HRT has been amazing for me - even in peri

[Hankunamatata]

So I'm under 43 and have been sooooooooooo tired for about a year, periods getting very light, some hot moments, vaginal dryness, no sex drive and migraines started.

Thanks to this site, Davina documentary and some older ladies at work I wondered if it was peri menopause. Talked to mum and found out she was finished menopause by mid 40s - was totally shocked as never knew..

So took myself to the DR. Hormone bloods came back normal but they put me on HRT. Its been two months and the change is HUGE. I'm not so tired, I actually fancy my husband, migraines have eased and bye bye dryness.

Im so grateful to aibu for making me aware of peri menopause.

Of course HRT isn't for every woman and each person makes their own balanced descion but OMG I finally feel like me again

@Rosebud21

I have a Mirena IUD, & am taking Elleste solo (estradiol). Mirena insertion is brutal, fortunately I had my second inserted while under GA when having a hysteroscopy. This combo helped for a few years, but now sweats, fatigue, anxiety & brain fog have returned. Time for a rethink

@Rosebud21 the hormonal element of the Mirena only lasts for 5 years, but if you're edging into menopause drs will often advise leaving the coil in for pg protection. So what you're getting is contraception without hormones. If it's been nearly 5 years since your last Mirena was fitted, it's likely that the hormonal element is running out and that needs to be replaced.

(I know from experience, I got my dates wrong and thought I had a year left - went straight into peri-symptoms that disappeared when I got the coil replaced.)

Honestly the one piece of advice I'd give to women struggling with peri-meno is to tell the doctor they're having hot flushes, even if they aren't. Hot flushes seem to be the gateway symptom, the 'proof' that what you know is happening is happening. I've only had a dozen or so, but I'm still peri-menopausal and I'm still doing absolutely fabulously well with HRT.

I thought the Davina programme was great and pleased to see it's given so many women the confidence to go to the doctors.

It’s so encouraging to hear these positive stories. I start HRT this week and hope it helps, especially with my rage and brain fog.

I haven’t had any blood tests, though. I emailed the GP surgery to ask about HRT and listed my symptoms. GP did a telephone consult and said I can start right away. It’s the patches for peri menopause because although my cycle is extremely erratic I do still have periods.

How long did it take for you to feel a difference?

@Nsky

JinglingHellsbells Luckily it’s all in the past, tho now have hormonal depression, was a nightmare to get right meds tho😡

Ah, so you did manage to get HRT in the end?

@DesdemonaDryEyes

Do people actually go to the GP with hot flushes 🤔

And please check the origins of your HRT.

Stuff the origins

I’m happiest and looking best I have done in years.
Plus massively reduces my osteoporosis risk.

It could be made from angelic newborns and I wouldn’t give a fig

@Sometimesfraught82

Oestrogen can affect your looks (don’t care if I sound vain). So it makes sense if you top it up with HRT you’d look better? I always look better when I’m ovulating and awful just before period. Oestrogen falls after ovulation so I think that’s why I look awful!!

If you are a day over 45 you do not need blood tests, which I am. Just had to do some home monitoring of my blood pressure as the readings taken at the surgery were high - luckily they were low at home.

My GP was really pushing for the coil option with me as she said it was the gold standard But there is no way I am having one.

Have started on the Elleste patches today.

Can also recommend reading Peri Menopause Power by Maise Hill before you speak to your GP - it is a complete education on the whole thing.

I’m so excited reading these. I don’t think I’d realised how bad things were getting until my sex drive fell off a Cliff.

I joined in the MN zoom with the documentary maker and one of the docs from Dr Louise Newsons practice a coupon of weeks ago. That coupled with watching the Davina prog gave me the confidence to state my case to the GP and push for patches rather than the pills she tried to offer me.

Got to have a smear first but assuming that’s all ok, I get to start HRT ASAP! Fingers crossed for the same great results some of you are feeling and seeing.

My mum had breast cancer so I’d always avoided anything hormonal and have played Russian roulette with family planning due to not wanting contraceptive pills. And all this time the risk of BC had been so overstated that it had scared off millions of women from getting the support they needed. Criminal really.

I started hrt at 42 after a few months struggling with awful symptoms. I was thinking that I was dying. I had no idea that I was in peri. Hrt gave my life back, no symptoms and more energy. My only concern and fear is about breast cancer.

I'm 48 and hoping to start soon. I was going to have the mirena coil and oral oestrogen they went to put the coil in found a fibroid/ enlarged womb and the GP said I need a scan before they can start me on anything as HRT may make things worse for me.

I'll be gutted if I can't start HRT. I've got some menopausal symptons, sore dry vulva, some insomnia, some mad moods, and I really want t nip things in the bud. Also really don't want osteo/ reduced muscle or ageing skin (more than it needs to ) So I see HRT as generally good for me as well as targeting menopause symptons.

@sortingout

I'm 48 and hoping to start soon. I was going to have the mirena coil and oral oestrogen they went to put the coil in found a fibroid/ enlarged womb and the GP said I need a scan before they can start me on anything as HRT may make things worse for me.

