If you tried HRT, what was your experience? Any negative effects?

[porridgeisbae]

Hi all, I'm going to try HRT.
There seem to be a fair few potential side effects listed.
What was your experience?

I don't want to get more bleeding, that would be annoying.

Unfortunately, HRT made my hair fall out. It happened within the first two weeks and as much as I wanted to continue, I just couldn't risk it. It was coming out in handfuls. I must be especially sensitive to hormones or something because my hair also started to shed when I used vaginal estrogen - even though the GP insisted this wasn't possible!

It's a shame as it could have helped with my other symptoms, but thankfully (so far) there hasn't been anything too drastic.

PunishmentRoundupWithJoon which one did you take ?

@workshy46 - I can't remember actually, will try find out. I did speak to a consultant and she said there was a possibility that this wouldn't happen with patches, and said that when I was ready, to try them instead of the tablets. Personally, I think if I'm reacting to the hormones, I'll react to it no matter now it's delievered.

I recall that the one time I took the pill, for a very short time, my hair also started to shed heavily, so that makes me think my body reacts badly to hormones.

I did have a bad reaction to Dianette when I was given it for acne. It gave me Intracranial Hypertension. I'm not even overweight.

It's amazing. But I was determined to push through the side effects and make it work.

I warned DH that it might take a year and be emotional..

Yes I put on weight but it was water/easily lost using my normal calorie counting and significant amounts of walking.

Eventually settled on coil, high oestrogen and testosterone (which was a genuine game changer).

All from GP, very supportive and progressive female led surgery.

I had lots of hair loss but that was because I was flooding and had no ferritin left. Took iron every second day for 3 months and back to high normal levels (75 / 150).

I'm 12 months in and very happy again.

I started HRT to deal with peri menopausal symptoms. I had Mirena coil to stop flooding and then oestrogen patches. I've found it's got rid of the brain fog and anxiety and I've had no negative side effects.

Helped with joint and back pain, went away like magic. Haven’t had a migraine since starting (they were monthly for a while) and reduced insomnia. Brought back some missing libido also.

no bad ones that I’ve noticed, I think the weight gain was happening anyway so next I need to get exercise mojo back. Which was a lot harder to do pre-starting.

I'm on everol Conti. Initially, I felt great, symptoms lessened. A year or so in, the hot flushes and joint pain returned with a vengeance. Told my GP who prescribed an additional oestrogen only patch to use alongside the Conti. No improvement. Bit fed up with it all tbh.

When I had my mirena taken out, i did find that as I went through peri my own oestrogen levels fluctuated, meaning that with HRT, sometimes I had too much which meant I bled.

Other than that there had been no downsides for me- I was advised to take it to protect my heart and bones as I age, haven't had a hot flush since I started and along with Utrogestan and testosterone gel, feel pretty much like I did before peri.

I'm on Evorel Conti, initially I had some acne on my neck and chest (really unusual for me), but I think it was because my skin was no longer as dry and I modified my skincare. It went in a few weeks.

I feel like I got my self back and have more energy. I tried quite a few natural supplements first: agnus castus, maca powder, which all helped somewhat, but in the end I needed HRT.

It helped with sleep and flushes immediately, I never had another hot flush and I started sleeping through the night. Sore joints improved which was great as I was getting stuck changing positions in my Pilates class which was embarrassing.
I really struggled with low mood and had to get a Mirena coil because I couldn't tolerate Utrogestan orally or vaginally.
I'm still hoping to tweak it over time as my moods are flat at best. I have a wonderful menopause specialist who listens and wants to help which is a huge improvement over my GP, who told me everything was normal and 'natural' multiple times when I requested HRT.

I'm on Everol 50 and oral progesterone. Can't say I've noticed a massive difference. I was hoping my libido would return but so far it's still missing in action.
I actually think my moods are a little worse - as in I am having more fluctuations in mood and feeling irritable and over emotional.
I'm only 44 so want to persevere for the sake of my bone health and ongoing cardiovascular risk factors but I'm going to discuss with my GP soon as not convinced it's helping with my symptoms which are hot flushes, loss of libido, brain fog and insomnia. I've put on a little weight but only a couple of kg.

