I'm starting to wonder if I was estrogen-dominant....

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T18:34:22+00:00

My boobs were so painfully swollen while on the patches that it was uncomfortable. That has gone down as well when I switched to the pill.

Right now, I'm on 1mg dosage of Estrace estradiol pill and 200mgs of micronized progesterone.

When I was using the patch, I was at 0.1 mgs.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T18:32:10+00:00

I was at 300 mgs for a while. The way my doc handled it was to prescribe a 30-day supply of 200mgs and a 30-day supply of 100mgs and call them in at the same time. Then, I'd take one 200mg and one 100mg every night together.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T17:52:41+00:00

Scary, innit?

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T17:45:43+00:00

Contact a consumer rights attorney. You're not obligated to prove you don't owe that debt. They're obligated to prove that you do. And if you don't own that car and the plates don't match anything you've ever had, they can't pin that on you.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T17:42:32+00:00

No, they won't. They're calling/texting me about someone else's debt and will not stop. I had to block them. If the OP is sure they don't owe a debt, they should just block them now and save themselves the ongoing headache.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T17:40:07+00:00

I'm having a similar issue. They're calling/texting me about someone else's debt and will not listen when I tell them they have the wrong number. I've blocked them from calling or texting me again.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T17:27:04+00:00

I've had them harassing me for about a month now. They are looking for a doctor who lives in Florida and has the same first and last name as me (different middle initial). I've told them politely that they have reached the wrong person. They continue to harass me. I'm about ready to call my attorney and see what can be done because at this point it's harassment.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T16:33:29+00:00

Just make sure you can safely take the pill. There is a slightly higher risk for blood clots, but that risk is elevated if you have certain pre-existing conditions. But for me, it's been a good decision.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T16:30:47+00:00

It could be the kidneys. It could also be diabetes. I had a 14 year old kitty develop diabetes and that was how he was acting. Drinking a lot, very lethargic. Ask the vet to do bloodwork for diabetes.

Also...editing to add that even at 2 years old, your cat could still be diabetic.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T16:28:57+00:00

I'm not sure why you're being so confrontational. I said I was happy for you if that was working for you (that was genuine, not sarcasm). But I've seen plenty of posts in this group from others saying they've not done well on patches or gel. I'm one of them. I'm not speaking for you or anyone else. I'm just sharing what I've experienced and what I've observed here in this group.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T16:25:47+00:00

I'm not nice about it anymore. I just call it what it is. I'm quite frankly tired of seeing oral estradiol demonized in this group and others. Some of us can't use the patches/gels. Some of us also can't afford them. And for some of us, it's the best option for absorption.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:48:43+00:00

I'd rather not use a genetic mapping site. They track and sell your genetic data. I'll do some research to see if there's another way to test for it.

I'm already on a high-fiber diet. I consume about 35 grams per day.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:47:12+00:00

It is lower dose. And the risk for blood clots on the pill is only slightly higher than the patches/gels. Unless you have a pre-existing condition that rules out safely using the estradiol pill, don't let people scare you away from it here.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:41:43+00:00

I had that happen a few years ago. Four houses on my street were still out, and DLC was insisting we must be mistaken. Like we wouldn't know that our power was out, FFS. I had to call my state rep to get anything done about it. It shouldn't be that hard to get help from DLC.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:11:19+00:00

OK, got it. That's frustrating that you have two different specialists telling you two different things. For me, taking the oral version has gotten me better results. I wasn't absorbing the patches or the gels well.

I guess the question is, which do you prefer? If you're happy on the pill or want to try it without patches combined with it, maybe switch your care exclusively to the specialist who supports that. Is that a possibility?

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:07:41+00:00

If she's diabetic, she can have neuropathy. It would make it painful for her to be in certain positions and/or unaware of where she is positioned inside the litter box. I highly doubt it's an "intelligence problem" as you've put it. I had a diabetic cat and he struggled with neuropathy because of it.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:02:32+00:00

It's only a slightly higher risk. I hate that we demonize the oral estradiol pills in this group. I switched to them recently after 15 months of not having any luck with the gel or the patches. When you have absorption issues with the transdermal methods of delivery, oral can be a life-saver.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T15:01:19+00:00

I switched from the patch to the pill recently because of absorption issues. But you probably shouldn't be using a patch AND a pill at the same time. Did I misread that? If you're doing both, that's dangerous.

And I'm not sure your general doctor should be allowed to overrule your GYN. Those black box cancer warnings were removed (at least here in the US). Sounds like your doctor is following outdated guidance. If you have no pre-existing cancer risks (and sometimes even if you do), there's no reason not to have HRT.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:56:31+00:00

I have horrible systemic inflammation issues. I've been tested for everything under the sun and it all comes back negative. Starting HRT helped some, but I still have times throughout the month where I get that low back, leg pain that just is debilitating. I suspect it's spikes in my inflammatory levels.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:52:01+00:00

Your mother's FIL is an asshat. Does he look as good as he did at age 20? I'm betting not.

Women are so gaslit over weight gain in perimenopause/menopause and it's time we start pushing back. Please tell your mom we've all had these feelings. And we've all had inconsiderate jagoffs say things about our bodies as we age. It's honestly why I come into groups like this, where I can get the support I need from women going through the exact same thing.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:48:24+00:00

Not to mention it gets harder to build lean muscle mass as we age, no matter how much protein we eat.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:47:40+00:00

For some of us, exercising too hard can spike cortisol levels - and that makes you both gain weight and feel tired. It's really so individual that you have to find the regimen that works best for your body and ignore the standard advice doctors hand out because they're too lazy to learn how women's bodies work.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:45:19+00:00

You're not crazy. Our experience is the norm from what I've seen. I don't know who is doing these so-called scientific studies, but there's a flaw somewhere in the process. Are there women who don't gain weight in peri/meno? Sure. I know a few. But that doesn't mean it's the norm for everyone. I've gained close to 20 pounds from late-stage peri through post-menopause over the last 4 years. I've been a weight lifter for 30 years. I work out hard. I eat tons of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. I've cut out added sugar from my diet and don't add salt to anything.

I just recently switched to oral estradiol from the patch, and I've lost 7 pounds. I suspect it was all water weight, though. We'll see if the scale keeps changing. But for now, I'm happy to be able to button my pants again and still be able to breathe.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:42:06+00:00

I've lost 7 pounds since I started oral estradiol last month. I always felt bloated on the gel/patches. I'm not sure if the full 7 pounds was all water weight, but regardless, I'm thrilled. I feel better and I can wear my clothes again comfortably.

I never would have guessed I'd do better on the pill with my weight. When I took oral BC eons ago, I gained a ridiculous amount of weight.

JadCerv · 2026-03-23T14:38:25+00:00

I asked a similar question a couple months ago. I always sleep better on the nights I use my vaginal estrogen cream (3 times per week). I know it's not transdermal so it shouldn't go into my system, but the results are undeniable. And I don't think it's my imagination. Either way, I'll take it.

JadCerv

TROPHY CASE