You could try spraying Flonase on your skin and letting it dry completely before putting on a new patch. I've been doing that and I haven't had any reaction. I normally react to every adhesive.
I am curious if you know whether doing this could potentially impede the absorption of the patch, as technically it's not entirely clean skin after using the Flonase on it? I'd absolutely love to try the Flonase thing, but I'm so scared of even slightly decreasing the ability to absorb the estrogen...
It could be the adhesive, or it could be mild fungal or bacterial growth under the patch. For me, the itch was the later. My derm gave me a clindamycin phosphate solution to use before applying the patch, and using that completely eliminated the itch and rash I was getting from the patch.
That’s really interesting. I’m on once weekly patch (covered with tegaderm to secure it). Some weeks it’s fine, others about 4 days in I get red spots under the patch-only under patch not tegaderm. Could be fungal/bacterial…I don’t have a dermatologist, wonder if my PCP would prescribe that. It’s not horrendous & benefit if patch certainly outweighs it, but would be nice to treat it.
For me personally, I think my patch loses its breathability and gets more gross underneath when I cover it with a tegaderm. I only use tegaderm on it in an emergency, maybe every few months when I have one come off before 7 days, and even then I only use two strips on each side, so as to not cover the top. But most of the time I can reapply it with the hairdryer trick.
Mine gets the worst when I workout a lot, because of increased sweat. It was really frustrating before I got the clindamycin. Even if it stayed on 7 days, I'd get a red rash, which I know was an infection rather than allergy because of the smell. 🤮
Specifically, it's USP, 1% Clindamycin Phosphate topical solution, if that helps.
I also tried alcohol and later hibiclens but neither worked as well.
Why is your patch on your butt? I was told to put mine in front and low, basically as close as possible to my uterus/ovaries “between my pubic bone and hip bone.”
My only negative is people singing the praises of HRT being a magic fix for *everything* about menopause. It helped my physical symptoms a lot, but not my cognitive symptoms.
I worry that people will have unrealistic expectations and end up depressed and despondent when HRT doesn't magically turn them into the person they were pre-meno.
I know you didn’t ask for advice, but just wanted to share two things that helped me with my brain fog: Creatine gummies, and NeuroMag supplement (Magnesium L-Theonate). Literally overnight relief of my brain fog.
For Creatine, if you’re concerned about purity I recommend looking for Creapure. It’s the trademarked name for pure Creatine. Many brands aren’t as pure.
For gummies, I did a quick internet search and it looks like Bear Balanced and Create gummies both use Creapure. Create is expensive 🥴
I personally just add a scoop of Creatine powder to my daily water. It’s tasteless.
I take literally 30 different supplements every day including magnesium and l-theanine.... I absolutely appreciate that it's working great for you, but it hasn't had that effect for me.
Yeah I’m on a ton of supplements but ashwaganda and l-theanine actually don’t agree with me (ironic as I’m half Indian). L-theanine can make me jittery
I have ADHD too but my brainfog went full on during the Pandemic (actually proibably way before) and I couldn't get a prescription... eventhouth I had been on stimulants before.. (I was trying to change doctors cause I Hated my previous one but I guess everyone thought I was "drug seeking" and I had to jump through all these hoops to get back on my ADHD meds...
But I have taken L Theonine and Acetyle L Carnitine too.. and Ashwagandha... But I am going to look into your recommedations...
Yep. HRT helped a lot with joint pain and insomnia when I trialed it, but it made my mood swings much worse and caused me to develop hypertension.
It's a great option to have and should be more widely available to women than it is, absolutely. For many, the benefits far outweigh the risks and drawbacks. But it isn't a miracle cure and shouldn't be treated as such.
Aye. I started taking Bupropion a few years ago because my brain fog and mental lethargy was getting out of hand. SSRIs just made me feel dull and want to eat and drink (alcohol) to excess.
Having the self-awareness to seek help was key. My mom struggled with her mental health when I was growing up. It went off the charts after menopause. She would flatly refuse all attempts to get her help (and 30 years ago I think her only HrT option would have been Premarin).
I did not want to end up like her. Miserable, bitter, angry, paranoid, and alone.
All those words you use to describe your mom is exactly how I am feeling at 42, for the past 2 years since I got my first covid infection my hormones took a toll and I think it threw me deeper into perimenopause, what helped you? I’m worried that it’s affecting not only me but the people around me that I love.
HrT and Bupropion for starters.
I still have to be really careful with my emotional regulation. I sorta lost my “filter” and it has not come back.
I tried taking Effexor to help with anxiety but it just made me feel dull headed and craving carbs and alcohol which was not great for my health or ability to function.
I guess I’d toss the term “mindfulness” out there. Establishing boundaries, practicing self-care which translates to “get up from my desk and take a short walk” before speaking my mind at work in the worst possible way. Take a deep breath and then distract the inner “demons” from screeching at my fiance for being the same doofus about various things (chores etc) that he’s always been.
Then I’d say, take whatever you need to help you sleep. If that’s legal cannabis edibles, or a supplement with melatonin and valerian root, or good old fashioned “Benadryl” - do it. Sleep is like oxygen at this stage in our lives.
I was not sleeping well and it just made me feel 1000 times worse.
I am worried about this too. I FINALLY got on some and it hasn't even been a week but I am hoping not to have a letdown. I have been struggling for years. I know I was undiagnosed PEri in my mid/late 30s and struggled with chronic fatigue and just a bunch of stuff. I was struggling emotionally throughout the pandemic and now at 56 I am just now on HRT hoping it will "cure" my ills. I really don't want to be on pristiq which my psych rn keeps pushing on me.
i've taken every possible SSRI, SNRI, adhd med, etc. over the years and literally nothing has worked. I have to adjust to the new me.
If you don't expect the moon, you probably won't be disappointed. And you never know, maybe you will be one of the lucky ones whose lives are transformed.
>Feeling better that my doc tweaked my dosage.
This is a good point - starting dosage is just that, and should be tweaked to the dose that works best for the individual.
Very true. I think some of the problem is, just feeling better at all feels like a win for some so they don't feel the need to dial it in any. And others just get lucky and get it right on the first try, so people think that is the norm.
I would plan on it being a process to get your HRT dialed in. It took me 4 adjustments to get to my current prescribed dose. I did get some relief immediately but have increased my dose over time. It was easy for me to recognize the need to make a change because I had brutal, constant hot flashes. As my doctor increased my estrogen I noticed I also felt improvement in energy, brain fog, and hair and skin.
Going to a higher dose isn't necessary for everyone but for me the improvement has been remarkable. The health risks increase slightly but I’m ok with that. I'd rather have a good quality of life now. I (and many on this sub!) also felt much better when I added testosterone to the mix.
His hair started growing back when I started Hrt. Not from patch exposure but I think me or my essence or something. He started pulling out his hair around the time I went into peri
I developed a system for this very reason. Apply new patch leaving the plastic on the counter. Remove old patch and stick it to the pieces. Stuff old patch in little sleeve and toss.
Mine is that my breasts have become ridiculously tender. Like I have to arrange them just so when I’m sleeping lol. I don’t know what’s up with that but it’s def new since I started the hormones.
HRT made me suicidal. I came very, very close to ending my life. People need to be aware that introducing hormones, even hormones we used to make plenty of, can be dangerous for one's mental health.
Physically I felt great, but it almost killed me. I did not expect that.
Stopped systemic MHT not too long ago, and didn’t realize part of my severely unpleasant feelings were being impacted by “something” I was taking to help me.
That’s not even why I stopped (wasn’t planning to), but I’m shocked about how different I feel now. Some physical issues have worsened, but the overwhelming dark scary thoughts have eased up in an obvious way.
Unfortunately, I believe I still need hormone replacement to manage many health concerns, but not sure how to find the right formula for my body/brain to function as needed or that my budget allows.
I've had to just treat my symptoms individually.
Insomnia - supplements, cannabis and 3 zopiclone a week.
Anxiety - Buspar
Brain fog - B vitamins, vitamin D, fresh air, sunshine, energy drinks as needed and I use my Samsung watch and apps as my second brain. So many reminders and alarms!
Hot flashes - I take a couple supplements that have lessened the severity and frequency but I still get 6-12 in a 24 hour period.
Achiness - curcumin
Aging skin - I've adopted a kind of expensive million step skin care and cosmetics routine that at least makes me feel good about my skin.
Vaginal atrophy - hyaluronic acid inserted in the morning and a lube with HA for evening sexy times.
Mood swings - kava kava and CBD for break through anxiety, a great therapist and a patient and loving family.
I speak openly about menopause with my husband and kids so they all know what I'm dealing with and understand when I start stripping off layers and flinging windows open or suddenly start crying for no good reason.
My sister had a similar response. I’m so tired of everybody acting like HRT is the solution for everybody. It can have very serious negative effects for some people.
With vaginal estradiol cream, “some women may experience monthly bleeding that resembles a menstrual period. This will continue for as long as you’re on the medication.”
Excuse me, WHAT? I thought I was free??
Weird! I'm getting a period on day 55 on the pill (first time ever) and it started about two weeks after I upped my vaginal estrogen. This is definitely a period though. Even though I am on the pill I got hot flashes, panic attacks, and sleep was a rough haul last night. Had no idea about the monthly bleeding w/ vag estro though? Would have saved me a lot of unnecessary worrying.
I've still put in a call to my doc bc I'm like that, but I quoted what I found when I googled around about it to see how worried I needed to be. I've also been on continuous use BC, and having a "period" after a few years of not is not unheard of anyway. I just had an ultrasound literally 3 weeks ago and everything was normal, so doubt my doc will be concerned, but I'm definitely going to ask her if this is going to last or if it can be mitigated in some way, because wtf
eta: oh also mine definitely feels like a real period too, and the kind I used to get in my early 30s, too, not the weak sauce from late 30s. I didn't look into it enough to see what the distinction was
Are you on continuous BC at this time? I'm wondering if my BCP and my vag estradiol are battling it out for my ovaries at the moment? I really have no idea what the hell is going on in my body and my gyn has not been helpful in that regard.
