Until a few weeks ago, I have been happily sailing along with no symptoms and full functionality. I was taking low doses of estradiol gel, estriol, testosterone and infrequently cycling progesterone, which I detest. Labs drawn in February were fine. Now, my train of thought is very 'off'. Instead of a linear flow of thought where I can go from A to B to C without even being aware of it, my thinking is now herky jerky, stopping and starting unable to focus or flow through. Highly distracted, not going from one thing to another, but going briefly from one thing (barely landing on the thought) to nothing, blank screen. Then, repeating. Reading, TV and internet all OK, but management tasks, creativity, paperwork, housework, cooking etc all very difficult to conduct. I am not 100% coherent in my speech, often confusing words and ideas mid-sentence. No hot flashes, but I have had several small migraines which follow the familiar hormonal pattern of old.

We did have some serious medical news early in the Month, awaiting outcome. This is the only 'trigger' I can think of. Does anyone know if a little less or a little more of any particular hormone could help? During the worst of peri, I had weeks at a time of an awful, awful version of this, where I could barely function my thought pattern was so shot, and was accompanied by a constant sensation of my brain fizzing and jittering inside my head. The current problem is very, very similar, but without the same intensity or jittering sensation. My mood's OK and no other symptoms.

I am wondering of this is anxiety. if you look up anxiety symptoms I believe these will be there. I feel the same in many ways. The words, confusing them, not coming to me or coming out jumbled, or at least feel like they will if that makes any sense. the more I think about it, the worse it is. That starts a vicious cycle. I hope you get more replies and answers that help you.

Have you been more active than usual? Women who are active find they burn up the E and need higher doses. Probably stress also might necessitate an increase. To me, your symptoms seems like low Estradiol (not estriol)

Thanks to both of you for posting. I have checked symptoms of anxiety and, if this is the case, it seems isolated to just this one 'mental' symptom. I don't have racing heart or palpitations, thoughts of dread/panic, loss of appetite etc. Just this #!!***!! inability to think in a fluid, clear line. I am malfunctioning at various tasks, owing to the static on my mental radio. The only other thing is a very, very slight sensation of tingling underneath my skull, where I imagine my brain to be.

As for being more active, no. Neither have I been inactive. I am willing to try adding more estradiol, though. Have been using .5 mg/day. Should I double up?

I agree with both enough and sariah. Your stress is probably up, and stress itself can burn up the E. Try upping it a little, the estradiol. Not a lot though. Also try and find some time each day to meditate quietly. To relax your mind, clear it of any thoughts. It is very healthy for you and can help reduce anxiety by increasing your alpha brain waves.

PS to above

The only other changes/possible triggers besides the bad medical news are the onset of springtime and a lousy round of hay fever. Many, many years ago, I used to get a mild sort of mania in the springtime. I would have super energy, weight loss, non-stop productivity and mild insomnia. I always attributed it to some bizarre energy change brought about by the sudden and abundant explosion of growth happening everywhere around me, similar to the way we tend to shut down in winter months when all that growth likewise goes dormant. I have wondered these past few days if something similar is happening now, but minus the happy mental state and laser-focus of old.

I am ready to add more estradiol to the system. Right now, I have a low-key migraine and haven't used progesterone for over a month. And don't want to, either.

Low estradiol can contribute to impaired cognitive funciton among other things. Even if you've been on a consistent functioning level with your current regime of hrt, the body is constantly varying its state of homeostasis. Not every doctor will agree about the impact of estradiol upon cognitive function. However, I would suggest talking to your doc and maybe getting a second opionion. I can NOT function cognitively, and physically, without a mimimal level that is adjusted correctly for me. My docs let me titrate my dosage as needed. Regards, J.

I would double the E for a few days and see what happens. 1 mg of E is not alot.

Thanks everyone. I doubled yesterday after reading your encouragement. Nothing's better, but within two hours of the extra gel, had restless legs syndrome all evening and through most of the night. Before this, there hadn't been the slightest twinge in months. (???)

Will continue the double E today. Mental function still lousy, like a loud radio station that won't come in clearly. Energy and mood OK, but my 'screen is constantly being Degaussed'.
GK

I wanted to tell you what's happened. I doubled my estrogen and got a bad case of restless legs for one night and didn't sleep much. It seemed to crank up the sense of fragmentation. So, the following day, I tried a tiny dab of progesterone, hoping it would calm me down, but it went wildly in the opposite direction. The mental tracking problem got worse, I got those body jolts/startling sensations and the migraine turned into a sinus headache and then back again to a much worse migraine. That's finally gone, thanks to Relpax. I haven't slept more than two hours since, and am continuing with the double estrogen (2 mg/day) but taking it all in the morning. I'm making functional errors all over the place. I don't want to lower the estrogen at this point in case I tip things in some other direction.

I have tried meditating, but am not able to 'center' well at all, so I just try to keep my breathing even. That was a good suggestion and I'm sorry it's not working. I don't even want my music on, it's too much right now.

Tonight, I'm going to take a strong muscle relaxant. I am pretty sure all this was triggered by the scary medical news and fear of what lies ahead, even though that is not the constant centerpiece of my thoughts - trying to function is. I just know it's thrown something way off, and had hoped some hormonal supplementation would help. I haven't experienced insomnia like this in many years.