Hormone Replacement Therapy

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imnotarobot

Hi all,

A bit of background...I am fifty and probably about half way through menopause. I have at most one or two periods a year, I’ve got all the usual symptoms. I can live with them all, it’s nothing crushing but I’m not happy.

I feel flat. Empty almost. Like I have nothing to add to conversations, no sex drive whatsoever, feeling like I no longer fit in the family I have. Like they are in a club I don’t belong to. I don’t know if I trust my brain at the moment, it’s filled with all sorts of negative crap. I feel like my family don’t like the person I am right now and I don’t know if I blame them. I wonder if going on HRT would turn me back to the person my family used to like.

I’ve had depression in the past, and I don’t know if this is depression or menopause. I can’t tell. I don’t have girlfriends to talk to about this, I don’t even know if HRT is a done thing anymore? I think deep down I feel like a cop out if I go on drugs.

Anyway. Is there anyone out there on HRT? I would love to hear of your experiences with it, and if it’s worth trying. I’ve made an appointment with the doctor but there’s a 6 week waiting time (small town, few doctors).

Thankyou
 
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R

Ruby’s mum

imnotarobot said:
Hi all,

A bit of background...I am fifty and probably about half way through menopause. I have at most one or two periods a year, I’ve got all the usual symptoms. I can live with them all, it’s nothing crushing but I’m not happy.

I feel flat. Empty almost. Like I have nothing to add to conversations, no sex drive whatsoever, feeling like I no longer fit in the family I have. Like they are in a club I don’t belong to. I don’t know if I trust my brain at the moment, it’s filled with all sorts of negative crap. I feel like my family don’t like the person I am right now and I don’t know if I blame them. I wonder if going on HRT would turn me back to the person my family used to like.

I’ve had depression in the past, and I don’t know if this is depression or menopause. I can’t tell. I don’t have girlfriends to talk to about this, I don’t even know if HRT is a done thing anymore? I think deep down I feel like a cop out if I go on drugs.

Anyway. Is there anyone out there on HRT? I would love to hear of your experiences with it, and if it’s worth trying. I’ve made an appointment with the doctor but there’s a 6 week waiting time (small town, few doctors).

Thankyou
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Menopause is miserable. I started mine quite early, it was in full swing by the time I was around 42 I think. My worst symptom was horrific night sweats, waking me every half hour throughout the night. I went on HRT after battling it and trying herbal stuff for a couple of years and within two days they began to settle to something much more manageable. I came off it about five years ago as the GP was pressuring me to do so because I had been on it for about ten years but I wish I had carried on with it as the night sweats are back. Not as frequent or vicious as before but still horrible. Whether it helped with the brain fog I'm not sure but definitely worth discussing with your GP. Good luck.
 
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WhiteRose

Hi, your description is exactly how I am feeling. I am 50 too, my level of concentration is appalling, brain full of fog and the past 6 months I have felt so overwhelmed with my emotions, crying non stop. I too have always suffered on and off from depression but this feels like something else so I have put it partly down to the peri-menopause. I have a telephone consultation with my GP this week and am going to ask to go on HRT. I follow the menopausal doctor on Instagram, Dr Louise Newson I think she is called, her website has some excellent sources of information. I suppose everyone is probably feeling tit at the moment but you know your own body and coupled with your age, I wouldn't rule out it being menopausal related. Good luck x
 
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Raydog

Hiya I started on HRT patches 2 years ago I’m 43 - I have always suffered with anxiety but it got really really bad and I was having awful night sweats and found out I was peri menopause - the worst symptom I had was tiredness and fatigue I felt tired down to my bones and couldn’t think straight - HRT has done wonders for me I feel so much better and if you are able to use it I would highly recommend - I still feel like an alien in my body sometimes but I am 95% back to my
Normal self ! It’s takes a few months to kick in but it’s so worth it ! Hope this helps sending love and understanding xxxx
 
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imnotarobot

Thankyou all so much for replying. The alien in my body comment really relates to me. I don’t feel like I’m connected to my body, and I’m so very cross with EVERYONE. my husband I can kind of understand because he’s a bloke, you know? But the dog and the cat and the kids and the guy in the supermarket and the lady off the tellie, the whole world is annoying me so much. I’m sure that everything stems from lack of sleep which is caused by the stupid hot flushes. Even if HRT lets me sleep at night, that’s got to be a good start, right?
 
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MrsGahan

MrsGahan

I started menopause early at around 42 and was determined not to go on HRT despite my GP recommending it. The worst symptom for me was becoming very unsure of myself, suffering socially as my confidence (which wasn’t great) plummeted. Eventually I went on it at 48 after a dexa scan showed some osteopenia. Anyway I’m sorry I didn’t go on it sooner! I’m back to my usual self most of the time. Talk to your GP and make an informed decision. Good luck.
 
