Too scared to take HRT

[onedayiwillflyaway1]

I'm 49 still having regular periods however my cycle has shortened.
I've got the usual symptoms aching, anxious, brain fog, lack of interest in life in general.
However I'm very sensitive to progesterone and haven't taken hormone contraception for 30 years. It just didn't agree with me it completely changed my personality.
So I'm scared to go down the HRT route, feel like I'm missing out though when I hear how life changing it is.
Has anybody else experienced this type of anxiety? Just feeling a bit desperate at the moment and looking for advice. I work full time in a stressful role so can't afford to lose it experimenting with hormones.

I guess you have to decide whether trying HRT is a lesser or larger risk than continuing as you are.

Yes. I have exactly the same issue and I have chosen not to go down the HRT route.

I had mirena put in after the birth of one of my dcs and I woke up covered in cysts and after 3 days I could not get out of bed. It was unbelievable. I had to get it removed urgently and then I went back to normal. The Gp filed some sort of yellow card report on it.

I'm now utterly terrified of taking any synthetic hormones. I'm also 49 and I'm just getting through the menopause taking other supplements like Menopace!

I tried hrt. Could never take the pill. Gives me high BP and definitely wasn't good for me in the other ways I described. Well, it didn't give me any improvement in symptoms and they tried a higher dose which sent BP through the roof. But it was worth a try and I stopped taking it with no consequences. Give it a try. You can always stop taking it!

I get quite bad hot flushes and the sleeplessness/anxiety is shit. I'm also in a v fast paced senior role and one of my adult dcs has SN and needs loads of extra support.

But I'd still rather be dealing with that than risk taking something that could put me out of action completely and take me months to recover from it.

But I feel your pain - it's shit isn't it!

I can’t the same. I didn’t like being on the pill and stopped.

I found some notes and saw that my periods had started to skip off one or two since 2017. And I didn’t do anything.

Couple months ago I started hrt (body identical progesterone: ultrogestan) and I wish I’d started sooner! Arthritis pain gone. More energy. More awake generally.

Perhaps have a chat with GP and trial it? I also considered plant oestrogens via soya as a back up.

Thanks for the reply, yes as you say any medication any is a risk and not using it can be detrimental. If only we had a crystal ball.
@MessageToRudy oh how awful my friend suggested the coil, she's very gung ho about trying different treatments she swears by it. It's not something I wish to try because if it gives me an adverse reaction I can't simply take it out. When I was on the pill I went from a happy teenager to suicidal within weeks.

Most HRT is delivered via patches or gels, some is oral, some is vaginal, and some GPs recommend the mirena coil which has progesterone in it.

The coil is the only one of those options that needs someone else to stop the treatment for you by removing it medically.

You can take a patch off, you can stop taking the tablets, you can wash the gel off, you can stop inserting the pessary. You are completely in control. So why not give it a go? What's the worst that can happen? If you have a bad reaction, you can stop.

I put off HRT for years as pill hadn’t agreed with me and it’s been a revelation. Make sure you get transdermal oestrogen and utrogestan - safest and fewest side effects. If you don’t respond well you can always stop.

Thank you, I will book in with the GP and explain my symptoms and concerns regarding progesterone and mention the ultrogesten. I've done some research on diet and hormones. Really need to be more proactive but really hard when you feel so down for most of the month but still have to perform normal work and home duties. I've been tracking my cycles and moods for over a year so there is a definite pattern and its not getting better.

Hey @onedayiwillflyaway1

I have just turned 52, odd periods, little sleep,. brain fog and terrible aches and pains - so bad I am also being investigated for R Arthritis- and have honestly been avoiding any suggestion of hrt for years.

have a very demanding job also

anyway, long story but in day 10 of the gel. Already have a Mirena. So far, no negative symptoms … can’t see a difference either way to be fair!

I think, as another poster quite rightly pointed out, I can just stop applying the gel whenever I want to.

It is supposed to take a while to be effective so I will try and be patient.

the more I speak to others who have tried it the more happy stories, using words along the lines of ‘life changing, ‘should have done it years ago’ and ‘new woman,’ I hear.

until the Mirena I had also avoided anything hormonal. Seems okay though

I'm out the other side at 56 without having taken HRT. My periods stopped at 53. Yes it was horrible, especially in my late 40s with the flooding periods, but I have to admit I now think I'm in a better place than a lot of peers on HRT. Not only do they seem to be putting up with side effects but it's blatantly clear that the NHS cannot afford to keep so many women on HRT long term so they will have to withdraw from the heightened hormone levels at some point (or pay). I'm glad I battled through but my symptoms were only physical and not mental. I was lucky in that my anxiety was relatively mild. I know some women have appalling mental symptoms.

