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Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 03:08:32 AM

Title: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 03:08:32 AM
This is a vent, not a cry for help or asking for advice. Just a hug and an "I know... I know" will do

My estrogen has been sky the hell through the roof high lately. My last test didn't show it but I can tell it's spiking / spiked. It's been high before and I'm getting all of the same symptoms.

My cat is acting like I'm her momma, I'm crying over the dumbest crap, my self confidence with whether I'm good at anything is bottomed out, my skin is ashy, my nails are going to crap, I'm starving 18 hours a day even though I do nothing but eat eat eat, I'm sleepy all the time (I'm up at 3 am because I slept about 10 hours today), I'm getting slight morning sickness and if I go 2 hours over without taking my dose I get headaches and hot flashes, I can go for 2 weeks without washing my hair and it's still dry (even though THANKFULLY it's still healthy!), mood swings are crazy dramatic (I'll go from happy la la land to verge of tears just from somebody asking me why I did something), my clothes smell like onions when I take them off (yes I wear deoderant), oddly, my sex drive is getting stronger (mmm men... WHY CAN'T I HAVE ONE?!! /cry ... I'm hungry) even though my T is WELL suppressed (18 ng / ml), my skin is paper thin... I'm sure I missed something.

Sounds fun huh? A bleeping joy ride I'm telling you! Being 12 again is freaking awesome!! If anybody wants to know the extreme effects of estrogen, live with me for a week or 2 and I bet you'll jump off of HRT because you'll be like "OH I DO NOT WANNA BE THAT ... GIRL!".

Before anybody says anything, I'm going to the doctor in a week. I'm sure everyone in my life is thankful that I am...
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Beverly on October 23, 2012, 03:12:07 AM
What goes up can come down again.

Patience....

x x
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 03:19:44 AM
Quote from: bev2 on October 23, 2012, 03:12:07 AM
What goes up can come down again.

Patience....

x x

When I read that, I really read "Hot flashes and migranes are in your future!!" ... and idk if I'd rather have what I'm having now or those! lol!!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: MadelineB on October 23, 2012, 03:26:51 AM
I had to pause in finishing this bucket of frozen yogurt on my lap so that I can type some encouragement. Thanks for giving me a moment to burp before I go back to digging in again. Hang in there Alaina! Nom nom nom. It gets better. Nom nom nom. Oh, it's only 1:30 where I am. Nom nom.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Medusa on October 23, 2012, 03:37:27 AM
Congrats you are pregnant   :icon_birthday:

Sorry just bad joke

Bug hug for you
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 03:44:50 AM
Quote from: MadelineB on October 23, 2012, 03:26:51 AM
I had to pause in finishing this bucket of frozen yogurt on my lap so that I can type some encouragement. Thanks for giving me a moment to burp before I go back to digging in again. Hang in there Alaina! Nom nom nom. It gets better. Nom nom nom. Oh, it's only 1:30 where I am. Nom nom.

Umm... share before I end you!! :D

ILY :)

Quote from: Medusa on October 23, 2012, 03:37:27 AM
Congrats you are pregnant   :icon_birthday:

Sorry just bad joke

Bug hug for you

Thanks... the first one apparently was a miscarriage :(

lol yall 2 made me laugh, thanks!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: kelly_aus on October 23, 2012, 04:58:48 AM
I've got low E and that can be just as crazy...
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: spx_1112 on October 23, 2012, 07:59:48 AM
I have had slight morning sickness too.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 09:30:34 AM
Quote from: TessaM on October 23, 2012, 04:37:41 AM
Are your dried skin and crummy nails a direct result of high e? I had the same symptoms when I was taking Spironolactone, my dr prescribed me androcur and although im taking the same daily dose in mgs of e, my skin is no longer "paper" thin and my nails exist now!

I'm pretty sure, I've been on Spiro for over a year and haven't had these symptoms persistently. Could be, but the skin and nails were just fine during the summer. It probably is low T that's causing that since nails are made of up to 25% water and skin dryness is a direct result of lack of sebum... and testosterone is needed for sebum production.

Really... I just wanted to B-word because apparently that's all that a person or 2 see me as in life, and the E makes me sooo emotional.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Kelly J. P. on October 24, 2012, 12:43:17 AM
 I must not have high estrogen, because HRT hasn't really made me feel any different. Mostly.

