I’ve been prescribed HRT today - I go on holiday Thursday.

[sillysusan]

ladies can you help me decide what to do, I’m been overthinking this all day.

After years of perimenopausal symptoms, I took the plunge had bloods last week, went for review today and put on 1 pump of oestrogen and two weeks of progesterone.

i am sleep deprived, itchy, hot and very irritable.

I am taking my two teenagers to Orlando on Thursday. Shall I start tonight or hold off until after my hols?

I’m desperate to feel better but scared of feeling worse before I feel better so don’t want to start just before my hols if that is likely.

did the majority of you feel better or have a dip first?

Only better, no dip, and took a little while to kick in.
You probably won't know if it's working or not with the jet lag anyway....
Have a great time!

I would say just start it. You’ll definitely feel better from the oestrogen but some people are progesterone intolerant so watch out for that - low mood, pmt-type symptoms. Even so your current symptoms should start to improve.

I noticed an improvement in the first week, even with progesterone intolerance it was months before I needed to address that (I got a mirena coil eventually rather than the tablets )

One pump of gel is a really low dose, so I'd bet money on it being fine (I started on 2 pumps). Oral progesterone, as a pp said, can be a different beast, although even so it takes 3-5 days to kick in (and it might be completely fine). It probably won't have any effect other than potentially positive on your holiday.

I agree with this regarding progesterone, I felt awful on it mood wise and eventually got the Mirena. TMI but I had the worst constipation ever when I started on the progesterone - no idea if it was related but it was truly awful!

I’d start. For me, the hot flushes stopped within 24 hours.

Another who recommends just starting it. And enjoy your holiday!

Did you update your travel insurance about the HRT?

Start and hopefully have reduced symptoms on holiday. Enjoy!

I'd start the oestrogen, and hold off on the progesterone until you're back.

I use the patches and got a boost straight away. I'm feeling much better in the luteal phase because there is a consistent baseline of oestrogen with the progesterone.

Start it. FWIW the gel didn’t work for me at all, even on 3 pumps and I’m now using patches. One pump is a tiny dose so it’s unlikely to make any difference.

Right I’ll start the oestrogen and maybe leave off the progesterone
till I’m home, does it matter at all that will mean I’m not taking it on the last 2 weeks of the cycle?

Don’t take one without the other. I felt relief from symptoms within 24 hours of first doses. Get started on it.

This you need to take them together.

two week holiday ? I d just start it asap. One pump is very low for the gel it won’t do much dramatically different.

i can’t imagine it will make you feel worse than you are !

She's been prescribed sequential, not continuous. Which means specifically not taking them together for half the cycle.* *

Prescribing for sequential varies massively - 12 days out of the calendar month;14 days out of 28; start on the first of the calendar month; start on day X of the cycle. And your cycle won't stay consistent in perimenopause anyway. So I really don't think precise timing matters that much as long as you take it for approx half the time.

I'd wait. Your bleeding may become unpredictable for a while and I had the most awful PMS type symptoms when I started HRT. Much worse than my actual PMS.

Just start it. I didn't feel anything other than better!

Second this. There’s a whole thread on it a few years back. It’s very important as insurers will seize on anything you’ve not told them to escape paying out. So, god forbid, have an accident? Was this triggered by menopausal insomnia, irritability, brain fog? Just add the GP visit and hrt prescription as an amendment to your existing travel insurance.

Take it now. But I'd take two pumps at least. You won't notice much difference on one pump. My hot flushes and other symptoms didn't stop until I was on 100mcg patch which is the equivalent of 4 pumps.

Also another one reminding you to update your travel insurance, even if you decide not to take it before you go. Especially for America.

this has been useful - I had no idea I have to tell my travel insurance.

I felt better within a day. It was incredible

Very helpful thank you

Another confirmation to check with your travel insurance. Mine won't cover anything related if I start a new medication or change dosage of an existing medication within a certain period of time.

"Changing your medication during your travel insurance company's "stability period" can make your pre-existing medical condition unstable and void your medical coverage for that condition".