Are HRT tablets still a thing?

[Pinkywoo]

I'm in peri and will be going to the GP for HRT soon. I keep hearing about gel but definitely don't want that as I have a two year old who's always on me obviously don't want it to get on him. I remember my ex's mum having tablets but haven't seen them mentioned on here, is it only patches or gel now?

@Pinkywoo
when you have had a though which type you prefer. There is 2 different types of HRT continuous if you haven’t had a period in 12months or longer and sequential which is if you are still having proofs or hand one within 12 months you have a withdrawal bleed on this method.
i have oestrogen 50 patch which is Evorel and utrogestan which is the progesterone I theme for 12 days a month .

Have a look at this app loads of info on here

https://www.balance-menopause.com/

@Christine0708 that's very helpful thank you.

It is true.

There is no increased risk of a blood clot with gel / patches whereas there is with tablets - yes some medical conditions (ie APS and other conditions) make this more of an issue for some people but why would anyone take the tablets when there is some risk as opposed to no risk? This is easily searchable online from various reliable sources. Just because the NHS is still
prescribing something doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for most people.

I started on Premarin about 10 years ago and I really miss them! I used to call them my happy pills. Sigh. Then the doctor decided they were too risky and all but forced me on the patches. I did try gel first but yuk no way took too long to dry. I am settled now but damn I still miss Premarin 😂

You miss pregnant horse urine tablet which have big health risks?
OK.

But if they worked well for her, she may well have felt the risk was worth it.

There is an increased risk of blood clots for anyone @CeraveFoam but more so for some people. The older the woman is, the higher the risk, so someone of 45 is not going to have the same risk (on average) as someone 65.
For women over 60, starting HRT, only transdermal estrogen is prescribed, for this reason.

@Pinkywoo Gel is applied to the upper back of your arms or your inner thighs.

You can have skin to skin contact with someone one hour after application. You can wear clothes after it's dried which takes less than 5 minutes.

The new tablet Bijuve is promoted as being body identical and combines progesterone and estrogen.

ALL oral HRT including BIJUVE goes through the liver as 'first bypass' .This is where the risks originate because as the liver metabolises the meds, it changes the lipids in the bloodstream which can cause clots. This is rare, but it's still a small risk.

Yes I do. Got anything else you want to get off your chest?

What about a pop at my non free range kfc I had for lunch as well?

I honestly thought it had been banned.

I am the biggest advocate for HRT but not this old type.

I am 50 and have taken Femoston tablets for 3 years. I have no existing health problems and they work well so GP has no issues prescribing them to me

That makes sense about any oral HRT possibly affecting the liver. Physical contact after an hour just isn't practical for me as DS2's sleep is terrible and I shower in the evening, so looks like patches are the best option!

I'm 50 and I've been on HRT for yonks (about eight years I think). I've only ever been offered tablets. Never even discussed any other types. This has made me slightly worried.

Also is HRT really made from pregnant horse's urine?!

No, no, no.

Only Premarin.

Hey op, I have the gel, I put 3 pumps on, upper arms and thigh and it dries in 1/2 mins. It's no biggie honest.

I tried various patches but they weren't half as responsive for me as the gel.

Just bear on mind you'll prob have to try a few things/doses.

Getting an appt is a whole different game

PhuckyNell now I want a KFC 😳😂

I take progynova as I can't absorb hrt through the patches

"Getting an appt is a whole different game"

Don't worry, I'm a stubborn bastard and thoroughly enjoy being a pest!

Ah yes, my progesterone tablets are Utrogestan. I had terrible problems with reflux for the first week or so but the GP had warned me that might happen and that it was really important to leave 2 hours between eating and taking them. She did say it was fine to insert them vaginally instead of taking them orally if the reflux didn't resolve itself but it did fairly quickly so I take them orally without problem now.

My oestrogen is from the Evorel 50 patch and I've had no problems with that at all although I did originally get some occasional breakthrough bleeding when on Evorel Conti (the combined patches) which was cured by swapping to separate oestrogen and progesterone.

I don't have an issue with this but my skin isn't particularly sensitive so it might be worth checking with the GP. You could always trial them and swap if need be. I think they are the easiest option (apart from the annoying black sticky marks you get left with!) But as with all these things you might need to try a few options/combinations before you find the one that works best for you. Good luck with it all!

I've been on the patches, which unfortunately I found never stuck to my skin so after putting one one would always find it stuck to my clothes at the end of the day rather than me.

Due to shortages, I was put in kilofen tablets and have been in them for about 4 years now... they're fab. Hot flushes and night sweats just disappeared, and I can think again !!

But the weight gain has been excessive.
I've always been prone to weight gain, but did managed to keep it under control, but since the menopause it's a butter I'm losing !!!

Lenzetto is oestrogen in a spray which I found really convenient (and dried more quickly than the gel) I used it when I couldn't get any oestrogel. You can put it on your forearms.

I was offered tablets or patches (I have a mirena coil) and preferred tablets. GP explained risks of HRT but not the different risks between types. Gel wasn’t mentioned.

I started on Bijuve tablets, then swapped to Tibolone. Works great for me, and as I am sensitive to plasters I wanted to avoid patches

why did you swap to Tibolone? It's not standard HRT and comes with slightly higher risks of some side effects.

Tibolone was recommended to try as it has some androgenic effect, and rather than taking testosterone to get my libido back it was worth a try. And it worked. Plus it works even better for my joint pain