Age, HRT type and dose

[Chrisg79]

Hello, just wanted to say this forum has been amazing!

I am 44 but started my HRT journey at 43 with crash of hormones and many perimenopause symptoms. I already had the mirena coil so started on oestrogel which has been increased to the max 4 pumps. I was told that younger you are the higher dose you might need. I'm still having regular periods, which are very light due to my mirena.

I would love to hear from anyone who has started HRT early and what dose and type of HRT you take. I am considering asking my gp for an alternative as I feel like I'm getting symptoms back.

Thanks 💚

Hi OP, I'm on 100mcg patches and am waiting for GP to authorise a higher dose (with mirena) as lots of night sweats and dry skin/eyes have come back.

Started aged 44, had symptoms for 3 yrs before that.

@Leftoversgalore let me know how you get on. I did wonder if GPS can prescribe higher doses or if you have to see a menopause specialist at a hospital.
Which patch do you use?
Thanks x

I’m 41 and started at 40. I was on 150mg patches (1.5 100mg patches) and when they stopped working the GP said it was 6 pumps of gel (f that) or 2mg tablets.

I picked the tablets and they’ve been amazing. I’m on the coil too.

@Chrisg79 usually it's the meno clinic but Im waiting to see if GP will agree to it, if not I'll get a referral and go private.

I was on 4 pumps of oestrogel plus mirena and i started getting a return of symptoms. The GP couldn’t approve any more than 4 pumps as that is the maximum it’s licensed for but I could have got a referral to a menopause clinic.
I’ve now gone onto Evorel patches. Started on 100mcg (supposedly same as the oestrogel) but I was getting ’overdose’ symptoms and nausea. I cut the patches down and experimented a bit with the dose and have settled on 75mcg.
My GP was fine with adjusting the dose of oestrogel and patches myself. As long as you’re not high risk for blood clots etc then it’s not like you’re doing anything the GP wouldn’t recommend anyway.

Started HRT at 46 with 2 pumps of gel a day + 14 days every month of progesterone tablets. The side effects outweighed the benefits so I switched to the Evorel Sequi 50, and have had no issues

I haven’t had to up the doses (yet..) we have a practice nurse who specialises in peri / menopause who can prescribe, as well as the regular GPs, and she’s been great at suggesting combination alternatives (altho rather fond or trying to force the coil as an option which I absolutely don’t want)