I hope things get sorted out for you... not much can be done other than enjoying the fact that it's not boring. :p
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Ms. OBrien CVT on October 24, 2012, 01:00:38 AM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-5.gif&hash=cfc7a68438be4575d8493dfbe65d1b3586f10b81) I know ... I know

Had hot flashes after my orchidectomy.  Not fun.  I would suggest having your E levels check after not being on any HRT.  A friend had similar symptoms and her doctor check her after being off E for about a month.  Her levels were still at the levels of a premenstrual woman. Evidently her body has decided to manufacture her own Estrogen.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Ave on October 24, 2012, 01:05:31 AM
Been there done that I know when I had high E levels I felt like godzilla ready to tear apart an unsuspecting city and the next moment feeling like I was going to cry...in class.

Interestingly enough, just got my T level back and it was pretty high yet I don't get the crazy highs that E gave me. E is some crazy stuff! ;D

Hang in there! :)
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 24, 2012, 01:14:22 AM
Quote from: Ms. OBrien on October 24, 2012, 01:00:38 AM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-5.gif&hash=cfc7a68438be4575d8493dfbe65d1b3586f10b81) I know ... I know

Had hot flashes after my orchidectomy.  Not fun.  I would suggest having your E levels check after not being on any HRT.  A friend had similar symptoms and her doctor check her after being off E for about a month.  Her levels were still at the levels of a premenstrual woman. Evidently her body has decided to manufacture her own Estrogen.

Thanks love :)

I wish mine would do that.... no more pills!!

Quote from: CoolCat on October 24, 2012, 01:05:31 AM
Been there done that I know when I had high E levels I felt like godzilla ready to tear apart an unsuspecting city and the next moment feeling like I was going to cry...in class.

Interestingly enough, just got my T level back and it was pretty high yet I don't get the crazy highs that E gave me. E is some crazy stuff! ;D

Hang in there! :)

It's such an awkward feeling trying to hold back tears that ... to everybody else must seem spontaneous if you let them flow. I know if I started crying around people because a friend asked me "Why in the world would you turn on this street?" ... they'd look at me like I'm crazy! But that estradiol is wicked stuff!!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Ave on October 24, 2012, 01:26:18 AM
Quote from: Alainaluvsu on October 24, 2012, 01:14:22 AM

It's such an awkward feeling trying to hold back tears that ... to everybody else must seem spontaneous if you let them flow. I know if I started crying around people because a friend asked me "Why in the world would you turn on this street?" ... they'd look at me like I'm crazy! But that estradiol is wicked stuff!!

I remember when I was *just* starting out on the estro stuff and got back a quiz from my Stat's professor with a big ol' red 88 on it.

Words cannot describe the overwhelming fury and "I'm about to cry >:(" that I felt...thank god I never felt like that again, those were some pretty scary swings :) .
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: harmonic_dissonance on October 24, 2012, 07:38:24 AM
Good lord, I am having like the same symptoms!

I had my levels checked last month and everything was right as rain.  She actually lowered my dosage by a tiny amount to see how I'd take to it.

Constantly feel exhausted, both hungry AND nauseated, insane mood swings (I may have tackled someone cough cough).  My sex drive is amusingly nearly non-existent as always, but more so now than ever.  Paper skin thin too, and I'm either freezing or burning up!

What gets me is that you mentioned your kitty getting clingy with attention, mine is too!  Maybe they can smell the pheromones?  I don't know, but she is stuck to me sitting on top of my desk or lap since I started the new dosing and wails at the door when I leave.

About that "onion" smell though, I did some researching since I have it as well.  Apparently that's just a sign of your formidable femininity, haha: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4378948/Men-smell-of-cheese-women-smell-of-onion.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4378948/Men-smell-of-cheese-women-smell-of-onion.html)

Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Catherine Sarah on October 24, 2012, 07:57:28 AM
Hi Alaina,

More over girl, I'm moving in. What you're doing is the only way to go.

Six weeks ago I changed from patches to 100mg implant. E levels have gone through the roof, (over 2,000 nm/mL) no T and just about to leave this planet. I cry over the TV news.

