Brief Answer:
Everyone is unique.

Detailed Answer:
It would be unusual for estradiol to make someone sleepy but if you say .5 mg does not cause the symptom to occur but 1 mg does, most likely it is the medication. I would suggest that you take the medication either at bedtime or split the dose and take half in the morning and half in the evening. Hopefully this will resolve the difficulty.

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Brief Answer:
I hope this helps.

Detailed Answer:
Initally you said your symptom was sedation and now you're saying that the symptom is anxiety. Estrogen can help increase neurochemicals that elevate mood. it sounds like you are very dose sensitive. if the symptoms occur twelve hours later it may be the estrogen wearing off. I suggest trying an estrogen patc for more even delivery. it also comes in .075mg strength.
Progesterone is mildly sedating. It is usually also given at night. And very high doses make people comatose enough for surgery and was used for that purpose before ether was discovered. In a woman who is had a hysterectomy and does not have uterus is not recommended that she continue taking progesterone because it can increase the risk for breast cancer with more so than estrogen alone.

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Brief Answer:
Feel better soon.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for writing back.

I do think you will do better on the more even dosing achieved with the patch. If it is cost prohibitive then take a smaller dose of estrogen but break it into every 12 hours. I think you're becoming sedated when the increased estrogen actually relieves your anxiety.

I would also suggest that you consider low-dose of anxiolytic medication. BuSpar is a mild antianxiety med but taking daily. it is not habit-forming. I would strongly recommend against habit forming benzodiazepines which includes Valium, Xanax and Ativan. You might want to consider low-dose of an antidepressants such as Paxil or Celexa if the symptoms continue. Most problems don't get better with aging.

I just want you to know that there are additional treatments out there. We all need a fight or flight anxiety response when danger is present. But for some individuals that feeling is far too accessible and can come to dominate their lives. It is no way to live.

I hope you feel much better soon. It may take several tries to find the right combination but it's certainly worth continuing your efforts.

Find a doctor who will listen to you because there are not any good laboratory tests to guide treatment. Is just a matter of matching you with the right medication and your talking and reporting what helps and what doesn't is the lab test.

Regards,

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