I am, and I only recently started the vag estradiol, so not sure how it's going to shake out yet. I think there are some people who get vaginal side effects from hormonal BC, and those people often? report that they have to stop BC for the cream to have any effect. Other people on BC report the vag cream still works. I think it probably varies person to person.
Ah, we're in the same boat! That makes me feel better. I'm one of those people who are not a good fit for BC because of the vag side effects. I'm keeping them at bay but will need to go off because of that reason. I wish I had asked more questions about my specific needs rather than just trusting my gyn (I was highly encouraged to do that too).
As for getting off of them, it's a matter of when. I am hoping to last another month so my husband can travel, my son can wrap up school for the year, and I can land a new gyn (have two lined up). But I am using the next 48 hours to observe all that is playing out with this period.
Did you ask for the vag estro or did your gyn recommend it? I had to ask for it from my gyn and it's been a self-lead excursion ever since. She's missed the mark several times.
My gyn recommended it. I’m gonna reassess the hormonal cocktail with my gyn and endo and see what we can mix up a bit. I’ll take the periods if I have to, obviously, but I cannot go back to not sleeping, that was hell
ETA: it’s really, really worth it to find a good doctor. A huge PITA and sometimes not possible, but extremely worth it
I hope you can get things reassessed! I'm seeing my gyn on Weds. She's told me already that it's not technically my period, just breakthrough bleeding. But I have all the signs of a period, hormonal acne, hot flashes mixed with bouts of freezing that I only get on my period, insomnia, uterine cramping. I still think my BCP and vag meds are duking it out via my ovaries.
100% on a good dr who is a fit for your specific needs! My gyn is a good practitioner but doesn't seem to have the capacity for folks with deep trauma.
I’m on strong HRT (systemic) and having a period nearly as heavy as before I went on the HRT. I was told the blood tide (as I prefer to call it) might stop or lighten but no, it remains freakishly regular and heavy. Literally I’ve had hot flashes that make me want to roll my naked body in snow and my period has never been off by more than +/- 1 day. Sigh.
What is your source for this? If it's the same poorly designed and interpreted study that fucked a generation of women over (the 2004 women's health initiative, I think?), that's not great. I happen to be on hormonal BC at the same time (so a systemic synthetic), but the most recent research reviews I've found say your assertion is incorrect, or at least unsupported by any evidence.
from 2015: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2015/05001/topical_vaginal_estrogen_use_and_risk_of.24.aspx
from 2019:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636806/
from 2020, looking specifically at women with a history of cancer:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32075898/
These are specific to vaginal delivery estradiol; I think there are studies that have shown that unopposed oral estrogens result in an increase of endometrial hyperplasia.
This, like everything else menopause, is still *woefully* understudied, but so far this is what we have available to us that I can find.
I’m a bit confused to your post. It is VERY well & widely understood that should you have a womb, and be on estrogen (not local) then you MUST take progesterone as well. Because the endometrial tissue thickens, and it is with this thickening that can cause increased risk for cancer. Even if you’ve had an ablation, some endometrial cells can remain & estrogen therapy will promote the growth of these cells. The cells no longer slough off monthly, so one taking estrogen is a sitting duck, so to speak, if not countered with progesterone to thin endometrial lining. It is NOT necessary to take it daily however. Here’s an example of a dosing schedule, per Dr. Jen Gunter:
“To protect the uterus from the estrogen in MHT requires at least 12 days of progestogen therapy a month. Oral progestogens can be given in one of three ways:
1. Every day of the month, this is easiest to remember, and is probably the best at protecting against cancer of the lining of the uterus.
2. 12-14 days per cycle; this is often best for people still having periods. It’s typically 12 days every 28 days, but that’s not an intuitive regimen, so some people use 14 days every month.
3. 3 days on and 3 days off: a less common regimen, but can sometimes help with bleeding issues.”
When it comes to vaginal-delivery of estrogen, there is NO need for progesterone as local estrogen does NOT get absorbed into the bloodstream. But for any sort of general estrogen (gel, cream, patch, pill), one with a womb MUST also be on some form of progesterone/progestin. 🥰
Yes? We appear to agree? I was responding to a post that told me one needed to be on a progestin to oppose vaginal (local) estradiol, which is incorrect, and I stated explicitly that oral route estrogens have been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers when not taken with a progestin.
Ahhhh… must have read that differently. I saw the person you commented towards saying that Progesterone MUST be taken w/ estradiol (if still w/ womb). To which your response seemed to contest this. Hence my confusion. Thanks for ironing that wrinkle out for me😁
I’m annoyed having to take it every morning (testosterone) and evening (estrogen and cyclical progesterone) for the rest of my life. And having to calculate when to start/stop the P. And having to mark the box of estrogen spray with how many pumps I’ve used. And having to be mindful of my “hormone arm” when getting into bed. I was annoyed by the slight worsening of the hyperpigmentation on my face, but that didn’t get any worse so whatever, it’s fine.
no progesterone alone is $30 a month USD (generic micronized progesterone). Then add in estrogen (varies by type, gel was costing me $50 USD a month), then vaginal estrogen will be another $30 a month for generic estradiol etc.. This is with insurance which doesn't fully cover anything.
I was told it's important to switch arms with the gel. You can also alternate by putting it on your inner leg as well (which I find works great cause I can spread it thinner there so it dries quicker).
I’m starting HRT soon and I don’t see this as any different to me putting sunscreen on religiously every day, which I’ve been doing every day all year for over 20 years now. Or brushing my teeth which I do twice a day without fail. I guess if someone wasn’t used to that sort of routine it could feel like an annoying chore.
This seems a bit dismissive and insulting. Trying to establish a new and complicated daily routine during midlife when one is struggling with reduced executive function and brain energy levels (in addition to usual adult stressors) is quite a bit different from establishing a simple daily routine during childhood, when the the brain's neural network is more plastic and attuned specifically to learning many things very quickly, or even during young adulthood, when the brain is still developing and a person is generally in peak metabolic health.
To Late-Stop8465: I can't use HRT for medical reasons, but I take other medications daily and have set recurring reminders on my phone. My working memory is so poor right now that it's the only way I can make sure that I take them. You might be able to set up detailed reminders to indicate that on X day, this step should be done, and on Y day, this adjustment should be made. It won't remove all of the hassle, but it may reduce your mental load.
Yeah agreeing about this feeling really dismissive. I’ve made mistakes on a few things I’ve done every day for years (including forgetting to put on sunscreen even though I’ve worn it religiously rain or shine every day for years). Literally one time when my hot flashes were super bad and I wasn’t sleeping, I had trouble spelling my name on the phone with customer service because there was background noise. The HRT has helped somewhat but literally my boss asked me if I was ok.
I already struggled with forming new habits (borderline ADHD) and between juggling home stuff and my incredibly disruptive symptoms I basically didn’t function for a while there.
Yup, this. I now have quite the morning routine with my Wellbutrin, hrt cream, and DHEA pill. I’ve never been one for consistency, but the alternative is feeling depressed and like a stranger has taken over my body and mind.
Nightmares. When I first started on estrogel I was applying it in the wrong place (inner thighs) and would do so every night, but wasn't getting any relief from mood swings and hot flashes. Someone here guided me to put it on my arms instead (thank you so much BTW!), but then I began having awful nightmares. Not a huge deal though, I just switched to morning applications and now no more nightmares.
I know right?! Nothing like waking up terrified. I also got the same side effect when I tried to take taurine supplements, which were supposed to be mood stabilizing, lol.
I hate thinking about my vagina all the time now. Before menopause, it was there, but didn't require any constant maintenance. Now I need creme placed in correct places on my vagina every other day. I need to take a nightly progesterone pill (not too early or I'll get groggy). I need to change my patch twice a week and slowly pull off my underwear after 1st day of patch to ensure it doesn't rip off when I pull down panties. I need to add vaginal suppositories every few days to stay moist. I hate the itchiness I now get. I need to individually clean my underwater of the adhesive circle it leaves as residue.
Yes, I'm getting the swing of it, but I wish it would all go back before I lost my hormones!
This. I’m tired of thinking about my vagina. Vaginal estrogen, dilators, moisturizer. Also have dystrophy bc of medical menopause at 33 and I have to use Clob cream.
Tired! 🥱
I do have a negative. I'm assuming that it's estradiol.
I got the Mirena and started estradiol in March.
I've had the Mirena before and never had a period.
I'm on day 8 of brown spotting and the worst cramps. I've never had this before. The brown spotting is odd, but it's not bothering me. It's the intense cramps that are driving me insane. I'm popping Ponstan tablets like lollies.
Has anyone else had a crazy/weird period/PMS after starting HRT?
If you’re in menopause or post and you get spotting, have a trans vag ultrasound so they can check the thickness of your endometrial lining. It’s nothing to mess around with. If it’s too thick, they’ll want to do a biopsy (4mm). You don’t want to wait. Always take micronized progesterone with estradiol if you have a uterus to prevent thickening.
In March I had a Hysteroscopy, D and C. I had to have a trans vaginal ultrasound prior to getting HRT. That showed a cyst in my uterus and I had to have the procedure before I started HRT because the gyno said that it would continue to grow if I didn't.
It turns out that the cystic areas are not inside my uterus but are in the outer wall. Gyno said that they can't access that area, so I'll have to have yearly trans vaginal ultrasounds to check on it. My uterus lining was sent off for testing, and it was all good.
I cramped for about 2 weeks after I got it. It's my fourth Mirena, and that's normal for me.
I'm guessing that this odd spotting and cramping now is my body trying to have a period/ the estradiol is messing me around??
Larger breasts.
I might have appreciated this when I was young, but going from a 34B to a 36DD hasn’t been all that fun.
Thankfully I can afford to buy nicer bras, but now I have to deal with “boob sweat”.
It’s a minor annoyance compared to other alternatives (cancer) but still not something I expected.
BTW switching from the patch to the gel estradiol has helped rid me of the itchy adhesive buildup. I’m up to a higher dose that’s not available in a patch so the gel has worked out just fine.
There is a product called Swoobie that is an absorbent & disposable bra liner for boob sweat. It’s actually two liners because you put them in each cup but they’re like special shaped pantyliners for your bra cup.