But geez, when you can get a hold of yourself, the insights and understanding you find are awesome.

Keep on keeping on.

Huggs
Catherine
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Rita on October 24, 2012, 11:09:34 AM
That was me the first 2 weeks of getting a higher E dosage without the crummy nails.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Violet Bloom on October 24, 2012, 11:52:11 AM
  This stuff kinda scares me because I experience a number of these lousy conditions regularly (perhaps to lesser degrees) but I'm not on HRT.  Not being able to tell the difference between nauseated or hungry is always fun.  I never eat enough any more because of this.  I'm really hoping I get a good doctor soon.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 24, 2012, 12:40:34 PM
Quote from: Laura91 on October 24, 2012, 11:24:07 AM
I would consider you to be lucky if that is all that is happening to you. When I had E levels that were too high I had heart palpitations. Talk about some truly scary stuff. I said "the hell with waiting to see the doctor, I'm dropping this dose back to what it was before." Once I did that I felt fine (other than some hot flashes but I can deal with that.)

Ick... that is nasty stuff. I'll take everything I'm experiencing over that any day!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Tristan on October 24, 2012, 05:48:15 PM
wait till they drop to fast (your E levels) and your nips start to lactate. lol
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: harmonic_dissonance on October 24, 2012, 05:53:06 PM
I had that happen once Tristan. 
My reaction when it happened can be summed up as:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fq4CdG.gif&hash=de6da2d7c415d52d104a0c37254e06c90af55232)
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Tristan on October 24, 2012, 06:14:42 PM
Quote from: harmonic_dissonance on October 24, 2012, 05:53:06 PM
I had that happen once Tristan. 
My reaction when it happened can be summed up as:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fq4CdG.gif&hash=de6da2d7c415d52d104a0c37254e06c90af55232)
lol yeah. i was so like WTF. people were like oh your leaking hun, do you breast feed. why does that kind of stuff always happen to me? haha
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Rita on October 24, 2012, 06:36:31 PM
Oh dear -pokes myself- they have never lactated yet  xD
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alex8 on October 24, 2012, 07:03:16 PM
Quote from: Alainaluvsu on October 23, 2012, 03:08:32 AM
...
My estrogen has been sky the hell through the roof high lately. My last test didn't show it but I can tell it's spiking / spiked. It's been high before and I'm getting all of the same symptoms.

My cat is acting like I'm her momma, I'm crying over the dumbest crap, my self confidence with whether I'm good at anything is bottomed out, my skin is ashy, my nails are going to crap, I'm starving 18 hours a day even though I do nothing but eat eat eat, I'm sleepy all the time (I'm up at 3 am because I slept about 10 hours today), I'm getting slight morning sickness and if I go 2 hours over without taking my dose I get headaches and hot flashes, I can go for 2 weeks without washing my hair and it's still dry (even though THANKFULLY it's still healthy!), mood swings are crazy dramatic (I'll go from happy la la land to verge of tears just from somebody asking me why I did something), my clothes smell like onions when I take them off (yes I wear deoderant), oddly, my sex drive is getting stronger (mmm men... WHY CAN'T I HAVE ONE?!! /cry ... I'm hungry) even though my T is WELL suppressed (18 ng / ml), my skin is paper thin... I'm sure I missed something.
Please, be patient. It happens but it is not forewer. For instance, My estrogen is 2082 and testosterone 0.8 during last 2 month.
I feel the same as you do and it is so nice feeling for me - i am the happiest person on the Earth!
After 2 month, I almost can stop eating when I decide to stop, I don't sleep at work and all things are OK now :-)))
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: A on October 25, 2012, 01:11:10 AM
Juuust quickly like that. Sounds like part of your trouble might be unstable levels throughout the day. It's more expensive, but I'd still tend to advise that you try a transdermal gel. I had a very small part of your symptoms (very small dose, so) when I was on Estrace, and even though it looks like my dose might have been actually reduced in the process (gotta love very available endos - still waiting for an appointment), when I was switched over to Estrogel, they disappeared, poof. They were actually caused by the "down" of E at the end of the day.

