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HRT advice

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Guest
Guest

Hi...I am 48 and been in what I presume was peri since 45ish as no doctor could tell me even though my symptoms presented as such with blood tests all normal. Well the last 4 months they have steadily got worse. They include...indigestion, constipation, headaches, massive drenching sweats, anxiety and depression, burning tongue, aching muscles etc. This month though things literally ramped up 100% and feeling terrible. I saw another doctor and struck a nice one who actually believes in peri and offered HRT. She is checking bloods first plus mammogram and pelvic scan. Just wanting to know of any information you csn give me if you have tried HRT. Does it work? How long you use it for...side effects etc. I as a little AZ nxious about starting it but quite frankly after this week am game for anything!

0 likes, 40 replies

40 Replies

  • shelagh00488
    shelagh00488 Guest

    Posted

    Hi Janine

    You sound very much like me. Same kind of symptoms. Please let me know how you get on with hrt quest, I would like to go down this road too as can no longer cope with symptoms. Am at doctors on Tuesday and will ask about hrt then.

    smile

    • Guest
      Guest shelagh00488

      Posted

      Thanks for replying shelagh. I am the sort of person who never goes to the doctors and i don't take any medication. So when I do go to the doctor its so frustrating to not get answers. My mum had terrible symptoms and was finished by my age. I only take paracetamol for a cold if sick. So HRT is a bit scary. But its either that or antidepressants because i can't function like this. I still have to go for a mammogram because they want to check no breast cancer is present before I can start. But I will let you know how I go. Surely it can't be worse!
  • michelle46271
    michelle46271 Guest

    Posted

    Hi Janine

    I'm exactly the same. My symptoms have been awful they last 4 months.

    It is very frightening actually .

    I started on HRT Evorel patches 9 days ago. My doctor said it can take up to 3 months to work. I think my panic and anxiety has eased slightly. I couldn't even go out before but I am more now. The rest of it I'm hoping and waiting. The sleep is awful at moment though. About 3 hours I'm 3 nights x

    • Guest
      Guest michelle46271

      Posted

      Hi Michelle...i am the same...i am slowly getting worse...i had a panic attack at the checkout on Saturday and when I am feeling really down and anxious feel like I can't go anywhere. Its terrible. I hope you keep feeling better on the patches. I will get mammogram done this week so hopefully next week can start the HRT. Will let you know how it goes. Take care.
  • MoodyNoire
    MoodyNoire Guest

    Posted

    Hi, Janine, I had most of those symptoms you mentioned except for the burning tongue, (which sounds quite horrible) My chief complaints were depression, mood swings, and insomnia.  I'm 48 and began experiencing peri symptomons when I was about 40. I tried to tough it out since I was afraid of hrt because of all the bad publicity from the WHI research. (which now has been deemed as flawed) So, this january I became so desperate, I decided the quality of life for myself and my family were more important than possible long term side effects and started hrt. I will tell you as I have told everyone. If I could go back in time knowing what I know now, I would have started it when peri first hit. I feel like I'm my old self again! I have had no side effects at all. It's wonderful!
    • Guest
      Guest MoodyNoire

      Posted

      Thanks so much for the feedback! I have been reading up on it too and it seems its not as bad as they thought. And they say the optimal time to start it is at the start of peri for the best benefits. But like you...i have three sons (14, 16, 20) a husband 2 cats and a dog...snd i work 3 days a week. I am looking to retrain and start a new job towards the end of the year full time but the way i feel now its an achievement to shower lol. I will let everyone know how I go when I start it....fingers crossed. Take care smile
    • MoodyNoire
      MoodyNoire Guest

      Posted

      Janine, yes, it sounds like you'd def benefit from hrt. I'm disappointed by the medical community that have kept us in the dark for so long. I hope you have great results with hrt. Remember it's not a one size fit all so if at first you don't succeed try, try again, because there are many different hrts. My opinion is that it's best to start with low dosages, allow time for adjusting, then go up from there if need be. 😊
  • Zigangie
    Zigangie Guest

    Posted

    Yeah Janine it works, I'm on oestrogel and Utrogestan and I have not had any side effects only good stuff.

    I think they keep you on it for 5 years but I'm up for staying in it longer than that if I'm healthy and happy.

  • CCinCal
    CCinCal Guest

    Posted

    Did any of you ladies have brain fog, off balance feeling, dizziness sensation, hangover feel and just overall disorientation and weird feelings in your head. And did the HRT help with it? Thanks.
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie CCinCal

      Posted

      Hi I can still get dizziness especially if I haven't eaten but really not very often since being on HRT.

      Head space so much better memory too.

