Any awful HRT side effects?

[WatermelonSugarLow]

Have you tried HRT and did it give you any awful side effects? I've been on it for 6 months. Only a low dose as a result of perimenopausal symptoms. About 8 weeks ago I started with headaches and dizziness. It has gradually got worse. Every day I am dizzy now and have constant pressure head aches and I have been referred for a head scan. At first I was relieved, now I am petrified. No mention has been made of the headaches and constant dizziness being a side effect of the HRT. However I am trying to make myself feel better hour by hour at the moment and wonder if it might be a side effect of the HRT? Anyone had any god awful symptoms when on HRT that didn't necessarily appear straight away?

HRT really improved my regular headaches and migraines so I'm sorry to hear you've found the opposite. Prior to going on it I had a head scan as they'd got so bad. Fortunately all fine which was reassuring but it is a bit of a stressful process - hope all will be ok with yours.

The worst HRT side effects for me are definitely weight gain and palpitations. I've had to come off HRT for a while for other reasons. I immediately lost weight and can now eat more than 1000 calories a day without putting it back on!

No, but I was put on medication for high blood pressure prior to starting HRT and told I’d be on it for life. Then when I started taking HRT I felt much better if nothing just from being able to sleep at night, so I comfort ate less and lost weight. Then I started getting dizzy spells, went to the Dr and found that I now had low blood pressure, which was resolved easily by stopping the medication. Now I’m perfectly fine and a much happier woman.

Hi @WatermelonSugarLow I would have thought if it was a side effect of HRT it would have started sooner, not 4 months after starting HRT. Whatever it is, I hope you get better soon.

It is possible your oestrogen levels have been "topped up" over this period and maybe you need to adjust your dose. What are you taking?

Hormone levels can keep fluctuating a lot in peri until you actually go through menopause. Agree with pp that maybe you need to adjust the dose - see GP. Who can also check the headaches in general.

Thank you for replying. I think I'm on the lowest dose - 50mg patches. Last period was horrendous, a few days before and first days of. I didn't recognise myself. I look back and see a different person. Such a dark dark place and physically I felt horrendous. This month was the worst month I've had mental health wise by far. But I don't know how much of that was hormone related.... But it definitely fell over my bleed which suggests it was related. If it is then I'm genuinely quite scared by the place I went to on myself. I used to be such an upbeat person and now I feel a shell of myself.

Are you taking progesterone? That occasionally gives me migraines and I can only take it at night as it makes me feel dizzy and spaced out if taken during the day. You might also get more answers on the Menopause board.

Hi @WatermelonSugarLow how are your headaches now?
I have been on HRT for 18 months and suffered bad tension type headaches for most of this time, tried various headache medications, some work, but with bad side effects.
I myself have just come to the conclusion that it may be related to the HRT.