Can't agree more girls. HRT was an absolute nightmare for me and it was being carefully managed by two very well considered specialists. All attempts to supplement or suppress my own cycle resulted in unmanageable side-effects and sent me into a spin of constant migraine. Even after it was stopped it took a long time to leave my system and then the migraines reduced to about 24 a month. I regularly had very short cycles, so in some calendar months I had two bleeds. Those months were torturous.
I sometimes hear women being castigated for not choosing to take HRT, often by others who are evangelical about it. Whilst it is a God's send to some women, it's an absolute curse for others. Even small changes in dosage can send you into a tail spin. We are all different and it is enormously helpful for docs to see a record of symptoms and cycles before they start treating a patient. I was made to keep records by three separate docs, and interestingly the most detailed ones by the Panay team. I've said it many times before, my body is like litmus paper, but not all women can map their changes. These notes tell a very clear story and are something solid to work with. I have had to walk a tight rope with medication, fiercely controlling dosage so as to prevent Medication Overuse Headache when all meds would have to be removed. Detailed records are a necessity!
Now that my own oestrogen levels appear to have crashed, I'll have to very carefully watch the effects of this. Almost immediately, the vaginal dryness became an issue, and whilst apprehensive about the Vagifem, it does appear to be doing it's job. Irrespective of what I read though, there is most definitely some systemic absorption of oestradiol from Vagifem, I can feel it, though I suspect that as the vaginal tissues are further primed that this may be reduced. xx