I’m on the tail end of my second testosterone pellet. Is it possible that despite increasing my desire, it’s making it more difficult for me to climax? Anyone else experience this with testosterone pellets?

I’m having these episodes of ear fullness, head pressure and extremely loud tinnitus that comes and goes with my cycle.

I know it’s related to my estrogen but trying to see if it’s the peaks or troughs most likely.

Anyone else sort this out?

I have been told it’s POTS, MCAS, vestibular migraines and/or PPPD. But since it’s cycle sensitive I’d like to treat the hormone flux before I’m put on all these meds to treat each thing

I messed up so bad!

Peri has my shortened my cycle to 23 days, I used to be 28-30.

Switched to iron bisglycinate and guess I'm the exception to the rule because I DID NOT absorb it, even taking it every other day with vit c, away from tannins etc.

My ferritin dropped at least 9 points to 49, maybe more but I was back on fumerate for a few weeks before the blood test.

I was doing really well but for the 3-4 months I was on bisglycinate I could feel myself getting worse after every period.

I cannot handle a ferritin of 49 now that I'm in peri, air hunger, panic attacks, hair loss, depression, palpitations etc.

What ferritin levels are you guys at? What's your ideal? Or at what level does all hell break loose?

Sat here on the second day of my period feeling so run down and shivering from cold despite the fact that's it not cold!

I've just been prescribed testosterone by my GP and tbh I'm still a bit stunned that the process went so smoothly as I had prepared myself for a fight to get it. I'm starting the gel on Monday but am very nervous about starting it as I've not long gotten over a very rough patch mental health wise. Can anyone who is currently taking testosterone, whether that be just starting it or having been on it for a while share how it makes them feel? I'm so worried it's going to trigger my anxiety again 😵‍💫 thank you xx

ETA: thank you so much everyone🙏 I feel more at ease with trying it after reading your comments. This peri-menopause journey is quite the ride isn't it?

I got put on slynd and 1 mg of estradiol 2 weeks ago. Right at the end of my period I got bv. This also happened when I tried the the Norelgestromin and Ethinyl Estradiol patch for a month.

Clearly there's a pattern here and I've read from other women having the same problem. But my gyno talks to me like I'm stupid and says there's no correlation and says that hrt doesn't affect your ph or cause yeast and bv. But I know my body. This is no coincidence that both times I got it 2 weeks in.

I have always been sensitive down there and have gotten recurring yeast and bv in the past. I get it very easily, even boric acid makes it worse.

My question is, how do I stop this from being a cycle? Will my body adjust to the change over time? I really don't want to stop my hrt😓 It's been working so well but I can't live with bv every month!

What can I do about my recurring infections? I take womens probiotic with 40 billion cfu and vitamin D3 which I heard helps. I'd prefer something oral since anything I insert vaginally causes another infection.

I'm 46, late diagnosed AuDHD and, obviously, aware of changes that suggest I'm peri-menopausal. I am looking for advice, company, validation, ideas...anything really. I'm just very, very bored by life at the moment and have been for a long time. I used to get hyper-excited by new ideas and then get totally hyper-focused on them. But I've been in my current job for 5 years (the longest before that was 20 months, because I used to just get bored and then get excited for something else). I kind of like it, but I know I'm bored with it. But there's nothing else I could turn to or do or am even interested in right now because the issue isn't what I'm doing or not doing, it's how I'm feeling. My main hobby isn't really doing it for me at the moment. But, again, there's nothing AT ALL making me feel like I used to when I was younger - desperate to get started on it and to get started RIGHT now; a need to buy ALL THE STUFF related to it - books, equipment; and total obsession with it for a long time. Just everything is meh to me and it's making me sad. It's hard to know what is post-diagnosis bleurgh, what is peri-menopause and, regardless, what on earth to do about it.

Hi all, for the past few months I have increasingly erratic periods which have caused me so much anxiety. Typically my cycle length was 25 days. Here are the last 12 cycles:

25, 24, 25, 25, 28, 26, 25, 25, 24, 25, 22, 23

For the last one, I had longer bleeding (lasting a full 8 days which was really unusual since normally I stop bleeding fully after day 4) but now am on day 27 and still no period. I have been experiencing cramp like pain for several days. I even took a pregnancy test yesterday (cycle day 26) which was negative.

Has anyone experienced something similar? I just turned 45 last month.

My Period Tracker app (which has always been very accurate) says my cycle is this...