I'm on Estrogel and Gepretix (new equivalent of Utrogestan apparently), just coming up to the end of the first year. It has definitely levelled my mood and improved my ability to cope, but my memory is still shocking at certain times of the month - the difference being that this doesn't frustrate me nearly as much as it did. No issues with hair loss but I have tons of it anyway.

However I hoped my libido might return, but nope. Have had zero interest in sex for several years. I'm single, so it doesn't affect anyone else, but it does make me feel a bit empty. Like a PP I generally feel quite flat, but err on the side of good mood rather than low mood. The flat feeling might also be the weather and the time of year - my mood always improves when the sun comes out.

I have tried it three times.
first the tablets, second and third I had spray oestrogen and progesterone capsules .
each time I put on lots of weight almost immediately. My hair was also brittle and I lost some.
Ive officially given up and have found other ways to successfully manage my peri symptoms, though I guess if I really need to I’ll try again.

Female GP in her 30s. Very patronising towards older women and very anti-HRT. Told me to take natural remedies and gave me a NICE leaflet on complementary therapies which said that at best they had minor benefits, most were placebos and some should be avoided due to likelihood of liver damage.

Saw different GP who prescribed clonidine which was originally designed for migraine but works on hot flushes. Not had either since unless I run out of tablets when I get migraines and flushes.

Evorel conti patches here. They helped very quickly with the night sweats, anxiety and overall pain, but I did gain quite a bit of weight. I came off them thinking I would lose the weight but I didn't and all of the symptoms came back. So, after about six months I went back on them. A year in and I am finally starting to slowly lose weight but I think that is about accepting that I really don't need to eat very much and that calorie needs change as we age and adjusting accordingly. That and lots of consistent daily walking.

My hair is definitely thinning and my hairline is changing but I think that would happen anyway. My mum has very thin hair now and I seem to be heading in the same direction.

Overall the benefits outweigh the negatives which is as much as I can hope for.

I started on Elleste Duet and my hot flushes and insomnia disappeared almost instantly. Back and joint pain shortly after. No negative side effects.

Added testosterone a few months ago. My libido is fine but the brain fog was killing me (you have to say it's for libido though to get it prescribed). My sharpness is back and I have been enjoying a weird but pleasant feeling of strength in the gym. I'm also more mellow and level which surprised me as I would have expected the opposite if anything. Downside is my hair and skin are a little oilier.

I have the Mirena coil and went on Lenzetto for about a year. Unfortunately it had an adverse effect on my mood, I felt like 'disappearing' a lot. The combined contraceptive pill had a similar effect previously.
Since stopping the oestrogen I feel like myself again mood-wise, no nagging thoughts that I should not be here. It was quite alarming. But my skin has gone to shit and is really dry without it! And I am worried about my bone health.

Amazing for me. I hated the pill but the body identical hormones in HRT are different. Having said that HRT is a trial and error approach, and it can take a while to settle down and your body get used to it. So you have to have the mindset that you'll be experimenting over a period of time and have to ride out any initial changes in symptoms as they may well settle.

The waking up between 2-4am stopped immediately when I started HRT so did the anxiety and depression which I’ve never had before. It made me feel more like me again. My periods which were very heavy and lasted 8 days before I started now are lighter and shorter. 7 months of taking it and so far no negatives.

@Pearbear Fab. Which type/brand are you on?

Hi all, I just wanted to let you know- as detailed in my other thread, it turns out I have some health problems and that's why I was feeling run down. HRT could've made these problems worse- thankfully my prescription took ages to arrive so I hadn't started it and can get a refund.

So, if you're feeling ill, get yourself checked out, don't just assume it's solely the change and effectively self-medicate.

Have coil and patch. It’s fine but have put on a stone that I can’t shift!

Another word of caution, I was on oestrogen tabs and mirena coil from 48-54. I now have ovarian cancer. HRT is listed as causing small increase in risk

I don’t have any other risk factors - 4 children, was on the pill for a while and no family history.

Oncologist said it wouldn’t cause the cancer, but it would fuel it.

I think there should be more monitoring of women on HRT. It is great, but not without risk