    • Guest
      Guest CCinCal

      Posted

      Hi Cincal....yes definitely....i feel like I am drugged. I am going to try the HRT after all my tests come back because it can't be worse than this! I have cut out caffeine and as much sugar as I can as I feel I am so on edge any little stimulant sets me off now...its like I am on a tightrope! I am on the Gold Coast in Australia and we are still hitting late 20s and 30 degree temps in March (autumn for us) . Its so bad I have hit full blown anxiety and hot flushes in our hottest March since 1987 lol
    • MoodyNoire
      MoodyNoire CCinCal

      Posted

      I had a very hard time with brain fog. I homeschool my kids and do the billing and record keeping for my husbands small business. I got so frustrated with myself because before peri I enjoyed all these things. I had weird feelings. as if I was watching myself as I would in a dream. I don't even know what you'd call it, but I hated it. I also had that ringing in my ears and the feelings of pressure changes in your ears like they are going to pop. It's the feeling you experience when you enter an area of higher altitute than you're used to.  Yes, hrt cleared that all up. I have only occasional bouts with those problems. 
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie MoodyNoire

      Posted

      A really good explanation of that odd dream weird thing. I've had that and even wondered am I here or am I dreaming this.
    • MoodyNoire
      MoodyNoire Zigangie

      Posted

      thanks, Zigzangie...I know I speak for others too when I say I'm still amazed at what hormones (or lack of) can do you mentally and physically. I remember how that while in one of my really bad spells of depression/psychosis I told my husband I wish I could erase my existence and that I felt like I had contaminated my children with my faulty genetics! I laugh at that idea now but I was dead serious when I said it. wow! soooo glad that's over. 
    • michelle46271
      michelle46271 MoodyNoire

      Posted

      Hiya

      I'm getting those weird dream sensations and buzzing and full feeling ears amongst other things. How long did you take HRT before they started to get better and which HRT did you take ?

    • MoodyNoire
      MoodyNoire michelle46271

      Posted

      Hi Michelle, I take prometrium and estradiol. I started noticing positive changes almost immediately and probably within a few weeks or less 95-98% of peri symptoms were gone. I still have a hot flash, or tinnitius occasionally, but neither are much of a bother. I noticed that around the time that I would normally have my period is when I'm likely to experience a mild flare up of any peri symptoms. Hope you get to feeling better soon!  
    • CCinCal
      CCinCal Guest

      Posted

      The last two days here have been 90 degrees, I think that's about 30c and it's been unbearable. I welcome the sunshine but wow the higher temps are really not helping peri symptoms. Let me know how HRT works for you. I'm trying to find a doc who will do this but their demand is 2 months out.
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie michelle46271

      Posted

      Same as MoodyNoire,

      Some things right away and improving within 10 to 12 weeks most things gone.

      Sleep and a sore shoulder is all I have left really to worry about and I had plenty that has gone, big things like anxiety and depression and smaller stuff like going to the loo all the time.

    • CCinCal
      CCinCal Zigangie

      Posted

      Had you had depression or anxiety before peri?
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie CCinCal

      Posted

      I had a bit postnatal depression with my youngest, but I find that amusing. Compared to the peri depression I would say I just felt sad.

      At the time they said depression but really in hindsight it was nothing.

      No anxiety I didn't really have the right words for it I just used to say I was on edge all the time, kind of ready to run, it's your fight or flight mode on and it was most of the time. Even the radiators heating up if they went off with a bit of a bang when they were expanding I was ready to run away.

      I didn't realise how bad that was until about a week into HRT when I kept feeling odd floppy and laid back. I thought it was a side effect to start with because I'd got so used to feeling tense all the time, now I feel just like I always used to.

      My only real problem is sleep still, I think where it's been so bad for so long it may take a while for that to improve.

      I've also got a painful shoulder but although I don't like it much it's easy to put up with because I'm not feeling so ill all the time.

    • Guest
      Guest CCinCal

      Posted

      We are supposed to be in autumn but today was 30 again. So hard to cope. I will say the last few days i have totally stopped caffeine and any foods with sugar and more protein and I have been feeling more even with my moods. Might be a lull again though before it hits again lol

      I was down to only one coffee in the morning anyway so wasnt too bad.

      I will let you know how the hrt goes...every woman i speak to lately has been on it and said it saved them so havent heard any negatives yet. Got to get my mammogram done first on Monday. The doctors here seem ok about hrt if you find the right one...i hope you find a good doctor too who is willing to give you some if you want to try it smile

    • Guest
      Guest Zigangie

      Posted

      Hi Zigangie...i had postnatal depression with my youngest too but this is different in peri. I was down all day back then but this seems to be just a flat feeling out of nowhere...then it lifts...and i feel stressed and tense all the time...any little thing gives me anxiety...i sldo find i am emotional and cant watch anything sad or distressing on tv because it sets me off. I said to my husband its like a glass of water full to the brim....one more drop and it spills over. Thats sort of how it feels. Am looking forward to trying the HRT to see if I feel like my old self again....i can handle the physical symtoms but not the mental!
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie Guest

      Posted

      Yes that's where I am now, the physical thing my shoulder would have felt ten times worse six months ago.