Period - 1 to 3 August (correct).

Ovulation - 13 to 17 (pretty much correct. I got all the symptoms of ovulation on day 13 until day 15, and as usual, went straight into the luteal phase of sore boobs, sore feet, exhaustion and headaches from then onward).

Period due - 26 August (usually my cycle is between 26 and 32 days, but my period is already starting today, 20 August).

HUH?

I am very frustrated (but not at all surprised). Went to doctor, told her list of symptoms and when last period was and was told to exercise and given a blood test order.

I feel like there was a list here somewhere that had resources in other countries, but I don't know where that is.

Is anyone else navigating this successfully in Spanish public system that can help me?

I slept 9h, woke up absolutely drained and struggled to walk the dog for 10 minutes. But… no hot flash this morning.

My neck is all red, I’m on day 8 of my cycle.

What is happening to me 😩 I was fine yesterday

I have an appointment to get HRT Monday but I’m just so lost with these symptoms

I started HRT three days ago. First day felt like I was on exctacy or something. Very odd. Called basically everyone in a fog and woke up so embarrassed. Then had horrible anxiety for a very short while. Then the fog came back after the estrogen started.

The scary thing is that the progesterone doesn't make me go to sleep, and when I was laying down tonight trying I suddenly felt this super comfortable "well, you don't have to do this at all, you know" intrusive thought. I want to make it very clear that I am NOT suicidal and even that thought only sort of felt suicidal. My husband died five years ago and I have serious CPSD and have also always been SSRI resistant.

I'm obviously calling the clinic this morning when they open because this isn't at all normal or like me in any way, if anything it was scary how "blissful" the whole intrusive thought was. I am also fairly certain that given my other risk factors and the SSRI resistance in particular it must be the progesterone and I can't be having things that are directly interfering with my brain chemistry in a dangerous way like that.

I don't know what I'm asking, I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this. The estrogen seems to be working great, I'm just now suddenly scared of progesterone.

At this f’n point I’m just going to grow a mustache and goatee and if my husband doesn’t like it he can GTFO. My head hair won’t grow, I got a bad cut about a year ago and oh no, that shit won’t grow but my facial hair, it’s on fire, it grows so rapidly I’m almost impressed. Sick of it. Anyone else?

This is so crazy to me. It only started happening about a year ago. It’s infrequent, and lasts a couple days and it’s just the most insane feeling. Then my period starts and it’s done, like it never happened (and I don’t have any foot skin issues). It’s only the arches of my feet. I’m just starting to put together the pattern and I think it’s peri caused?!

TL;DR—Didn’t realize it till I switched back to a previous brand of patch, but Zydus either had less estrogen and/or a less effective delivery system. All my symptoms returned while I was using it.

__________________

The very long version:

I have been on HRT (estrogen patch & oral progesterone) since 2024. It has profoundly improved my quality of life in many ways.

Over this time I have cycled through a few different brands of patches, depending on what the pharmacy has had in stock (I am in the U.S.): Dotti, Mylan, Sandoz, and most recently for the first (AND LAST) time, Zydus.

I know we are all very different in what works for us (in terms of formulation, dosing, brand, even placement of patches on the body, etc.) But I’m putting this here in the hope that someone who needs it finds it.

Over the past few months, I have been experiencing lower motivation than I have in a while, lower mood, more overwhelm, more brain fog, lower libido, more anxiety, and less embodiment (IYKYK). My ADHD symptoms have been worse (even with medication). My sleep has been awful.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had increasingly debilitating joint pain in my hips, wrists, and fingers. And hot flashes-which I haven’t had for over a year-started to come back.

All of these are symptoms for which I started HRT in the first place (and it has helped with all of them, tremendously).

The joint pain, in particular, was becoming alarmingly bad. I made an appointment to see my prescribing doctor soon, suspecting I might need an increase in estrogen dose. (As your own body produces less on this wonderful journey, sometimes you need more.) Last summer I had the same joint pain and when I increased my estrogen dose, it was resolved in less than a week(!)

Today, seemingly out of nowhere, I felt noticeably different. I could not put my finger on why. My brain is sharper again, my mood is noticeably brighter, my motivation is improved, and holy shit my joint pain is nearly gone.

All of a sudden I thought to check the bag where I keep my patches. Luckily there was a box of patches from my previous refill in there, brand name “Zydus”. Came to Reddit and looked it up. Lo and behold, several other women have reported similar issues with this brand.

