Feeling very confused about my next steps. I was taken off Lucette around a year ago due to what the pharmacist said were increased risk factors. I’m 46, stopped smoking when I was 20. I’m on low dose blood pressure medication and statins. I was on Lucette in particular because I suffer with cystic acne. I’m in otherwise good shape and a healthy weight.
After 8 months off the pill, my periods were getting closer together, so I spoke to the menopause nurse. I had other symptoms of perimenopause, so she agreed to start me on HRT. Off the pill, I was more emotional and the cystic acne had returned.
I tried HRT gel and tablets first. I had really bad knee pain after starting this type of HRT. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was the HRT that had caused it. I was told it couldn’t cause it. I also had nausea when taking the progesterone capsules. I had cystic spots.
I tried HRT patches. I was told this should stop nausea as the progesterone wouldn’t go through my digestive tract. During the progesterone cycle, I felt really low. Scarily low. I also bled constantly during these weeks and during the first part of oestrogen only patches. After two months, I stopped using them.
I am mulling over these options:
- Go back on Lucette. Constant stable mood and lovely clear skin, but at a higher risk now.
- Try Mirena coil & oestrogel (if needed). Constant flow of hormones. Hopefully avoid the ups and downs as a constant flow of progesterone. Worried about my mood and skin.
- Stop taking any form of hormones. I’m worried about mood, skin and brain fog. I’m also worried about bone density as I get older.
Not sure what to do. I’m very confused. It doesn’t help that my moods are very up and down.