talkhealth forums

Hi,

Used to have high oestrogen and heavy periods - had hormones tested. Treated with natural supplements. Now oestrogen has got a bit too low = 8.6 ng / mg Total oestrogen. Periods are now irregular and light. As oestrogen is now 'artificially ' low, will I be able to tell when I've entered peri-menopause? Should we be trying to raise oestrogen a little? Difficult as most treatments make headaches worse.

Thanks.

There's very little reason for testing estrogen levels in anyone - except those with premature or surgical menopause who don't appear to be absorbing their oral or transdermal HRT.
Diagnosis (and treatment adjustment) of perimenopause is made on an alteration of typical mental and physical symptoms - the most common of which are largely similar to those of postmenopause, but occuring with in a cyclical pattern.
Watch out for recent (sudden or gradual) onset of problems with:
1. Insomnia - Unrefreshing sleep / Overwhelming tiredness
2. Vasomotor - Hot flushes / night sweats
3. Menstruation - almost any change in menstrual pattern can occur, most commonly heavier bleeding with a shorter cycle. Some women get less bleeding but with a darker, tarry consistency.
4. Cognition - 'Brain fog' / difficulty coping with work or other tasks / forgetfulness / clumsiness / inability to multitask etc.
5. Premenstrual mood - pre-existing PMS gets much worse (PMDD) or happens for the first time / Anger, anxiety, tearfulness, low mood, irrationality, emotionality, relationship difficulties, panic attacks
6. Loss of libido
7. Cardiovascular - palpitations / arrhythmias
8. Musculo-Skeletal - joint pains & muscle aches, much worse just before & around menstruation - almost all perimenopausal women have this symptom and it can be misdiagnosed as "fibromyalgia"
9. Premenstrual or Menstrual Migraines - the commonest age of onset of new hormonally-generated migraines is at 42 years.
For a full review of perimenopausal symptoms & management see: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/arti ... opause.php or https://www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/menop ... e-symptoms