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[Jem83]

Hello, I started HRT 3 weeks ago. Started on 1 pump of gel (no issues) and then day 14 introduced progesterone orally 2 tablets of Gepretrix. Day 5 into taking the progesterone and side effects are starting, I’m waking early 4am /5am and can’t get back to sleep (I was good sleeper before), heart palpitations, feeling wired before bed and can’t sleep, felt like I’d been kicked in the ovaries, jittery and jumpy to loud sounds, night sweats (only had these just before a period). Also now suffering with tiredness. Some days and nights are worse than others. I don’t know if it’s my body telling me I’m not ready yet for HRT. I’m 40 and have symptoms, anxiety being the worse and fluctuating hormones is driving my anxiety. Can’t go on the pill as synthetic progesterone makes my androgenetic alopecia worse. Any advice most welcome because I’m thinking of coming off the stuff.

[bombsh3ll]

Hi Jem83,

Sorry you are struggling.

I also have androgenic alopecia since adolescence and my choice of treatment for peri is continuous use of Zoely which is a combined pill with 17 beta estradiol plus nomegestrol acetate, which is a slightly anti-androgenic if anything progestin and really neutral with regard to side effects.

This keeps me completely bleed free and hormonally stable and in my experience provides a far better quality of life than cyclical HRT, which not only doesn't get rid of hormonal swings and bleeding, but frequently exacerbates these.

Although I have shaved my head and worn wigs for years, Zoely has not exacerbated my hair loss at all.

Just another option to consider - I don't even think of it as a contraceptive pill as that indication isn't relevant to me, I think of it as hormone therapy with menstrual suppression included.

[sheila99]

It would be worth trying it vaginally in case it's any better. It does similar things to me and I found taking it 11am was the best for sleep, not perfect but I got more sleep that way. Cyclogest and lutigest seem to be tolerated better, they're not on the approved list for hrt but it would be worth asking it you can't toleratecanything else. Also synthetic progestogen aren't all the same so perhaps you might find one that doesn't cause problems?