Want to come off HRT

[Ihatethemessimin]

I’m 43, been on HRT since I was 39.

main reason I went on it were the horrendous night sweats every night around 3am and laying awake for two hours. Some joint pain and horrible mood swings ( sudden rage snd impatience and low mood)

I still have some periods but irregular some time it’s 14 days apart, other cycles can be as much as 90 days apart

first type of HRT was Evorel 75 with a prog tablet, had to take Evorel for three months then take the tablet for a certain period ( can’t remember exact days) this went wrong as had the most horrendous bleeding ever that required some treatment to stop the blood flow. Apart from the bleeding of course, I felt great. No sweating, hot flushes etc and symptoms disappeared. Never got to the stage of taking the prog tablets

it was then decided that was a wrong dose sbd was put on Evorel 50 conti. Same felt great for first two weeks cycle but the conti patch everything changes. I feel very low, put on 5 kg, still ragy, breasts balloon, have no energy to exercise etc

few months ago, gp changed it to just everol patch 75 and provero prog tablets 12 days out if a month 2.5 mg

i feel worse than ever, ballooned. Although I’m into exercising on the prog I have no energy at all to exercise, I usually run and walk a lot but those two weeks I just cba and don’t run and do minimal walking as I have to walk dog

I have urges to binge eat- I can’t stop them but first two weeks I eat healthy this morning I ate sourdough slice of bread and two poached eggs as knew I have to try to eat healthy. I then get this urge I can’t explain and I’ve now already eaten a chocolate waffle, two time ours bars and two pick me ups and I could just eat and eat now

still feel anxious and ragy and just want to be left alone

i can’t live like this for years and really feel HRT does not benefit no longer I’d this is how I feel 2 weeks out of 4

gp said I still need progesterone which I understand but I can’t live like this and my weight gain caused by prog makes me feel down

I don’t want mirena coil

I feel I might just stop and see how my flushes are and try to live with those

any advice please

I already take magnesium, Vit D and collagen

when just on oestrogen, I look slimmer and am energized

prog - I hold onto water, I put on 5kgs, boobs are big and slack etc

i take a couple of water tablets and drink fennel tea, nettle tea

It’s like bad PMS whilst I never had that before HRT
I did struggle to conceive and had IVF

Lots of people have a response/ intolerance to progesterone. From what I understand there are lots of different types and sometimes you just have to try different HRT types/ combinations until you find the one that works best for you?

I had huge issues with Utrogesten but have been fine with others.

You are 43 and had an early peri menopause. Your heart and bones will be at risk if you have low estrogen now. It's hard to know how far into peri you are.

You seem as if the HRT you have tried just doesn't suit you. There are other options.

Going right back to the first type- you were on what is called a 3-month cycle. It's often used for younger women in peri.

That's why you had a heavy bleed with that type as it was 3 months of lining coming away at once. You should have been taking the progestogen for 14 days at the end of the 3 months.

You're now on estrogen +provera.

I wonder if your GP would swap Provera for Utrogestan? You could still use it on a 12 week cycle - so the downside each cycle would be short, but you may have a heavier bleed. There is a compromise which would be a cycle longer than 4-weeks but less than 12 weeks. You really need to see a menopause consultant to discuss all of this and see how you get on (unless your gp is well qualified in HRt options.)

@JinglingSpringbells this was my first HRT, i never got to the prog part as started bleeding very heavily after about 2.5 months. It was horrendous, huge cloths and going straight through my clothes.needed IV treatment to stop the bleeding and tablets

i forgot to mention I have already tried UTrogestan and didn’t enjoy it either

not sure I can afford a private menopause consultant and nhs waiting list probably ridiculously long

its so hard to know what I need if it takes effort to get an appointment in first place and then you barely get 10 mins to discuss things. I tried a few different female GPS and it’s just seems trial and error, here try that and come back in three months if it doesn’t work

or occasionally I get suggested to try anti depressants

I feel I tried so many doses now and just feels like I’m worse

it’s difficult as I follow a few menopause insta accounts and read lots of books and it is made out HRT is the holy grail but I honestly don’t feel any better at all

@Ihatethemessimin I just came onto this board to start almost the exact same thread and to look for other views. I am about ready to throw in the towel on HRT. I was fine on the patch couldn't tolerate the glue so I switched to oestrogen gel and utrogestan.

I feel absolutely shocking. I've had a massive bleed for the first time in about six years. I feel completely hopeless in myself, and yes, the breast enlargement aspect is painful, and somehow embarrassing!

My motivation to exercise is variable. I don't have night sweats anymore and the main symptom I was trying to tackle is horrendous brain fog. Which this has only helped momentarily.

