Did HRT improve your hair or make it worse?

[ALaughAMinute]

I was recently prescribed Elleste Duet 1 mg by my GP as I have been suffering from some very unpleasant peri menopausal symptoms including hair loss. I have been taking these for 12 days and so far feel fantastic! However, having done some research on HRT and hair loss I am concerned to learn that some progesterone-based pills, including those containing levonorgestrel, norgestrel and norethisterone, as well as tibolone, may induce or worsen hair loss and as the Elleste Duet progesterone tablets contain norethisterone I have decided that I don't want to risk taking them.

I have just phoned my GP and am waiting for her to call me back. I hope that she might be offer me Femoston as an alternative as it contains dygesterone which is the least testosterone derived.

So as someone who has been suffering from from hair loss even before taking HRT I am hoping that HRT is going to improve it.

I would be interested to hear about your experiences. Did HRT improve your hair? Did you see an improvement in texture and volume or did it fall out? if so which HRT were you taking?

Some progesterone is testosterone derived which I understand has an androgenic effect which can lead to or exacerbate hair loss.

Progestogens which can be used cyclically are of 3 main types:

Testosterone derived - Norgestrel, Norethisterone acetate and Levonorgestrel.
Less testosterone related - Medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA).
Least testosterone related - Dydrogesterone and Micronised progesterone (Utrogestan).

www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/a8714/utovlan-norethisterone/
factmed.com/report-DYDROGESTERONE%20TAB-causing-ALOPECIA.php
menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Hello, i do see that your quick update is from August 2017. Any news since then ? I should start HRT soon but been suffering from hair loss since my early 30s, hence i am panicking. ;)

Thank you , C

Started with HRT just over a year ago. I sleep better and feel myself back again. I was prescribed Femoston and particularly in the last 9 months I have experienced a lot of hair loss. Having been diagnosed Female Pattern Hair loss 10 years ago, I am very sensitive to the issue of using the right HRT. Your updates will be appreciated as Meno and HRT are a clear double whammy..Thank you very much.

this thread is so helpful to those of us starting on the journey - i have been prescribed zoely instead of HRT as early doors here and am panicking that i forgot to ask her about hair loss

Hi All :-) I’m a 57 year old. I’ve been on Eltroxin (Thyroxin) for hypothyroidism since having a hemi-thyroidectomy in 2016 and have been suffering from hair loss on the sides of my head (temples) for fifteen years which I assume was due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism. However, since starting HRT – evorel conti patches – four months ago, I noticed a distinct increase in hair shedding. After using Evorel Conti patches for three months, I switched to the more hair friendly Femoston Conti tablets which I’ve been taking for one month now. I am still noticing an alarming amount of hair shedding four months after starting the Evorel Conti patches and one month after switching to Femoston. Is this due to going on Evorel Conti patches four months ago and how long do I need to wait before my hair starts to grow back as a result of switching to Femoston? Would appreciate some help! :(

Use bio identical hrt in gel form and my hair is great, seems to have reversed the damage from before I was on it.

Hi New to this thread. I have been prescribed Kilovence which is similar to the ELellste duo ... I had hair shedding : ( before I was prescribed the Kilovance...And it hasn't stopped.

My Dr is always rushed and looks clueless and says hmmm do u want to try this read up on it? She gave me Femoston - Conti 0.5/2.5mg...Im worried as too what is going to aggravate my hair issue. I had such lovely thick hair. Can anyone advise? x

Hi There Im new to this thread. I have first been prescribed KILOVANCE, been taking for 2 weeks, depression gone, sleep better, more energy, skin better...hair still shedding : (

Because of the hair shedding and thinning, I read that Kilovance contains Norethistone and this can make it worse? Im clueless as it is overwhelming and my Dr is rush rush rush?? She has prescribed FEMOSTON-CONTI 0.5mg/2.5mg...what do you think? Is the Estradiol lower and the other Dydrogesteron higher going to cause hair loss? Im all confused and scared to try it x

I’ve been taking kilovance for 10 months has worked for horrendous hot flushes I’d had for 7 years but have lost half my hair!! Had blood test doc says is normal I’m so upset , and confused , sure it’s the kilovance but don’t know which hrt to ask for next. Dr is clueless!!

I feel for anyone who has hair shedding,i had some slight shedding but changed from Livial [Tibilone] to Eveoral Conti, and my hair is terrible,almost bald in large patches and very noticeable, so much that i am having to look into getting a hairpiece
EChas the Norethisterone in it which causes hair loss
Didn't think livial would had it before and it was fine

Kliovance, Kliofem, Ellest duet Conti and novofem? all contain Noerthisterone
Have a look at Menopause matters list of HRTs it will tell you what are the best and worst

Sorry Nuvelle continuous not Novofem*

Hi I'm new on this sight, just started this week oestrogel 1 pump a day and utrogestan 100 mg every night start that one two weeks time. My body not making any oestrogen so have to go back on hrtafter coming of it 4 years ago angeliq hair friendly. My body sweats are bad and hair is thinning, has anyone had any luck with this new hrt. I'm full of anxiety and worried every day about my hair thinning again.