FWIW I was largely indenial about being peri menopausal for a couple of years as too busy dealing with other stuff.

Once I acknowledged it I spent the best part of year trying diet and supplements but eventually conceded defeat and saw the GP.

I now have a Mirena coil (which I've had for 10 years previously prior to having a tubal ligation in 2015) - which releases the equivalent dose of 2 mini pills (progestrone) per week locally. The only issue I've had this time round is that it didn't stop my periods as quickly as I was expecting 🤣.

I have Lenzetto spray initially and now on Oestrogel...both have worked fine with no side effects.

It's definitely worth finding out more and nothing is irreversible.

Hormone contraception is completely different to body identical HRT. I never liked the pill even though I took it for a long time. But HRT is totally different experience.

I am a massive fan of HRT but that doesn't mean it's for everyone. Agree with what everyone else says that if you feel you need something, it's worth giving it a go and seeing how you get on as it's easily continued. Read up about using the progesterone as a pessary rather than orally too.

But if you decide that HRT is not for you, that does not mean there's nothing you can do. There is loads of stuff out there about diet, exercise, mindfulness, yoga - all sorts of self help stuff. I would recommend reading through threads on here, joining a few facebook groups or internet forums and share your experiences with others.

The anxiety is part and parcel of the menopausal symptoms and HRT can help.

HRT isn't heroin. If it doesn't suit you, you can stop. :)

"Not only do they seem to be putting up with side effects"

What are the side effects please?
I agree about not taking something you can't take out yourself like the coil.

I think the problem is that if it's made you feel depressed, the fear of going back there is so huge because it takes so long to drag yourself out of that deep dark hole even once you're off the medication

And I imagine feeling that on top of being menopausal just makes you feel like you couldn't cope if it happened

Oh I totally agree @MessageToRudy, I am the same in reverse. I know that when my HRT is not right I get very anxious and unhappy. I get very panicky at the thought of not being able to get patches/gel so understand the apprehension.

I had mostly mental symptoms and mild physical symptoms. It was getting to the stage I thought I would have to leave my job.

I already had a coil at the end of its life so was prescribed the gel and a tablet progesterone.

I held off starting in case of side affects and didn't want it to affect my planned holiday.

Well within a few days of starting the fog seemed to left and several weeks in I can not believe the difference. I feel completely back to my old self, no question of leaving my job now.

So I would give it a go. Easy enough to stop or adjust if it does not work out.

Yes, I was initially too scared. I watched the Davina documentaries and the Louise Newson podcasts on YouTube and that gave me confidence. I booked an appointment with the GP, asking to see the doctor most knowledgeable in menopause and HRT. Started on Utrogestan and Evorel 50. Initially headachey but upped my fluid intake and that sorted it.

Try to minimise the other risks to lower your overall risks of taking HRT, exercise, healthy eating, weight loss… That might help with any fears you have.

I’m just sorry it took me so long as it’s made such a difference to me.

Yes and this is hugely compounded by the fact my mother suffered a psychotic episode during menopause and trying different hrt. Granted this was a long time ago and she did have underlying issues. But still these memories affect my choices.

I remember my mum being similar too. It really scared me trying it. What convinced me was a reassuring doctor and that it’s body identical.

I'm 55 and have been trying supplements, no alcohol, increased exercise etc. The last 6 weeks have really struggled with hot flushes and increased waking at night. I now do want to try HRT in the new year, I haven't had 12 months without a period (last one was about August). Any advice on what I should ask for or try initially.

I'm afraid I don't understand what you are scared off. HRT isn't a lion.

If you don't like the side effects then just stop taking it and try something else.

I tried 5 before finding one that worked for me. The patch was the best as no side effects, i am sensitive to progesterone and it doesn't agree with me.

The menopause was much much worse than any of the hrt medication I tried.

All HRT contains progestogens (If you have a womb you need it.)
There are several types- the synthetic sort and the body identical one ( called Utrogestan.)

Everyone reacts differently.
It's totally normal to get some kind of effect from progestogens but it depends on how much!

Most women get some kind of PMS during their fertile years and HRT is just replacing the same hormones, with a progestogen being the 'villain'.

There are almost no drugs at all for anything that are side-effect free.

But you need to weigh up if having a few side effects that may be almost unnoticeable, are worse than the benefits HRT may give you.

The latest 'fashion' in HRT is to use transdermal estrogen- patch/gel spray - and micronised progesterone (known as Utrogestan.) Utrogestan is the last risky re. breast cancer but the risk with all HRT is pretty small for the first 5 years.

Some women love Utrogestan, otherrs hate it.
You just have to give it a whirl and try others if it's not for you.

@onedayiwillflyaway1 If you mother used HRT in the past, that was possibly 25-30 years ago, or more. They are very different types available now.