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[Nas]

Thanks Cherry, what a hideous journey this is turning out to be. Which HRT regime are you on? 

[CherrySG]

I've tried a few! First there was gel & Utrogestan. Couldn't tolerate Utrogestan.

Then gel and Provera, which was probably the best of the combinations. Tried to get some testosterone gel from GP, who wouldn't oblige, but tried to compensate by giving me Evorel 50. Got very depressed over time on this combination.

Have just ripped off second half of Evorel patch as so wired and anxious, yet so tired I had to lie down at midday.

Think I'll just take 10mg citalopram and have done with it. I know chopping and changing is probably the worst thing you can do, but just trying to function on a day to day basis

Wonder how every one is getting on 

[Nas]

Is citalopram an anti depressant? Does it work? Honestly it’s a nightmare. I’m on the 100 evorel patch and can feel another bleed coming on! If it does, I’m coming off HRT until my appointment. Then the flushes will start!

You are right, day to day function is a challenge!

[sed]

Still hanging on in there not knowing what to do - 6 weeks off and not so good, good and bad days becoming a norm!  Lacking expert advice.  I have had four regimes and no idea what to go on next! Tried AD and didn’t help.  Get really down with it all - 13 months of this nightmare and still counting.

[CherrySG]

Sorry to hear about that Sed. Hopefully it will level out. Nightmare is about right. I'm still not sure if I'm better of on it or off it.

Blitzen, citalopram is an AD. It does work for me but it leaves me quite demotivated and lazy. Seems great for VA also, indeed I never suffered until I was off it for a year. It's prescribed for meno symptoms like hot flushes, or used to be. They put us all on Hrt now, a few years ago it was ADs, with citalopram generally being the first one as cheaper than some others.

[Deeble]

Hi
Just an update on my 'progress' off hrt (17 weeks!).
My energy is much improved.
Vagifem (generic) seems to be keeping me comfortable. No change there.
My sleep is ok - a bit heavy if anything, weird dreams etc.
I do get occasional tingling heat through my arms, legs, back - mostly related to stress.
I am more thin-skinned than on hrt (!) and my moods can go up and down depending on what's going on in my life. I can get a bit stuck in a low mood, but:
I am generally more optimistic.
I have noticed if I have wine - even small amount - it affects my mood making me low for days. So I need to remember that...
I have been sugar-seeking even more than usual and put on 4 or 5 pounds so that's the next phase of the challenge!
If I can manage without hrt I'll keep going without it because of the improved energy and optimism (not always of course!).
It took me many weeks to get a generally better balance and I do feel more 'me' now and do not have the exhaustion and lack of energy that came with hrt for me.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck everyone.D x

[CherrySG]

So useful, Deeble. I've been craving sugar too since being off hrt. Weird, isn't it?

[sed]

Hi
Just an update on my 'progress' off hrt (17 weeks!).
My energy is much improved.
Vagifem (generic) seems to be keeping me comfortable. No change there.
My sleep is ok - a bit heavy if anything, weird dreams etc.
I do get occasional tingling heat through my arms, legs, back - mostly related to stress.
I am more thin-skinned than on hrt (!) and my moods can go up and down depending on what's going on in my life. I can get a bit stuck in a low mood, but:
I am generally more optimistic.
I have noticed if I have wine - even small amount - it affects my mood making me low for days. So I need to remember that...
I have been sugar-seeking even more than usual and put on 4 or 5 pounds so that's the next phase of the challenge!
If I can manage without hrt I'll keep going without it because of the improved energy and optimism (not always of course!).
It took me many weeks to get a generally better balance and I do feel more 'me' now and do not have the exhaustion and lack of energy that came with hrt for me.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck everyone.D x

This sounds hopeful although “many weeks” sounds scary!  I am only week 6 and up and down.  Symptoms are with me everyday some days more bearable.  Never had flushes though thankfully - my main problem is muscle aches, nausea, chest ache, anxiety.  Started acupuncture hoping for the best to help. 

[Deeble]

Hi Sed
I was into my eighth week without hrt when I made a note in my diary 'best post-HRT day' and felt I'd moved along into another stage.
D x

[Nas]

Day 3 off HRT here and on fourth bleed in 6 months. Waiting for my hysteroscopy results and an appoint with a Meno specialist as I’ve had breast cancer. No idea what symptoms I’m going to be left with, but they can’t be much worse than what they were on the gel or patch regime. God I hate being female!

