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Original poster

HRT: wow! What a difference

130 replies

izzy2076 · 25/09/2021 09:38

I have only been on it a month and I honestly feel it's changed my life.

Tinnitus: gone. PMT:gone. Sleep is better and no anxiety. I have a lot on my plate at the moment but feel able to cope. The energy is amazing and I feel almost high. Almost too energised and a bit too 'full on' and slightly manic.

Will the effects start to fall off eventually or am I going to feel this well forever?!

OP posts:
MzHz · 27/09/2021 17:09

@Potplant

I’m on month 2 of sequi First month was great, but the symptoms are creeping back in. Hot flushes, headaches, the brain fog has never gone away. I think this means my oestrogen is still too low so will be speaking to GP about it. But at the moment, I’m disappointed.
That’s where I got too as well, and that was when I went onto Qlaira (now Zoely due to supply issues)

Keep on keeping on, this stuff takes time, but it’ll be worth it in the end

Eve · 27/09/2021 17:11

my life would be pretty awful without the patches.

I forgot to take enough on holiday last month and think I had a years worth of hot flushes in 1 week! Blush

1st thing I did when home was put the patch on.

MzHz · 27/09/2021 17:34

God that afternoon wave of tiredness!

How the fuck do women of a certain age get anything meaningful done after 3pm!

No wonder there’s talk of getting menopause a protected condition!

In a few weeks time hopefully I’ll be allowed to have some testosterone and my mojo will be back, and my oomph restored

Zzzzzz

freshcarnation · 27/09/2021 17:50

Me too. Femoston conti. Been on it for years. It's miraculous.

HemanOrSheRa · 27/09/2021 18:03

My Femeston 2/10 tablets are on their way! Just have to wait for my period to arrive to start. Which could be any time really.

MzHz A prepayment certificate would save me money throughout the year but due to brain fog of course I didn't think of that and paid the double prescription charge on Friday. Sigh.

WhereAreWeNow · 27/09/2021 18:51

Thanks @MzHz. Good to hear you haven't had a noticeable change in switching from qlaira to Zoely. I'm wondering if it's enough estrogen for me though. My symptoms were really under control for about 8 months with Qlaira but I feel like the symptoms are creeping back (insomnia, anxiety, pmt feelings of rage, and now night sweats which I didn't have before). I think zoely has less estrogen than qlaira so that might not work. I'll see what the GP says.

MzHz · 27/09/2021 19:39

Yea, it may be that you can get a boost on oestrogen somehow on top. Good luck! :)

MzHz · 27/09/2021 19:40

@HemanOrSheRa

My Femeston 2/10 tablets are on their way! Just have to wait for my period to arrive to start. Which could be any time really.

MzHz A prepayment certificate would save me money throughout the year but due to brain fog of course I didn't think of that and paid the double prescription charge on Friday. Sigh.

I didn’t think of this at the time either! Used to really get my goat to have to pay 2x prescription charge.
supercritter · 27/09/2021 19:44

I'm about 5 days in on gel. Hasn't helped the insomnia yet but having vivid dreams when do sleep. Not doing much for the aches either but early days

HateJudgmentalPeople · 27/09/2021 19:49

@izzy2076

I have only been on it a month and I honestly feel it's changed my life.

Tinnitus: gone. PMT:gone. Sleep is better and no anxiety. I have a lot on my plate at the moment but feel able to cope. The energy is amazing and I feel almost high. Almost too energised and a bit too 'full on' and slightly manic.

Will the effects start to fall off eventually or am I going to feel this well forever?!

I too am on Evorel 50 and Evorel Conti patches and I love them. It’s like illegal drugs but far safer and much better, I don’t ever want to be taken off of them.
HateJudgmentalPeople · 27/09/2021 19:51

Do you get the 50 and the Conti patches? I prefer the conti’s, don’t feel that different with the Evorel 50s, infact i still feel shit.

