Anyone else couldn't tolerate HRT?

[QuietlyRecalibrating]

I wanted to share something I’ve been struggling with, just in case anyone else is feeling the same way. We hear so much about HRT being an essential preventative tool, and I genuinely wanted it to work for me. While it was wonderful for my sleep, the severe jitteriness, anxiety, daily migraines, jaw clenching and not able to focus and compete technical reports became too much, and I had to make the hard choice to stop.
Honestly, walking away made me feel incredibly guilty and scared. I felt like I was actively choosing to ruin my future bone and heart health because I couldn’t handle the side effects.
I started reading the actual clinical guidelines. I was so relieved to discover that taking HRT purely to "future-proof" our bodies isn't actually what the medical consensus recommends.

1. It is NOT recommended for preventing heart disease or dementia

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines (updated November 2022) explicitly state that clinicians should not use combined estrogen and progestin for the primary prevention of chronic conditions in postmenopausal persons.

www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/home/getfilebytoken/v7w4xaGG822hVc_SCU3tQ_

1. Bone protection disappears when you stop

HRT temporarily pauses bone loss, but protection is strictly tied to active use. When you stop HRT, the pace of bone loss is rapid, returning to the accelerated rate seen right after menopause.

https://www.medicalindependent.ie/clinical-news/womens-health/hrt-discontinuation-of-menopausal-hormone-therapy-and-risk-of-fracture-nested-case-control-studies-using-routinely-collected-primary-care-data/

HRT is undoubtedly a godsend for so many, but I'm finally accepting that it isn't a mandatory requirement for aging. If the side effects are breaking us down, it’s OK to stop without carrying all this guilt.
Has anyone else been in this boat? I’d love to hear your experiences and how you're navigating menopause without hormones.

I just stopped cold turkey because I couldn't take another month of progesterone. I had horrendous hot flushes for about six weeks but no other adverse effects, and immediately felt better.

My post should say crazy 'dreams' ! I wonder am I ususual in this as for most people , progesterone seems to help them sleep . I wonder might I be sensitive to it .
I also wonder about how crudely HRT is prescribed. It's just that you start on a dosage and if you don't feel better you get a higher dosage . My GP never recommended bloods . Surely we should check IF we need the treatment or does it not work like that ?
Anyway, I have had enough .

I haven't had a single good dream in 4yrs since I started HRT. None of those lovely refreshing happy dreams that I used to get after my period finished.

So that's a definite side effect of HRT.

Mine are alarming and crazy and I can have multiple a night . So then I wake up and if it's been a bad one I can't get back to sleep . I am wrecked !!
I stopped earlier this week and last night I had a realtively peaceful night .

My main menopause symptom was severe insomnia but I have not taken HRT, my reluctance to take HRT was due to marked anxiety every time I had tried any hormonal contraception. For those who have not got on well with HRT have you had problems with hormonal contraception as well or just the HRT

It gave me migraines and reflux too.

Yeah mine are absolutely horrible. But I've always been prone to bad dreams, I just don't get the nice ones to balance it out any more.

Still it's better than the alternative PRE-HRT. I could never go back to the drowning night sweats. And I sleep a lot better, whilst my dreams are horrible, I've never been the type of person to worry in the middle of the night, so I have a glass of water and roll over to go back to sleep.

But if mine kept me awake all night I'd be very cross!

@Dublassie- I’ve been on HRT for 13 years and never had a blood test except for testosterone. Blood test aren’t generally useful as women’s hormones fluctuate so much especially in peri that it’s impossible to get an accurate picture.

@BeDandyDenimSloth I could never take any hormonal contraceptive. They made me feel physically and mentally dreadful however I do take HRT and asides from the normal initial side effects I’ve found it really beneficial to my health, especially my mental health.

@Girlintheframe that’s interesting my mental health actually improved during menopause apart from the insomnia but I have always reacted badly to any additional progesterone

I reacted badly to progesterone contraceptives, including mirena coil (never tried combined pill) but found hrt didn't have the same effect.

Utrogestan (bioidentical progesterone) helped my sleep and anxiety. Synthetic progesterone gave me terrible anxiety and irritability.

I am about it try synthetic progesterone again though (very afraid).

I don’t know for sure, although it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s the progesterone element (I’m on Everol Conti). I had TMJ disorder many years ago and now I look back it coincided with me having the Mirena coil (which caused me severe cystic acne, but that’s another story). I’ve been free of the jaw problems for years and now I’m on HRT they are back. Sorry you’re suffering too.

Thank you for this. I really appreciate you starting the thread.

@JinglingSpringbells thank you for your reply. I’m genuinely so glad HRT has given you such long-term relief over 18 years! Having nearly two decades of experience is really rare, and it’s so clear how much energy and time you put into replying across these threads to try and help other women. It must take a lot of effort to stay so active on here!
If you’re open to sharing, I’d love to know a bit more about what those 18 years have actually looked like in practice. Have you ever faced times where you were worried about side effects and wondered if the hormones were linked? Did you ever try to step off or taper down over the years, and if so, did you struggle with withdrawal symptoms? Also, how have you found managing private prescriptions and changing clinicians over such a long period?
Hearing about the real-world challenges, doctors' advice, and potential hurdles over nearly 20 years would be so valuable - especially for women who are struggling with side effects or who can't take HRT, as it gives a much fuller picture of what long-term use really involves.

Oh im getting jaw clenching! I did try and taper off but it got worse.. never had headaches before. Oestrogen gives me hives and makes my joints all lax and feel like a sponge it’s hard to explain. Progesterone makes me nuts! So tearful and stressed

And I’d like to add it’s good to hear about other women’s struggles with hrt as I am too! And I feel like a bit of a failure having to taper off it. Coming off progesterone was the worst part raging anxiety for 2 weeks and then it stopped.

Thanks for the info. I do have a history of central nervous system sensitivity so that would make sense

@hushabybaby thank you for sharing. Stepping off a medication that makes you feel not right and causes hives isn't a failure at all, it's smart, self-protective healthcare.

@ChristmasQuestion123 Thank you for highlighting that connection.
Both synthetic progestins (like levonorgestrel in the Mirena or levonorgestrel/norethisterone in combined HRT like Evorel Conti) and exogenous estrogen directly affect TMJ. Estrogen receptors are concentrated right in the jaw joint tissues and motor pathways, it can trigger subconscious jaw clenching. It makes such a difference to connect dots and trace patterns over time.