NeuroTalk Support Groups - Estrogen flare ups?

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- Peripheral Neuropathy (https://www.neurotalk.org/peripheral-neuropathy/)

- - Estrogen flare ups? (https://www.neurotalk.org/peripheral-neuropathy/203040-estrogen-flare-ups.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marie33 (Post 1093243)

I strongly believe menopause threw me into full blown Idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. They both happened around the same time. I was 52 when menopause started and started having Neuropathy symptoms around a year later, too much of a coincidence (?) But my Doctors will never admit to it.
I am perfectly healthy, but suffer with painful SFN! :mad: , life is so unfair.....

Ok, there is something really funny going on here. I'm also 52!

Seems like 52 is the magic age. :eek:

Hi Marie,

Yes, my SFN is idiopathic, but I'm somewhat refusing to accept that diagnosis. I'm still doing whatever test my integrated medicine doc can think of, but she's just about out of ideas.

BCP = Birth Control Pill

I was on them for about 22 years. I changed primary care physicians, and she was very vocal about wanting me off them because of family history of heart disease. I had been thinking about doing it anyway, so I stopped in October. Like I said, I started having trouble in November, and my SFN progressively got worse for the next 3 months or so.

In March I started having horrible PVCs (heart palpitations). I assumed it was anxiety from the discomfort of SFN and just worry over what was wrong. My doctor did a holter monitor test, and I had 1300 PVCs and SPVCs in 24 hours!

It was about this time I started seeing women posting about their SFN starting when they became perimenopausal. I made a quick call to my gyn and even though she was skeptical it would help, she called in a estradiol/progestin script. I started taking it right away, and while I saw no improvement at all with the SFN, those horrible PVCs stopped cold within a couple of days. That alone tells me perimenopause is causing at least of my problems.

Janie

[QUOTE=Marie33;1093559]

Quote:

Originally Posted by janieg (Post 1093517)

I'm in the same boat, Marie. Am 52 and peri-menopausal. My SFN started within a month after going off the BCP last October. I'm considering just going back on them to see what happens even though no one will currently say my SFN is being caused by it. I'll see my gyn for annual exam in 10 days and will discuss it with her.
Hi Jan
Im sorry you suffer with SFN! Is yours Idiopathic too? what is BCP? None of my doctors will say my SFN is caused by menopause either. But my feet started burning around the same time I became menopausal.. It felt like all *&^% hit the fan!! Mine is Idiopathic, I am otherwise healthy!! So frustrating.
Let us know how your exam goes and what your Gyno has to say about what could be causing your SFN.

For what it's worth, my OB/GYN told me that the heart has estrogen receptors and I too found that my palpitations and racey heart stopped once I went on bio-identical HRT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieDebbie (Post 1062488)

I completely agree. I've even thought the hormonal changes of peri-menopause may be the cause in some cases. It just seems uncanny how many women seem to contract this condition not long after entering the menopausal time of life. I'm convinced that in some cases at least there could be a connection.

And male menopause could factor in here too.

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Hi all,
I stumbled across this thread but you have given me something to think about. I am 41 but also in an early peri-menopausal stage.
I have always been very sensitive to my hormonal fluctuations.

I take a low dose of Cymbalta. Only 30 mgs. Been on this for about 6 or so years now. It stops the worst of the hot flashes. It also helps with PN pain a bit. A higher dose would probably give me better relief but all my current symptoms, depression and anxiety, are well controlled at this dose. I have no side effects from the Cymbalta at all that I'm aware of.

ETA: PS: I'm just coming to the end of that magical one year of no period, period. So maybe that has something to do with the hot flashes easing a bit...? Not fluctuating so much as just not there any more. LOL!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieDebbie (Post 1062488)

That's really interesting. My PN started about the time I started in to peri-menopause. They have yet to find a cause. Of course it would help if I had insurance and/or could afford to see the specialists I need to see to attempt to get a definitive diagnosis. I never noticed an increase in pain around the time of my periods though. That doesn't mean it didn't happen, I just never made that connection if it did.

I wonder if, in the next few months to a year, I'll see a lessening in symptoms? That would be soooo awesome!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarrett622 (Post 1095039)

As it happens, I am also coming up to the one year thing. Here's hoping we both experience a lessening of symptoms as the hormones settle. Awesome would only begin to describe it. Lol. :)