Tell me about your HRT experience esp if it involved spots and weight gain/bloating

[Messangel]

Because I'd like to have some idea of what to expect in the coming months.

I started patches 2 weeks ago and will add in progesterone tomorrow. I didn't have hugely inconvenient peri symptoms except worse PMT and a sudden 10lb weight gain over about 6 weeks, plus joint pain.

Anyway my already bloated boobs have continued getting bigger and I'm now squeezed into my most understanding bra. Hoping not to have to get bigger ones, is this it? I have cut my already fairly controlled calories back and while not gaining any more nor am I losing. So everything is snug.

How have your HRT experiences been wrt to negative changes? So far I just don't fit comfortably in my clothes and also: spots! It's like my teen years again, I have big sore spots. Ugh.

This is a mean phase of life ☹.

I'm hoping for positive tales that assure me there may be light on the horizon!

I had slight breast tenderness in the first month but in the main they haven’t expanded, this is on 1 or 2 pumps of gel a day.

I’ve found the absolute opposite re my skin, it’s keeping my spots, which I’ve always known were hormonal, under control.

My energy levels, with testosterone too, are much better so am finding it easier to exercise and eat well.

I tend to find I’m less upbeat in the days I’m taking the progesterone but that also coincides with second half of cycle so could just be that.

That's good that it's mostly positive for you.

I am floored with exhaustion for the past few days and am only due to start progesterone this evening. I also felt very low yesterday so will be in trouble if progesterone bring me lower.

I feel like I did in early pregnancy: I could sleep anywhere at any time ☹.

Anyway, I'm going to give it three months and see if it settles.

Bloody hormones.

I’ve got a Mirena coil and oestrogen gel. Gained 10lb in the first three weeks, boobs look like they belong in a Carry On film, and my skin looks like it belongs to a 14-year-old boy.

I started on 5 July so it settling in three months is not looking very likely.

I started HRT in March, Evorel Sequi patches. Mainly due to horrendous night sweats - I was waking in the early hours shivering cold in pyjamas drenched through, and having to strip the bedding every single night. I also had a lot of aches and pains, particularly in my feet. My night sweats stopped completely after two weeks of HRT, but I now have greasy facial skin, and an absolutely insatiable appetite for carbs.

I get SO hungry. I have never experienced this before except during pregnancy all those years ago. I just can't stop eating. Noodles, pasta, bread OMG it's out of control. I was slim

I have a HUGE bloated belly and big heavy sore and tender boobs . In the mirror I now see a woman who is clearly of menopause age, it's the wide tummy matronly boobs look

I simply cannot go back to the night sweats though, so here I am.

I found the sore boobs thing improved massively after the first two months. I had spotty skin before starting HRT and that has improved a lot too. Also now free of joint pain, insomnia and anxiety. Am around 8 months in.

I was always pretty restricted in my diet. Or careful is probably more accurate. Now 1,000 calories is an indulgent day and even at that I am not losing, just managing the gain. I rarely eat carbs, certainly never pasta or bread or rice. Cherry tomatoes or raspberries are my snacks instead of the crisps or nuts my older-than-me dh eats freely, but still, I have maintained the weight gain that came on so suddenly.

The boobs and belly are beyond frustrating. So matronly like goodvibes said 😭

It doesn't seem a BIG ask to want to keep a slim figure but there you go: this is the cruel phase.

I'm really surprised at the side effects mentioned here.

I had breast tenderness / swelling for a few weeks when I first started patches. I didn't tolerate Utrogestan well so switched to Duphaston.

I've been very fortunate, as the HRT has massively alleviated my perimenopause symptoms.

I am not sure why it would cause weight gain. It won't directly help weight gain either though, but hopefully increases energy to allow you to exercise more to address it!

Is it worth trying alternative products?

Now 1,000 calories is an indulgent day and even at that I am not losing, just managing the gain.

That's just not sustainable. And will cause longer-term health issues in later life - it's not enough nutrition.

Do you exercise? I know MN is always about 'diet not exercise' but I find exercising daily, quite intensively, key to managing weight.

It gave me huge boobs but it settled down after a month or so back to normal. No weight gain or loss.