There and back again. A HRT tale. And a quesion.

[Doreen]

SO I've been off HRT off & on over the decades..(Started around 21, now I'm 44) Far too often off for my liking.  For the first time in ever,  I have actual insurance so I've been ON HRT consistently the last 3 years.  I went off of it for 3 months last year for FFS...

Now once again I'm off HRT 1 month so far for a LH/FSH/Estrogen/Serum InhibinB/Antimullerian hormone with no HRT influence lab, per request of my reproductive endo. (Testing for Swyers variant syndrome, and possible hidden / streak gonads).  He said not to restart it until after he's evaluated it...UGH!

So here's my question:  Why are my boobs hurting MORE off hrt?  I can understand the hot flashes, but I actually get... its hard to explain, but I think the hot flashes are less frequent but more rapid onset?  Like boom hot, boom cold.  Anyone else possibly experience this?  I'm also getting constant abdominal cramping that's daily now, instead of once a blue moon like it was when I wasn't on HRT.  Trust me this has been an issue too... a very annoying one.  They ruled out any GI issues (per colonoscopy), and no its not interstitial cystitis or anything bladder related.

My body is all sorts of strange.  Hopefully I'll know VERY soon a bit more of the mysteries inside me.  I'd ask the docs but all I've gotten from ... 3 so far... are shrugs, 'not sure', and 'you're a magical unicorn'....yes literally that.  I've almost given up asking them questions because I know they probably won't know.  And rarely are they interested enough to learn more.  This reproductive endo seems to be the only one curious enough to study more so far.

[Dena]

I am really going to be interest to know what the results of your tests are. What it sound like is what happens when a woman take birth control pills. The pills jam the natural cycle inhibiting the reproductive cycle. It's possible that your HRT was doing much the same and your body is now cycling naturally.

I know of a CIS woman who was reassigned male at a young age and experienced the expected dysphoria for many years. Testosterone injections suppressed her cycle and when she finally came off the injections, her body kicked in with a vengeance. She had at least 2 periods a month, her estradiol levels were very high and when she had periods, they were extremely heavy. I suspect your guess about the hidden gonads is very possible and they are functioning much like this.

[Doreen]

I am really going to be interest to know what the results of your tests are. What it sound like is what happens when a woman take birth control pills. The pills jam the natural cycle inhibiting the reproductive cycle. It's possible that your HRT was doing much the same and your body is now cycling naturally.

I know of a CIS woman who was reassigned male at a young age and experienced the expected dysphoria for many years. Testosterone injections suppressed her cycle and when she finally came off the injections, her body kicked in with a vengeance. She had at least 2 periods a month, her estradiol levels were very high and when she had periods, they were extremely heavy. I suspect your guess about the hidden gonads is very possible and they are functioning much like this.

I still have no idea and it seems every time they look they find a new theory.  This has to be solved, I hope, some day.. if nothing else find some way to resolve the chronic (now) pelvic pain.  Thank you for your response.  I too am going to be interested what it returns as.  Knowing my luck though, being 44 I'll be menopausal and suddenly it comes back -------- dead.  lol.  The irony is on HRT everything was perfectly normal limits for a healthy female.  Its a mess.  I just pray I get some definitive answers, I hate not knowing.. and hurting.

[KayXo]

Breast pain and abdominal cramps are sometimes symptoms of estrogenic effects. So, indeed, that is strange. My breasts only hurt when my E gets high.

[Doreen]

Breast pain and abdominal cramps are sometimes symptoms of estrogenic effects. So, indeed, that is strange. My breasts only hurt when my E gets high.

Just waiting on the results from my latest escapades of no hrt, and estradiol/fsh/lh levels.  The labs were drawn today, should know in a week. Its entirely possible I'm still producing some from whatever mysterious source I had it before from.