Posted , 11 users are following.
I am comforted to have found this site as I am going through peri/menopause and having it mentally and physically tough for the better part of this year. A recent blood test showed that my hormones are very depleted and so I have started HRT as of 2 weeks ago. I am still waiting to feel some difference...For those of you who are taking HRT how long did it take before you started to feel better?
2 likes, 21 replies
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looloo43 rosie12831
Posted
Hi Rosie. I started hrt in april. i am 45 & had been experiencing 2yrs of irreg bleeding which was looked into, & since roughly the beginning of this year about feb time, i started to get awful mental symptoms, return of period pain, intense all day headaches several times a week. my mental symptoms included very short temper, random tears/crying, overwhelmed at the slightest thing, brain fog & inability to concentrate/remember things, anxiety & panic attacks, & very erratic low mood. i have had anxiety & depression issues for years but well controlled with maintenance meds & much better for having cbt over 6yrs ago. at first I thought it was my anxiety & depression rearing it's ugly head again, so i upped my anti depressant dose pending seeing my doc. this did not help, just made feel sedated. when i saw my doc based on age & all symptoms she diagnosed peri, & after much discussion (she is a specialist gp in meno & gynae issues) i started oestrogel nightly & utrogestan capsules days 15-26 of every cycle. i had to create a cycle on my calendar as i didn't really have a cycle!!. 2-3wks in my mental symptoms improved remarkably, & the headaches subsided. i now feel much more in control again & more like me. the irreg bleeding stopped for a few months, but returned about a month ago so I am keeping an eye on it with my doc & due another tv ultrasound in october, but my mental symptoms & headaches remain absent - these were the worst symptoms as i felt so out of control & unpredictable - the complete opposite to my usual cheery positive self. You just think what the hell's going on with me?? it's like an evil spirit has entered your body & taken over your personality... very distressing when you can't control your temper in situations that would normally just go over you, or you would bite your tongue & deal with it rationally. i almost lost my job for losing my temper with a manager & walking out when they tried to discipline me for it- i was literally in my car ready to drive off, but my dept manager(male!!) came & got me before i made a huge mistake!!! i am currently dealing with other ill health at the moment, & i truly believe if i hadn't started the hrt when i did, I'd be in another spiral of depression right now. they do say to give hrt a good 3mths trial to see if your particular regimen helps you; some ladies have to try different combinations/types before they get a regimen that makes a difference to them. i was lucky as my gp is so well informed with hrt, & put me on the types that most mimic our natural hormones - the micronised utrogestan is the purest form of progesterone in hrt, & the oestrogel is a low risk type you apply to arms or thighs, also micronised. hope you start to feel the benefits soon, my improvements got better & better with time. i think if you can get control of the mental symptoms, you feel much better about everything else such as night sweats. hope this helps a bit. x
shallah24 looloo43
Posted
Hi looloo, just started the hrt regimen . Estrogel and utrogestan. The gel to be applied daily , but the ustrogestan to be taken after 2 months.
I had awful peri symptoms- terrible nausea , anxiety , depression and palpitations.
Your post sounds encouraging - I hope and pray that my symptoms settle down in a few weeks . As we are all different - it takes some longer than others. I had suffered for a year before I consulted a gynaecologist and have been placed on hrt.
I am just worried about side effects like nausea - I just pray I don't get any with estrogel. Thank God it's a gel and not a tablet I have to use.
looloo43 shallah24
Posted
Hi Shallah. that's the same regimen as me. i started on 1 pump of estrogel & still on only 1 pump - that was enough to get "me" back mentally! its best to use the lowest dose possible that relieves symptoms enough to reduce any small risks, & it also gives the doc & patient somethingup there sleeve to increase dose if symptoms worsen later into menopause. the only side effects i got were random tender/fuller boobs first couple of months (coped with fine). & felt sick & lightheaded one night when i took the utrogestan capsules too soon after eating. apparently it is best to take the utrogestan capsules NOT after eating & at bedtime as they can induce sleepiness. i do sleep much better now most of the time. so i usually have my dinner at about 7.30pm, & i take my utrogestan capules days 15-26 out of every 28day cycle about 11.30pm - well after food & put my estrogel on my thighs at the same time & it dries in 2 - 3mins. the only reason i don't put it on my arms is i like to use body lotion after my shower, & i would have to cleanse that off my arms before putting on the gel or it can hinder absorption. the leaflet that comes with the gel in it's box tells you exactly where to apply it - upper arms or certain area on thighs. hope this helps, & good luck to you on the hrt - hope it works for you as well as it worked for me. xx
shallah24 looloo43
Posted
Looloo , thanks for sharing . I was told to expect sore breasts, but it's my first week so have not got that yet. yesterday I felt a bit queasy & light headed. Today better . It's encouraging to hear that you didn't have any serious side effects. I really want this to work and am giving it a good go.
diid you not have any period until you took the utrogestan?
i have also been given testim which has testerone - this is supposed to help with mood & libido.
How long before you noticed a change. so glad it worked for you. V heartening.
looloo43 shallah24
Posted
I had such irreg bleeding for a good 2yrs prior to starting hrt, so i had no cycle. i had to create a cycle on my calendar, so i could get into a routine of taking the utrogestan capsules on the right days each month!! for the first few months, my irreg bleeding stopped. then about 6wks ago i started bleeding again randomly for nearly 2wks (light to moderate), it stopped for a few days then started again for 2wks(moderate) then stopped again about 2wks ago. one of the bleeds started a couple of days after finishing the 12days of progesterone, so i would've expected a bleed. my gp & i are going to keep an eye on it as i am due another tv ultrasound in october anyway. the mental symptoms remained at bay though, but i did get several headaches while bleeding. they say women can get a withdrawal bleed after taking the 12days of progesterone each month. i might look up the testim - my libido is zero, but i am ill with other problems at present, by i think my lack of libido has been longer than the illness. i found improvement particularly with the mental symptoms & headaches(the worst symptoms for me) around 2-3wks into hrt, & it's got better & better the longer I've taken it. truly has helped me to remain sane, positive & rational while I've had to deal with other illness. i still get an odd blip (hormones still fluctuate in everybody) but hrt has on the whole got things under control for me as it seems to have largely balanced me more. xx