I would suggest talking to your doctor about replacing part of your pills with Estrogel. Maybe even just one shot per day (which is probably roughly 35 $ per two months, not so terrible). It'd add one steady, stable element to your hormone regimen to smooth the up-and-down curves. It might be all you need.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: JessicaH on October 25, 2012, 06:35:26 AM
Don't assume it is high E. It sounds more like your T is bottoming out which can affect your thyroid (TSH,FSH,thyroxin).  I have talked to several MtE (Male to Eunuch) and low T causes many symptoms we atribute to High E. Dry hair, low energy, brittle nails are all signs of low T and or thyroid being off.  May want to get blood test to check everything out.

Also, if you keep your E too high for too long, your prolactin levels will rise  high enough to drive your T down as well. To many of us think of T as the enemy but women NEED T in their system!!  Too much T is the problem. Ideally, most women should have 50-70 pg/ml (unit may be off).

Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on October 25, 2012, 09:12:21 AM
My T has been bottomed out for months. Yes I know dry skin / hair is due to that. The post was suppose to be more humorous than anything :)

My T hasn't measured above 25 the entire time I've been on HRT lol!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Dale on October 25, 2012, 12:10:11 PM
Alaina,

When I was in my "pregnancy stage" my E count varied from 1400-2000 at times. I did not experience any of what you going through, but I was on androcur not spiro. When I dropped it the milk can in. I'm sorry your going through all this difficult period now. Here is a BIG HUG for you.

Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Siobhan on November 01, 2012, 03:48:02 PM
I have a lot of the same things Alaina, thought it was just me that smelt slightly of onions  :icon_redface:
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: MadelineB on December 09, 2012, 10:58:15 PM
Talk to your endo, but is very common for high E to convert to T, or sometimes our bodies produce extra T in an effort to balance things. Either way, its usually very manageable.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Eva Marie on December 09, 2012, 11:08:53 PM
THAT onion smell - yep.
The crying at the drop of a hat - yep.
The kitty love - yep.

All of what you posted is something that i went through a couple of months ago. The onion smell was quite a strange thing.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Alainaluvsu on December 09, 2012, 11:43:56 PM
Technically it doesn't convert. The body notices that there is too much E in the body and produces T to try to counter it. That's why you can have high E and T at the same time.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Cookies on December 10, 2012, 03:57:25 AM
hi can i ask...what measurement units are both the T and E levels in as you all were discussing? hope i am not breaking rules here  :-\
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Joann on December 10, 2012, 05:42:13 AM
Quote from: harmonic_dissonance on October 24, 2012, 07:38:24 AM

What gets me is that you mentioned your kitty getting clingy with attention, mine is too!  Maybe they can smell the pheromones?  I don't know, but she is stuck to me sitting on top of my desk or lap since I started the new dosing and wails at the door when I leave.


They can smell pheromones.
If I'm in a bad mood even just a little bit, they don't hang around.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: aprilrain on December 10, 2012, 09:20:26 AM
Aww she's prego!  :P

Have fun!
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: A on December 10, 2012, 04:00:53 PM
Quote from: Waterbottle on December 10, 2012, 03:57:25 AM
hi can i ask...what measurement units are both the T and E levels in as you all were discussing? hope i am not breaking rules here  :-\
They're both in the US, so they're probably using conventional units, the kind only used in the US. pg/mL, etc. instead of the international units like pmol/L.
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Cookies on December 10, 2012, 11:23:52 PM
Thanks for the info A  :D
Title: Re: High estrogen is ... crazy
Post by: Kupcake on December 11, 2012, 04:07:15 AM
Hold on, hold on.  Let me give you my "professional" opinion, Alaina.  Just wait a second . . .  *looks in the closet*  Damn it, why do I have so many black coats?  How do you expect me to fake expertise without a white one?  Maybe I just need a professional-looking hat.  I do have this cute red beanie . . .  Eh, this'll do.  At least I'll be warm.  Ok, I'm ready.

*strokes chin thoughtfully* Hmmm . . .

*looks down at chart* Oh my.

*looks up at you again* Well . . .

*looks down at chart again* Fascinating . . .

*looks at the clock* Well, that's all the time we have for this month.  Before I go, there is one vitally important thing I have to ask you about.

Tell me more about . . .  your cat.