HRT ‘settling down’ success stories please...

[Fingerbobs]

Hello, i’ve just started Femoston-Conti and am wondering how long to give it as i’m feeling very weepy, cross, anxious and hot.

I had a horrible experience on Kliovance 18 months ago, totally out of control emotionally, and had been managing very well without hormones but the consultant persuaded me that the heart health is too important to miss out out - I’m 47 and suspect I was menopausal from about 42ish, as was my mother.

I’m about ten days in to this new one and already feeling rotten - will it honestly settle down? The thought of having periods again after all this time makes me weep (although to be fair so does everything just now). Is this likely to be where I end up? Please cheer me up by telling me that your HRT got easier to deal with!

Why would youave periods now? Do you mean your own periods have not stopped or do you mean if you swapped from a conti HRT to sequi?

Sometimes conti HRT is harder to get on with because you are taking 2 hormones daily. Some women find the progestogen (Norethisterone is the one mainly used) can cause side effects. This might settle down or it might not.

There is no reason why you have to use conti- it's only for women who are 12-18 months with no periods anyway.

You could use sequi for as long as you want. This would mimic a natural cycle with only 2 weeks of progestogen per 4-week cycle.

If you are someone who is progestogen intolerant, there are other options that may work, such as the Mirena (which is more localised but a small amount of the hormone does get into the blood steam) OR even a longer cycle HRT like Tridestra- 3 monthly so you only have progestogen for 12 days every 12 weeks.

I'm in my early 60s and still use sequi as for various reasons (including risks) I don't want to use conti types.

Sorry I wasn’t clear, I haven’t had a period for years so I am on conti. I’m only taking HRT because of the long term health benefits, not symptoms, which have become manageable over the last couple of months. So I wondered if anyone had experience of things settling down once you’re on HRT or if it’s likely to stay the same. I previously had a contraceptive implant so I wouldn’t have thought I was progesterone intolerant but it’s presumably a different type.

I started Femoston Conti at the end of December after a 3 month break from the other Femoston, thinking I didn't need HRT. Well, that didn't go well - the flushes, night sweats, feelings of gloom, general bleuch-ness soon flooded back.

After two months taking Conti I can remember looking up at the blue February sky thinking how good it felt to be alive, grinning like a loon. Now all the symptoms have disappeared again completely. I'm back!!

So I would say stick with it for three months to see how it goes.

And if you ever hear me talk about stopping HRT again 'because I don't like taking medication' feel free to slap me with a wet fish!!

I felt worse at first, then settled at about 2-3 months. I had to go back for a review then and stayed on it.

And if you ever hear me talk about stopping HRT again 'because I don't like taking medication' feel free to slap me with a wet fish!!

Me too!!

I honestly don't even mind the periods as they are so predictable to the day and even the hour. And they only last 2 days. I don't care if I have periods til I'm 80, they are that easy now.

Why were you given HRT when you had no symptoms😬

I thought it was to be used when needed by not if not. My go went through all the side effects with me but l decided not to take it.

Does every menopausal woman in the country need to take it for heart health?🤨

If it's not suiting you, ask to try a different type,. You may. To be getting on with the progestogen part, i ended up on the natural progesterone after I felt suicidal on the standard issue stuff, and I've never looked back. No periods.

you may not be getting on with the progestogen part

I have been told HRT helps prevent osteoporosis too.

Surely you don't need hrt if your heart is healthy in the first place! What are the issues that is leading your gp to think taking hrt would be beneficial? The best way to keep your heart healthy is naturally, the old usual advice, healthy diet, keeping weight down, exercising.

Why on earth are you taking hrt if you didn't have any symptoms?

I'd come off it and use a healthy diet and exercise to improve your heart.

The reason @Fingerbobs is using HRT is because she had an early menopause- she says she is 47 now and was menopausal several years ago.

The accepted advice and treatment for early menopause (periods stopping several years before the average age of 52) is HRT.

This is whether you have hot flushes or not.

As has been discussed (at length!!!) on another thread recently, estrogen benefits heart function in women. This is firmly established. It's why all 'in the know' drs will advise women with early meno to use HRT up to early 50s at least.

The connection between heart disease and osteoporosis in later life in women with loss of estrogen years before the average is well established. Treatment with HRT is in the NICE guidelines.