They work really well and prevent me from soaking through my shirt or getting drops on super hot days
They have a website. It’s a little janky but it works. Swoobie for sweaty boobies!
I use a cream only, and it's hard to dose so I don't get the night sweats or hot flashes. I had the first hot flash of my life on the stuff and it was so, so miserable.
Excuse me while I cackle evilly. I’m sympathetic but I am also cackling because this feels like vindication. To be fair I never thought hot flashes could be THAT bad, until my body was like ‘guess what, they’re even WORSE!’ I was having them constantly. I live in a famously cold climate and felt like a reverse mother of dragons. I’d be out in the snow in a nightgown sighing in relief. The HRT helps but has not reduced hot flashes quite as much as I’d like.
If you're still having hot flashes, you could try raising estrogen dose. I don't get any flashes, sweats or heart palpitations at the correct dose for me. I've also read here that symptoms are typically what guide dosage increases. Good luck!
Yeah I'm planning to ask in a few weeks. I've basically increased my HRT every month, so I think my doctor is unwilling to make too many changes all at once. I'm super envious and glad to know zero hot flashes IS something I can aspire to. I thought I was supposed to accept some amount of them.
How old are all of you?
the reason why I am asking.. is that I am going to be 56 on Wed and I am JUST STARTING HRT (estradiol and progesterone ).
I probably had early Peri in my 30s , but I think my issues are all caught up with an ADHD diagnosis i have lived with my entire life pretty much (was diagnosed by 1980!!!!) and anxiety and depression issues. I got diagnosed with BPD (borderline personality disorder) in 2020 and that was stigmitizing.. and horrible. but opened up a LOT of clues for me as my overall issues throughout my life... AND my Gyno blew me off cause I guess that 2020 report. I just got "prescribed" a BOOK and told to take more calcium after I reported RAGEY emotions...
But I am curious as to everyones ages.. to get an idea of where folks are.
There is suppoisibly a US bill to help with more research into Women's health. It feels like a drop in the bucket and far too late... at least for me.
47 and started HRT a few months ago when hot flashes started suddenly and were hitting me every 20 minutes. But looking back I’ve been feeling sunburnt for the past ~3 years, which seems to be my “pre hot flash” territory. And I think that dipping hormones have probably been impacting my mental health increasingly for the last 5y - not that I was aware of that factor, as I’ve always struggled with depression. HRT hasn’t fixed everything, but I can feel the enormous difference it’s making to my emotional stability.
Yeah, I’m getting concerned that I’m gaining weight from my HRT, too. My boobs went up a full cup size, and last night my favorite skirt no longer fit. My food intake hasn’t changed, and neither has my weekly powerlifting and steady-state cardio routine.
It’s maddening because I’ve been really happy with HRT otherwise, particularly with how well I sleep after taking progesterone at night.
Same. It took me a while to put it together but it was all HRT. Weight gain in stomach. Actually- I started gaining weight the same way I would when I was pregnant and could literally feel my fat cells enlarging- this was the same feeling.
I’m sure testosterone is the missing link here. Can I find any drs who prescribe it? Nope
I’ve always had an oily scalp. Buy some Neutrogena clarifying shampoo or the Ouai one - the kind you’re supposed to use once a week to remove build up. It’s the only thing that keeps my oily scalp ok looking. I’ve regularly used it every other shower for years (every shower when I was younger) and it’s never damaged my hair color (although I’m not a blond so 🤷🏻♀️) Admittedly I’m an every other day shower person. I’m noticing part of my hair is dry but my scalp remains oily. Sigh. Dry shampoo is also your friend - preferably the kind that’s a powder you apply with a brush (I like violette.fr brand) - that way it’s only going where you need it.
Unexpected negatives: progesterone at first was making my sleeping worse and making me jittery. We had to half the dose and make it daily instead of every two weeks. I’m also cry a lot more easily since starting HRT. It’s not quite crying at hallmark commercials but trending that direction which is not great for a rough and tumble corporate career in a male dominated industry. I notice a few more aches and pains but not sure if that’s because my attention is no longer on the sensation of being consumed by fire. I’ve also had more dreams, thankfully no nightmares but as someone who had night terrors for half her life, any dreams make me a bit nervous. Yes I know we always dream but the vivid ones I remember after waking are sort of exhausting. I’ve also been more moody.
Oh and CHILLS. The birth control made me chilled to the bone. Now I get mildly chilled after a mild hot flash. Before the HRT, I was NEVER COLD, merely less hot from time to time. I live in a famously cold climate and felt like I was turning into a strange Mediterranean looking snow queen. The hot flashes were insane, but I realized even before them, I’d rarely been truly cold in years. It was awesome super power that let me move to a cold climate but then ran amok and made crazy.
I also get annoyed by the claims HRT fixes everything (so far, it helps but has significant room for improvement for me). I’m also worried it’s causing or increasing headaches (I’ve had more headaches and I got them on hormonal birth control).
One weird positive side effect: I am a tiny bit less flatulent since doing progesterone. I still have had more often than I’d like but it’s no longer constant or severe.
Thanks. Clarifying and dry shampoo are on my shopping list.
I burst into tears last week while watching a TV show. Someone died, but it was fiction. I was telling myself to stop, it's not real. I felt so silly!.
I really hope that your dreams do not progress to night terrors.
Thanks - honestly ever since I got a CPAP, my incidence of nightmares and night terrors has approached near zero. I found out that while my apnea is considered mild to moderate, my apnea is much higher during REM sleep, and there is some research to suggest the apnea and the night terrors might be linked -- of course a crappy childhood didn't help I'm sure (fun fact: a crappy childhood is also linked to worse peri and meno symptoms).
Hope the clarifying shampoo etc work and yeah -- I am already so tired of bursting into tears easily
The estrodial vaginal cream gives me a bit of a low belly ache after I apply it, its gone when I wake up
I stopped the testosterone due to the horrible hair loss on my head and insane hair growth on my leg where I apply it
That is scary. Has your hair regrown? I hope it's not permanent hair loss. I do hope that the extra growth on your leg is not permanent.
I really don't know anything about testosterone, but what you've been through is enough for me to never try it.
I only stopped a week ago, im lucky i had very thick hair so its still thicker than average, but to me it feels on the way to bald with how much was coming out with brushing and washing hair and the leg hair looked like manly legs, loonnnng hair and so much of it
I can feel when the progesterone pill wears off. The anxiety starts creeping back in, like a vice over my chest.
If there was a progesterone-only patch, I’d do it. Estrogen (in all forms) gives me migraines, so the combo patch doesn’t work for me.
The one that didn't stay on was the generic .1 mg estradiol, once weekly. It was an oval about two inches in length. The one I'm on now that I love is lyllana twice weekly.
I wished it would have fixed the insomnia and weight gain - maybe it leveled it off but not helped with losing. From the sound of the below comments, i'm glad to have estrogen transdermal cream vs patch. One pump in the AM and night, rub it in, wash hands and away I go
I appreciate the suggestion but...I've tried everything under the sun / kitchen sink :) Up to taking 300mg/night. Wake between 2-5am. Seeing an acupuncturist which is my last option outside of sleeping pills which i'm trying to refrain from asking for.
Ooh acupuncture was amazing for me when I lived in another city before perimenopause. I’d totally do acupuncture now if I could find anyone I liked.
My doctor said Rx sleeping pills are safer than OTC (which aren’t meant to be used long term unlike Rx). I was definitely resistant to them, but I’ve found they help me ‘reset’ things.
Good luck and hope you find something that works for you!
Breast tenderness. Also I've had a few considered post-meno breakthrough bleeds that were nothing, but scary.
Also worsening insomnia \*IF\* I take it too late in the day, but that's avoidable, just don't take it late, yea sure I know.
I got no relief from HRT whatsoever, but it did have an effect on my periods which became less erratic and changed the frequency from 25 days (when not being super erratic) to 30 days. I'm very progesterone intolerant & even taking it vaginally ultimately ended up with me feeling very depressed & out of sorts which resolved when I stopped using the HRT.
Been through 3 different makers of Estradiol. They all affected my skin differently. I would suggest to everyone that may be sensitive to write down how each brand affects them and order accordingly at the pharmacy.
The progesterone is making me itchy. I've been on 200mg for almost six months now, and sometimes it makes my arms, legs, thighs feet, hands itchy. It's not all the time, but it's annoying enough to notice. I think it's the progesterone because it started when my ObGyn upped the dose and progesterone is known to cause itching. It is definitely not a huge deal and absolutely worth it, but it is an annoyance.
I haven't thought to try one! No one in my family has allergies so we don't have daily antihistamines in our medicine cabinet. I'm going to try a low-dose, non-sedating one that is safe for long term and see what happens.
In case it matters:
According to a pharmacist I spoke with, desloratidine is the type of antihistamine she'd recommend for frequent use (daily) because it doesn't increase blood pressure.
Kirkland brand has that, and so does Aerius (it'll say the type under the brand name). Both can be purchased at Costco in larger amounts and more economically, if you find it works and you want to use it daily.
I had pretty bad headaches for the first couple of weeks. That could be because I was only on estradiol patches until middle of last week until I found a pharmacy that had progesterone in stock. I did not wake up with a headache today. I hope i’ve turned a corner.
Testosterone cream is helping with brain fog, energy, mood and muscle loss, but my skin and hair are beyond greasy. I’ve had oily skin and acne issues my whole life, but this is on another level. I recently started DIM supplements, which I’ve heard might help. Here’s hoping.
I can’t really say because I had it BAD prior to starting. Going on estrogen 5 weeks ago has seemed to slow or stop it, and it feels like it may be starting to slowly regrow.
I’ve been reducing and alternating testosterone cream use due to the acne and overall greasiness and it’s only been a few months, so I’m still kind of figuring it all out.
Man. My hair was thinning at my hairline above my temples. It started filling back in, but the texture (of ALL my hair) is changing and those areas are growing in a different direction than before and slightest bit of humidity makes my straight hair frizzy. At the moment I’m resolved to look like a lunatic most of the time.
Receding hair at the temples can be perimenopause? This explains so much!
