What is it like to start hrt?

[NeonSigns]

Hello I'm interested in hearing other women's experiences with getting started as I've got the prescription (sequential - patches for oestrogen and tablets for progesterone, lowest doses) but finding it hard to actually make myself start.

I have a lot going on at the end of the month and I'm fearful of being destabilised by side effects etc. I could leave it until after but then I'd probably have to start mid-cycle. My GP said that's ok but there must be a reason you're advised to start between days 1 and 5?. My cycle is all over the place. Next period could be in 25 days, 100 days or anything in between.

I'm lucky that crazy cycle is my only symptom, although that interacts badly with a longstanding migraine problem so I do want the hrt in order to bring some predictability to life. Also for long term bone health etc.

I'd be so grateful to hear other people's experiences of getting started?

I was desperate to start and practically ripped open the packaging as I left the chemist!! I felt so awful I was just keen to feel better.

And I did

No immediate side effects and I felt like 'me' again within a week. I hadn't realised how awful I was feeling until I felt better if that makes sense.

Was never told to start on a particular day, just started ASAP.

Presumably there are symptoms you want to be rid of??

I started on a low dose a few days ago (but the forearm spray not the patch).

No side effects yet. But it’s early days I guess.

I am following this thread because I’d also be interested in comments from women who’ve been on a low dose for some time.

My symptom until the autumn was an erratic cycle. Then since early Sept I’ve been waking up in a panic with an increased heart rate. It lasts less than a minute, I’m absolutely fine when up and about.

The menopause nurse did blood tests in December to rule stuff out, then put me on HRT which I collected on 31st Dec and started on 2nd Jan.

I haven't had an unpleasant side effects, but it did take a good 8 weeks to start feeling better. It's not been a magic wand and I'm a bit up and down but feeling much better overall. Longer term, there's also the reduction to risk of osteoporosis and heart disease

Pretty much the same as @FusionChefGeoff- I started the minute I brought the prescription home! I had a head/neck ache for a couple of weeks, but flushes, heart palpitations, anxiety, etc. all stopped immediately.

I had horrendous bloating for the first 4-6 weeks but night sweats stopped within a week. The quality of my sleep mattered more to me so I stuck with it. Now 2 years in I have no brain fog & mood swings have vanished too. After the initial bloating it’s never been an issue. A friend had a similar bloating issue and assured me it was only short lived so it’s only thanks to her that I kept on going and I’m very glad I did.

After a couple of weeks I started feeling like myself again.
No nasty side effects.

Thanks for answers so far.

My only symptom is completely unpredictable cycles, which makes controlling my pre existing migraine problem much harder.

I know I'm really lucky not to have other symptoms. It's possible that all the shit I do to try and ward off migraines also wards off peri symptoms? Or maybe they just haven't started yet!

As far as I can tell from blood tests I've gone from not perimenopausal to late perimenopausal extremely quickly. I want the hrt for the wider health benefits - heart, bones etc- but hoping it helps at least make my migraine predictable again. But when I don't have a migraine I feel pretty good and healthy, so it's hard to start something which may make me feel worse initially. Or may not!

Same here.

I can't believe I put off starting HRT for so long. I'm like a new woman and feel great on it.

Do you mind me asking how old you all are? I want to start and am mid 40s

Im 45, started HRT at 44

I started taking it early 50's.

Hi OP, I started the day I got the prescription. No point in waiting for an erratic cycle.

I felt that the nightsweats disappeared for a few weeks and then came back. I went from 50 to 75 to 100mcg oestrogen in four months.

But the progesterone was awful and knocked me sideways. All my side effects came from the progesterone. Hideous fatigue, massive boobs, weight gain, dizziness, anxiety like I've never known. I cried horrendously until 3 days after each progesterone cycle ended.

Had the mirena installed in the end and it was a game changer. No more sore breasts, no more suicidal thoughts, no crying.

I would say that I felt my uterus come back to life when I started the patches
I could feel it moving and growling!

Started HRT patches (and two weeks a month of progesterone) 3 months ago. Am 47 and my symptoms were 'the rage' and not being able to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time. Probably a bit of placebo, but slept through after sticking on my first patch. Sleep has been fine since, I still get irritated more easiky than a few years ago but don't want to kill people anymore x

I started in September - at an entry level. I have two pumps of gel and two progesterone tablets for 15 days out of 30.

It's been great. I generally just feel a little bit "softer" and less rageful. I still get annoyed and irritated but usually I can express with words and take a deep breath

Whereas pre HRT there was an occasion when I lost it and also I couldn't seem to let it go - raged for 30 mins! It was then that my DH had a word with me.

@VinoWitch I am nearly 47 and started just before my 45th birthday. It absolutely saved me.

But if I had to take progesterone again I'd rather stop HRT and take my chances.

@Lobstercrisps what happened? So you're on oestrogen only?

I started it at 51 and like others I felt much better almost immediately. It has so many health benefits that I plan on being on HRT for the rest of my life.

No I switched to a mirena coil. I chanced my life. Also my iron levels went from 16 - 118 as I stopped pouring with blood each month.

I felt better pretty much within weeks. Sleep was more calm. Night sweats stopped within a week or so. Mood stabilised. I’m on quite a low dose 37.5 mg patch and the Ustrogen 100mg pill every night.

I’m also very interested in the bone health and heart benefits. I know the benefits for dementia don’t have enough research behind them but I suspect it helps from all the reading I’ve done. Shame we don’t have a lot more research.

I started at 51 and immediately felt better - was able to sleep again, night sweats stopped right away, my mood became more stable. Took a while for my energy levels to come back up but that’s fine, the effects of years of sleep deprivation don’t go away overnight.

Only downside was sore boobs for the first couple of weeks.

I had to take HRT post hysterectomy. Once established I felt better and more energetic than I had in years.

I was fobbed off until 51 in the sense of anxiety dizzy spells feeling awful.
Started on hrt to stop the hot flushes.
To start with I felt a bit dizzy and nauseous.
After 3 months the symptoms subsided and the flushes stopped sleeping improved joint pain vanished and anxiety improved a bit.
Sex drive never returned though.
Oh yes and constant peeing stopped which was amazing as I was loosing confidence.
So all good but took a while.

I’m early 40s and have scoreless sequi to start soon.

I get night sweats, sore feet joints (definitely new, weirdly specific), erratic cycles, and have started having trouble at work (emotionally).

I didn’t expect to be given HRT so soon. I’m quite apprehensive about starting it. My libido only just came back last year since being MIA for many years, I don’t want to scare it away again!

it’s hard to know what’s a ‘symptom’ and what’s just me. I’ve woken up every night since I had my kids. Is that hormonal, or me? I’ve got far less tolerant of management bullshit some work stuff over the last few years, but that might also be because it’s mostly bollocks.

What if taking it makes things worse?

Oh yeah, @whatisforteamumreminded me of the monthly vertigo I now get. That’s definitely been a late addition that is heinous

How did it feel? Blooming great 😊 Three days from starting I felt better with no side effects I can remember