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[Gunno67]

Hi ladies,
I am about to turn 56 (on Saturday actually  ) and had been post-meno and period free for just over 8 years. Last summer was sort of jogging along ok, bit of brain fog, bit grumpy, the odd flush but in general OK apart from my sleep pattern, or lack of sleep pattern! Friends that were on HRT kept saying I would feel like 'a new woman' and sleep like a baby on HRT so off I went to the Docs, half expecting to be told I was too long post-meno to start but nope, after initial appointment, blood pressure checks etc - off I went with my first prescription of Oestrogel and Utrogestan 100mg.
Had my ups and downs during first 3 months (the anger in month 3 was awful  lucky I didn't kill someone  ) anyway here we are end of month 5 thinking all had settled down and b*gger me, if I haven't just started a period!!! Really not happy about this as you can imagine, and coupled with the weight gain (over a stone) and the incredible increase in appetite (read the small print!) I am ready to quit. This morning only used one pump rather than two to start the weaning off process but not sure how to slowly reduce the tabs?? Any thoughts?
Can't see the doc I've been under re HRT until the 16th Feb but have an appointment booked with another Doc on Tues next week.
Would love to hear from anyone with similar experiences or advice if you think I'm giving up too early, thanks x

[Karen max]

Hi
I'm feeling same as you using the gel and progesterone pill at night, I'm 8 yrs with out a period and have tried a few different mixtures of hrt none of made made me feel anyway near how I used to be ( normal ) .. I'm 57 yrs old and my night sweats are back my mood is low plus anxiety through roof so I've decided that maybe hrt just isn't for me??
I've reduced my gel over last 4 weeks and am now at 2 pumps per day but I'm also wondering how to lower the progesterone pill as it seems to be the pill my body won't accept
Hopefully someone will come along and give us some information regarding lowering hrt

Kaz 🌸

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I have experimented with lowering and raising my HRT dose over the years ( I am 66 and my last period was in 2010) You are both fortunate in that you use the gel so tweaking the dose is very easy although ladies who use the patches can cut them to different sizes, something I have also done.

Hopefully other ladies will advise about reducing Utrogestan. I was prescribed the 100mcg capsules but there are 200mcg ones as well. I have used mine both orally and vaginally and on consecutive and alternate nights so perhaps different regimes offer some wiggle room.

During this last experiment I reduced my gel to a very low dose, equivalent to 25mcg  and I saw a return of some flushes, night sweats, very low mood with crying and VA symptoms. I am now trying the equivalent of 50mcg and I will see how this works out. Fun and games eh ladies!

Good luck and wishing you both well.

K.

[Gunno67]

Hi
I'm feeling same as you using the gel and progesterone pill at night, I'm 8 yrs with out a period and have tried a few different mixtures of hrt none of made made me feel anyway near how I used to be ( normal ) .. I'm 57 yrs old and my night sweats are back my mood is low plus anxiety through roof so I've decided that maybe hrt just isn't for me??
I've reduced my gel over last 4 weeks and am now at 2 pumps per day but I'm also wondering how to lower the progesterone pill as it seems to be the pill my body won't accept
Hopefully someone will come along and give us some information regarding lowering hrt

Kaz 🌸

Hi Kaz
Thanks for replying - bloomin nightmare isnt it   hope all works out for you x

[Gunno67]

Hello ladies.

I have experimented with lowering and raising my HRT dose over the years ( I am 66 and my last period was in 2010) You are both fortunate in that you use the gel so tweaking the dose is very easy although ladies who use the patches can cut them to different sizes, something I have also done.

Hopefully other ladies will advise about reducing Utrogestan. I was prescribed the 100mcg capsules but there are 200mcg ones as well. I have used mine both orally and vaginally and on consecutive and alternate nights so perhaps different regimes offer some wiggle room.

During this last experiment I reduced my gel to a very low dose, equivalent to 25mcg  and I saw a return of some flushes, night sweats, very low mood with crying and VA symptoms. I am now trying the equivalent of 50mcg and I will see how this works out. Fun and games eh ladies!

Good luck and wishing you both well.

K.

