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Menopause

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Original poster

just started on HRT and already feel the shift

47 replies

Pippaandme · 02/09/2025 16:18

Wondering if anyone else has had positive effects since starting HRT, I take Oestrogel in the morning, the gel on my arms then the Progesterone capsules in the evening. I was having horrendous panic attacks, fast palpitations which I thought were unbearable to the point I thought I was running a constant marathon and then the crippling thoughts and on edge fears were unbearable. I was desperate, thinking is it just stress, as never experienced the dizziness too which was part of it on top, so i was just a walking wreck as far as I was concerned.!!

On Saturday just gone, I started HRT and today being Tuesday afternoon the anxiety, the palpitations have both gone its like peace, a sense of calmness and like a different person. I have also taken D3, Menopace, B6 and ashwagandha for a few weeks now, I think its helped immensely.

I just need my sleep back, my exercise and my thoughts to only think this can only get easier in time.

anyone else had good effects from HRT or these types I take....?

I just turned 50 in February of this year and I started to fear going away more in this year and the dizziness only started last week when I had a new kitchen fitted, very odd indeed but might be the fact that anymore added stress killed me off the edge, very odd, but thats when I knew something was off as well as the mood swings!!
thank you for reading, we can get through this!! xx

OP posts:
Overtheatlantic · 02/09/2025 16:22

I’m on the same and it had an immediate effect. No more fuzzy brain! No more joint pain! I wish I had started sooner.

cotedazur28 · 02/09/2025 16:23

Me, yes! I started with progesterone tablets in the evening and gel in the morning and two days in the difference was very noticeable. I felt like my old self again and the feelings of anxiety and stress about little things had gone. Two and a half months later and all is good still.

Original poster
Pippaandme · 02/09/2025 16:37

Overtheatlantic · 02/09/2025 16:22

I’m on the same and it had an immediate effect. No more fuzzy brain! No more joint pain! I wish I had started sooner.

oh wow thats great news, you know what is worrying i think to myself have I felt this for years and just put up with it and now its just got worse, I actually never knew what was going on, its awful isnt it but pleased you feel the same thank you for this!!

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Original poster
Pippaandme · 02/09/2025 16:38

cotedazur28 · 02/09/2025 16:23

Me, yes! I started with progesterone tablets in the evening and gel in the morning and two days in the difference was very noticeable. I felt like my old self again and the feelings of anxiety and stress about little things had gone. Two and a half months later and all is good still.

I love this, thank you for replying!! I was very worried first about taking it and so pleased I did!! interesting you felt the effects immediately too...!!

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Herewegoagain751 · 02/09/2025 16:40

I was on the same for six weeks and didn’t notice any difference other than I felt really low so I came off them.

Original poster
Pippaandme · 02/09/2025 16:41

Herewegoagain751 · 02/09/2025 16:40

I was on the same for six weeks and didn’t notice any difference other than I felt really low so I came off them.

oh no so sorry to hear this did you ask to be put on anything else?

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Ataloss44 · 02/09/2025 17:23

Definitely feeling the benefits of hrt -I take one pump of oestrogen gel and also progesterone 100mg capsule in the evening. Was having anxiety pretty badly, dizziness & brain fog. I pray this keeps on working 😁

Neurodiversitydoctor · 02/09/2025 17:28

Me too Oestrogen gel 1 pump and 2 progesterone capsules for half the month. It has been great, only downside is started bleeding again.

Fraggeek · 02/09/2025 17:28

I had been sweating for years. I was told time and time again it wasn't perimenopause.

I had a total hysterectomy for other reasons and went straight on to HRT. No more sweating. My skin cleared up amazingly and I could think clearly.

I honestly had no idea how bad it was until I was post op and feeling the best I'd felt in years (minus the pain from the surgery).

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2025 17:29

I felt better within a couple of days. No more night sweats, achy joints or brain fog, and I started sleeping a lot better.

I did eventually swap the progesterone tablets for a Mirena coil as I got some spotting, which as I was postmenopausal at the time had to be investigated. Thankfully all was well.

Now my only problem is my GP trying to persuade me to come off HRT as I'm 61 now. It's not happening, I love my oestrogen!

unsync · 02/09/2025 17:48

Yes, a couple of days for me. I'd struggled through until into menopause, but the lack of sleep due to not being able to temperature regulate was awful. I should have started much sooner.

pinkduckk · 02/09/2025 17:58

I felt like this, the only thing I would say is that after a year or so I felt it "wore off" and the whole thing had to get reviewed again.. there's been a fair bit of tweaking over the years

Herewegoagain751 · 02/09/2025 20:26

Pippaandme · 02/09/2025 16:41

oh no so sorry to hear this did you ask to be put on anything else?

Show quote history

I will do, got an app in couple of weeks

Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:32

Neurodiversitydoctor · 02/09/2025 17:28

Me too Oestrogen gel 1 pump and 2 progesterone capsules for half the month. It has been great, only downside is started bleeding again.

me too started bleeding after the 3rd day but its kind of light so hoping it doesnt last too long!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:33

DramaAlpaca · 02/09/2025 17:29

I felt better within a couple of days. No more night sweats, achy joints or brain fog, and I started sleeping a lot better.

I did eventually swap the progesterone tablets for a Mirena coil as I got some spotting, which as I was postmenopausal at the time had to be investigated. Thankfully all was well.