HateJudgmentalPeople · 27/09/2021 19:53

@Thedishwasherstacker

What are you taking? I am 48 and have been feeling crap for about 4 years now. Constant exhaustion, tinnitus getting worse by the day, sleepless nights, no libido, awful gut issues, anxiety through the roof, heavy periods and anaemia and I just can’t handle my stressful life anymore, I just want to sleep. But hey! I am not in perimenopause according to 3 GP’s I’ve spoken to as I don’t have hot sweats or changes in my periods yet!
God they are so clueless these so called doctors! Fight for your HRT.
Itsnotdeep · 27/09/2021 20:00

I'm on that too and feel a million times better. My energy levels are just so good again!

@Psychonabike I also have problems with the utrogestan part - did your problems go when you upped the Oestrogel?

Psychonabike · 27/09/2021 20:09

@Itsnotdeep yes, it's much better. I mean, I have never enjoyed the second half of my cycle, always had PMS or the odd big spot in that phase...and I can still feel like I'm in that phase. But on 2 pumps it was just really draining for the whole 2 weeks. Much more bearable, less symptomatic on 4 pumps.

borntobequiet · 27/09/2021 20:16

@Itsnotdeep I can’t take utrogestan at all. I have progesterone intolerance, which drove very bad PMS/PMDD/post natal illness over decades. I can however tolerate progesterone via the Mirena - not ideal but it’s OK. In fact I had mine replaced a few weeks ago (under a GA) and was pleasantly surprised when the joint and muscle pains I had attributed to ageing improved within days. Might be worth considering.

Itsnotdeep · 27/09/2021 20:20

oh thanks both. I might try the 4 pumps before I try a mirena (already have a coil fitted). @Psychonabike do you take 4 pumps for your whole cycle?

I also had problems wtih cyclogest years ago when I was trying to get/stay pregnant, so this isn't new to me either

WhereAreWeNow · 27/09/2021 21:01

@borntobequiet can you please tell me more about the mirena? I'm thinking about getting one but very nervous because I don't get on well with progesterone and I worry that if it makes me feel worse it'll be hard to get it removed. Good to hear you've got on well with it in spite of not tolerating progesterone in general.

borntobequiet · 27/09/2021 21:46

@WhereAreWeNow my understanding is that using the Mirena to supply the progesterone element of HRT involves less of it and as it’s delivered in situ - it stops the lining of the uterus thickening as a result of oestrogen- it doesn’t have so much of an effect on the whole system.
I didn’t want one (I really wanted a hysterectomy, and I’m well past childbearing age, but they preferred not), but it’s worked out OK. I had it inserted under GA though as I have a shortened and scarred cervix from a cone biopsy years ago, which makes any procedure painful.

borntobequiet · 27/09/2021 21:47

And I think removal is generally pretty straightforward.

WhereAreWeNow · 27/09/2021 22:47

Thanks @borntobequiet. I'm really glad it's working out for you. I'm going to discuss with GP.

Psychonabike · 27/09/2021 22:55

@Itsnotdeep

Yes, 4 pumps for the whole cycle.

With that level of oestrogen alongside the utrogestan, I'd say I'm tolerating progesterone better than I even have.

I tried quite a lot of OCPs over the years, as well as another synthetic progesterone for pre-menstrual bleeding causing lots of chemical pregnancies in the past. This is why I went with this bio-identical form -with the right amount of oestrogen it seems good so far.

Claphands · 27/09/2021 23:10

Thanks all re the prescription charges & prepay tip-more things to pay for but hope it'll be worth it.

hawleybits · 27/09/2021 23:18

Another vote for Femeston Conti here. I've been on it for three years. For me, the brain fog and aching feet were dreadful but I'm a new person on HRT and hope I can take it indefinitely.

JustSinginInTheRain · 27/09/2021 23:27

What are possible side effects and would I be prescribed anything as my Mum died of breast cancer?

I'm wondering about asking GP.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 27/09/2021 23:35

Just parking here so I can come back to this ahead of my appointment on Thursday - there seems to be so many options, I feel a bit confused by it all atm