I'll be gutted if I can't start HRT. I've got some menopausal symptons, sore dry vulva, some insomnia, some mad moods, and I really want t nip things in the bud. Also really don't want osteo/ reduced muscle or ageing skin (more than it needs to ) So I see HRT as generally good for me as well as targeting menopause symptons.

That may be a bit 'overkill'. Some GPs seem terrified of HRT.

I have had a small fibroid for all the years I've been on HRT (almost 14).
My meno consultant found it before I started HRT and it's never been an issue. I also supposedly have a 'bulky' uterus - lovely :) which i think means it's a bit bigger .

None of this has been an issue. HRT can make fibroids grow, but mine hasn't. If yours if huge, you might get heavier bleeds, but that's your choice really to put up with those.

Don't accept 'no' for HRT without discussing it all as most GPs are really not that well informed on it.

That's interesting, thanks Jingling Bells. I am meant to have a consultant appt next month to discuss (though so far they have rearranged it three times). Hopefully I will get things sorted then. Not sure what to do if it is cancelled again!

I’ve been lurking on these threads for a while. I’m 46 and my periods have been all over the place for probably over a year but worse more recently. I’m now starting to have hot flushes at night and waking about 4:30am. My mum had breast cancer and I have yearly mammograms. I’ve had a few breast cysts over the last couple of years with a couple of visits to the breast clinic . I always thought I wouldn’t take HRT, because of the family history, but I’m considering my options now I’m having symptoms. I’m interested @Delatron and @MarkRuffaloCrumble what your GP has suggested, given the BC in your family and @JinglingHellsBells is there a preferred HRT regime that is more ‘breast friendly’?

@Jedstre I’ll report back what my doctor says.

I can highly recommend the book Oestrogen Matters on the topic of HRT and Breast cancer. It’s very well researched with lots of studies and reports.

I am fully prepared to argue to my GP that the benefits to me outweigh any perceived risks.

I'm glad for you, and pleased that it does work for some people. Didn't do a lot for me, unfortunately.

@Jedstre

I’ve been lurking on these threads for a while. I’m 46 and my periods have been all over the place for probably over a year but worse more recently. I’m now starting to have hot flushes at night and waking about 4:30am. My mum had breast cancer and I have yearly mammograms. I’ve had a few breast cysts over the last couple of years with a couple of visits to the breast clinic . I always thought I wouldn’t take HRT, because of the family history, but I’m considering my options now I’m having symptoms. I’m interested *@Delatron and @MarkRuffaloCrumble what your GP has suggested, given the BC in your family and @JinglingHellsBells* is there a preferred HRT regime that is more ‘breast friendly’?

The one preferred is using Utrogestan - micronised progesterone. Several research studies show no increase in BC at all, and it's 'neutral' re, breasts. The jury is still out a little on it but on balance it's what meno experts prefer. Also, all the evidence shows that continuous regimes ( progesterone daily with estrogen) has a higher risk of BC than using it on a cycle. (Even for women many years post menopause who would normally use continuous.)

Also, you do know that there is no risk of using HRT before age 51 anyway, which is the average age of menopause? You are simply replacing low estrogen which you would normally have.

Utrogestan has been shown to have no added BC risk for at least 5 years .

Thanks @Delatron

Thanks @JinglingHellsBells, that’s helpful to have the specifics and I didn’t know about taking it on a cycle. I presume that means you have a break each month and therefore a ‘bleed’?

I was told on the MN zoom chat that the patches or gel are safer for those with a BC risk than taking it orally - I guess because it’s more localised they don’t need to be as high a dose? The patch can’t be stuck on above the waist so it seems that the hormones are more concentrated below the waist where they’re needed? I honestly don’t know enough about it but was told that “because of your family history I’ll prescribe the oestrogen patches and then progesterone for two weeks a month”.

Just googled for a bit more info and found this:

“One of the main benefits of any type of transdermal HRT is avoiding the first pass through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream. Before the hormones in pills can be used, they must be processed by the liver where up to 95% of the pill’s hormones are lost. With a patch, the hormone is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream before ever reaching the liver. This allows a much lower dose of hormones to be used and is less stress on the liver”.

From this page

Why are GPs looking for hot flushes before Prescribing hrt if other symptoms are present?

@MarkRuffaloCrumble The risks re cancer between oral and transdermal are no different.

The benefit of transdermal is to do with fewer blood clots, because when drugs pass through the liver, they can change the lipids in the blood stream.

The majority of research shows it's not estrogen that is linked to breast cancer, but synthetic progesterones. Women who use only estrogen HRT have fewer cases of breast cancer compared to non-HRT users.

The thinking now is that HRT may accelerate a cancer already there, not cause it.

@Jedstre

Thanks *@JinglingHellsBells*, that’s helpful to have the specifics and I didn’t know about taking it on a cycle. I presume that means you have a break each month and therefore a ‘bleed’?

Yes that's right.

It’s been under a week but so far I think HRT is great. Turns out my sex drive hadn’t died after all.

NeedNewKnees Wow, less than a week, that's amazing!! I need to see my GP ASAP about this 😬