Now my only problem is my GP trying to persuade me to come off HRT as I'm 61 now. It's not happening, I love my oestrogen!

its so hard isnt it when they say this but you dont have to come off at all lovely, its your body your mental health too xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:34

pinkduckk · 02/09/2025 17:58

I felt like this, the only thing I would say is that after a year or so I felt it "wore off" and the whole thing had to get reviewed again.. there's been a fair bit of tweaking over the years

I hear this a lot with others who say they upped theirs and it worked so I get that, thank you for sharing!!

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Magenta82 · 03/09/2025 08:40

Took me about a month to feel back to normal, the progesterone pills made me sleepy so I took them in the evening but had already planned to get my coil changed from copper to hormonal, that made a big difference and stopped the flooding.

I also feel like my temper has subsided, I was always one for a slow burn but pre-HRT I would get really angry really quickly. The things that set me off were things that would make people angry, but it wasn't like me to react so quickly.

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/09/2025 08:47

It's absolutely miracle stuff, isn't it? I've been on it for around 6 months now and feel so much better physically and psychologically.

I'm also on the gel. I love the effects but hate the gloopy mess. I find it takes ages to sink in. I use 2 pumps at the moment, goodness knows how women using the maximum 4 pump dose manage!

I'm about to move over from the oral progesterone to a mirena coil. Mostly because I find the tablets a pain, having to monitor 14 days into my cycle. Plus, I have the benefit of the Mirena doing double duty as contraception (I'm early 40's, in peri).

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/09/2025 08:51

Just in case you didn't know, for those of you paying for your HRT, you can get a pre-paid certificate for it which saves a fortune (less than £20 for the year rather than £9+ per item).

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-hormone-replacement-therapy-prescription-prepayment-certificate-hrt-ppc

Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:54

Fraggeek · 02/09/2025 17:28

I had been sweating for years. I was told time and time again it wasn't perimenopause.

I had a total hysterectomy for other reasons and went straight on to HRT. No more sweating. My skin cleared up amazingly and I could think clearly.

I honestly had no idea how bad it was until I was post op and feeling the best I'd felt in years (minus the pain from the surgery).

omg its quite scary isnt it not knowing what is going on then boom lets try HRT and its like life makes sense again, I actually feel like im better now than when i was in my 30s if thats possible lol!! so sorry you had to go through surgery but great you are feeling the way you are, thank you for sharing

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Lottapianos · 03/09/2025 08:56

Big fan of HRT here, for the long term as well as short term benefits. Just a slight note of caution - sometimes you get a big boost in the first few days, but it can take a while to settle properly. I felt great for the first week or so, then was up and down for the next few weeks. Finally settled down and started feeling pretty normal from about 8 weeks in

So don't get disheartened if your symptoms do reappear, stick with it and give it time

Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:56

Magenta82 · 03/09/2025 08:40

Took me about a month to feel back to normal, the progesterone pills made me sleepy so I took them in the evening but had already planned to get my coil changed from copper to hormonal, that made a big difference and stopped the flooding.

I also feel like my temper has subsided, I was always one for a slow burn but pre-HRT I would get really angry really quickly. The things that set me off were things that would make people angry, but it wasn't like me to react so quickly.

thats exactly the same with myself, worrying and scarily so I had this mood which was either heightened through others or I just had a short fuse, I now look back and think who was i lol!! So true what you said...I feel more zen but not necessarily too chilled just nothing would trigger me the same its a true blessing, pleased you have the same feeling.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:59

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/09/2025 08:47

It's absolutely miracle stuff, isn't it? I've been on it for around 6 months now and feel so much better physically and psychologically.

I'm also on the gel. I love the effects but hate the gloopy mess. I find it takes ages to sink in. I use 2 pumps at the moment, goodness knows how women using the maximum 4 pump dose manage!

I'm about to move over from the oral progesterone to a mirena coil. Mostly because I find the tablets a pain, having to monitor 14 days into my cycle. Plus, I have the benefit of the Mirena doing double duty as contraception (I'm early 40's, in peri).

Miracle is definitely the word!!
Thats interesting as Im already trying to work out here what the best timings to use for the pill at night as I have 14 days off, I am bleeding at the moment and someone did say if you go on the coil its a lot better for you in terms of your cycle and less spotting too... I would rather have spotting and lower pelvic pain anyday at the moment than madness lol! hope you find the coil a good result for you too :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 08:59

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 03/09/2025 08:51

Just in case you didn't know, for those of you paying for your HRT, you can get a pre-paid certificate for it which saves a fortune (less than £20 for the year rather than £9+ per item).

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-hormone-replacement-therapy-prescription-prepayment-certificate-hrt-ppc

Thank you so much my friend told me about this yesterday, this is really good to know, greatly appreciated!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pippaandme · 03/09/2025 09:00

Lottapianos · 03/09/2025 08:56

Big fan of HRT here, for the long term as well as short term benefits. Just a slight note of caution - sometimes you get a big boost in the first few days, but it can take a while to settle properly. I felt great for the first week or so, then was up and down for the next few weeks. Finally settled down and started feeling pretty normal from about 8 weeks in

So don't get disheartened if your symptoms do reappear, stick with it and give it time

Thank you thats good to know, I guess its our bodies getting use to it....

OP posts: