Any postmenopausal HRT starters here?

[doughnutforsakeme]

I'm 59 and it's been 6 years since my last period. I've sort of bumbled through perimenopause without HRT and had typical symptoms like hot flushes and low mood/low motivation in the peri period and loss of libido/vaginal dryness/muscle aches/brainfog/poor sleep joining the party in the post-meno phase. The hot flushes disappeared over the last two years but everything else remained so a month ago I saw my GP and she started me on Oestrogel, 1 pump in the morning, increasing to 2 pumps a week ago and Gepretix tabs, 100 mgs at night. So far I would say that the muscle aches have improved and I'm sleeping better and in the past week the urinary issues (recurrent cystitis) have reduced. I was advised that it typically takes a few months to feel better mood wise and I guess that's my question. If there's anyone else on here who commenced HRT in post meno phase, if you experienced improvements in mood and motivation, how long did it take?

I thought an improvement in sleep would have a knock-on effect on my mood and energy, but so far, not so much. I did have a whole load of blood tests done on commencing the continuous HRT and thyroid function and everything else all within normal limits. I will stick with it for the 3 month trial period as side effects haven't been that bad, but it would be good to hear others' experiences

I have had very low mood and anxiety during peri menopause and then menopause. The dr said that HRT wouldn't help the mood and suggested anti depressants but I didn't really want to go down this route. I noticed after a while that the periods of depression and anxiety were less intense and the periods between them became longer. I would say I am through the worst of it now and although I have some not so good days in general I feel alot better and positive. I am 61 and last period was 4 years ago.

Many women don't start HRT till post meno.
It's not just women in peri who use it.

You can't really decide after just a month. The guidance says 3 months.

Also, it's not a panacea for moods etc. There are lots of other things you can do with lifestyle, like exercise, diet, and doing things that make you happy!

I never had issues with moods, all my symptoms were physical so can't share on that one.

No answers OP but following this thread as only a few days ion oestrogel and utrogestan. Hoping this will improve several things including low mood.

Also @doughnutforsakeme when you think about the number of years it's taken for your hormones to fall, it's going to take a little while for them to improve.

One thing to consider is that even though you are post-meno, you don't have to use combined HRT (Utrogestan daily.) Many women are progesterone-intolerant and they use sequential HRT (which will give a withdrawal bleed each month.)

Some women find this unacceptable, but I know other women who are happy to take that as part of the 'compromise' by gaining the benefits of HRT and just putting up with the bleed.

Generally, it's the progesterone part of HRT that causes low mood so do think about this if you don't see much difference.

Thanks @JinglingSpringbells I will definitely give it the full 3 months before I decide whether to continue. My doc did offer me the sequential option but I didn't fancy that much. I have been on antidepressants in the past for moderate anxiety and depression with some success so tapered off them about a year ago. My current mood issues feel quite different to my presentation before antidepressants as currently it's more lack of motivation than anhedonia and I'm easily irritated more than anxious and it tends to ease as the day wears on. I guess it could be that my body is still adjusting to the climbing oestrogen levels. Either way, I am hopeful that initial wins on some of the symptoms will continue for at least some of the others.

Thanks @VJBR I'm glad that you've noticed a difference. So many things affect our moods and although antidepressants helped me when I struggled with anxiety and depression in the past, I did feel emotionally numb towards the end of the treatment and tapering off them was quite tricky due to withdrawal side effects (even on a very slow taper). Better sleep is one thing that I've already noticed and that is obviously one of the more important building blocks for good mental health so I'm hoping the beneficial effects will accumulate over the coming weeks. I just need to be a little bit more patient, I think

Hi I am 65 and suffered 5 UTI’s in space of 3 months. A B cleared at the time but was given 2 wk fast track and was seen by Urologist for Cystoscopy which was all clear . Awaiting results of abdo scan but in meantime given Vagirux to take as I had V A . It has helped with V A symptoms but I am having pelvic/abdo discomfort and also flare up of IBS . Can Vagirux cause this or is it 2 issues here ? Will finish load up of 2 wks tonight . Any advice please 🙏

It can take a little while for vaginal estrogen to work. The initial 2 weeks isn't long enough to make changes to something that's taken years to develop.
Try to be patient. It will help but you need to give it a good few months to really see a big difference.

You may feel a slight 'awakening' of the tissues because of using the estrogen cream but it's incredibly weak - you'd need to use it for a whole year to get the same dose of estrogen as 1 day of systemic HRT.

It shouldn't cause your IBS (maybe that's linked to being anxious perhaps?)

Hi @Maidensauntie My urinary issues are something I've lived with since my teens when my GP suggested that it was a "chemical"cystitis as opposed to chronic infection. Pre-menopause I could keep symptoms under control by taking conservative measures similar to those for avoiding thrush (cotton underwear, avoiding perfumed soap etc.), and I would try to keep my bladder flushed through by hammering water consumption. Once vaginal atrophy took hold though, the conservative measures didn't work just so well, probably due to thinning of the tissues so I did give vaginal oestrogen a try for about 4 months. That probably wasn't long enough to make an awful lot of difference to me, other than I didn't have to resort to using OTC remedies like Cystopurin as often. I do remember reading in the Gina patient info, that any amounts of oestradiol that crossed over into the bloodstream would be very tiny. That said, one of the common (affects 1 in 10) side effects listed is abdominal pain. You could be having a side effect that may reduce when you've been using it a bit longer?

I've been on post menopausal HRT for three years now, and it's wonderful.
It's completely cleared up my bladder and dryness issues.
I sleep better and I'm generally in better health.

I use three pumps of oestrogen gel and take 200mg progesterone.

I also have an Estring pessary, which has to be changed every three months.

It's life changing.

I started Oestrogel at age 58 after a surgical meopause at age 51. I'm coming up to three months on it and the only difference I'm finding mood wise is that having increased energy and sleep is helping, but I expect to see further improvements down the line

Returning to this thread as it's been a couple of weeks for me now and I've found it has changed everything almost instantly. I keep thinking it can't possibly have started doing anything so quickly but feel better than I have in literally years, and it can't just be the power of suggestion.

Joint pain, vertigo sensations, fatigue, brain fog, practically gone. The constant hum of low level anxiety has just disappeared. I feel really serene all of a sudden and it's so nice. I wasn't expecting anything really and am absolutely astounded.

That's great to hear, long may it continue! 😊

That's great to hear @goldenlloyd! I'm on week 6 now and feeling OK on 2 pumps of gel in the morning and 100 mgs of Gepretix at bedtime. Sleep is still OK, muscle aches have all but disappeared, as have urinary problems. These were the symptoms I most wanted to fix. Motivation to get off my a*se and do more hasn't improved as I feel quite lethargic I'm the mornings but I'm going to stick with current mix until my 3 month review as I'm still only halfway through my trial period.

I remember coming across your posts @Stickytreacle when I searched to see other posts from women in surgical menopause like myself. I assumed you were doing well without HRT - what made you change your mind if you don't mind me asking, and how many pumps of gel are you on?

Hi @SebastianFlytesTrousers sorry for my late reply, you are correct in that I was doing well without hrt with no real symptoms. I decided to trial it as my mother has osteoporosis and there are heart issues in the family. Once Id been on it a few weeks I noticed I was less stressed and sleeping better and when exercising my stamina was improved. I wouldnt have said I had issues before, but it was something that I hadn't noticed until the Oestrogel kicked in.. I am just on the recommend dosage of two pumps daily which seems to suit,. I hope you are doing well.

@Stickytreacle Thank you so much for replying. I have just heen prescribed the Estrogel at the same dose to re-start myself. I'm so glad that it's had such a positive effect for you! I hope your Mum is doing OK despite her osteoporosis; I too have the same on Mum's side so wanted to restart for this reason too.

I started HRT at 58, been on it two years now. I have oestrogel and a few months ago swapped Utrogestan for a Mirena coil. I felt better within a couple of days of starting HRT and back to myself within a couple of months.