[Deeble]

Hi
Sed - wondering if the acupuncture has started to help with things? Hope so.
Blitzen5- hope you get your hysteroscopy results soon - the waiting is hard going along with everything else.
18 weeks off hrt for me now. I had a blip at the weekend - got very tired and wee smelled a bit strong (coffee?). Think I was fighting off a bladder infection and I did - but I've gone into a little bit of a low mood dip since. Beginning to over worry as lockdowns lift ... even though it's welcome. Prospect of travel (work and family related) is making me nervous and feel a bit overwhelmed and self esteem taking a hit.  Talking to partner about  possibly moving has rattled me too! Even when we might want these things they can be a big challenge! So, although I'm doing OK off the hrt I'm a bit thin-skinned and 'wobbly' at the moment. There's going to be highs and lows I know - fingers crossed I'll be back on an even keel soon! 

[sed]

Hi
Sed - wondering if the acupuncture has started to help with things? Hope so.
Blitzen5- hope you get your hysteroscopy results soon - the waiting is hard going along with everything else.
18 weeks off hrt for me now. I had a blip at the weekend - got very tired and wee smelled a bit strong (coffee?). Think I was fighting off a bladder infection and I did - but I've gone into a little bit of a low mood dip since. Beginning to over worry as lockdowns lift ... even though it's welcome. Prospect of travel (work and family related) is making me nervous and feel a bit overwhelmed and self esteem taking a hit.  Talking to partner about  possibly moving has rattled me too! Even when we might want these things they can be a big challenge! So, although I'm doing OK off the hrt I'm a bit thin-skinned and 'wobbly' at the moment. There's going to be highs and lows I know - fingers crossed I'll be back on an even keel soon!

Hi, thanks for checking in.  yes I have noticed a slight difference so far with acupuncture- I have about 6 more sessions.  I have had a few good days which enables me to get out and walk and loving it.  I know what you mean about getting anxious about rules lifting.  I am expected back to work very soon and felt slightly off about the prospect of travelling into London everyday.  Pushed it to the back of my mind as really trying to focus on the present moment. 

I have also been referred to a long Covid specialist  as believe I have a combination of symptoms. 

On the upside will keep pushing and hopefully will improve even more even though I come accustom to the dips and falls.  X

[sheila99]

Cherrysg if gel/provera suited you why not go back on that? Most GPS won't prescribe testosterone because there's no product licensed for women in the UK so it needs a specialist. You can ask for a referral to a menopause clinic who can prescribe it. Meno symptoms are a result of low oestrogen so it's better to replace the missing oestrogen rather than take ads. This is in the NICE guidelines.

[CherrySG]

Hi Sheila! I'm concerned about the bone loss element of Provera, but went back on it with an Evorel 50 for a couple of days. I called the GP and asked to be put on a Conti patch instead, so he's given me a month's supply of Evorel Conti to try.

It's only day 2 but weirdly I'm less tired than on Evorel 50. No side effects yet, but I know it's early days. I've been able to cut citalopram down a bit as it can just get rid of all emotions not just the bad ones. I know norethisterone doesn't have the best record for depression but I'm hoping it will be better than Provera as transdermal.

The conti patches are completely transparent so that's different from the cloudy-looking Evorel 50. Makes me wonder if I react to the delivery system in the Evorel 50. Oestrogel is good but 3 pumps is needed at a minimum and it gives me acid reflux, which I'm already medicated for and struggling to manage. In an ideal world I'd take 4 pumps as feel great on that!

[Deeble]

Hi - wondering about anyone else's progress without hrt. About 19 weeks without for me now. Well I was doing ok, and better generally. Many issues had settled down (tiredness particularly is much better without hrt) , but, I do seem to be emotionally very thin skinned right now. I'm surprised how upset I can get and how long it takes me to recover my equilibrium if I get really angry or sad ... I do seem to get stuck in a mood and feel a bit overwhelmed at times. Sounds a bit like pre-menstrual moods as I write this ...
I guess it's still early-ish days off hrt and I have room for more improvement.  I'm not planning on a return to hrt. I still feel more me without it and have more energy, but I hope this thin-skinned me isn't going to last too long!!
I've been cutting down biscuits/choc too - wonder if that's had an effect on my moods. I was turning into a sugar-seeking machine ....
Good luck everyone- wherever you are on the journey. X