Alternatives to HRT for possible perimenopause?

[Thedancingmum]

I am 41, have 2 DD and am finding myself increasingly tired, unmotivated and flat!
It started with a couple of days a month which I started trying to track. It was sometimes just after ovulation, this month has been around my period but has continued on. I am usually a highly motivated and productive person who lives by a daily to-do list but nowadays I seem to find any excuse to 'be kind to myself' and not do that chore or workout because I am feeling tired. I get this may be normal but the tiredness and unmotivation is so frustrating I just don't feel like myself.
I didn't get anywhere with my GP who said it is normal for women in their 40's to start to slow down and need a bit more rest. I did have a load of comprehensive bloods done for something unrelated and they all came back fine. Hormones were not included.
I paid for a private menopause specialist consultation who said this does sound like perinmeonpause and has suggested trialing some HRT (marina coil followed by oestogel or gel applied progesterone and oestrogel).
I am willing to try them - have decided that if I do then to start with the coil and if that makes no improvement then move onto oestrogel too.
It's just I cant help feeling that I would like some sort of test first to see if this definitely is perimenopause before I embark on the HRT journey which sounds like it take a a few months to get right. The specialist said I would have a blood test after 3 months of using oestorgel to see what is going on and how my hormone levels are.
I keep having these supplements pop up on my IG feeds to help hormone levels etc but they are bloody expensive and I also just don't want to take something for 1 - 3 months and waste a load of money!
I guess I am asking, has anyone tried and found anything successful to beat these feelings of increased fatigue.
Still have regular periods and sleep 7 hours on average.
TIA! x

Hello! Does sound like peri. I am a bit older than you and have had symptoms for 18.months.
Not on anything hormonal yet. I do take supplements and they seem to have massively reduced symptoms: health and her perimenopause supplements, evening primrose oil and Mylas Moss (a sea plant product). I have also started doing resistance training videos from YouTube (Caroline Girvan) and they have stopped the weakness I was feeling physically all the time. Good luck!

I've been taking Health+Her Perimenopause Mind+ for over a year and it's a godsend. It's really balanced me and my ovulation rages have almost totally stopped. My periods were totally regular until April this year and now my cycle length has got unpredictable and I missed one entirely around May, so pretty certain I'm peri but the supplements make me feel so much better...when I miss a few days I really feel the difference. In fact I ran out a few days ago and didn't manage to buy more until yesterday and these past few days I've had terrible anxiety feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'm relieved I'll be back on them today. I'm 44.

The coil alone won’t make any difference to menopause symptoms. It’s just the progesterone part of HRT - it’s the oestrogen (oestrogel) that you need if you’re having issues. The coil just stops the lining of the womb thickening from the use of oestrogen.

Thank you so much @Bosabosa and @NCfor24 for the Health & Her recommendation - I think I can justify spending on those as the ones that keep appearing in my feed (Happy Mammouth and similar) are around £50+ for a months supply!!

I also do Caroline Girvan - love her! Started doing around 4-5 a week ( i am doing her Epic Endgame, nearly finished it) and am struggling to keep up with 3 a week now due to this feeling but I will persevere as I know it does really help to keep up the weights and workouts.

@Pigeonqueen thanks, I was a bit confused by that so I guess once the coil is fitted then move straight on with the oestrogel... but for now, it would be good to trial the supplements and see if they do the trick. I just dont understand why they dont test your hormones prior to starting any of it and only after 3 months on HRT (I heard a few of the well established private places follow the same protocol as this).

Any more recommendations welcome!!