The Diary of a Crazy Woman

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a long time know I’ve had issues with my estrogen. The first issues started when it was really low so I was prescribed a pill (YAZ) to help with the symptoms I was having. It worked great for almost a year, but then I started having symptoms again, almost all the same ones I had before. Headaches came back, hot flashes, cold flashes, cold feet and hands, low energy, tired all the time, irritable, etc. Plus lucky me I’ve gone back the the every two week cycle! Once a month is bad enough for goodness sakes!!

I decided that the physicians assistant I had been seeing wasn’t the one to address this problem. I’ve seen her several times in the last year and a half, and have asked to have my hormone levels tested, but nothing. She suggested maybe I was bi-polar, and for how crazy I felt at the time I almost believed that might be the issue, but with the added estrogen everything was great until the last few months. Anyway, went to a new doctor, one I had always liked while I was working at the hospital. First thing he did was give me an ultrasound to look at my ovaries. Umm, maybe that should have been done over a year ago. Anyway, he found a cyst, no big deal that’s pretty normal to have happen and most women don’t know they have them and they go away by themselves. The other thing he did was have my hormone levels checked. I’m thinking my estrogen has dropped again,  but when I went back for my results I found out my estrogen isn’t low at all.  In fact it’s EXTREMELY high!  Normal is 200, mine 739!  What?!?! And that was after I had stopped taking the pill for a week.  So, it’s surgery for me to remove the cyst he thinks is causing excess estrogen production.

I came home and looked up the symptoms of excess estrogen and this is what I found at hubpages.

Estrogen is an important hormone that helps regulate reproductive health, maintain healthy skin, hair, and bones, and many other functions. However, excessive levels of estrogen, also known as “estrogen dominance,” are associated with many health problems in both women and men, including PMS and other menstrual problems, breast cancer, and many other problems.

Symptoms of Excessive Estrogen in Women
Women are the most common sufferers of estrogen dominance. Symptoms range from mildly annoying to life-threatening.

Dry skin (CHECK)
Vaginal dryness (SOMETIMES) (TMI)
Tender breasts (MISERABLE)
Low libido
Water retention/bloating (CHECK – have to get out the fat pants))
Mood swings (CHECK)
Night sweats
Insomnia and restless sleep (CHECK)
Memory Loss and “fuzzy thinking” (CHECK, EXPLAINS ALOT)
Irritability (Ya, got that too)
Early puberty/late menopause (NO THANK YOU!)
Irregular or absent periods (amenorrhea) (CHECK)
Unusually heavy or long lasting periods (menorrhagia) (CHECK)
Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) (CHECK)
PMS (CHECK)
Fatigue (CHECK)
Depression (NOT RIGHT NOW)
Cyclical migraine headaches (CHECK)
Weight gain (UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAS HAPPENED TOO)
Infertility (NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT)
Miscarriage
Fibrocystic breasts
Uterine fibroids
Endometriosis
Low thyroid symptoms
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Breast cancer

Estrogen dominance can have a number of causes in women. Several of the most common include:
insufficient levels of the hormone progesterone
exposure to xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens
Hormone Replacement Therapy or birth control pills
However, estrogen dominance can also be caused by some serious medical conditions, so it’s important to consult with your doctor if you believe you may have it.

Estrogen dominance is also commonly associated with obesity, because estrogen is produced by fat cells, and alcoholism, because estrogen levels are regulated by the liver, so reduced liver functioning reduces the body’s ability to maintain proper hormone balance. In fact, even one glass of alcohol a day can raise estrogen levels. (hubpages)

Men, don’t think this doesn’t affect you – that’s how man boobs are formed!! Lucky you!

“Symptoms of Excessive Estrogen in Men
Although estrogen dominance is more common in women than men, it sometimes affects men as well. Common symptoms include:

Prostate problems
Breast development (“man boobs,” or gynecomastia)
Impotency
Male pattern baldness
Weight gain
Low sex drive
Estrogen dominance in men is usually caused by xenoestrogens but may be caused by more serious conditions, including pituitary diseases and testicular tumors. As with women, It is also a common side effect of obesity and alcoholism. Consult your physician if you experience any of the above symptoms.”  (hubpages)

Lucky ME!!!  I hope if any of you are having issues of any kind, especially if your cycle is irregular that you go have it checked out.  I suffered with symptoms for a long time before I did anything about it the first time, and it’s been about three years now that my body can’t seem to figure out what it’s doing.  This isn’t the first time I’ve asked for blood work, but I should have been more persistent about it.  I don’t believe my estrogen has been high for three years, but it’s been jacked up for that long, either low or high.  I do love estrogen, but too much of it isn’t a good thing.  GET CHECKED IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES!!

I’m all for a hysterectomy at this point since I’m not going to be using that part anymore, but it wouldn’t solve the fluctuation with my estrogen so maybe there would be no point in doing that.

Been trying to add photos, but am having hosting issues, hopefully it will be solved soon.