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Menopause

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Original poster

Weaning off HRT

253 replies

RatatouilleAndFeta · 07/05/2023 13:06

Anyone want to do this together?

I've been on it for 1.5 years.
Have tried the spray, the patches, testogel, the vag oestrogen... I'm feeling anxious all the time and have put on weight. My boobs are like melons. I'm tired of thinking about it all the time!

Today I bought some fish oil. And I have the menopace tablets.
Going to try to swim every day and add in some yoga.

Majorly cutting down on carbs, sugar & alcohol.

Am a bit apprehensive about how much my joints ached pre-HRT, but
I feel like if I can lose the extra 3st I'm carrying, the joint aches might not require the HRT anyway.

Oh am going to stick with the vag cresm as it's very low and definitely has a positive effect.

Am weaning off, as I was on a 75 patch and had some 50's left over.

I'll post how it's going here every day.
Be lovely if anyone is thinking of quitting, and wants to join me?

😊

OP posts:
TeeNoG · 12/07/2023 20:37

That's great @BooseysMom , you can go forwards with confidence. All the best.

BooseysMom · 13/07/2023 14:45

Thank you. The same to you 😊

SamR36 · 13/07/2023 15:42

Please keep us updated ladies. Im considering doing it myself. Just scared my mood will take a massive decline.. Ive been on hrt 15 months, post meno 18 mnths, apart from 2 bleeds caused through hrt 🙄.
Best wishes to you all taking the natural route

Rooses · 14/07/2023 17:01

Decided to take the plunge and come off HRT. Similar experiences to you all…weight gain, enormous boobs. Felt fine the first few days. Stomach less bloated..but I can already feel my mood and energy levels dipping. Don’t know what to do !

Original poster
RatatouilleAndFeta · 15/07/2023 06:01

Rooses · 14/07/2023 17:01

Decided to take the plunge and come off HRT. Similar experiences to you all…weight gain, enormous boobs. Felt fine the first few days. Stomach less bloated..but I can already feel my mood and energy levels dipping. Don’t know what to do !

I've been off it a week now and have just woken up feeling about 80! My joints are so stiff.

But my body feel less bloated from not taking it.

I really don't know what to do.

OP posts:
Original poster
RatatouilleAndFeta · 15/07/2023 06:03

How are you feeling @BooseysMom ?

OP posts:
BooseysMom · 19/07/2023 18:04

RatatouilleAndFeta · 15/07/2023 06:03

How are you feeling @BooseysMom ?

RatatouilleAndFeta
Thanks for asking ...that's kind of you. 😊I feel loads better! I know at some point symptoms will likely return but right now I'm glad I decided to stop. I don't think it suits everyone and I've given it a good bash!
How are you feeling?

RatouilleAndFeta · 20/07/2023 06:10

I'm in two minds about it to be honest @BooseysMom

Feeling much less huge and my huge Dolly Parton boobs have gone down a little bit... but my joint pains are back with a vengeance.

My problem is the progesterone phase. The oestrogen part is great and really helps.

I'm wondering about going private to see if I can go on less progesterone.

I don't know what else to do...

RatouilleAndFeta · 20/07/2023 06:11

Rooses · 14/07/2023 17:01

Decided to take the plunge and come off HRT. Similar experiences to you all…weight gain, enormous boobs. Felt fine the first few days. Stomach less bloated..but I can already feel my mood and energy levels dipping. Don’t know what to do !

How are you doing @Rooses ?

RatouilleAndFeta · 20/07/2023 06:12

SamR36 · 13/07/2023 15:42

Please keep us updated ladies. Im considering doing it myself. Just scared my mood will take a massive decline.. Ive been on hrt 15 months, post meno 18 mnths, apart from 2 bleeds caused through hrt 🙄.
Best wishes to you all taking the natural route

Did you try a break @SamR36 ?

Rooses · 20/07/2023 06:46

Up and down🤦‍♀️
I definitely feel less bloated and my boobs aren’t as uncomfortable so that’s a definite plus 👍but I do feel more anxious 😕
Was thinking about restarting my patches but maybe cutting them in half. Probably should go back to my GP !

SamR36 · 20/07/2023 07:51

@RatouilleAndFeta no i didnt take a break, far too worried that my anxiety will come back, im going to stick with it for now, but following you all with great interest for updates & may be brave it in the future

Mary46 · 20/07/2023 20:50

Im off patches a while. Heavy weight gain. Sleep hit and miss. Have coil too. It cost me as much back and forth to doc. I feel its great for some me no. Blood p up bit too on 50 and 75 patches.. thats my experience.

arghtriffid · 20/07/2023 20:56

@Mary46 has your weight come off, blood pressure down etc? My joints start to hurt when I am due a patch or have forgotten for a few hours to put a new one on.

Mary46 · 20/07/2023 21:02

Yes not as bloated. Bp to be reviewed. He put me on vitD tabs as low readings. I buy those in boots. Hrt is pricey in ireland then gp is 60 every time...

PaperBlinds · 21/07/2023 07:56

Hi, have been lurking for a while and came on today to see how everyone is doing.

I reduced from 100 patches to 50 an like so many others on here, boobs feel less enormous, i have more energy, weight seems to be lessened, buuuut the joint pain is back and I am basically incontinent again. Lovely not to be comatose from great chunks if the day.

I have menopause clinic appointment this morning, but feel like a fraud and don't know what to ask, as this really should be a GP issue.