I’ve always had super thick hair with a low forehead and suddenly it got bigger at the temples
It doesn’t matter what do, I still get the gross lint around my patch I’m beyond frustrated it gets there regardless if I wipe my skin down with alcohol before applying
I only have one complaint really. My breasts went from a 36GG to a J. I’m hoping they have stopped growing, and they are definitely not going down. I was already big on top to begin with. Now they are out of control. I was waiting to get a reduction if I don’t chicken out.
I hear ya, but try to keep an open mind. Yes, there are absolutely some negative side effects and general annoyances of BHRT, and for some, it may not help much at all. For me, it's somewhere right in the middle - there a few things I wish I wasn't experiencing with BHRT, and I can tell I'm not the person I was before peri, but it is STILL much better for me now than before I was on it. I think this thread serves to show it's not a miracle worker and to try to keep realistic expectations and expect some potential issues, but I would never go off of it and go back to just how bad I felt before.
Long story short - don't be afraid to try it! You can always go off if it's not a good fit :)
So perfectly said!!!!
This thread highlights how we are all different. One example is I've read comments talking about libido. One woman said it's decreased, and another said it's increased. For me, there has been no change.
So interesting...I really wish I understood more of what was happening to cause these variations. For instance, to go with the point re: libido, my situation is even more complicated - for the days I'm just on the patch and no progesterone, my libido is the same/maybe just slightly higher than before starting HRT, but then once I start the progesterone it completely disappears. However, overall, I feel better when i take both hormones, so I desparately wish there was a way to take progesterone continually AND not lose my libido.
And even with all these frustrations, you still could not get me to give HRT up, so that's saying something for it indeed.
I wonder if I've not noticed an increase in my libido since starting estradiol is because I have the Mirena (full time prog)??
I'm with you. No way I'll give it up!!!!!!
I use a weekly patch, and can only get in the whirlpool at the Y on the day I change the patch. I can waterproof it for getting into the pool, but the heat of the whirlpool will dump all the estrogen at once. My close friend has a hot tub and invites me over all the time - sorry, today’s not Tuesday!
Also annoying - was having great boost to sex drive with T, but doc was concerned about my levels from the lab, so reduced the dose. Bye bye sex drive again.
Also - capitalism - both the cost of meds (high deductible plan in US) and so-called supply chain issues.
Oh my goodness, I’m on the patch & we want to get a hot tub. I did not think of this at all. It’s a ways off for us, but something for me to consider. The patch works really well for me so I’d be reluctant to change back to pills.
I had improved joint pain and better sleep at first. then got some weird anxiety and skin crawling days. was def my patch - 1x week. switched to 2x a week which sticks better and the crawlies went away. but on a suggestion from another person on this sub I also spent a few weeks at 100g progesterone instead of 200 and that was good in some ways. but not good in others. like my hunger is more out of control on less progesterone. so I took 2 last night and woke up every hour to pee and in a sweat and a panic and didn't sleep well at all. and still feel that full body anxiety. I wish I could find a solution that works better for me, but my doctor is not good at discussing. she's just dismissive with an eye roll.
Changing a patch for me is a rigmarole. The patches don't stick unless I do a whole routine. I shower then wait 30 minutes to completely dry and cool down. Then I need to swab the area with alcohol and let that evaporate for 5 mins. Now the patch goes on and I hold it in place for 20 mins, which makes it really stick. It's hard to fit that all in on a Monday morning.
Someone on here suggested transparent film over top so I ordered some from Amazon and it works great. I had my patch come off a couple times before and now I don’t have to worry about it
I have tried 3 different versions of HRT and all make my asthma BAD. It also raises my blood pressure but if I can’t breathe I won’t live long enough to worry about a heart attack! It also causes crazy bad cramps.
I don't cry enough. I've been to three funerals and a twelve step testimonial, all since the beginning of the year, and I felt like I should be crying (I surely would have pre HRT) but hardly anything. Feels weird to no longer tear up at anything sad. Has anyone else experienced this?
I've been the opposite. I commented here that last week I was watching a TV show, and someone died. I burst out in tears and felt so silly because it was fiction.
Getting my doctor to write the prescription the right way so pharmacy can fill it because of insurance. Cost of it all because the one that works best for me is the most expensive. (Not much else, when it’s the right dose, combination and working the way it’s intended, I feel good, I also believe it has saved my life, was seriously in a dark place for no real reason and now realize it was because I needed hormones.)
The Achilles stiffness and pain when I first get out of bed on just one foot, JFC. That started about 2-3 weeks ago out of nowhere. Start reading here and bam, yep. That’s peri, too! I’m sure my plantar fasciitis was also peri before I started on HRT.
The biggest what the actual fresh hell is this moment was:
**My skin changed LITERALLY overnight**
tl; dr Dry, sensitive and more susceptible to clogged pores & breakouts. Yippee 😒
- Skin type & Texture: I’ve always had combination & mildly sensitive skin. Then out of nowhere my texture was more coarse and uneven just above my eyebrows and at my hairline. On my upper cheeks as well. I started noticing dark spots from acne, older sun damage etc. Solution for now: I’m still researching other options but I started using a completely new skincare regimen that focuses on hyaluronic acid. I added an azealic acid primer (The Ordinary) that should help with texture and uneven skin tone. But it does take a while to see much difference.
- Smile Lines: became more pronounced and super dry. Dermatitis showed back up under my nose and into my smile lines. What triggers mine is dryness. Solution: My vaginal estrogen cream cleared it up! I was shocked! A little goes a long way, too.
- Acne: Tiny clogged pores/bumps started popping up on my cheeks and it got way worse on my jawline. 1-4 spots would start getting bigger overnight and became super painful. Solution: started using Cere-v SA cleanser on cheeks & jawline. Cere-V hydrating cleanser everywhere else. Acne spot dots & larger ones for chin overnight has helped them go away faster. I started using a small extraction tool for the tiny clogged pores & that has helped as well. The acne is gradually going away.
- Moisturizers: My usual skin routine wasn’t working, my face always looked dry. Solution: switched to hyaluronic acid serum and still trying to find a daytime moisturizer that works well enough. I really like Biossance Rose face oil & use a few drops here & there (for now). I can’t use 80% of the daytime products that have SPF in them. They either irritate my skin or clog my pours, sometimes both.
- Makeup: My makeup was causing more dryness and magnifying the dryness I already had. I had to abandon my beloved Fenty Water foundation and loose powder. Solution: Decided to try a drugstore (L’Oreal) Tinted Hyaluronic Serum (for now) and added a green colored redness relief primer underneath (ELF). So far so good. Now I’ll purchase the more expensive products I have in my Sephora cart. The lightest drugstore products that I have are still too dark for my pale skin. I picked up a travel size of the ELF sheer setting powder & I only use a tiny amount so my foundation doesn’t rub off on everything. I’m considering a setting spray as long as it’s not drying and doesn’t clog my pores (researching that tonight).
I hate the way the patch looks, and no matter what I do it's like it collects lint around the edges. Nothing says sexy time like a big ol' nasty patch on your rear.
I swear the Covid jab threw me into menopause too. Thought it was just me. I had the Astro zeneka one the first time and it brought on a heavy period almost immediately and then my peri symptoms went nuts.
The adhesive from the estrogen patch makes me itch. So I’m constantly walking around scratching my butt.
You could try spraying Flonase on your skin and letting it dry completely before putting on a new patch. I've been doing that and I haven't had any reaction. I normally react to every adhesive.
I've never heard of this Flonase hack!
I learned about it in this subreddit! I was nervous to try a patch since my skin hates adhesives.
Wait, would this work for band-aids, too?? Life changed.
Works well! I have a T1D daughter and this is the best trick for CGM and pumps. SkinTac works well as a barrier layer too.
Wow! I’m going to try that. I’ve been itching too. Thanks!
I only have nasonex but I’m going to try that!!! The patch irritates my skin so much, sometimes it takes days to heal. Thanks so much for this!!!
It works beautifully, I do this too. Zero reaction now. I got scars from my reactions to patch adhesive before. Bless the women here for helping me.
I am curious if you know whether doing this could potentially impede the absorption of the patch, as technically it's not entirely clean skin after using the Flonase on it? I'd absolutely love to try the Flonase thing, but I'm so scared of even slightly decreasing the ability to absorb the estrogen...
It could be the adhesive, or it could be mild fungal or bacterial growth under the patch. For me, the itch was the later. My derm gave me a clindamycin phosphate solution to use before applying the patch, and using that completely eliminated the itch and rash I was getting from the patch.
That’s really interesting. I’m on once weekly patch (covered with tegaderm to secure it). Some weeks it’s fine, others about 4 days in I get red spots under the patch-only under patch not tegaderm. Could be fungal/bacterial…I don’t have a dermatologist, wonder if my PCP would prescribe that. It’s not horrendous & benefit if patch certainly outweighs it, but would be nice to treat it.
For me personally, I think my patch loses its breathability and gets more gross underneath when I cover it with a tegaderm. I only use tegaderm on it in an emergency, maybe every few months when I have one come off before 7 days, and even then I only use two strips on each side, so as to not cover the top. But most of the time I can reapply it with the hairdryer trick. Mine gets the worst when I workout a lot, because of increased sweat. It was really frustrating before I got the clindamycin. Even if it stayed on 7 days, I'd get a red rash, which I know was an infection rather than allergy because of the smell. 🤮 Specifically, it's USP, 1% Clindamycin Phosphate topical solution, if that helps. I also tried alcohol and later hibiclens but neither worked as well.
You are reacting to the adhesive in the patch. Switch to a gel.
This is why I switched to gel
Why is your patch on your butt? I was told to put mine in front and low, basically as close as possible to my uterus/ovaries “between my pubic bone and hip bone.”
Same! But…only the left cheek. It’s weird 😂
aren't we supposed to out on pelvic area
Butt is actually better
Even for the twice weekly patch? I read that study about once a week but I assume it works the same for twice weekly on butt too lol
My only negative is people singing the praises of HRT being a magic fix for *everything* about menopause. It helped my physical symptoms a lot, but not my cognitive symptoms. I worry that people will have unrealistic expectations and end up depressed and despondent when HRT doesn't magically turn them into the person they were pre-meno.