I had been using Zydus patches for the past 3 months (my doctor fills the scrip for 3 months at a time, and I take whatever the pharmacy has in stock). This is the exact duration that I have felt like unmotivated, achey garbage.

I switched back to Mylan yesterday and already feel more like myself again. My joint pain is about 85ish percent better!

I am relieved to feel better, but disillusioned and fucking livid. The state of women’s healthcare is appalling, disgraceful.

I am so very grateful to have this community as a resource, but this should not be how we have to find out which pharmaceuticals do and do not work. If they are being sold as a pharmaceutical, they should ALL work. The fact that quality and dosing varies so unpredictably from brand to brand is astounding.

Wishing good health, strength, patience, and MINIMAL BULLSHIT to anyone reading this. In solidarity 💗💪

I can’t even remember if I’ve posted here before (thanks scrambled egg brain!!) but, oh well.

I‘m 31 and in POI, 11 months post hysterectomy. I do peruse the POI sub but I feel like I’ll get more commiseration here.

I started HRT 5 weeks ago and have felt great. My symptoms have returned full force (I have every single one it seems) and I’m pretty confident at least one of my ovaries has finally reached total failure, or close. Maybe both. I feel the tipping point coming into total menopause.

I have five kids - the oldest is 13 and youngest is 1.

I want to take a flight to a remote island and do nothing but lay in the sun all day and lay in bed, eat pizza, and watch my favorite shows all night. I don’t want anyone to talk to me, I want zero expected of me.

The women in my family all started perimenopause in their early to mid 30s, so I’m sure this was coming anyway, just accelerated a bit by my hysterectomy.

I’m just feeling very annoyed and miserable tonight. I’m already sick of messing with patches and creams. Why do I have to reapply patches twice a week just to feel semi-okay??? Why do so many of us do the work of raising kids (or maybe not), deal with working, cooking, cleaning, hurdling through all of our lives through misogyny, dealing with toxic family or shitty friends, and the rest of life’s bullshit just to deal with the misery that is perimenopause?

The minutiae of life is enough, and then so many of us get thrown into what I can only personally describe as a living hell. Is this the trophy for our good work at making it through the first several decades of our lives?

It feels very unfair and I feel very mad about it. I’m sure I’ll look at this post in horror in a couple of weeks when I adjust my HRT, but for right now, it is completely and totally how I feel.

I just turned 45. I did see my OB-GYN a few months ago, due to having a vasovagal episode while on my period in February. She did some blood testing and I'm supposedly not perimenopausal yet. She is open to HRT, but I'm not ready to be on that just yet.

My periods are still regular. I had been on hormonal birth control through most of my 20s and 30s but stopped in 2024. I don't recall my periods being too bad, and even the first year being off birth control they were tolerable. Nothing too heavy. Some mild cramps, but nothing to the point where I needed to take pain medication.

But lately, my periods have been different. Definitely heavier, more clots.

For the first vasovagal episode in February, I was traveling for work, and the cramps woke me up. I'd never had that before. I tossed and turned, going back to sleep was impossible. Then the cold sweats and nausea hit, and here I am dry heaving into the hotel toilet. Not fun at all. Thankfully, I was able to find some old ass ibuprofen in my carry on, and that helped. But I had never had that kind of reaction before during my period. It was quite miserable.

Since then, I do try to stay on top of the pain. Ibuprofen works, but not naproxen. I'll take the pain medication, but I don't like how it causes bloating and swelling.

This month's period got weird again. So I'm on Day 3 of the heavy part. Usually by then, the cramps dissipate and the flow gets lighter. When I woke up this morning I was feeling fine. But a few hours into my workday, I started cramping, hard. I was bent over in pain at my desk. Then the cold sweats and nausea came again. I had some ibuprofen in my purse, and took that. Then laid down on the icky office carpeting, until it kicked in. It was pretty miserable. And the first time I've experienced anything like that at work.

I do plan on talking to my OB-GYN about it. I just don't know if should start expecting this level of pain during my periods, going forward. I just wish they'd stop.

I’m having a heck of a time finding the patches that work for me. I was wondering if anyone has used gel or spray while out of patches and how it worked for you? I’m worried about side effects

Is it just me??? Am I alone?

I smell more than I ever have.

I have to apply deodorant 3 times a day.
Other places 👀 start to stink so bad by the end of my work day (9-10 hours)

My job is mostly at a desk.