I have had several conversations with GPs and they are not suggesting that I change anything at all, so I really don't know what to do. I am more or less weaning myself off HRT now. I do worry because both my parents have osteoporosis, but I cannot go on with a trial and error stretching into months and years. Weirdly I feel like a total failure to boot!

Oh my utrogestan is continuous by the way.

this was my first HRT, i never got to the prog part as started bleeding very heavily after about 2.5 months. It was horrendous, huge cloths...

I'm a bit confused.

The bleed was your normal period that was late so the the bleed was heavy? You'd started estrogen but not got to the progesterone part?

I still have some periods but irregular some time it’s 14 days apart, other cycles can be as much as 90 days apart

I don't understand this. Sorry! If you are using a cyclic type of HRT ( 2weeks of progestogen each 4 weeks) then you should ideally have a bleed each month at the same time.

Is that not happening?

TBH you should probably try the Mirena. Some women love it. You can try it for 3 months and if you hate it, it can come out.

@JinglingSpringbells no I don’t have a regular cycle. I have mentioned this every time at my appointments? Should I have a bleed every month? Worrying none of this has been picked up before.

this is why I’m so unsure about my HRT. I feel I’m doing more wrong then good putting these random doses of HRt in my body

I recently had a blood test, did thyroid etc just to rule it put and nothing showed up so GP just said maybe try this

I agree @Ihatethemessimin I feel it is random too. And work wise I cannot underperform for another 3 months while it steals all my brain power when everything I have done so far has done more harm than good!

@stilldumdedumming 0h I agree, work and parenting is already hard enough. I feel I can’t just “experiment” every few months and see how it goes. I seem to have realised in last few weeks I feel just as crap on HRT than not and this continuousl cycle of feeling like I’m two different persons twice a month .

it sounds as if you have not had HRT explained to you.

There is a lot online if you want to read it- try the website of Dr Louise Newson.

If you are taking cyclic HRT ( estrogen daily and then 12-14 days of progestogen) you would normally have bleed 3 days after the last progestogen tablet. This is NOT your period- it's an HRT withdrawal bleed.

In women who still have natural periods, even irregular ones, the HRT will override those and set an HRT cycle.

You shouldn't be bleeding every 2 weeks or even every 3 months.

You aren't using HRT wrongly, unless you are not using it as instructed.

And you aren't doing any harm as HRT is body-identical- like your own hormones.

This is one side of it.
The other is your craving for carbs which can happen as part of the progestogen cycle. This can be helped by changing the progestogen - you're now on Provera having tried Utrogestan.

There is the option of Femoston (tablets) which some women love, or the Mirena.

At 43 you are young enough for the combined Pill which can work well for some women, like HRT - Qlaira is one that is often used.

And you shouldn't rule out the Mirena without trying it. it's not permanent and can come out if you hate it.

I personally would get a second opinion as the first regime you were tried on was totally inappropriate…no wonder you had horrendous bleeding after 3 mths…I would suggest your gp may not be up to date with hrt prescription. It’s worth seeing a clinic, we have a specialist clinic locally that does online appointments for a reasonable price ….or can you ask your gp about a gynae referral? You do sound progesterone sensitive plus the issues that may have led to your need for ivf may be important so a gynae assessment may give you some answers? If you were nearer 50 I would have less concern about giving up hrt but from a bone and cardiovascular health perspective it would be good to stay on hrt for just a bit longer .

What I don't understand is what you do if you are sensitive to progesterone. I think I am but the Gp and nurse I have spoken to could not offer me anything else. My menstrual cycle stopped 6 years ago.

I need progesterone as I still have a womb - so what can I do about that? The GP said the coil or any other brand is just the same.

Anyone any other ideas about that?

I need progesterone as I still have a womb - so what can I do about that? The GP said the coil or any other brand is just the same.

Makes no sense.

The progestogen in the Mirena is a one-off for the Mirena.

Could you go on the combined contraceptive pill? It's low dosage and is suitable for women under 50 in peri menopause.

Maybe silly question as now I’m confused and memo brain not helping. If I still get a bleed because of progesterone how do I know I’m still peri and not post menopausal?? If I stop it will tell but how do I know taking hrt? If post meno then I’ll only need oestrogen surely

You won't know.

helpful info here

[[https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/hrt-doses-explained/

[[https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/054-the-basics-about-hrt-dr-rebecca-lewis-dr-louise-newson/

[[https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/your-utrogestan-questions-answered-by-dr-sarah-ball/

Oh really? Thank you. Why would the GP not know that - I mean you'd think it would be easy to look up while I'm there.

If post meno then I’ll only need oestrogen surely you'll need progesterone if you still have a womb