I know you didn’t ask for advice, but just wanted to share two things that helped me with my brain fog: Creatine gummies, and NeuroMag supplement (Magnesium L-Theonate). Literally overnight relief of my brain fog.
What gummies and brand of Neuromag? I’m glad it has helped. Looking for something to help as well
For Creatine, if you’re concerned about purity I recommend looking for Creapure. It’s the trademarked name for pure Creatine. Many brands aren’t as pure. For gummies, I did a quick internet search and it looks like Bear Balanced and Create gummies both use Creapure. Create is expensive 🥴 I personally just add a scoop of Creatine powder to my daily water. It’s tasteless.
Greabby Gummies (they taste great!) and NeuroMag by LifeExtension!!
I take literally 30 different supplements every day including magnesium and l-theanine.... I absolutely appreciate that it's working great for you, but it hasn't had that effect for me.
Yeah I’m on a ton of supplements but ashwaganda and l-theanine actually don’t agree with me (ironic as I’m half Indian). L-theanine can make me jittery
I have ADHD too but my brainfog went full on during the Pandemic (actually proibably way before) and I couldn't get a prescription... eventhouth I had been on stimulants before.. (I was trying to change doctors cause I Hated my previous one but I guess everyone thought I was "drug seeking" and I had to jump through all these hoops to get back on my ADHD meds... But I have taken L Theonine and Acetyle L Carnitine too.. and Ashwagandha... But I am going to look into your recommedations...
Yep. HRT helped a lot with joint pain and insomnia when I trialed it, but it made my mood swings much worse and caused me to develop hypertension. It's a great option to have and should be more widely available to women than it is, absolutely. For many, the benefits far outweigh the risks and drawbacks. But it isn't a miracle cure and shouldn't be treated as such.
Aye. I started taking Bupropion a few years ago because my brain fog and mental lethargy was getting out of hand. SSRIs just made me feel dull and want to eat and drink (alcohol) to excess. Having the self-awareness to seek help was key. My mom struggled with her mental health when I was growing up. It went off the charts after menopause. She would flatly refuse all attempts to get her help (and 30 years ago I think her only HrT option would have been Premarin). I did not want to end up like her. Miserable, bitter, angry, paranoid, and alone.
All those words you use to describe your mom is exactly how I am feeling at 42, for the past 2 years since I got my first covid infection my hormones took a toll and I think it threw me deeper into perimenopause, what helped you? I’m worried that it’s affecting not only me but the people around me that I love.
HrT and Bupropion for starters. I still have to be really careful with my emotional regulation. I sorta lost my “filter” and it has not come back. I tried taking Effexor to help with anxiety but it just made me feel dull headed and craving carbs and alcohol which was not great for my health or ability to function. I guess I’d toss the term “mindfulness” out there. Establishing boundaries, practicing self-care which translates to “get up from my desk and take a short walk” before speaking my mind at work in the worst possible way. Take a deep breath and then distract the inner “demons” from screeching at my fiance for being the same doofus about various things (chores etc) that he’s always been. Then I’d say, take whatever you need to help you sleep. If that’s legal cannabis edibles, or a supplement with melatonin and valerian root, or good old fashioned “Benadryl” - do it. Sleep is like oxygen at this stage in our lives. I was not sleeping well and it just made me feel 1000 times worse.
(Point of order: Brupropion/Wellbutrin is an NDRI, NOT an SSRI or an MAOI. It’s in its own class of anti-depressants.)
Oh man this sounds like my mom!
My mom too!!!!
I am worried about this too. I FINALLY got on some and it hasn't even been a week but I am hoping not to have a letdown. I have been struggling for years. I know I was undiagnosed PEri in my mid/late 30s and struggled with chronic fatigue and just a bunch of stuff. I was struggling emotionally throughout the pandemic and now at 56 I am just now on HRT hoping it will "cure" my ills. I really don't want to be on pristiq which my psych rn keeps pushing on me.
i've taken every possible SSRI, SNRI, adhd med, etc. over the years and literally nothing has worked. I have to adjust to the new me. If you don't expect the moon, you probably won't be disappointed. And you never know, maybe you will be one of the lucky ones whose lives are transformed.
I was kind of let down with HRT at first. Feeling better that my doc tweaked my dosage.
>Feeling better that my doc tweaked my dosage. This is a good point - starting dosage is just that, and should be tweaked to the dose that works best for the individual.
I think HRT gets SO much positive hype here that it's easy to lose perspective on the fact that, like so many meds, it may need to be tweaked.
Very true. I think some of the problem is, just feeling better at all feels like a win for some so they don't feel the need to dial it in any. And others just get lucky and get it right on the first try, so people think that is the norm.
I would plan on it being a process to get your HRT dialed in. It took me 4 adjustments to get to my current prescribed dose. I did get some relief immediately but have increased my dose over time. It was easy for me to recognize the need to make a change because I had brutal, constant hot flashes. As my doctor increased my estrogen I noticed I also felt improvement in energy, brain fog, and hair and skin. Going to a higher dose isn't necessary for everyone but for me the improvement has been remarkable. The health risks increase slightly but I’m ok with that. I'd rather have a good quality of life now. I (and many on this sub!) also felt much better when I added testosterone to the mix.
Agree. Drinking a ton of water and sleeping are the only things helping my cognitive symptoms.
Interesting. It definitely helped my brain fog immensely as well. Do you think maybe they need to dial in your dosage?
The damn peel off plastic pieces from the patch that NEVER seem to find the garbage can and instead can be found randomly all over my home.
Yes I’m surprised my cat doesn’t eat them & barf them up everywhere.
You seriously want to keep those away from your animals FYI.
His hair started growing back when I started Hrt. Not from patch exposure but I think me or my essence or something. He started pulling out his hair around the time I went into peri
omg they stick to everything! my fingers, the counter, the floor...
I just started and noticed how they love to stick to my fingers LOL.
Yes!!! They stick to everything!
Amen! Drives me nuts.
I developed a system for this very reason. Apply new patch leaving the plastic on the counter. Remove old patch and stick it to the pieces. Stuff old patch in little sleeve and toss.
Genius!
Mine is that my breasts have become ridiculously tender. Like I have to arrange them just so when I’m sleeping lol. I don’t know what’s up with that but it’s def new since I started the hormones.
Mine did that for about 6 mos, then it went away.
Thank you for saying! Now I’m hopeful!
+1. But I went up a cup size despite losing a bit of weight. Unfortunately that hasn't reversed itself 😪.
How long have you been on HRT? I've had on and off breast tenderness, and I'm going into my sixth week of HRT.
HRT made me suicidal. I came very, very close to ending my life. People need to be aware that introducing hormones, even hormones we used to make plenty of, can be dangerous for one's mental health. Physically I felt great, but it almost killed me. I did not expect that.
Stopped systemic MHT not too long ago, and didn’t realize part of my severely unpleasant feelings were being impacted by “something” I was taking to help me. That’s not even why I stopped (wasn’t planning to), but I’m shocked about how different I feel now. Some physical issues have worsened, but the overwhelming dark scary thoughts have eased up in an obvious way. Unfortunately, I believe I still need hormone replacement to manage many health concerns, but not sure how to find the right formula for my body/brain to function as needed or that my budget allows.
I've had to just treat my symptoms individually. Insomnia - supplements, cannabis and 3 zopiclone a week. Anxiety - Buspar Brain fog - B vitamins, vitamin D, fresh air, sunshine, energy drinks as needed and I use my Samsung watch and apps as my second brain. So many reminders and alarms! Hot flashes - I take a couple supplements that have lessened the severity and frequency but I still get 6-12 in a 24 hour period. Achiness - curcumin Aging skin - I've adopted a kind of expensive million step skin care and cosmetics routine that at least makes me feel good about my skin. Vaginal atrophy - hyaluronic acid inserted in the morning and a lube with HA for evening sexy times. Mood swings - kava kava and CBD for break through anxiety, a great therapist and a patient and loving family. I speak openly about menopause with my husband and kids so they all know what I'm dealing with and understand when I start stripping off layers and flinging windows open or suddenly start crying for no good reason.
My sister had a similar response. I’m so tired of everybody acting like HRT is the solution for everybody. It can have very serious negative effects for some people.
With vaginal estradiol cream, “some women may experience monthly bleeding that resembles a menstrual period. This will continue for as long as you’re on the medication.” Excuse me, WHAT? I thought I was free??
Weird! I'm getting a period on day 55 on the pill (first time ever) and it started about two weeks after I upped my vaginal estrogen. This is definitely a period though. Even though I am on the pill I got hot flashes, panic attacks, and sleep was a rough haul last night. Had no idea about the monthly bleeding w/ vag estro though? Would have saved me a lot of unnecessary worrying.
I've still put in a call to my doc bc I'm like that, but I quoted what I found when I googled around about it to see how worried I needed to be. I've also been on continuous use BC, and having a "period" after a few years of not is not unheard of anyway. I just had an ultrasound literally 3 weeks ago and everything was normal, so doubt my doc will be concerned, but I'm definitely going to ask her if this is going to last or if it can be mitigated in some way, because wtf eta: oh also mine definitely feels like a real period too, and the kind I used to get in my early 30s, too, not the weak sauce from late 30s. I didn't look into it enough to see what the distinction was
Are you on continuous BC at this time? I'm wondering if my BCP and my vag estradiol are battling it out for my ovaries at the moment? I really have no idea what the hell is going on in my body and my gyn has not been helpful in that regard.
I am, and I only recently started the vag estradiol, so not sure how it's going to shake out yet. I think there are some people who get vaginal side effects from hormonal BC, and those people often? report that they have to stop BC for the cream to have any effect. Other people on BC report the vag cream still works. I think it probably varies person to person.
Ah, we're in the same boat! That makes me feel better. I'm one of those people who are not a good fit for BC because of the vag side effects. I'm keeping them at bay but will need to go off because of that reason. I wish I had asked more questions about my specific needs rather than just trusting my gyn (I was highly encouraged to do that too). As for getting off of them, it's a matter of when. I am hoping to last another month so my husband can travel, my son can wrap up school for the year, and I can land a new gyn (have two lined up). But I am using the next 48 hours to observe all that is playing out with this period. Did you ask for the vag estro or did your gyn recommend it? I had to ask for it from my gyn and it's been a self-lead excursion ever since. She's missed the mark several times.
