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?
Hi Rosie like you exactly .did u have bad sweats and feeling anxiety and depression as I did? If so this is what prompted me to see my GP as I had missed a few periods too and was also very moody each month. I started combined hrt pills 10 days ago but also take an anti depressant. I am starting to feel better slightly but now worried about risks and side effects but trying to put to back of mind. We don't want any negative remarks do we.
Hi Rosie, I was on HRT and it took 2weeks for it to work but unfortunately I stop it because I was worried being on it....I'm still going through peri myself and trying to cope with it daily not nice I think I could be nearing menopause my doctor give me hormone test but said it was high don't know what that means, anyway good luck with your HRT.
Hey there , I was going true hell about for a year had really bad nausea headache , waight gein , depression to do point I have to take 1 month of work went to GP who give me Prosac and primique 003 mg low dose of HRT and take a month to kick in x thank god I feel normal again no hot flashes or nausea which kill me x I also take magnesium for mood sweengs B6 is well x hope you feel better soon honey xxxxx Zoe
Hi Rosie, I went through more or less the same as you and I have been on the patches for 5 weeks best descision I've made I feel so much more like myself. I feel like I've wasted a year of my life trying to decide what to do. I'm sure it proberly isn't for everyone one but it seems to be working for me. Ps I'm on a low dose and everyone is different, my doctor said she would go on it if necessary.
Hi i just wondered what magnesium you take and wht dose. I'm feeling quite low tearful and woder wud the magnesium help with that also mood swings xx
Hi stephanie did u find u gained any weight on patches? I know it's early days reason am asking is that I too hv bn given estradiol combi but hv bn reluctant hto take them among other reasons I don't want to gain any more weight am constantly hungry and feeling so low.. My mood swings hv got worse and my sleep pattern nor gr8 so always tired. Iv tried the all the vits but don't seem to be working any more. I hvnt had a period in 11 months xx
Thank you so much Maria for your reply, I really do hope the symptoms improve for you.
Hey there I got magnesium woman's health in Tesko and also St jons worth is good if u are not on any antidepressants honey hope you feel better
Hi Debi, yes I sweated a lot at night and have been in an extremely depressed mental state. Have had a complete loss of "self" and been in a hopeless, joyless tunnel of gloom...just awful, very hard to get out of bed and cope with even simple situations. I wouldnt mind if it was just the night sweats. I have no idea where I am with my periods either because I have had an iud for 2 years to controll what were awful periods. It was so nice for the first while and to have no periods but I suppose my hormones were dropping all the while and I began to feel worse and worse (mentally). I changed anti-depressants twice to no avail. I eventually blamed it on my iud after reading other online discussions and had it out. As I told my doc I was constantly tired and very depressed he ordered a blood test to cover those bases and so here I am. He also put me on a very powerful vit D supplement and calcium. So its a lot of pill popping that goes on but I will do whatever it takes to feel better and find my happier self again. So yes like you I am hoping that it works without any horrible side affects. Before I had this crash I was also moody hence the first change of anti-depressent..its a tiring process hey and I do try and take some comfort from fellow sufferers who say hang in there you will come out the other end. I do hope you can leave the awful symptoms behind sooner than later with your current treatment.
Thank you so much Zoe
Hi ,
no I haven't and hopefully not either. X
Thank you Setpanie, I too feel like so I am wasting so much time! Thank you for sharing and giving hope.
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
btw Rosie, after reading other posts on here, for the first 3 or 4 months, i gained about 4-6pounds in weight, but this settle down & dropped off naturally after the first 3-4mths. also i am on the lowest dose of my hrt - i pump of the oestrogel nightly & that is enough to eliminate my peri symptoms except for the the night sweats, although they are less frequent now. x
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.
Hi Tinaarena, I dont take magnesium on a regular basis. I am trying an anti-depressent for low mood. I hope you feel better soon.
Thank you Looloo for so much helpful info. My hrt is in the form of a tablet called Tibolone... so between that and an anti-depressant I am hoping to find my old self again. Will have to wait and see what gives over the next months, I guess we are all in for the long game with Menopause!
You're welcome Rosie, & sincere good luck to you with your hrt hun. xx
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