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Menopause

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Original poster

How can you tell if you don’t actually need HRT ?

18 replies

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 20:47

Hi I’m 48 and started 3 months ago on one pump of oestrogel and utrogestan for second 14 days of cycle

I still have a regular cycle and my only real symptom was low pmt mood sometimes

However - I am not sure I really notice a difference and am now wondering if I should wait till I get more symptoms before starting again. Any advice ! Thanks!

OP posts:

StoppoChoco · 15/09/2021 20:49

Why did you start taking it in the first place ?
Did you have any symptoms, has it helped with them ?

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 21:29

@StoppoChoco

Why did you start taking it in the first place ? Did you have any symptoms, has it helped with them ?

Just worse PMT really and more of a flat mood

Kind of feel the same so wonder if I don’t really need it (yet!) and should stop for a bit ?

OP posts:

GoWalkabout · 15/09/2021 21:33

Are your doses enough if its not helping? It could help protect against osteoporosis.

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 21:41

@GoWalkabout

Are your doses enough if its not helping? It could help protect against osteoporosis.

I’m not sure tbh because I am wondering now if I have too much oestrogen as I wasn’t lacking it in first place maybe ? I had no physical symptoms just the weird mood / bad pmt

OP posts:

StoppoChoco · 15/09/2021 21:50

I am the same age, I take quite a low dose of estrogen - estradot 25.
and the utrogestran.
It helps with low mood and some of the symptoms, when I tried higher dose of estrogen I actually felt worse. I believe pre menopausal women have quite high estrogen levels from our diets and its progesterone that we are lacking.
I feel better and have more energy when I am taking the utrogestran.
But that's just my experience, everyone is different.

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 21:58

@StoppoChoco

I am the same age, I take quite a low dose of estrogen - estradot 25. and the utrogestran. It helps with low mood and some of the symptoms, when I tried higher dose of estrogen I actually felt worse. I believe pre menopausal women have quite high estrogen levels from our diets and its progesterone that we are lacking. I feel better and have more energy when I am taking the utrogestran. But that's just my experience, everyone is different.

Hmmmm interesting ! I kind of intuit that my oestrogen levels are high tbh

I do like the utro element of it tbh (I take it vaginallt)

Another reason I think my oestrogen is high is that periods since starting have been lighter than before .

To add to all this I am still quite broody (yes really haha !) and has hopes to give a little boost maybe to myself. I told my dr all this btw )

Anyway so obv I don’t want oestrogen levels too high for that reason too !

I’m on one pump a day, I wonder if I should drop to every other day maybe?

OP posts:

StoppoChoco · 15/09/2021 22:13

Maybe just experiment with the estrogen to see what works for you. I notice my mood dropping when I forget to renew patch, or decide I feel OK so don't bother.

GoWalkabout · 15/09/2021 22:17

I can't help with that because I only take oestrogen (no womb) but I need four pumps to function so one pump seems nothing! But you need to balance it with your other ones I think?

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 22:19

Thanks both !

Yes maybe will take the oestrogen more sporadically

Just annoyed about lighter cycle but also just had my covid jabs since I started the hrt so maybe it could be that !

OP posts:

StoppoChoco · 15/09/2021 22:28

It's the progesterone that will be giving you lighter periods, if it isn't your covid jab.

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 15/09/2021 22:47

@StoppoChoco

It's the progesterone that will be giving you lighter periods, if it isn't your covid jab.

Oh thanks! But why!? I thought it gave heavier periods and is also used for fertility ?

OP posts:

StoppoChoco · 16/09/2021 09:30

You'd probably be better reading up on progesterone, but

High progesterone = light periods
Low progesterone = heavy periods

Its given in fertility to thicken the womb lining to help the embryo implant and to women that are struggling with heavy periods etc.

I am not a doctor, or expert on HRT, so worthwhile reading up on the hormones, or speaking to doctor.

JinglingHellsBells · 16/09/2021 11:13

I agree that you need to do some basic research into both hormones @Antonia2021

1 oestrogen is the growth hormone. It makes the womb lining thicker. The amount of estrogen you use directly affects the thickness of the womb lining.

2 progesterone stops the lining growing but changes its structure . To be all precise about it (!) it changes it from proliferative (growing) to secretory(reading to receive an egg and implantation.)

With HRT, using more progesterone will stop the lining getting thick(er.)

Are you trying to conceive? You mention 'giving a little boost yourself'.

why are you upset about having lighter periods?

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 17/09/2021 07:30

Thanks both! Obviously I haven’t done as much research as I thought lol!

@JinglingHellsBells I wouldn’t say we are ttc actively more seeing what happens but I would love to keep my options open (we decided not to have any interventions as we both lucky to have children already )

Anyway - I was just thinking to how my period was when I last conceived and it was always quite heavy then !

So just was worried lighter period wasn’t good !

I’ve got a follow up app on Monday with doctor so can ask her some more questions ....

Thanks for your input !

OP posts:

lljkk · 17/09/2021 07:50

High progesterone = light periods

That's interesting.

I read that low progesterone also causes insomnia and irregular periods. I never had any other supposed peri/meno symptoms.

I have both insomnia AND light irregular periods.
Something isn't related to my progesterone levels or is mitigated by something else in my life (lifestyle factor, estrogen levels?) Intriguing.

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 17/09/2021 07:59

All I know is when I was at my most fertile (conceived first month of trying 4 times in my 30s) I had much heavier periods than since I started HrRT
So for me the heaviness is an indicator of being fertile !

OP posts:

lljkk · 18/09/2021 11:48

I spent a while looking up symptoms in women of high/low testosterone/estrogen/progesterone.

Sometimes the commonly attributed symptoms are exactly the same for high/low states of same hormone !!

Quite funny. Not useful, I suppose.

Original poster

Antonia2021 · 23/09/2021 14:12

@lljkk

High progesterone = light periods

That's interesting.

I read that low progesterone also causes insomnia and irregular periods. I never had any other supposed peri/meno symptoms.

I have both insomnia AND light irregular periods.
Something isn't related to my progesterone levels or is mitigated by something else in my life (lifestyle factor, estrogen levels?) Intriguing.

That is interesting because maybe it means the progesterone in the HRT is working !

Thanks all for posting - had a really good chat with my gp and gonna stay on 1 punp oestrogel / 14 days 200 utro for now ! Can increase oestro if I feel like it

She also says there is NO increased risk of breast cancer from gel and micronised prog, is this correct ?

OP posts:

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