Thanks for the tip re alternate nights Kathleen x

[Karen max]

Hi Gunno
It's an everlasting merry go round we seem to be on, the progesterone 100mg is really effecting my tummy ( aid) plus my mood is so low, I've no motivation st all plus the brain fog is ridiculous
I phoned HRT clinic today but unfortunately the nurse dealing with me has retired so I hope I get a call from them by Friday
Everol conti patches weren't great for me but my tummy wasn't how it is now , plus anxiety was a little lower, so I, planning to change back to patch but I would definitely like to try a different one rather than everol.
I will post and let you know how my call with hrt goes
 Until then I guess we just need to ride the storm, bloody hell what a storm it is
Kaz 🌸

[sheila99]

I use a long cycle (6 week) sequi regime because I get fatigue on utro. I believe the risk of endometrial cancer is slightly higher but I'd rather take the risk than be permanently dopey. It might be an option if you can't find a prog that you get on with.

[Gunno67]

Thanks again for feedback gals but I'm still wanting to jump off this merry-go-round reduced my gel to one pump daily last two days and thinking of just taking the Utrogestan every other night, at least until I see the Doc next Tuesday (not that I hold out much hope for a concise reply from her, sadly no one at our surgery seems to be a meno expert). Expecting to feel a bit sh*te for a while but soooo fed up of this weight gain and now the bleeding xx

[warwick01]

Sheila99
how much gel are you using?? also how many days on Utro??

Thanks x

[sheila99]

200mg x 12 days utro. Was on 4pumps gel, changed to 100 estradot patch.

[Madeline]

Thanks again for feedback gals but I'm still wanting to jump off this merry-go-round reduced my gel to one pump daily last two days and thinking of just taking the Utrogestan every other night, at least until I see the Doc next Tuesday (not that I hold out much hope for a concise reply from her, sadly no one at our surgery seems to be a meno expert). Expecting to feel a bit sh*te for a while but soooo fed up of this weight gain and now the bleeding xx

Hi gunno67,

How are you doing ...I'm in a very similar boat to you. I have been on oestragel and utrogeston for the guts of 3 years now. Started off peri but my bloods are showing postmeno now and Doc said there's a good chance as I have only had 1 bleed in 12mths. I know you have to be 1 year bleed free . Mainly in my case I needed HRT for anxiety, hot flushes and insomnia .I had hoped hrt would help me which it def did in the beginning with insomnia and anxiety but it also causes problems in my case. I feel I become this witch during the 11 days of progesterone (totally intolerant) and I just cannot hack it anymore. I tried upping my oestragel ( advice from doc) so I did that, upped to 3 pumps omg it made me so much worse. So now I am weaning myself off. I am presently 1 week on 1 pump and feel like a new person. The only symptom I can see is brain fog seeping back in, I dont feel wired anymore and the bloat has gone. Even my thighs I'd imagine it is water retention, they have gone down. My massive appetite has gone too.

So I'm wondering do I stay here on 1 pump and instead of doing 11 days progesterone would I be allowed to do 5 or 6 or do I continue and stop and just as you say try vitamins and herbs etc.

I have bought gaba orange chewis. They came recommended by another girl on here. They are for insomnia and anxiety.

I also prior to HRT I was on Pukka womankind capsules which worked and I found amazing, ( I was astually shocked at how well they worked to be honest ) but low behold they took it off the shelf as they said there was holy basil in it they they don't use anymore. Alas.

So now I am stocking up on products that might help, The gaba chewies I mentioned above, magnesium, ashwagandha, rhodiola, shatavari and agus cactus, omegas and holybasil . I need something for brain fog too haha.,. Obviously I wont take them altogether but I think these seem to be the big boys that help. So I will probably stay on 1 pump till I have done all my  homework on best aids and what to take with what .So its a case of do I stop or not.

Let me know what the doc says and what you decide to do. I wouldn't be happy with a period coming back either after such a long time, feck that. x

[Madeline]

How are you doing GUNNO67?

I started taking magnesium- Viridian Magnesium Bisglycinate as there is no filler in this product but unfortunately it sedated me but kept me awake for 2 full nights so I stopped that. I was sedated but not asleep if you get me. My plan is to have something in my system for when I stop HRT eventually, I am weaning down.

Today I bought pukka Ashwagandha. I do love pukkas products so will report back once I start this.

I am still on 1 pump of HRT gel. I start progesterone utrogeston tonight, dread this stuff but I am only going to stay on it for 6 days as Im only taking small dose of oestrogel.