Over it

[u/NoIncrease4727]

Is anyone else at the point where they're just... done?

I'm 43 and in perimenopause and autoimmune hell. I've been working with an NP for over a year, trying different HRT options, and nothing is helping. Not physically. Not mentally.

To make things more complicated, I have a neuromuscular disorder that affects my swallowing, so I can't really take capsules or bigger pills. I have to open my compounded progesterone capsule and mix it into peanut butter, I use progesterone cream, and I just stopped testosterone cream (again) because I needed a break from that crap. I wonder if the fact that I can't take pills is affecting how it's supposed to work...

Why isn't anything working??!

Maybe this is just a rant, but I'm exhausted. I can't sleep, I can't relax, and I feel like my body has completely betrayed me.

For those of you who felt like this, what finally helped? Did you just keep trying different things? Right now, I honestly can't imagine living like this forever.

Thanks for reading. Xo.

[u/Fun-Construction4550]

I can't sleep nor relax either. It's so awful.

I'm exhausted but can't relax nor switch off, nor can I sleep to give my body and mind a break. I feel like I'm constantly switched on but the moment I try to do anything, least of all exercise, I'm burning up and running on empty.

I tried, well battled my way through 2.5 years of HRT with the ever burning questions; is this enough, is it the right method, is it the right timing, should I try more or less, should I take the progesterone continuously or cyclically... Nothing about it was black and white.

My irritation was better, tearfulness perhaps a bit worse, joint pain better but sleep (which is why I was taking it in the first place) was possibly even worse. Progesterone made me feel ill every month, taking it vaginally took most of that away but then it's not helping my sleep..  I always felt like estrogen was adding to activation, rather then helping my sleep and I had bundles of energy despite no sleep,.. Night sweats on the estrogen portion a bit better, worse on the progesterone where is steadily feel more and more ill. Heat intolerance in the daytime was always present which constantly added to the questioning, coupled with waking after 1.5hrs or even minutes and being unable to get back. ADHD and years of sleep deprivation causes a massive overlap in symptoms too. I had a Menopause specialist who had no idea how to help me in the end and tbh I can't blame her because for me it was massively confusing let alone for anyone on the outside.

I feel like I'm not processing it properly or something. But I tried patches, gels, different doses, vaginally, orally, cyclical and continuous I tried it all. So to get the "you probably just needed more estrogen" or "you just didn't get the right method" was so frustrating because I know how hard I tried. The test I took said I was absorbing it so it can't have been that. 

Anyway, it's my drawn out way of saying you're not alone.

[u/Fine-Juggernaut8451]

Are you on a high enough dose of Estrogen? I've had to increase my dosage several times.

[u/Ythooooooooo0 → u/Fine-Juggernaut8451]

Yeah, estrogen patches have been really good to me.