Nervous about starting HRT

[modernminimalist]

Is it best to wait until I have a few days off work or start immediately?
I have oestrogen gel and progesterone tablets, I also have a mirena. One pump of gel it says
(I know most women don’t need the progesterone with the mirena but I do)
prescribed off symptoms mostly anxiety, panic, loss of confidence driving etc and I’m 41

The only thing that happened negatively when I started was a 20 day period.

Everyone is different but I had no side effects, just a return, over the first couple of months of taking it, to feeling like myself again. I also lost the 10 lbs that had packed on around my middle!
I added testosterone too after the first 6 months and that’s also helped.

I had nothing but relief (2 pumps and tablets). Good luck!

One pump is a low dose. I would just start and reep the benefits.

I have severe endometriosis so if periods start again I’ll be fuming!

Inhave patches , didn’t notice anything in first few days it was more of a gradual increase in energy, improved sleep. I had crying/rage in the third week that lasted about three days. That happens every month for first few months. Periods before hrt were very heavy every 3 weeks then a random miss every few months. Now they are less heavy and every 4 weeks

I don’t have periods at all with the mirena, just the odd day of v light spotting

Hi Op.

I am 42, just started yesterday on a 25 patch with progesterone to taken from day 15. I was prescribed for much the same
reasons - sudden anxiety and panic i’ve never had before, and a few other physical things. I am pleased to see a few replies to you are positive with no side affects. Hope it goes ok for you.

I’ve put the gel on

It’s only been a few days and I can feel the anxiety has started shifting
the doctor did ring me today and tell me my thyroid meds need increasing too

Op it will be life changing! I’ve also got endo, I did have about 8 weeks of bleeding when I first started but nothing like my usual very heavy ‘endo’ periods I’ve had for years. Been on it for two years now, very rarely bleed and feel like I’ve got my marbles back! Marbles came back very quickly, within a few weeks I noticed a real difference. Good luck!

I have been on 2 pumps and a progesterone pill for 4 months now. Started sleeping again after only two weeks. After a couple of months my joint pain had gone and started feeling human again. It’s like magic!

Same here @modernminimalist i am on day 6 now and the anxiety is definitely easing thank
goodness. Yesterday, i actually felt a bit more like myself than i have been! Hope it keeps helping you.

I was nervous of taking it too, but I’ve been on it nearly 5 years now.

I would go for it asap. I just felt way better within a couple of days. It was life changing for me. 1 pump of gel sounds very low so if it doesn’t give you relief go back to the dr and reassess. Most people are on 2 pumps. I’m on 4. It depends on the individual.

I’m 48 and just started progesterone. I can already feel a difference. The ‘hit by a bus’ feeling has lessened and the little knot of anxiety that I didn’t even realise was sitting in my chest has started to unravel. I just feel calmer, more like me. Aches and pains have eased. Sleeping is still an issue, still feel hot, but I don’t feel exhausted when I wake up and I do feel like some sleep quality is returning.

I've just had my hrt changed to the tablet progesterone. The nurse said the same thing about the sleep thing. She said women don't want to come off it because they sleep well again.

Has anyone found it helped stop their grumpiness? I've been so irritable with my family I don't even like spending time with myself at the moment!

Feel so much better also! Started about 6 weeks ago. Am on 1 pump and the tablets. Feel so much less anxious and waking up at 3am alot less (once a week tops)

Yes, all of the peri symptoms including the irrational urge to violently kill people (or was that just me?!!) just dulled and some completely disappeared. Honestly it was life changing for me!

'Yes, all of the peri symptoms including the irrational urge to violently kill people (or was that just me?!!)'

Absolutely definitely not just you! Hard relate to wanting to kill everyone

No negative side effects for me OP - I can't recommend it enough. Sometimes you get a big boost in the first few days but can go all over the place again. It can take up to 12 weeks to settle down so stick with it. As others have said, 1 pump is a v low dose, it may need increasing over time

My GP has advised patches - assume it doesn’t make much of a difference between gel or patches as long as it stops homicidal rage? 😆

I went for gel only because I don’t get on with adhesive stuff and tend to react!

Yeah she started me on a very low dose as I don’t have periods (mirena) and have no idea whether it actually IS peri or just panic attacks so a bit… trial and error
also with the endo I want to keep the oestrogen as low as possible so I’m on mirena and oral progesterone

Has anyone had any negative side affects with the progesterone tablets, i’m bit worried having read some posts on here. Only a week into the patches, so another week yet before i start utrogesten.