      I'm going to ask to try a higher dose of estrogen next time I see the doctor and see if that makes the shoulder and sleep better.

    • Guest
      Guest MoodyNoire

      Posted

      I totally relate to that! I can be fine one day then wake up next morning in the depths of despair. Last week i hit four days (the worst its been...mid cycle) where i thought thats it i am having a breakdown.....thats what made me go back to the doctor and look at starting hrt. Last 2 days i feel (almost) normal again. When i told the doctor this she said its not true depression but hormonal mood swings. This could go on for years so i am signing up for hrt! Spoke to 2 ladies older than me today and both said hrt was great.
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie michelle46271

      Posted

      Hi Michelle,

      I'm on oestrogel and Utrogestan it's bio identical made from yams and soy.

    • michelle46271
      michelle46271 Zigangie

      Posted

      How long do you reckon to really get into your system? I don't know too much about the HRT patches that I'm on. I change the patch twice a week and for 14 days of the month I take Utrogestan. I have been on them 2 weeks now. I think the panic has eased a bit ,my doctor is a female and she said allow 3 months. She is also a female health manager. I think they are starting xx
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie michelle46271

      Posted

      I noticed improvement within a few days for some things. I think I was at maximum benefit at about 10 weeks in.

      Yes my doctor told me 3 months.

    • Guest
      Guest michelle46271

      Posted

      I don't know what type i will be on yet but doctor said not progesterone only as i need both. She is checking progesterone and estrogen in the bloods but she said she thought by my symptoms my estrogen would be low. So not sure what hormone replacement she is going to prescribe yet.
    • metamorphed
      metamorphed Guest

      Posted

      janine, can I ask how long have you had the bad symptoms for?
    • michelle46271
      michelle46271 Guest

      Posted

      Yes I have the progesterone tablets and the estrogen patches which I change twice a week
    • Guest
      Guest metamorphed

      Posted

      Hi...i really noticed the symptoms got worse about 4 months ago and this last month they worsened again. The worst ones are the hot flushes all day and the mood swings. I also started getting indigestion again which i havent had a problem with since i had my gall bladder out 2 1/2 years ago. I also started getting a little constipated and have headaches both of which i have never had before. I am 49 in october and my mum had a bad time in meno but was finished by my age now. She had flooding periods and bad hot flushes and anxiety. My older sister just had hot flushes then stopped....lucky thing!
    • metamorphed
      metamorphed Guest

      Posted

      this sounds familiar!  I have stuck it out now for 9 months going on 10 now and the symptoms are not as bad as they were at 4/5 months.  Most things have calmed down but I dread them coming back. So I am interested to see how you get on with HRT and if it helps because at 4 months I really wanted some relief but they wouldn't prescribe anything at that stage, so I stuck it out!
    • Guest
      Guest metamorphed

      Posted

      I will post on here when i start it and let you know how i go. I couldnt go through another week like last week....thought i was losing it....it just takes over your body and you just have to go along for the ride! This is the first doctor who has spoken about perimenopause being the culprit...all the others just got tests done and said 'all normal' see you later! My son wants to become a doctor (hes nearly finished first degree) and I am sure he will understand hormones after living with me through menopause years lol
    • metamorphed
      metamorphed Guest

      Posted

      yes, they just dismiss you when all tests come back normal, and at the worst time when symptoms are raging!.  I feel that although symptoms have calmed down that it is the calm before the storm!  Always in the back of my mind that there may be worse to come.  I'll watch your posts to see how you get on and I hope your son becomes a hormone doctor for sure.  lol
    • CCinCal
      CCinCal metamorphed

      Posted

      I am on month 10 now too meta morphed. My worst months were the first several. I think it put me into deep depression. I am eager to see you do also Janine. Will keep my fingers crossed.
    • Guest
      Guest CCinCal

      Posted

      I can't believe some doctors are so ignorant of womens health issues. If someone is a diabetic they give insulin....yet if there is a hormone imbalance they offer antidepressants. Not saying they arent needed as if you are depressed and struggling during these years they are. But why not try the hrt first....we know our bodies better than anyone and deserve better treatment. Just read these forums and see how many women of the same age have the same symptoms and get the same response from doctors...it makes me mad! If I had the money I would fund research into this because there are thousands of women being affected by this.
    • Zigangie
      Zigangie Guest

      Posted

      I feel the same, especially as I've been treated with antidepressants and they didn't do much at all.

      Now on HRT and I know now that it was all down to hormones.

      I really think there must be more money to be made by prescribing antidepressants, I can't think of any other reason for it.

      Not only does the HRT lift the anxiety and depression better than antidepressants it also makes loads of other issues disappear as well.

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