I'm new to this sight, just wanted to ask I have just started oestrogel 1 pump every night to start with then 2 weeks later I take 1 utrogestan at night. How long is it before i feel better with these terrible body sweats and hair thinning, I have terrible anxitey, will this help me compared with femoston hrt or others. I use to take angeliqu but stopped it 4 years ago. This new one suppose to be safer, my body going through terrible time no oestrogen so I get hot all the time I just want to feel better and happy again, and a normal and see my hair improve again.

Hi Dorje, just read your message, I've just started oestrogel 1 pump to start with then 2 weeks later 1 utrogestan every night, does it really help with body sweats and hair loss, have terrible anxiety due to my body temperature and hair thinning again. My body not making enough estrogen my bloods tests tell me. I hope I feel better soon, any advice please.

Hi
I have been following ALaughAMinutes link and just wondered how things are going on Femoston?
I have been losing hair and have severe thinning over the last 7 months and having tried every lotion and potion am getting so depressed about it, don’t want to wash or brush it in case it makes it worse. No one warns you about this and how bad it makes you feel so it has been fabulous to find this group and see that others are going through it as well and there does seem to be light at the end of this horrendous tunnel.
I am meeting my GP this week to speak about HRT and just wondered which is the best to stop this hair loss and aid re-growth? It seems Femoston is working really well for you and wondered if there are other HRT I could speak to the GP about. Any help would be wonderful.

Hi
I have been following this thread and it has really helped knowing that I’m not the only one going through this awful time. My hair started falling out and thining about 7 months ago and has got progressively worse and after trying everything I can and having blood tests I find it is menopause. I have seen that many of you have tried different HRT and wondered which is best for hair loss, (other symptoms I can cope with, but this is awful) it seems Femoston is good but understand there are different doses (1/10 and 1/5) help?

I started taking livial again, but have stopped it now, my dermatologist says mine is stress related, but the stress and livial coincided so it could be ether or a combination, but not risking HRT again, so fed up as hair isn't getting any better

At first my hair was falling and was thinner but I am not sure if it was because of hrt or menopause. My dermatologist says that estrogen helps with hair and not the opposite. After 2 years on hrt, my hair is fine, not so thick as before but looks normal.

Emerald which HRT are you on now,do you think this one has helped with hair getting better?

I would be happy to hear of an update as I have been prescribed HRT and like you am worried re hair. I am 54 and am not sure if I am through the main menopause bit but since having the mirena taken out 4 months ago I have had hot sweats, worse brain fog (I actually couldn't remember if I'd taken my medication this morning and had to look in the bin for the pack..not HRT) I have had low mood for a few years on and off and presumed was hormones.....it has been worse than it is now and I do get anxious (no news for me on Covid 19 thank you as I panic so much I feel sick..having to live in my own isolated bubble for my own good mental health!) anxiety not so bad at moment as avoid news and not going anywhere or doing anything...so not as much to be anxious about in that way.

Updates anyone...don't know if I am "ill" enough for HRT (patch and pill) and worry about cancer risks....altho am slim, healthy and fit..but hate sweats, anxiety and thin hair!

Hi all, took advice from you all, unfortunately 2 lots of HRT caused considerable hair loss, Envorel conti, stopped and went on Estrogel and Utrogestan, major hair loss, have now to come off HRT altogether.

Made my hair worse, had to stop.

My doctor told me it wasn't licenced other than for oral use? wouldn't listen to me at all....makes me v tired and am sure my hair is getting thinner and it's not thick as it is. (on utrogeston and patches Estrodot. Also have got spots/rash on cheeks and nose...horrid! Been on for about 8 weeks

I took Oestragel for 10 days and half my hair fell out added progesterone and that made me feel horrific. Came off both and my hair is still falling. It’s been worst 7 weeks. Taking iron and praying it stops. I had amazing long hair. I was told to take hrt for bones for my scoliosis and wish I hadn’t - wasn’t given any blood tests to see if I needed it

I am on bio identical , estrodot patch and utrogeston, and unfortunately haven't noticed any improvement in my hair or my skin. In fact if anything they are worse! I have only been taking it for about 3 months, and in fact I think I need a slightly higher dose as I feel the hot flushes may be re appearing...although only as a hot feeling not the awful debilitating wet sweats I was subject to at least once an hour. I am also not sleeping very well again...wake up hot.

I feel it's difficult to sort medical stuff out though at the moment , face to face doctors appointments are not happening and the only doctor I had a phone appointment with (a doctor I had never seen or heard of) was hopeless. I am at the point when I might consider going private as to me health and well being are worth more than anything