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Funnifing71

Funnifing71

Hi - I just turned 49 and I started a ‘trial’ of HRT about a year ago.. the doctor gave me just three months supply to see how I went. I was suffering with pretty much all of the symptoms except night sweats and even developed imposter syndrome because my brain fog was so bad. Anyway.. Covid happened and I never went back for the follow up appointment. I’ve spent all day today crying for no apparent reason and I feel totally isolated and pretty useless. So I’ve decided to go back to the doctors to start back on the HRT. To compound the issue I’ve had a merina coil fitted for the last 10 years so I don’t have periods at all. I’m sorry to hear you’re all going through these symptoms but also relieved I’m not alone!
 
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WhiteRose

Funnifing71 said:
Hi - I just turned 49 and I started a ‘trial’ of HRT about a year ago.. the doctor gave me just three months supply to see how I went. I was suffering with pretty much all of the symptoms except night sweats and even developed imposter syndrome because my brain fog was so bad. Anyway.. Covid happened and I never went back for the follow up appointment. I’ve spent all day today crying for no apparent reason and I feel totally isolated and pretty useless. So I’ve decided to go back to the doctors to start back on the HRT. To compound the issue I’ve had a merina coil fitted for the last 10 years so I don’t have periods at all. I’m sorry to hear you’re all going through these symptoms but also relieved I’m not alone!
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Hi, no you're not alone and well done for going back to the doctors. Its a tit time full stop at the moment but the menopause doesn't help. I spoke with my GP and I am starting on HRT, she is prescribing me the gel so fingers crossed, in a couple of months I should start to see the benefit.
Please try not to feel isolated, I am sure you are not useless and we are entitled to have a good cry, thats all I did at the weekend. I have never been one for sharing my inner feelings with people but i caught up with a friend on Sunday. We haven't seen each other since last February, she suggested we FaceTime each other and I was resistant because I felt embarrassed about my state of mind but to be honest, I'm glad we did even though I spent the first 20minutes balling my eyes out. It was good to share with someone who was non judgemental about how I was feeling.
 
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Raydog

Absolutely ! I still get really bad night sweats for about 1 week in a month but overall I feel so much better ❤ Also you will need to go for a few blood tests to be diagnosed as my first one came back as post menopausal which wasn’t the case and then next one showed normal so it’s very much at what point in your cycle you get tested xx
 
Libbylulu

Libbylulu

imnotarobot said:
Hi all,

A bit of background...I am fifty and probably about half way through menopause. I have at most one or two periods a year, I’ve got all the usual symptoms. I can live with them all, it’s nothing crushing but I’m not happy.

I feel flat. Empty almost. Like I have nothing to add to conversations, no sex drive whatsoever, feeling like I no longer fit in the family I have. Like they are in a club I don’t belong to. I don’t know if I trust my brain at the moment, it’s filled with all sorts of negative crap. I feel like my family don’t like the person I am right now and I don’t know if I blame them. I wonder if going on HRT would turn me back to the person my family used to like.

I’ve had depression in the past, and I don’t know if this is depression or menopause. I can’t tell. I don’t have girlfriends to talk to about this, I don’t even know if HRT is a done thing anymore? I think deep down I feel like a cop out if I go on drugs.

Anyway. Is there anyone out there on HRT? I would love to hear of your experiences with it, and if it’s worth trying. I’ve made an appointment with the doctor but there’s a 6 week waiting time (small town, few doctors).

Thankyou
Click to expand...
I could have written your post, it’s so spot on regarding how I feel about my mood, my family, past depression and the uncertainty of if this is depression or menopause. The only difference is that last Summer after a particularly bad episode I was put on HRT. After a few weeks I felt so good, like my old self had returned. I was calmer, content and had so much energy again. Then unfortunately after about 2 months or so I noticed I was gaining weight at quite a speed. I could live with the weight gain... to a point if my mood was better but my joints and glands were sore from water retention. Breasts were huge and sore as were my ankles, so I had to stop. I’ve kind of ridden on the back of the replacement hormones until recently. Now im back where i started, hot flushes are back with a vengeance, low mood, lethargy ... The only thing I have learned is that it’s not depression as I’ve previously known but lack of hormones as taking HRT proved this. However it makes very little difference when low mood is low mood.
I take supplements, turmeric for brain and memory, vitamin D and the B vitamins.
From what I understand gels and creams bypass the liver so unused hormones aren’t stored there either so there’s less danger of estrogen dominance. But they aren’t as ‘strong’ as tablet form.
I am going to have to explore another form of HRT as I am certain I can’t continue to live like this. But it’s so complicated and of course each of us are different
Please let us know how you get on. I’d be so interested. Wishing you the best
 
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Libbylulu

Libbylulu

Wondering if anyone has had any joy with herbal hormone supplements and if so what? Thanks
 
H

Happy35

I am taking Cerazette after issues with Mirena and fibroids but think I am in early stages of symptoms. I got too hot today and had what I assume was a flush, it wasn’t that hot and I am normally freezing.
I am 46 so think I may need HRT at some point soon, although my mam had her menopause at 56
 
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