Runaround50 · 21/07/2023 08:56

Urghhh it's so hard all of this. I feel hrt isn't doing much at all. Can't sleep with or without it. Now totally dependent on amitriptyline for sleep!

Grumpier without, but get awful abdominal pain with the HRT.

5 years now, just up and down with the bloody menopause; it's driving me mad!

BooseysMom · 22/07/2023 13:46

Runaround50 · 21/07/2023 08:56

Urghhh it's so hard all of this. I feel hrt isn't doing much at all. Can't sleep with or without it. Now totally dependent on amitriptyline for sleep!

Grumpier without, but get awful abdominal pain with the HRT.

5 years now, just up and down with the bloody menopause; it's driving me mad!

Yes it's awful. I was feeling better for stopping but suddenly I have got the aching and nausea and insomnia back. I'm having to work through it but wish I could be knocked out for several hours/days/months!! When will this ever end?!

Runaround50 · 22/07/2023 14:41

@BooseysMom I hear you!
Feeling much the same.
When I was prescribed HRT, I thought " excellent, my life will resume once again"

WRONG!

Bleeding, aches, nausea, bladder problems, irritability, low mood, dryness, insomnia.. the list is endless.

I actually do not know what to do any and fear this is life now.

CappucinoAndCornetto · 23/07/2023 15:07

PaperBlinds · 21/07/2023 07:56

Hi, have been lurking for a while and came on today to see how everyone is doing.

I reduced from 100 patches to 50 an like so many others on here, boobs feel less enormous, i have more energy, weight seems to be lessened, buuuut the joint pain is back and I am basically incontinent again. Lovely not to be comatose from great chunks if the day.

I have menopause clinic appointment this morning, but feel like a fraud and don't know what to ask, as this really should be a GP issue.

What did meno clinic say?

PaperBlinds · 23/07/2023 16:52

@CappucinoAndCornetto consultant was pretty good and clear. But my GP is erm, a bit under informed, and had put me in a panic about 100 oestrogen being too much - according to consultant it isn't per se, it looks like it is for me.

So sticking with 50 and reducing progesterone to 100 (still doing sequential) and check again in 6 months. She thinks the return of joint aches needs separate investigations and has recommended i get a referral for that to RA clinic.

She listened, we got to the bottom of a few things - looks like my cycle is slowing down (hard to tell on sequential). But she very clear that HRT is not a magic bullet and needs adjustments and monitoring. She was also much clearer about risks etc.

Sorry TMI, put so good to talk to someone who is an expert. And appointment was cam and not hurried.

PaperBlinds · 23/07/2023 16:54

less hard sell than Newsome clinic and more informative than GP.

BooseysMom · 23/07/2023 20:37

Runaround50 · 22/07/2023 14:41

@BooseysMom I hear you!
Feeling much the same.
When I was prescribed HRT, I thought " excellent, my life will resume once again"

WRONG!

Bleeding, aches, nausea, bladder problems, irritability, low mood, dryness, insomnia.. the list is endless.

I actually do not know what to do any and fear this is life now.

Exactly Runaround50 !
When you've been on the hrt for a while, it gets so that you can't remember what symptoms are caused by the menopause and what is caused by the hrt!
I feel exactly the same..I'm actually terrified by it now 😖

CappucinoAndCornetto · 23/07/2023 22:01

PaperBlinds · 23/07/2023 16:52

@CappucinoAndCornetto consultant was pretty good and clear. But my GP is erm, a bit under informed, and had put me in a panic about 100 oestrogen being too much - according to consultant it isn't per se, it looks like it is for me.

So sticking with 50 and reducing progesterone to 100 (still doing sequential) and check again in 6 months. She thinks the return of joint aches needs separate investigations and has recommended i get a referral for that to RA clinic.

She listened, we got to the bottom of a few things - looks like my cycle is slowing down (hard to tell on sequential). But she very clear that HRT is not a magic bullet and needs adjustments and monitoring. She was also much clearer about risks etc.

Sorry TMI, put so good to talk to someone who is an expert. And appointment was cam and not hurried.

Really not too much information! Am very interested. Who was your consultant? Are they private?

PaperBlinds · 24/07/2023 08:43

@CappucinoAndCornetto

So I went private 2years ago with Newson clinic, started off okay, but felt I was getting increasingly generic advice and dose just upped and upped (didn't like second Dr I saw, the first one left after a year)

GP happy to prescribe any old thing she was asked for, (without an appointment) but went in to see her finally about exhaustion and worry about dosage/monitoring/ changes in bleed patterns, but she had read something in the Telegraph (!!!! - not the Lancet or the BMJ) that claimed dosage was dangerously high or something. Anyway, she got me a referral to a NHS Gyny clinic and that was useful appointment last week.

The best bit of information for me was understanding that as ovulation slows down/stops the bleed will become less regular/may disappear completely.

I (stupidly) thought it would make it consistent/disguised whatever was going on with meno stuff and I felt v confused as to where I was (still peri, now menopausal, still having periods, who knew?). So now I get it, bleed is now irregular, shorter and lighter which indicates change is happening. I was very very regular all my life, so despite horrible peri symptoms, I finally feel like it happening and this will sound mad, but I have been quite sad that this is it - no potential babies ever again! I don't want one (it would be a disaster for us and I am 50 this year), but I hadn't quite grasped it before.