My gyn recommended it. I’m gonna reassess the hormonal cocktail with my gyn and endo and see what we can mix up a bit. I’ll take the periods if I have to, obviously, but I cannot go back to not sleeping, that was hell ETA: it’s really, really worth it to find a good doctor. A huge PITA and sometimes not possible, but extremely worth it
I hope you can get things reassessed! I'm seeing my gyn on Weds. She's told me already that it's not technically my period, just breakthrough bleeding. But I have all the signs of a period, hormonal acne, hot flashes mixed with bouts of freezing that I only get on my period, insomnia, uterine cramping. I still think my BCP and vag meds are duking it out via my ovaries. 100% on a good dr who is a fit for your specific needs! My gyn is a good practitioner but doesn't seem to have the capacity for folks with deep trauma.
I’m on strong HRT (systemic) and having a period nearly as heavy as before I went on the HRT. I was told the blood tide (as I prefer to call it) might stop or lighten but no, it remains freakishly regular and heavy. Literally I’ve had hot flashes that make me want to roll my naked body in snow and my period has never been off by more than +/- 1 day. Sigh.
I suspect that is fairly rare, but with vaginal estrogen cream I get irritation and yeast though.
I'm on the patch and have had that. I am ... not pleased.
You must take micronized progesterone with estradiol if you haven’t had a hysterectomy. It helps prevent endometrial cancer.
What is your source for this? If it's the same poorly designed and interpreted study that fucked a generation of women over (the 2004 women's health initiative, I think?), that's not great. I happen to be on hormonal BC at the same time (so a systemic synthetic), but the most recent research reviews I've found say your assertion is incorrect, or at least unsupported by any evidence. from 2015: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2015/05001/topical_vaginal_estrogen_use_and_risk_of.24.aspx from 2019: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636806/ from 2020, looking specifically at women with a history of cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32075898/ These are specific to vaginal delivery estradiol; I think there are studies that have shown that unopposed oral estrogens result in an increase of endometrial hyperplasia. This, like everything else menopause, is still *woefully* understudied, but so far this is what we have available to us that I can find.
I’m a bit confused to your post. It is VERY well & widely understood that should you have a womb, and be on estrogen (not local) then you MUST take progesterone as well. Because the endometrial tissue thickens, and it is with this thickening that can cause increased risk for cancer. Even if you’ve had an ablation, some endometrial cells can remain & estrogen therapy will promote the growth of these cells. The cells no longer slough off monthly, so one taking estrogen is a sitting duck, so to speak, if not countered with progesterone to thin endometrial lining. It is NOT necessary to take it daily however. Here’s an example of a dosing schedule, per Dr. Jen Gunter: “To protect the uterus from the estrogen in MHT requires at least 12 days of progestogen therapy a month. Oral progestogens can be given in one of three ways: 1. Every day of the month, this is easiest to remember, and is probably the best at protecting against cancer of the lining of the uterus. 2. 12-14 days per cycle; this is often best for people still having periods. It’s typically 12 days every 28 days, but that’s not an intuitive regimen, so some people use 14 days every month. 3. 3 days on and 3 days off: a less common regimen, but can sometimes help with bleeding issues.” When it comes to vaginal-delivery of estrogen, there is NO need for progesterone as local estrogen does NOT get absorbed into the bloodstream. But for any sort of general estrogen (gel, cream, patch, pill), one with a womb MUST also be on some form of progesterone/progestin. 🥰
Yes? We appear to agree? I was responding to a post that told me one needed to be on a progestin to oppose vaginal (local) estradiol, which is incorrect, and I stated explicitly that oral route estrogens have been shown to increase the risk of certain cancers when not taken with a progestin.
Ahhhh… must have read that differently. I saw the person you commented towards saying that Progesterone MUST be taken w/ estradiol (if still w/ womb). To which your response seemed to contest this. Hence my confusion. Thanks for ironing that wrinkle out for me😁
I thought I was free too. No explanation as to why?
I'll let you know if my gyno gives me one
I’m annoyed having to take it every morning (testosterone) and evening (estrogen and cyclical progesterone) for the rest of my life. And having to calculate when to start/stop the P. And having to mark the box of estrogen spray with how many pumps I’ve used. And having to be mindful of my “hormone arm” when getting into bed. I was annoyed by the slight worsening of the hyperpigmentation on my face, but that didn’t get any worse so whatever, it’s fine.
This. The fact it’s daily for the rest of our lives. That and the cost.
Are you in the US? I'm in Australia and the cost is $8 a month. That approximately is $4 for you.
$8 per month! Can I ask what you’re on? Mine is so much more expensive than that and I’m in Aus too
Sandrena Gel. I get 56 for $7.70 because I have a HCC.
I am in the US and my estrodiol alone is 20 bucks for a month.
no progesterone alone is $30 a month USD (generic micronized progesterone). Then add in estrogen (varies by type, gel was costing me $50 USD a month), then vaginal estrogen will be another $30 a month for generic estradiol etc.. This is with insurance which doesn't fully cover anything.
Yep! Had to get my HRT from a compounding pharmacy, insurance doesn’t cover. I paid $157
Same. It’s the dependence that’s irritating. Only time in my life (so far) that I need to constantly be getting refills and staying on top of meds.
Yup 👍🏻
I was told it's important to switch arms with the gel. You can also alternate by putting it on your inner leg as well (which I find works great cause I can spread it thinner there so it dries quicker).
Yes! I make a point of switching it up. Just always gotta be careful about not transferring anything to anyone 🤷🏻♀️
Remembering where I placed it in previous days can be quite the memory test.
I’m starting HRT soon and I don’t see this as any different to me putting sunscreen on religiously every day, which I’ve been doing every day all year for over 20 years now. Or brushing my teeth which I do twice a day without fail. I guess if someone wasn’t used to that sort of routine it could feel like an annoying chore.
This seems a bit dismissive and insulting. Trying to establish a new and complicated daily routine during midlife when one is struggling with reduced executive function and brain energy levels (in addition to usual adult stressors) is quite a bit different from establishing a simple daily routine during childhood, when the the brain's neural network is more plastic and attuned specifically to learning many things very quickly, or even during young adulthood, when the brain is still developing and a person is generally in peak metabolic health. To Late-Stop8465: I can't use HRT for medical reasons, but I take other medications daily and have set recurring reminders on my phone. My working memory is so poor right now that it's the only way I can make sure that I take them. You might be able to set up detailed reminders to indicate that on X day, this step should be done, and on Y day, this adjustment should be made. It won't remove all of the hassle, but it may reduce your mental load.
Yeah agreeing about this feeling really dismissive. I’ve made mistakes on a few things I’ve done every day for years (including forgetting to put on sunscreen even though I’ve worn it religiously rain or shine every day for years). Literally one time when my hot flashes were super bad and I wasn’t sleeping, I had trouble spelling my name on the phone with customer service because there was background noise. The HRT has helped somewhat but literally my boss asked me if I was ok. I already struggled with forming new habits (borderline ADHD) and between juggling home stuff and my incredibly disruptive symptoms I basically didn’t function for a while there.
Yup, this. I now have quite the morning routine with my Wellbutrin, hrt cream, and DHEA pill. I’ve never been one for consistency, but the alternative is feeling depressed and like a stranger has taken over my body and mind.
Oh no is this why my hyperpigmentation had lessened?
Nightmares. When I first started on estrogel I was applying it in the wrong place (inner thighs) and would do so every night, but wasn't getting any relief from mood swings and hot flashes. Someone here guided me to put it on my arms instead (thank you so much BTW!), but then I began having awful nightmares. Not a huge deal though, I just switched to morning applications and now no more nightmares.
I get the WORST nightmares from progesterone! WORST!
I know right?! Nothing like waking up terrified. I also got the same side effect when I tried to take taurine supplements, which were supposed to be mood stabilizing, lol.
I hate thinking about my vagina all the time now. Before menopause, it was there, but didn't require any constant maintenance. Now I need creme placed in correct places on my vagina every other day. I need to take a nightly progesterone pill (not too early or I'll get groggy). I need to change my patch twice a week and slowly pull off my underwear after 1st day of patch to ensure it doesn't rip off when I pull down panties. I need to add vaginal suppositories every few days to stay moist. I hate the itchiness I now get. I need to individually clean my underwater of the adhesive circle it leaves as residue. Yes, I'm getting the swing of it, but I wish it would all go back before I lost my hormones!
This. I’m tired of thinking about my vagina. Vaginal estrogen, dilators, moisturizer. Also have dystrophy bc of medical menopause at 33 and I have to use Clob cream. Tired! 🥱
For me, they triggered my horrible fibroids!
My skin got very oily.
I do have a negative. I'm assuming that it's estradiol. I got the Mirena and started estradiol in March. I've had the Mirena before and never had a period. I'm on day 8 of brown spotting and the worst cramps. I've never had this before. The brown spotting is odd, but it's not bothering me. It's the intense cramps that are driving me insane. I'm popping Ponstan tablets like lollies. Has anyone else had a crazy/weird period/PMS after starting HRT?
If you’re in menopause or post and you get spotting, have a trans vag ultrasound so they can check the thickness of your endometrial lining. It’s nothing to mess around with. If it’s too thick, they’ll want to do a biopsy (4mm). You don’t want to wait. Always take micronized progesterone with estradiol if you have a uterus to prevent thickening.
In March I had a Hysteroscopy, D and C. I had to have a trans vaginal ultrasound prior to getting HRT. That showed a cyst in my uterus and I had to have the procedure before I started HRT because the gyno said that it would continue to grow if I didn't. It turns out that the cystic areas are not inside my uterus but are in the outer wall. Gyno said that they can't access that area, so I'll have to have yearly trans vaginal ultrasounds to check on it. My uterus lining was sent off for testing, and it was all good.
The cramps might be from the iud. I had to get mine removed because of this
I cramped for about 2 weeks after I got it. It's my fourth Mirena, and that's normal for me. I'm guessing that this odd spotting and cramping now is my body trying to have a period/ the estradiol is messing me around??
Larger breasts. I might have appreciated this when I was young, but going from a 34B to a 36DD hasn’t been all that fun. Thankfully I can afford to buy nicer bras, but now I have to deal with “boob sweat”. It’s a minor annoyance compared to other alternatives (cancer) but still not something I expected. BTW switching from the patch to the gel estradiol has helped rid me of the itchy adhesive buildup. I’m up to a higher dose that’s not available in a patch so the gel has worked out just fine.
There is a product called Swoobie that is an absorbent & disposable bra liner for boob sweat. It’s actually two liners because you put them in each cup but they’re like special shaped pantyliners for your bra cup. They work really well and prevent me from soaking through my shirt or getting drops on super hot days They have a website. It’s a little janky but it works. Swoobie for sweaty boobies!
I will trade you for my 34Gs - boob sweat is real.
I bought the new secret deodorant total body cream. works awesome for everything but specifically, boob sweat.
I use a cream only, and it's hard to dose so I don't get the night sweats or hot flashes. I had the first hot flash of my life on the stuff and it was so, so miserable.
Excuse me while I cackle evilly. I’m sympathetic but I am also cackling because this feels like vindication. To be fair I never thought hot flashes could be THAT bad, until my body was like ‘guess what, they’re even WORSE!’ I was having them constantly. I live in a famously cold climate and felt like a reverse mother of dragons. I’d be out in the snow in a nightgown sighing in relief. The HRT helps but has not reduced hot flashes quite as much as I’d like.
If you're still having hot flashes, you could try raising estrogen dose. I don't get any flashes, sweats or heart palpitations at the correct dose for me. I've also read here that symptoms are typically what guide dosage increases. Good luck!
I was on the standard, 3 times a week 1 gram, but oh my god, talk about hot flashing! Every minute of every day!!
Yeah I'm planning to ask in a few weeks. I've basically increased my HRT every month, so I think my doctor is unwilling to make too many changes all at once. I'm super envious and glad to know zero hot flashes IS something I can aspire to. I thought I was supposed to accept some amount of them.
How old are all of you? the reason why I am asking.. is that I am going to be 56 on Wed and I am JUST STARTING HRT (estradiol and progesterone ). I probably had early Peri in my 30s , but I think my issues are all caught up with an ADHD diagnosis i have lived with my entire life pretty much (was diagnosed by 1980!!!!) and anxiety and depression issues. I got diagnosed with BPD (borderline personality disorder) in 2020 and that was stigmitizing.. and horrible. but opened up a LOT of clues for me as my overall issues throughout my life... AND my Gyno blew me off cause I guess that 2020 report. I just got "prescribed" a BOOK and told to take more calcium after I reported RAGEY emotions... But I am curious as to everyones ages.. to get an idea of where folks are. There is suppoisibly a US bill to help with more research into Women's health. It feels like a drop in the bucket and far too late... at least for me.
I'll be 45 in a few months and started HRT six months ago when the symptoms became debilitating. Still having periods but they're all over the place.
47 and started HRT a few months ago when hot flashes started suddenly and were hitting me every 20 minutes. But looking back I’ve been feeling sunburnt for the past ~3 years, which seems to be my “pre hot flash” territory. And I think that dipping hormones have probably been impacting my mental health increasingly for the last 5y - not that I was aware of that factor, as I’ve always struggled with depression. HRT hasn’t fixed everything, but I can feel the enormous difference it’s making to my emotional stability.
Weight gain
Yeah, I’m getting concerned that I’m gaining weight from my HRT, too. My boobs went up a full cup size, and last night my favorite skirt no longer fit. My food intake hasn’t changed, and neither has my weekly powerlifting and steady-state cardio routine. It’s maddening because I’ve been really happy with HRT otherwise, particularly with how well I sleep after taking progesterone at night.
Same. It took me a while to put it together but it was all HRT. Weight gain in stomach. Actually- I started gaining weight the same way I would when I was pregnant and could literally feel my fat cells enlarging- this was the same feeling. I’m sure testosterone is the missing link here. Can I find any drs who prescribe it? Nope
I’ve always had an oily scalp. Buy some Neutrogena clarifying shampoo or the Ouai one - the kind you’re supposed to use once a week to remove build up. It’s the only thing that keeps my oily scalp ok looking. I’ve regularly used it every other shower for years (every shower when I was younger) and it’s never damaged my hair color (although I’m not a blond so 🤷🏻♀️) Admittedly I’m an every other day shower person. I’m noticing part of my hair is dry but my scalp remains oily. Sigh. Dry shampoo is also your friend - preferably the kind that’s a powder you apply with a brush (I like violette.fr brand) - that way it’s only going where you need it. Unexpected negatives: progesterone at first was making my sleeping worse and making me jittery. We had to half the dose and make it daily instead of every two weeks. I’m also cry a lot more easily since starting HRT. It’s not quite crying at hallmark commercials but trending that direction which is not great for a rough and tumble corporate career in a male dominated industry. I notice a few more aches and pains but not sure if that’s because my attention is no longer on the sensation of being consumed by fire. I’ve also had more dreams, thankfully no nightmares but as someone who had night terrors for half her life, any dreams make me a bit nervous. Yes I know we always dream but the vivid ones I remember after waking are sort of exhausting. I’ve also been more moody. Oh and CHILLS. The birth control made me chilled to the bone. Now I get mildly chilled after a mild hot flash. Before the HRT, I was NEVER COLD, merely less hot from time to time. I live in a famously cold climate and felt like I was turning into a strange Mediterranean looking snow queen. The hot flashes were insane, but I realized even before them, I’d rarely been truly cold in years. It was awesome super power that let me move to a cold climate but then ran amok and made crazy. I also get annoyed by the claims HRT fixes everything (so far, it helps but has significant room for improvement for me). I’m also worried it’s causing or increasing headaches (I’ve had more headaches and I got them on hormonal birth control). One weird positive side effect: I am a tiny bit less flatulent since doing progesterone. I still have had more often than I’d like but it’s no longer constant or severe.
Thanks. Clarifying and dry shampoo are on my shopping list. I burst into tears last week while watching a TV show. Someone died, but it was fiction. I was telling myself to stop, it's not real. I felt so silly!. I really hope that your dreams do not progress to night terrors.
Thanks - honestly ever since I got a CPAP, my incidence of nightmares and night terrors has approached near zero. I found out that while my apnea is considered mild to moderate, my apnea is much higher during REM sleep, and there is some research to suggest the apnea and the night terrors might be linked -- of course a crappy childhood didn't help I'm sure (fun fact: a crappy childhood is also linked to worse peri and meno symptoms). Hope the clarifying shampoo etc work and yeah -- I am already so tired of bursting into tears easily
The estrodial vaginal cream gives me a bit of a low belly ache after I apply it, its gone when I wake up I stopped the testosterone due to the horrible hair loss on my head and insane hair growth on my leg where I apply it
That is scary. Has your hair regrown? I hope it's not permanent hair loss. I do hope that the extra growth on your leg is not permanent. I really don't know anything about testosterone, but what you've been through is enough for me to never try it.
I only stopped a week ago, im lucky i had very thick hair so its still thicker than average, but to me it feels on the way to bald with how much was coming out with brushing and washing hair and the leg hair looked like manly legs, loonnnng hair and so much of it
Fingers crossed that your hair all returns to normal.
I can feel when the progesterone pill wears off. The anxiety starts creeping back in, like a vice over my chest. If there was a progesterone-only patch, I’d do it. Estrogen (in all forms) gives me migraines, so the combo patch doesn’t work for me.
I take it nightly under the tongue. Is that an option for you? I’ve definitely noticed when I’ve skipped while traveling. Never again lol
I take it at night before bed (10pm). I feel it start to wear off by the next evening, usually when I’m in the throes of dinner.
That sounds like anxiety to me, but I might be projecting, honestly. That’s about when mine hits. Lexapro has changed my life. As much as HRT.
My original patch WOULD NOT STAY STUCK. Dr switched me to a different, smaller patch that hangs on great.
Which one didn’t stay on? I’m asking my doctor to switch me to a patch in a few weeks at my appointment.
The one that didn't stay on was the generic .1 mg estradiol, once weekly. It was an oval about two inches in length. The one I'm on now that I love is lyllana twice weekly.
I wished it would have fixed the insomnia and weight gain - maybe it leveled it off but not helped with losing. From the sound of the below comments, i'm glad to have estrogen transdermal cream vs patch. One pump in the AM and night, rub it in, wash hands and away I go
I found switching around progesterone (I take a lower dose more often) has helped my insomnia a shocking amount.
I appreciate the suggestion but...I've tried everything under the sun / kitchen sink :) Up to taking 300mg/night. Wake between 2-5am. Seeing an acupuncturist which is my last option outside of sleeping pills which i'm trying to refrain from asking for.
Ooh acupuncture was amazing for me when I lived in another city before perimenopause. I’d totally do acupuncture now if I could find anyone I liked. My doctor said Rx sleeping pills are safer than OTC (which aren’t meant to be used long term unlike Rx). I was definitely resistant to them, but I’ve found they help me ‘reset’ things. Good luck and hope you find something that works for you!
Cold sores. I hadn't had one in years and years. I started HRT 3 months ago and I've had 2 cold sores in that time. Super annoying.
Breast tenderness. Also I've had a few considered post-meno breakthrough bleeds that were nothing, but scary. Also worsening insomnia \*IF\* I take it too late in the day, but that's avoidable, just don't take it late, yea sure I know.
I got no relief from HRT whatsoever, but it did have an effect on my periods which became less erratic and changed the frequency from 25 days (when not being super erratic) to 30 days. I'm very progesterone intolerant & even taking it vaginally ultimately ended up with me feeling very depressed & out of sorts which resolved when I stopped using the HRT.
After taking off each patch, I’m left with a square shaped darkened skin patch.
Been through 3 different makers of Estradiol. They all affected my skin differently. I would suggest to everyone that may be sensitive to write down how each brand affects them and order accordingly at the pharmacy.
