10 months into HRT and not feeling ‘back to normal’

[ScooperPooper]

Please can anyone suggest new things I could try? I’m 45, peri, Had HRT (two pumps nightly of Oestrogel) these past 10 months. Mirena for progesterone and contraception.

The Oestrogel has been worth it- stopped my hair falling out, stopped the hot flushes and has helped with finger and wrist joint pain a bit. But increasingly I have terrible insomnia, 4-5 hours typical night’s sleep so am tired all the time, joint pain in ankles and knees still keeps me awake. Most of all I’m really struggling with the anxiety and mood swings. It’s off the charts! I worry about everything constantly and am very snappy with my DC and DH who unsurprisingly find me hard work. Relationships are really suffering. Memory massively gone and can barely think straight. I wake with dry eyes and have a dry vulva most of the time. Libido nonexistent obviously.

What shall I do? GP just offers CBT. They’ve refused to give Testosterone due to local prescribing rules. Shall I up the Oestrogel? I feel like I burn though the bottles on 2 pumps daily already, with the regular difficulty in getting more supplies from GP in time. With the National HRT shortage we had, I ended traveling to a whole different city to find a bottle, that feels stressful in itself!

These are very anxiety- provoking times we are all living in, so I’m not asking for any peace of mind magic. But if I can’t sleep, I can’t cope. Nytol etc no longer work.

@ScooperPooper can you test if applying the gel in the morning works better for you?
I read somewhere that recommended using Oestrogel in the morning ('happy' hormone) and progesterone at night (sedative effect.)
I've just started with 2xpumps morning and 2xOestrogel tablets at night - my sleep has massively improved when taking Oestrogel (though sleep when I don't take it is broken) and I definitely feel more even tempered/less brain foggy during the day.

I didn’t mean supplements. I meant diet, exercise, counselling, meditation, yoga etc. Folk seem to think that pills are the only answer, whereas there is lots of evidence for non-pharmological approaches to improve symptoms. Not everyone can have HRT.

Thank you everyone again, it’s really brilliant to have all these suggestions and ideas. I’ve put up the pump dosage to double each day and will report back.

I hope everyone’s doing OK. So just updating after about a fortnight, first week felt great with 4 pumps, this week on 4 pumps insomnia anxiety and joint aches have returned, brain fog feels worse (probably linked with lack of sleep) so I’m completely confused because I thought those were symptoms of low oestrogen. I’m going to stick with it anyway and hope it settles and add amytriptyline for sleep and see how that goes.

Good luck. let us know how you get on x

Hi OP. I've just gone on vaginal oestrogen for dryness and it's amazing. I like the ovestin cream as you can easily adjust the dose (although a bit of a faff washing out the applicator)

Similar story here, I'm on 4 pumps of gel and still suffering. I had a phase of patches where my symptoms were better (but my god they are irritating) and I'm agitating to go back to them in the hope it wasn't a coincidence/phase of my natural hormones returning, but my GP is refusing.

Refusing patches?

Can I join in? I had a full hysterectomy mid July. The first 2 weeks afterwards, I felt AMAZING. Really really good. My mood slumped around 5 weeks after the op, so I went on oestrogen. 2 pumps. Felt a bit better. Upped it to 3 pumps, and now I can't sleep, I'm sooooo grumpy, and my hair is falling out.

I can't tell if the gel is making things worse, or if it's just coinciding with my body's natural oestrogen completely running out?

I've asked to see my gynae consultant for a check-up and haven't had the appointment date yet, 10 weeks after the operation! The after-care is terrifyingly bad.

I had the hysterectomy because of horrible flooding periods caused by fibroids. But honestly, that was easier than this.

Your after care does sound bad. Did you have ovaries taken out too?

I would imagine blood tests now would help determine what you need. I'd request this and increase accordingly. The 'menopause support network' is a really helpful group on Facebook as is 'menopause matters' forum online.

@WarriorN Yes, ovaries and cervix out too, so I'm definitely producing no oestrogen naturally.

I was found at my mum's house earlier and burst into tears for no reason. Mum said, "This isn't you. You're not like this."

I'll chase my follow-up and make sure the consultant knows I'm struggling.

I'm so sorry to hear that, it sounds awful.

It can take 3 months for symptoms to settle on a dose. I'd get an appt and ask for urgent help. Don't minimise your symptoms. I thought that testosterone was also offered for women who've had full hysterectomies too?

Do consider either the fb group or forum I mentioned as the women there (some trained menopause counsellors on fb) are very knowledgeable.

Just wanted to check back in and say, so far so good with four pumps. Not a magic cure but I feel emotionally a bit more normal and balanced than I did on 2 pumps. I’m going to keep it up. I’m also taking magnesium, so may be that too.