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Menopause

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Original poster

What is it like to start hrt?

79 replies

NeonSigns · 05/01/2025 11:26

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?

OP posts:

Delatron · 18/01/2025 23:20

Yes I think people talk about hot flushes like they are not important. I was waking up about 8 times a night dripping in sweat. I had to sleep on a towel. I stank I in the morning. Within a week of HRT that had all stopped.

OctogenarianDecathlete · 19/01/2025 08:03

Lottapianos · 18/01/2025 22:06

'Is this the extra oestrogen, or is this the placebo effect, or is it entirely coincidental? It’s only been 6 days. I haven’t felt like this in years'

You often do get a massive boost in the first few days. Sadly it may not last. It's normal to be up and down and all over the place for up to 12 weeks. I took a good 8 weeks to settle after I started HRT but feeling much better now. Stick with it

Ah, thanks.

ill make the most of it while I can then.

JinglingSpringbells · 19/01/2025 08:22

Garlicnorth · 18/01/2025 23:13

The only thing that really changed was that the hot flushes stopped. That is not a small thing, mind you! I'm somewhat less irritable - I haven't become a paragon of sweetness, just less likely to fly off the handle.

I think that women who pay for specialist consultations and highly personalised prescriptions do see more far-reaching changes, including improvements to skin and hair. I just wanted a reasonable temperature and to minimise my osteoporosis risk. I started on tablets and, now post-menopausal, am on Evorel Conti patches.

@Garlicnorth There really aren't many variations whether you're getting hrt through your GP or privately. It's not going to make any difference to skin or hair because it's the same products and there are licensed doses.

My HRT is through a private consultant. The main option that the NHS doesn't (usually) offer is a variation on the cycle length. This means using progesterone slightly less. But this usually means regular scans (paid for) to keep a check on everything.

The other difference is that it's possible to prescribe other forms of progesterone alongside estrogen- eg the mini pill (in a larger dose) or Norethisterone as a tablet on its own (rather than as part of a patch.)

For example with you, if you didn't want a patch (containing estrogen + Norethisterone) you could use Oestrogel and use Norethisterone as a tablet.

A GP can do this- the BMS provides guidance online.

BigDahliaFan · 19/01/2025 08:31

tLDR just start taking it and see. It took a bit of tweaking to get mine right so start sooner than later.

Felt better immediately, the night sweats, which were debilitating, stopped at once. I was early 40s. The problem for me was the progesterone bit, I got more and more sensitive to it over various combinations of gels and pills and etc.

it was making me really down and outweighed the benefits of the oestrogen. Eventually got a Mirena, the constant low dose suited my better.

unfortunately the breast clinic advised I came off hrt (particular combination of things in my case not a general worry for people) so at 56 I think I must be through peri and into menopause and getting very few symptoms now. I think I miss the other benefits hrt brings but try and do stuff to help there like exercise, eating calcium rich food etc.

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