Started HRT and struggling. Advice please

[gegs73]

Hi - if anyone can offer any advice I would be so grateful. I started HRT two and a half weeks ago after 3 months of tiredness, brain fog, completely erratic periods and generally feeling awful.

I started with 2 pumps or oestrogel one in the morning and one in the evening. I've felt less tired and the brain fog has more or less gone, however I have been hit with side effects. Nausea and dizziness which seems to have sorted itself out, but been left with tingling in my legs and arms elbows down and twitchy fingers. It's not all the time but it's making me really anxious. I spoke to my Doctor yesterday who advised to cut a pump of the gel to see if that helped and still controlled everything else. Tried that, but was straight back with brain fog so went to 1.5 pumps to see what happens then. Has anyone else had this at all?

I started Utrogestan a couple of days ago, also which made me feel awful but now having that vaginally which so far is much better.

Just wanted to know how long until this all gets sorted out and my body adapts. I just want to feel normal again and its not happening quick

I think it's always best to start with a low dose and build up- that's what I was advised by a meno consultant. I used a tiny bit of gel- about half a pump- for a good week or two. Then I upped to one pump and again after a couple of weeks tried 2 pumps. I can get symptom relief on 1.5 pumps (spilt am and pm).

Basically, I'd say you used too much too soon and it's STILL only just over 2 weeks. I'd advice stopping all the changing of your dose so fast.

It also doesn't work as quickly as you might think. It's not like taking an aspirin and getting relief in hours or a few days. Drs say give it 12 weeks. It takes time to build up estrogen in the body. Just like it takes years to fall off. Using 1 or 2 pumps over a few days really can't improve or decrease brain fog that fast.

I think- up to you of course- you should go to 1 pump and keep at that for at least a week. Then increase gradually.

I’m on patches but I started by just putting on half a patch for several weeks, as I too wanted to just build up a slowly. It worked for me- no side effects and feeling so much better, no brain fog and great sleep, I’ve been using them for 2 months.

Thanks everyone good advice, I’ll give that a try.

Hope you don't mind me highjacking your thread, gegs73, but I wanted to ask JinglingHellsBells if twelve weeks is standard for HRT to kick in? I'm two weeks into taking it and was wondering when I might start noticing that's it working!

I was on patches initially but changed to tablet because I felt that my low mood was worsening rather than improving. The doctor was actually really helpful and said it was common to have to change the type/dose of HRT until you found the right one.

Thanks again everyone. I’ve stuck to the 1.5 pumps and the utrogestan and for the last couple of days have felt a lot better. Not as tired and sick and side effects so hopefully my body is getting used to it. I finish the Utrogestan tomorrow so hopefully my body doesn’t do anything strange again when I stop.