I'm not sure what's going on but I'm only 9 days into my first HRT so I'm not going to panic...just yet.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Back to tired...
I was excited since last Sunday (11/25/18) as I was feeling awake but the last 2 nights....I am back to feeling like I didn't sleep well and I'm tired when I wake up.
I'm not sure what's going on but I'm only 9 days into my first HRT so I'm not going to panic...just yet.
I'm not sure what's going on but I'm only 9 days into my first HRT so I'm not going to panic...just yet.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
The beginning of Menopause
After 5 years of perimenopausal symptoms, I decided to take the plunge and go for hormone replacement therapy.
First off, I have hyper manic disorder....a form of bipolar. I go from normal to very hyper and I've been that way as long as I can remember but I never experienced depression. Over the last 5 years, though I didn't realize it, I have been going thru perimenopause.
My symptoms were similar to my hyper manic disorder except now I'm experiencing hot flashes but not in the usually way. My "flash" would last for at least 10 mins and I initially thought it was just from drinking coffee or because I've always run hot. Then the mood swings picked up a bit. I would quickly get really agitated more often, and my libido decreased from a "need sex almost every day" to didn't even think about it anymore. These all happened over a 5 year period; starting around 40.
In September 2018, after coming home from vacation, I started getting a weird "empty" feeling. I wasn't thinking of anything at all.....just empty. Then the depression showed up around the 1st week of October 2018. I started having vivid dreams again (had them from childhood up until my mid-30's). These dreams are so realistic that I would pass a polygraph test. The dreams would cause either rage or severe depression. Then around the 2nd week of October 2018, the depression stayed.
I developed severe anxiety to be around people I knew. I started wearing my headphones at work all day long so I didn't have to talk to anyone and then I never left my house, except to go to work and grocery shopping. This went only thru the beginning of November.
So, I went to see a hormone doctor on 11/7/18. After discussing everything, I decided to move forward with hormone replacement but instead of creams or pills, I went with the pellet method.
The following week, I had my blood drawn and waited for the results. The next Wednesday, 11/21, I had my first pellet insertion. Per my blood work, I was only in need of testosterone; normal levels for a woman is between 80-100.....my 1st blood panel showed a level of 26. This is explains so much! Also, part of my fatigue (didn't mention that earlier) has been caused by the beginning stages of Hasimoto's. This is a thyroid condition and it can suck the life right outta you! My level should be under 60 and it was 193.5 so now a lifestyle change is in order.
My first dose of testosterone was 150 which there are debates if that is too high for your first dose but my doctor has been performing this type of hormone replacement for a long time and he explained that an algorithm was created in the 1980's that considers your age, weight, and complete blood panel and is 95% accurate. This eased my worries. I was scared to develop facial/chest/nipple hair which I've never had or severe acne and turn into a 14 year boy going thru puberty.
As I'm not prone to these things, the doctor eased my mind and explained that it's extremely rare for it to occur....but there is that 1% change it could. With everything I was feeling, I decided it was worth the risk.
Today marks week 1 and I feel great. I first noticed feeling better last Sunday (11/25), I woke up and actually felt awake. I got sleepy around 2pm but it passed which was unusually and lovely. The next day, I went to work and felt great again. Tuesday....same.
Today I'm tired but I didn't sleep very well so I figure this is the reason but I will continue to monitor how I'm feeling.
Oh, and the best part is that I'm finally "in the mood" to work out again. It's been 11 years but by George....I'm back at it. I'm taking it slow but started last Sunday (11/25) and I'm enjoying myself again. My workouts are the fun kind....Just Dance and Fit in Six via my PlayStation 3.
I plan to journal my experience and hopefully someone will read this one day and get some answers or use out of it.
Oh, my diet. The recommendation is cut out sugar and gluten. Right now, all the rage is the Keto which I've been dabbling in for the last 2 years but I'm not committed as some so I do not have the weight loss to show it. But I have begun writing down everything I eat & drink thru My Fitness Pal and I'm staying under my calorie allowance and I've been exercising between 30-40 minutes each night.
First off, I have hyper manic disorder....a form of bipolar. I go from normal to very hyper and I've been that way as long as I can remember but I never experienced depression. Over the last 5 years, though I didn't realize it, I have been going thru perimenopause.
My symptoms were similar to my hyper manic disorder except now I'm experiencing hot flashes but not in the usually way. My "flash" would last for at least 10 mins and I initially thought it was just from drinking coffee or because I've always run hot. Then the mood swings picked up a bit. I would quickly get really agitated more often, and my libido decreased from a "need sex almost every day" to didn't even think about it anymore. These all happened over a 5 year period; starting around 40.
In September 2018, after coming home from vacation, I started getting a weird "empty" feeling. I wasn't thinking of anything at all.....just empty. Then the depression showed up around the 1st week of October 2018. I started having vivid dreams again (had them from childhood up until my mid-30's). These dreams are so realistic that I would pass a polygraph test. The dreams would cause either rage or severe depression. Then around the 2nd week of October 2018, the depression stayed.
I developed severe anxiety to be around people I knew. I started wearing my headphones at work all day long so I didn't have to talk to anyone and then I never left my house, except to go to work and grocery shopping. This went only thru the beginning of November.
So, I went to see a hormone doctor on 11/7/18. After discussing everything, I decided to move forward with hormone replacement but instead of creams or pills, I went with the pellet method.
The following week, I had my blood drawn and waited for the results. The next Wednesday, 11/21, I had my first pellet insertion. Per my blood work, I was only in need of testosterone; normal levels for a woman is between 80-100.....my 1st blood panel showed a level of 26. This is explains so much! Also, part of my fatigue (didn't mention that earlier) has been caused by the beginning stages of Hasimoto's. This is a thyroid condition and it can suck the life right outta you! My level should be under 60 and it was 193.5 so now a lifestyle change is in order.
My first dose of testosterone was 150 which there are debates if that is too high for your first dose but my doctor has been performing this type of hormone replacement for a long time and he explained that an algorithm was created in the 1980's that considers your age, weight, and complete blood panel and is 95% accurate. This eased my worries. I was scared to develop facial/chest/nipple hair which I've never had or severe acne and turn into a 14 year boy going thru puberty.
As I'm not prone to these things, the doctor eased my mind and explained that it's extremely rare for it to occur....but there is that 1% change it could. With everything I was feeling, I decided it was worth the risk.
Today marks week 1 and I feel great. I first noticed feeling better last Sunday (11/25), I woke up and actually felt awake. I got sleepy around 2pm but it passed which was unusually and lovely. The next day, I went to work and felt great again. Tuesday....same.
Today I'm tired but I didn't sleep very well so I figure this is the reason but I will continue to monitor how I'm feeling.
Oh, and the best part is that I'm finally "in the mood" to work out again. It's been 11 years but by George....I'm back at it. I'm taking it slow but started last Sunday (11/25) and I'm enjoying myself again. My workouts are the fun kind....Just Dance and Fit in Six via my PlayStation 3.
I plan to journal my experience and hopefully someone will read this one day and get some answers or use out of it.
Oh, my diet. The recommendation is cut out sugar and gluten. Right now, all the rage is the Keto which I've been dabbling in for the last 2 years but I'm not committed as some so I do not have the weight loss to show it. But I have begun writing down everything I eat & drink thru My Fitness Pal and I'm staying under my calorie allowance and I've been exercising between 30-40 minutes each night.
It's beginning to a lot like Menopause
This is how being bipolar and going thru perimenopause into menopause feels.
This is my journey
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