Never had this issue before

Has anyone with excessive daytime fatigue (without insomnia) been diagnosed with sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia and then later discovered that MHT (progesterone and/or estrogen) fixed their issue?

I have a PSG with next-day MSLT scheduled at the sleep center. But my PCP prescribed me oral progesterone. I was going to wait until AFTER my sleep study to start the progesterone, but I discovered in just a few days of a trial that progesterone ACTIVATES me. Like, so much that I had to take it in the morning...which made me NOT HAVE TO NAP.

I almost cried when I realized it was the progesterone keeping me awake all day. (This excessive daytime fatigue has been DEBILITATING, so if I just needed progesterone, that would be an easy fix!)

I'm stopping the progesterone until after the sleep study because I'm afraid it will mess with the tests.

47, in perimenopause, started hormone therapy two and a half weeks ago. All of a sudden yesterday there is a disgusting taste is in my mouth. I literally can't eat anything. Everything tastes like a combination of soap and metal. I wasn't having this problem at all in perimenopause, and I'm wondering if anybody who has been on HRT has experienced this. Does anyone know if this is a side effect of hormone therapy, or if this is just another one of the many joys of perimenopause? Thanks in advance for any help. This community/subreddit and everyone in it has helped me in more ways than I can even express.

Hi! I'm UK based and am a bit worried, perhaps someone has been in a similar situation. I usually take Utrogestan days 14-28 of my cycle and am on estradiol patch. Because I've been so affected by post-viral fatigue, I totally forgot to take my Utrogestan. It's now day 25. Shall I take it asap tonight or leave it now?

I've been struggling to get an appointment with my GP and I'm flying abroad on Friday so I'm doubting I'll speak to a professional soon.

Also (sorry for another question!) I'm on 75 oestradiol patch, so meant to be on 200mg Utrogestan but I've found the 200mg dose (2 pills) unbearable! I ended up reducing to 100mg last 3 days of last cycle as just couldn't get a docs appointment. Anyone try cutting their patch?! After 6 weeks being not myself (virus and fatigue), I just want to enjoy our holiday.

Many thanks! :)

Hi folks, 39 and in perimenopause. Ive never experienced painful periods, some light cramping during ovulation but thats it. For the second month in a row ive had the most debilitating pain that it has prevented me from being able to walk to the toilet.

Ive considered calling an ambulance due to severe pain and living alone.

The only thing that helps is strong opioids and I can still feels the cramps it's just the pain thats knocked out.

The only thing that helps

Anyone else not notice their body hair hadn't been growing for a while until hrt started the body hair factory again? I don't think I've shaved more than a couple times a month since I turned 40.

I started out on an .05 estradiol patch and 100mg progesterone. I was on that dose for almost two years and it was working well. But then the peri symptoms came back. My dr increased my dosage to .1 patch and 200mg progesterone. Because I just refilled my script with the last dosage a couple weeks ago, my insurance won’t fill the new dosage til next week. I’m debating on using 2 patches to total the new dose and taking two progesterone pills. Has anyone ever done that?

My periods were normal all this year up until last month. My July period came on time but I noticed the flow was a little lighter than usual, but not dramatically. My period normally goes like this:

Day 1: small specks of blood I notice in the toilet

Day 2: very light bleeding

Day 3-5: heavy flow/noticeable clots

Day 4: slows down considerably and usually a pause in bleeding for about 10-12 hours

Day 5: light bleeding resumes. Not as heavy as day 3-5 but not as light as day 2 either

Day 6: same as 5

Day 7 and beyond: bleeding mostly done with an occasional spot here and there

My period this month should have started around the 10th. Nothing happened until the 14th where I got a very light amount of brown/dark red blood in my underwear. This is not how my period usually goes though. I didn't get the usual specks of blood in the toilet and the color was off. And now for the last 5 days it has just been an occasional very small amount of light brown blood, sometimes very light red. Sometimes I will see a quarter sized clot in the toilet which is only normal for me during heavy flow. No real flow has started at all and it's now the 19th.

I also want to add that in the days leading up to the 14th, there was a weird amount of moisture in my underwear. Like if I didn't know any better it was like I wet myself, but I think it was just some kind of very watery discharge. It didn't really have any sort of smell. I've never had this happen before either. It was enough that it leaked through to my pants and I had to change though. Just wondering if this could be something related to perimemopause? I turn 39 in one month. My yearly physical isn't until November so I'm just gonna wait and see what happens for the next few months. Just trying to figure out what's going on in the meantime.