just started HRT… talk me down please!

[inthewoods4]

Hi everyone, I’ve finally stated taking oestrogel after thinking about it for ages. I’ve done 2 days of 1 pump. My head feels quite fuzzy and I’m feeling quite anxious, but I think that’s because I’m scared of side effects. Realistically, would it be making me feel anxious this quickly?

I started HRT last year and I've had no side effects whatsoever. All my symptoms are reduced by about 90% . I can't recommend it enough.

It can take up to 12 weeks for it to kick in fully so stick with it. You're on the lowest possible dose and that may need increasing at some point, but see how you go. There is nothing to be scared of - you're just replacing your naturally depleting hormones

I second the first response. No problems at all.

Gently meant - are you quite anxious in general? Were there any reservations to you starting it perhaps?

My experience is the progesterone gives me the worst "PMS" of my life, from about 2 days in, and I've had to stop.

Yes, I’m anxious and anxiety has been my main symptom to the point that I thought I was having a nervous breakdown a couple of years ago. I notice every little change in mood so I’m now scared something awful is going to happen!

I take mine continuously to avoid this. I have PMDD and it has actually helped. But only utrogestan the other types don't agree with me

I did switch to continous in the hope that it would resolve, but it just meant I veered between tear and anxiety and rage all month.

I suffer horribly with flushes but not other symptoms and feel so much better in myself since I stopped.

No side effects but didn’t actually do a lots. Went in antidepressant a too and they have helped massively I feel like a new person. Didn’t feel depressed just tired. Stressed and ill.

Also started with tlots of vitamins. Can I ask why gel not patch?

I perfered the idea of gel so I could change the doses if need be. x

I was slightly dizzy for the first few days on one pump and 100mg utrogestan but it soon passed, now on 2 pumps and 200mg. Zapped my hot flushes within a week or two. I'm post meno so continuous. I didn't want to use patches because of a plaster allergy.

Are you using the gel in the morning?

I was slightly light headed for a few days, but it soon went. You might also get sore boobs a few weeks in.

I went on HRT in April and was on one pump of gel. In August it was upped to two pumps as my symptoms started returning. I mainly suffered with hot sweats, every 20 mins, so I couldn't sleep. HRT has improved my symptoms loads. Not eradicated, but now totally bearable

Same here. Only with utrogestan, and only continously. I find it interesting!

When I stated the HRT I had a sudden woosh of energy for the first 2/3 weeks. Quite normal apparently. It subsided

@ExquisiteDecor The dose is 100mgs Utrogestan daily for continuous with a medium dose of gel.

Have you been told to use 200mgs? (That's not correct unless you have a particular need.)

Your GP could refer you for NHS CBT or you could refer yourself to a private and qualified CBT practitioner - might help?

Anxiety was one of the main things I found HRT helped, but my anxiety was very much caused by the drop in hormones.

I'm on patches, and I did get quite full on side effects to start with - nausea being the main one, also a fuzzy head and a bit of a wonky feeling.

But what kept me going was the thought that I'd be annoyed with myself for not giving it a proper try and then feeling like I needed to start all over again. Plus if you've tried once and failed you'll be more anxious the second time.

The thing is... you feel anxious now, and you're on HRT now... the thing you're worried about is feeling anxious on HRT. But you're OK, nothing terrible is happening.

Anxiety is a fear of something happening in the future - but you're already coping with the thing you are worried about not coping with now, today.

You just need to take one day at a time and not try to anticipate what might or might not happen tomorrow.

Planning to avoid disaster feels like something which maked you feel better, but actually this is the anxiety - these are anxious thoughts. To manage the anxiety you need to focus on now, today. And now today you've done 2 days on HRT and are hanging on in there. Tomorrow will be 3 days. Just put one foot in front of the other and soon it won't be new anymore and you won't have to guess how you think it might make you feel - you'll know. It's the trying to anticipate and avoid it which is the anxiety - don't let it get a hold of you.

Do you have any techniques to manage your anxiety normally? CBT type stuff? Maybe you just need to talk yourself down a bit. We all get anxious about new things and it's normal to be overly self aware on any new meds. Just let it normalise before you give up. You can always stop tomorrow, but today is OK. x

I've finally, after 2.5 years, swapped from utrogestan to a mirena coil. On day 6 now and it's already an improvement.

I hated utrogestan, used it vaginally but still couldn't cope with the switch onto it or off it, so changed to continuous even though my periods haven't completely stopped and that was more tolerable but still not great.

Oestrogel gave me anxiety, but not until I'd been using it for more than a few days.

It is the sort of anxiety CBT doesn't work on tho, as it isn't from thoughts, it's a very 'wired' feeling that you can't pin down to anything in particular.

I’m on 200mgs on three pumps. I’m about to swap from sequential to continuous this very month, but don’t know if I have a particular need on continuous because I haven’t experienced it yet. Still wondering why I wasn’t started on 100mgs with a view to upping if necessary?

Everyone i know has stated increased anxiety with HRT which has put me off.

It took about 6 months of trial and error before my HRT finally made a difference and levelled me out so I would definitely recommend sticking with it for a while. I really struggled before starting it and contemplated taking my own life on multiple occasions. I'm now on two pumps of oestrogel, utro and testosterone and feel so much better.

Yes, that's under GP instruction.

Thank you everyone for your replies, they do make me feel better. I feel like I've been on such a long journey to get myself back that I'm doubting that anything will help - but I really do think it's peri behind most of my issues (continuous nervous feeling even when I'm really happy, vertigo, itchy ears, dry skin, dry eyes, worsening PMS) so I'm going to keep going x

I think you should check this with your GP because they are not prescribing the licensed dose for combined continuous.The progesterone dose is not doubled for 2 pumps. Worth having a chat about it.

See this guide by NHS consultant menopause gynae.

.https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/postmeno.php
UTROGESTAN
Micronised progesterone
100mg at bedtime from day 1 to 25 of each 28 day cycle (licensed regimen), though taken every day is usually recommended

And from the BMS website

https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/15-BMS-TfC-HRT-preparations-and-equivalent-alternatives-JAN2024-B.pdf
Page 3
Progestogen: Micronised Progesterone: Utrogestan 100mg orally at night daily on continuous basis

We have discussed it and there are reasons, it's fine.

@inthewoods4 You're not alone! Big hand hold from another anxious person. i've just finished my first cycle. I won't lie, I've had a few wobbles. First were during the first week but they settled and my anxiety was more manageable than it's been for a while. That's made me cautiously optimistic. My current wobble seems to be after stopping progesterone a few nights ago. It takes time to feel the benefit and it's a process right.... Trial and error... And there's lots of options if what we first try doesn't help.

I have such a fuzzy head and dry mouth right now...