What benefits have you felt from HRT?

[Daffodildainty]

I’m 54 and just about to start HRT/ hoping it will help with insomnia, restless legs, night sweats, hot flushes and make controlling belly fat easier. What benefits have you noticed?

[FrankieHeckisinTheMiddle]

None at all and my normally very low blood pressure went through the roof so I jacked it in after 3 months.

[Aquamarine1029]

My anxiety has vanished, no more hot flushes and wonderful sleep at night. It's been great.

[ihatethecold]

Feel so much better.
I’m 45 and have been peri menopausal for about 18 months.
I’m on bio identical HRT.
I’m sleeping so much better. My night sweats have disappeared.
Vaginal atrophy and bladder issues have improved.
I feel able to cope better mentally.
Still tired but the difference has been amazing.

[PurpleWithRed]

'toughened up my tissues' Down There so I no longer get urethritis whenever either of us so much as thinks about sex.

Also no hot flushes.

I haven't noticed any positive impact on my belly fat (although maybe it would be even worse with no HRT).

[Whothere]

It took away the hot flushes. That’s the only benefit but a major one.

[friendlyflicka]

Much more energy and optimism

[WINONOLONGER]

HRT totally removed my hot flushes and night sweats. It also took away my anxiety (that only appeared after menopause). Sleep through every night.
Sadly done nothing for my was waistline!

[Marylou62]

Going on HRT was wonderful for me..drastically reduced night sweats, insomnia and day time flushes...I was on it for about a year..BUT..I was one of the unlucky ones who got a DVT. Had to stop instantly.(So any cramp symptoms, you must get treatment..I DID NOT have redness or swelling but I had a cluster behind my knee.)

I then researched HRT gel, applied to my thighs..worked just as well but unfortunately had an accident with many broken ribs and ended up with blood clots in my lungs. But do you know what..If I had my time again, even with the risks, I would still have used it..

Just be aware of the risks and don't ignore any leg pain/cramps. And if you get offered gel I would take it..The risks are lower I was told. Good Luck.

[TheWernethWife]

I loved it, stayed on it for years. Was peri menopausal and felt like my head was going to explode like a pressure cooker, bursting into tears for the slightest thing. My partner made me go to the doctors, thank God they did. HRT turned me into a new woman.

[Ifonlyiweretaller]

So pleased I went on it. My hot flushes have stopped and my mood swings are far less than they were. I also don't burst into tears quite as easily as I was thankfully - it was getting embarrassing!

I actually think it may have helped me to lose a bit of weight around my middle, and that has spurred me on to try a bit harder and am slowly dropping the pounds. So a definite positive from me.

[Candymay]

Can I please ask you whether the menopause is a medical condition that you are supposed to see a doctor about? Sorry if I’m hijacking your thread. I think I’m at that age and I have no idea about it and what to expect. Who decides HRt or not? Sorry but I am completely ignorant in this one area. I suffer with anxiety but have done all my life so I’m not sure it’s connected.

[longwayoff]

I would have been dead without it, probably from wandering vacantly into traffic. I was an absolute zombie. Awful. So personally I recommend it.

[Marylou62]

When the menopause starts to disrupt your life, and you have read up about symptoms, tried EVERY homeopathic pill/liquid that is available.. It is then time to get an appointment with a doctor specialising in the treatment of the menopause. It took a while to get the right treatment.

[ihatethecold]

I do think most women struggle through peri menopausal symptoms for a period of time sometimes unaware that it’s our hormones that are running out.
For me I used supplements for a year to help them realised I needed more in the form of HRT.
I did lots of research on menopause matters website and read the Nice guidance so I wouldn’t be fobbed off.

[Silvercatowner]

Without HRT my life would not have been worth living - all consuming hot flushes every 20 minutes day and night were making me severely depressed. I think my symptoms were fairly extreme. I went on HRT 10 years ago and have been reducing the dose very slowly for the past 18 months - no return of the dreaded flushes so far. I will stop altogether in the summer, fingers crossed.

[Mayrhofen]

Gosh I am very grateful to not have had symptoms to to the extent some of you have.

I had bleeding where I blead right through my clothes every 21 days for about four years, horrendous period pains, anxiety and some hot flushes for about two years but not that bad or often, probably after a cup of tea or twice in an evening.

I think I am coming to an end now. Rare anxiety, no hot flushes and two periods in 14 months.

My bloody joints ache though now, and I suspect they would improve with HRT.but essential fish oil supplements and excercise are helping.

[Mayrhofen]

*bled not blead which I know is spelt wrong too!

[Redcherries]

#ihatethecold did the supplements help for that year? I’m going through early peri menapause (age wise, the drenching night sweats started 5 years ago) but my hormones have to change enough on the useless blood test to get any help because of my age, im finding it really hard tbh, I’d live happily with hot flushes and night sweats but I feel like I’m losing myself in anxiety and lowness. I’ve just started supplements this week.

[Barreleyefish]

It stopped the constant hot flushes (literally had one just from turning round or bending to the point they were disabling), night flushes and aching joints . I didn’t realise the aching was part of the peri menopause until it they disappeared after the first week of taking HRT. I’ve not put weight on with them. I’ve been on them over 5 years (I’m 58 now) and want to stop but I’m so worried about the flushes and sweats returning that I keep putting it off . I was running out of tablets so just took half each day for a week and could already feel the flushes starting up. I’m just hoping it hasn’t just put off the whole damn thing and I’ll be back to square one when I stop them.

[sueelleker]

I had terrible hot flushes, but the worst part was being in a mental 'fog' the whole time. Not very safe when you work in a hospital! The HRT worked wonders-I hadn't realised how bad I'd been until then.

[Walkacrossthesand]

Some people sail through menopause, I have friends who had a few symptoms for a few months and that's it.

My only real symptom was hot flushes/sweats, relentless day and night. I was on hrt for 10 years for it (highly effective, stopped them 99%) including a year in the middle when I tried off it but gave in after a year of things being just as bad as before. I stopped it last year because I really didn't want to be on it for ever (breast cancer and stroke risk mainly) - had a few sweats for a few months, but fingers crossed it seems ok now.

[TaintforTheLikesOfWe]

I had no life quality prior to taking it. Started at age 53. I was getting no sleep. Boiling hot so would hang out of bed then get cold so back in and I would do this all night so no sleep. I ached all over too. I am still on a low dose and if I try to come off I get the muscle and bone pain like I have survived a head on! I don't know if it made me less anxious as I think the anxiety was caused by the lack of sleep.

[Troels]

I started HRT last summer. Hot flashes are gone, I can sleep at night, (I was surviving of 3 or 4 hours a night before) The fog is gone, I can concentrate at work. I'm actually feeling more energetic.

[anotherwearytraveller]

Redcherries was it a doctor who told you that your hormone levels need to be elevated on the blood test to start HRT?

That is completely WRONG.
The only time those levels are useful is to see if you can stop using contraception.

HRT should be used on the basis of symptoms and being an appropriate age for likely peri menopause. You do not need to have stopped your periods.

Please see a different GP and do some reading on menopause matters or NICE guidance so you know what’s what.

There are menopause clinics held via the gynaecology teams if you get a crap response from your GP so you could always ask for a referral.

[TheNavigator]

It stopped the night sweats and bought back vaginal lubrication but far more importantly it makes me feel like myself again. Like a PP, my head felt like a pressure cooker, but instead of being weepy I would get huge waves of anger. Rage like I have never experienced. I am a laid back reasonable person but I became horrendous. MY DH & daughters tiptoed around me and I would berate hapless staff in the service industry over the slightest error - as I would do it I would feel so weird and disjointed, like I was standing outside myself watching this madness unfold. I felt I was going mad.

I am on Elleste Duet 1mg and after a week it was like flicking a switch in my head and I became myself again. Thank god. I get the odd break through symptom but now the madness is controlled I can manage it with diet and exercise.