


TJ

P.S. I just saw the post where you were saying that you were only taking those two...I initially saw BHRT and just assumed the works lol! Anyway, it sounds like you need estrogen and I would contact Pete!

TJ

I just learned about vitamin D.

I have been feeling absolutely exhausted lately. I thought that perhaps I needed more Synthroid, but my thyroid panel numbers are exactly where the doctor wants them to be. She ordered a number of blood tests, and all came back normal except for iron and vitamin D. Ferritin is low (I am to take Vitron C, an iron supplement) and vitamin D is very low (normal is about 32; mine was 20). So I am starting a prescription dose of vitamin D. And I was already taking a daily pill of 1000 IU! The doctor said that low vitamin D can cause fatigue. Additionally, it means I probably have not been absorbing calcium properly...

I feel so blessed to have finally found an excellent internist. It took years...

Best to all,
Marcy

My estrogen was our of proportion to my progesterone because my progesterone was low and my estrogen was low too. On a saliva scale it is supposed to be a minimum of 1.3 and mine rides anywhere from 1.0-1.5 . Sometimes it's normal and sometimes it isn't the doc says that during peri it will go up & down radically and if I take it it will make things worse when it shoots up. I am not sure what to do I just feel horrible today. Thi is day 27 of my cycle and looks like I will start a period tomorrow. I also just found out my pastor who we love is leaving and this was is last day to preach. Too many things are changing too fast ! How did Pete help you get estrogen ? How often were you still having periods ? They think I am still too young to need estrogen (40 now ).

wendy feeling lost & confused

Hey Wendy, I have regular periods and have not started skipping them yet. There are many women younger than you who are on estrogen, Dr. Uzzi Reiss has a section in his book about perimenopausal women and younger women. It is a great read because it teaches dosing and he also teaches adjusting your dose of BHRT based on your symptoms. He has a symptom check list that he suggests you do every day before taking estrogen so that you can decrease or increase your dosage as needed! That has helped me tremendously! Since you are perimenopausal and sounds like your worst times are during the luteal phase...two weeks before your cycle, you may benefit from just taking a dose during that time. Someone else recommended that for me and I am trying that now, so far so good! I think she was using the patch, however, and Dr. Reiss has a case in his book that is similiar...

Also, Pete has you fill out a questionnaire and then fax all of your blood work to him or saliva tests... He then will make recommendations and give you names of doctors who have used his services in your area... You just need to get a medical doctor to sign off on the prescription...it can be your GP or FP, etc. Honestly, the woman who signed off on my script, OBGYN, does not have a clue about dosing. According to her she is to busy!!!

Please take charge of your help now Wendy because it may only get worse. There are those who are okay and then there are those who are not...


TJ

I am scared to death things will get worse. I have ben trying to take charge of my health but it is exhausting and there is so much contradicting info out there. Each doctor or book says something else. I have read to many books and the one you suggested. I feel more confused the more I read. I am just so tired emotional and physically from all of this. It feels like it is all I think about, tracking symptoms , testing etc. I test every month to patterns which ismore than most women do. I ask your prayers for me. I need insight and answers. I am holding on day by day looking for any light of hope. I started my period today so today is not a good day. I usually only feel good days 16-20, not enough days for me . I want a lot more good days than that . I don't think that is too much to ask for. Sorry to whine about all this. I was never a whiner before.

wendy

I understand Wendy! I'm so sorry that you are going through such a difficult, crappy time. You're doing everything right with tracking your symptoms and everything so that you can give a doctor a more indepth analysis of what is happening to you! You know when you feel best and when you feel worst. I think Reiss' book is important for me regarding dosing. Once you get your E then dosing will be an issue, especially in terms of alleviating unwanted symptoms as they arise. I"m even wondering if the progesterone is only makings worse for you...and the T.

You can and will get through this! I think for the moment destressing as much as possible and living in the moment is important, that could quite possibly be exacerbating your symptoms and increasing your stress levels!

You are in my prayers!

TJ

Thanks for the kid words. I have found something that helps me sleep ! It is homeopathic called rescue sleep from Bach . It is a spray and I take 2 sprays at bed and fall sleep. I am thankful for that. I will get my vitamin D test back by Wed. I have been doing a lot more research on it and if you are low then if can actually take a high loading dose of 50,000IU once a week for 8 weeks then 4000IU daily after that. Many people find that 2000 IU are not enough. I will let you know what my level is and how the treatment works for me.

wendy

Hey Wendy,

Happy to hear that you found something to aid you in getting some rest. I also wanted to thank you for posting the name of it since I am having difficulties sleeping at the moment! Purchased some Valerian Root yesteday so we will see if that helps! The Herbalist said Kava Kava was also good but much STRONGER so suggested I try this first!

In regards to the Vitamin D, I was taking 500 iu daily and have been for years but discovered last year that I should be taking the D3 so switched over. I didn't notice any difference, however. Then I had some testing done and my D came back at 26...very low still even with all of the supplementing...so she is supplementing me at the higher level you suggested...50,000 iu for 8 weeks...then tapering off... I haven't noticed any difference in how I feel, however, but I do feel worse in the winter and I also have adrenal problems. From what I've read lately, there is some sort of correlation between winter with not getting enough sunlight as well as progesterone levels dipping during these times... I'm currently supplementing with both! I do use a sun lamp occasionally that my doctor lends me and I notice a difference so I really need to invest in one of those. They are quite expensive, however!

Best Wishes,

TJ

Hi All,

Was doing pretty well for a while, but the past couple of weeks, eeek! really hitting alot of lows. I'll be just fine, and boom, a dip in my emotions. I am weening off the HRT, and am at 3 days in between doses. In the meantime, I'm taking Estroven, the regular one, to build up in my system. I have always heard that herbal remedies take a few months to really get going in your system. I think I feel a little better, but days like yesterday, OMG, horrible. Went to my youngest grandson's b-day party, and I felt like a complete stranger. I must be in depression, because a "party" seemed like the most obnoxious thing I could've attended! A funeral would've been much more up my alley. Everything ticked me off, until at the end, my daughter and my niece and I were talking, and come to find out they were also having "hormonally" directed issues. My daughter was PMS-ing and my niece is Pregnant! Once we found out we all were suffering, we actually had a good laugh about the whole thing.
I'm gonna try reviving my walking exercise (daily) and a light strenth training program. We've had a hot spell here, and I'm wondering how, if it's this hot in March, I will survive summer in the Southwest! Oh boy. I do get relief from exercise. Just so tired right now, and of course, not sleeping well.
sorry to be so gripey. I'm really glad I've found this site. I've learned alot.
Best to all of you.
Linda