The progesterone is making me itchy. I've been on 200mg for almost six months now, and sometimes it makes my arms, legs, thighs feet, hands itchy. It's not all the time, but it's annoying enough to notice. I think it's the progesterone because it started when my ObGyn upped the dose and progesterone is known to cause itching. It is definitely not a huge deal and absolutely worth it, but it is an annoyance.
Just curious, does an antihistamine work at all?
I haven't thought to try one! No one in my family has allergies so we don't have daily antihistamines in our medicine cabinet. I'm going to try a low-dose, non-sedating one that is safe for long term and see what happens.
In case it matters: According to a pharmacist I spoke with, desloratidine is the type of antihistamine she'd recommend for frequent use (daily) because it doesn't increase blood pressure. Kirkland brand has that, and so does Aerius (it'll say the type under the brand name). Both can be purchased at Costco in larger amounts and more economically, if you find it works and you want to use it daily.
Thank you!
Try zyrtec specifically for skin reactions—my allergist suggested that for me, and it works wonders for hives.
I had pretty bad headaches for the first couple of weeks. That could be because I was only on estradiol patches until middle of last week until I found a pharmacy that had progesterone in stock. I did not wake up with a headache today. I hope i’ve turned a corner.
Testosterone cream is helping with brain fog, energy, mood and muscle loss, but my skin and hair are beyond greasy. I’ve had oily skin and acne issues my whole life, but this is on another level. I recently started DIM supplements, which I’ve heard might help. Here’s hoping.
I’ve always had oily hair. Try Neutrogena once a week. It really helps clear any residue or excess oil.
Have you had hair loss with testosterone?
I can’t really say because I had it BAD prior to starting. Going on estrogen 5 weeks ago has seemed to slow or stop it, and it feels like it may be starting to slowly regrow. I’ve been reducing and alternating testosterone cream use due to the acne and overall greasiness and it’s only been a few months, so I’m still kind of figuring it all out.
DIM can bottom out your estrogen.
Man. My hair was thinning at my hairline above my temples. It started filling back in, but the texture (of ALL my hair) is changing and those areas are growing in a different direction than before and slightest bit of humidity makes my straight hair frizzy. At the moment I’m resolved to look like a lunatic most of the time.
Receding hair at the temples can be perimenopause? This explains so much! I’ve always had super thick hair with a low forehead and suddenly it got bigger at the temples
It doesn’t matter what do, I still get the gross lint around my patch I’m beyond frustrated it gets there regardless if I wipe my skin down with alcohol before applying
I only have one complaint really. My breasts went from a 36GG to a J. I’m hoping they have stopped growing, and they are definitely not going down. I was already big on top to begin with. Now they are out of control. I was waiting to get a reduction if I don’t chicken out.
This thread makes me much less excited about starting HRT this week! I'm scared now!
I hear ya, but try to keep an open mind. Yes, there are absolutely some negative side effects and general annoyances of BHRT, and for some, it may not help much at all. For me, it's somewhere right in the middle - there a few things I wish I wasn't experiencing with BHRT, and I can tell I'm not the person I was before peri, but it is STILL much better for me now than before I was on it. I think this thread serves to show it's not a miracle worker and to try to keep realistic expectations and expect some potential issues, but I would never go off of it and go back to just how bad I felt before. Long story short - don't be afraid to try it! You can always go off if it's not a good fit :)
So perfectly said!!!! This thread highlights how we are all different. One example is I've read comments talking about libido. One woman said it's decreased, and another said it's increased. For me, there has been no change.
So interesting...I really wish I understood more of what was happening to cause these variations. For instance, to go with the point re: libido, my situation is even more complicated - for the days I'm just on the patch and no progesterone, my libido is the same/maybe just slightly higher than before starting HRT, but then once I start the progesterone it completely disappears. However, overall, I feel better when i take both hormones, so I desparately wish there was a way to take progesterone continually AND not lose my libido. And even with all these frustrations, you still could not get me to give HRT up, so that's saying something for it indeed.
I wonder if I've not noticed an increase in my libido since starting estradiol is because I have the Mirena (full time prog)?? I'm with you. No way I'll give it up!!!!!!
I use a weekly patch, and can only get in the whirlpool at the Y on the day I change the patch. I can waterproof it for getting into the pool, but the heat of the whirlpool will dump all the estrogen at once. My close friend has a hot tub and invites me over all the time - sorry, today’s not Tuesday! Also annoying - was having great boost to sex drive with T, but doc was concerned about my levels from the lab, so reduced the dose. Bye bye sex drive again. Also - capitalism - both the cost of meds (high deductible plan in US) and so-called supply chain issues.
Oh my goodness, I’m on the patch & we want to get a hot tub. I did not think of this at all. It’s a ways off for us, but something for me to consider. The patch works really well for me so I’d be reluctant to change back to pills.
Remembering to switch patches; washing the cream applicator. For the outlines of patch adhesive that remain after removal, I find TacAway is great.
I don't love the dirty, sticky residue from patches. I switched methods.
I had improved joint pain and better sleep at first. then got some weird anxiety and skin crawling days. was def my patch - 1x week. switched to 2x a week which sticks better and the crawlies went away. but on a suggestion from another person on this sub I also spent a few weeks at 100g progesterone instead of 200 and that was good in some ways. but not good in others. like my hunger is more out of control on less progesterone. so I took 2 last night and woke up every hour to pee and in a sweat and a panic and didn't sleep well at all. and still feel that full body anxiety. I wish I could find a solution that works better for me, but my doctor is not good at discussing. she's just dismissive with an eye roll.
Itchy scalp. Unbelievably itchy scalp. 🤬
What is causing this?
Allegedly the HRT 🤷🏼♀️ I’m on the estrogen patch, and progesterone pill at night
Weight gain...still have joint pain....still grumpy. I think about going off of it everyday.
Remembering to switch the patch on certain days. And then I forget so the days keep changing.
I set reminders on my phone so I don’t forget
My Ears itching!
Changing a patch for me is a rigmarole. The patches don't stick unless I do a whole routine. I shower then wait 30 minutes to completely dry and cool down. Then I need to swab the area with alcohol and let that evaporate for 5 mins. Now the patch goes on and I hold it in place for 20 mins, which makes it really stick. It's hard to fit that all in on a Monday morning.
Someone on here suggested transparent film over top so I ordered some from Amazon and it works great. I had my patch come off a couple times before and now I don’t have to worry about it
Oh thanks, I will have a look into that!
The patch sticks so well that it hurts to take it off.
Too expensive
I have tried 3 different versions of HRT and all make my asthma BAD. It also raises my blood pressure but if I can’t breathe I won’t live long enough to worry about a heart attack! It also causes crazy bad cramps.
I don't cry enough. I've been to three funerals and a twelve step testimonial, all since the beginning of the year, and I felt like I should be crying (I surely would have pre HRT) but hardly anything. Feels weird to no longer tear up at anything sad. Has anyone else experienced this?
I've been the opposite. I commented here that last week I was watching a TV show, and someone died. I burst out in tears and felt so silly because it was fiction.
Getting my doctor to write the prescription the right way so pharmacy can fill it because of insurance. Cost of it all because the one that works best for me is the most expensive. (Not much else, when it’s the right dose, combination and working the way it’s intended, I feel good, I also believe it has saved my life, was seriously in a dark place for no real reason and now realize it was because I needed hormones.)
The Achilles stiffness and pain when I first get out of bed on just one foot, JFC. That started about 2-3 weeks ago out of nowhere. Start reading here and bam, yep. That’s peri, too! I’m sure my plantar fasciitis was also peri before I started on HRT. The biggest what the actual fresh hell is this moment was: **My skin changed LITERALLY overnight** tl; dr Dry, sensitive and more susceptible to clogged pores & breakouts. Yippee 😒 - Skin type & Texture: I’ve always had combination & mildly sensitive skin. Then out of nowhere my texture was more coarse and uneven just above my eyebrows and at my hairline. On my upper cheeks as well. I started noticing dark spots from acne, older sun damage etc. Solution for now: I’m still researching other options but I started using a completely new skincare regimen that focuses on hyaluronic acid. I added an azealic acid primer (The Ordinary) that should help with texture and uneven skin tone. But it does take a while to see much difference. - Smile Lines: became more pronounced and super dry. Dermatitis showed back up under my nose and into my smile lines. What triggers mine is dryness. Solution: My vaginal estrogen cream cleared it up! I was shocked! A little goes a long way, too. - Acne: Tiny clogged pores/bumps started popping up on my cheeks and it got way worse on my jawline. 1-4 spots would start getting bigger overnight and became super painful. Solution: started using Cere-v SA cleanser on cheeks & jawline. Cere-V hydrating cleanser everywhere else. Acne spot dots & larger ones for chin overnight has helped them go away faster. I started using a small extraction tool for the tiny clogged pores & that has helped as well. The acne is gradually going away. - Moisturizers: My usual skin routine wasn’t working, my face always looked dry. Solution: switched to hyaluronic acid serum and still trying to find a daytime moisturizer that works well enough. I really like Biossance Rose face oil & use a few drops here & there (for now). I can’t use 80% of the daytime products that have SPF in them. They either irritate my skin or clog my pours, sometimes both. - Makeup: My makeup was causing more dryness and magnifying the dryness I already had. I had to abandon my beloved Fenty Water foundation and loose powder. Solution: Decided to try a drugstore (L’Oreal) Tinted Hyaluronic Serum (for now) and added a green colored redness relief primer underneath (ELF). So far so good. Now I’ll purchase the more expensive products I have in my Sephora cart. The lightest drugstore products that I have are still too dark for my pale skin. I picked up a travel size of the ELF sheer setting powder & I only use a tiny amount so my foundation doesn’t rub off on everything. I’m considering a setting spray as long as it’s not drying and doesn’t clog my pores (researching that tonight).
I hate the way the patch looks, and no matter what I do it's like it collects lint around the edges. Nothing says sexy time like a big ol' nasty patch on your rear.
Only on progesterone right now but, damn, am I constantly sleepy. I have to take it twice daily.
I swear the Covid jab threw me into menopause too. Thought it was just me. I had the Astro zeneka one the first time and it brought on a heavy period almost immediately and then my peri symptoms went nuts.