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Author Topic: I thought hrt would "solve" everything but my mood is getting worse by the day  (Read 7328 times)

margherita

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I started a year and a half ago: estrogel (2 pumps) and utrogestan 100 mg which I take for 7 days orally days 21-28, a la Studd (who I don't see as I can only afford NHS).

When I began, I was perimenopausal, normalish periods, bad pmt that was greatly helped by Agnus Castus.
I've never had typical symptoms like hot flushes or night sweats but worsening moods, not helped by a bereavement and sharp decline in circumstances, financial and family. Obviously like any other condition, hormonal problems intersect with various personal issues.
I had read that depression and anxiety at this time of life could well be due to declining hormones so was very hopeful hrt would help.
The progesterone week is always bad so I assume I'm intolerant (and no longer take the agnus castus as heard it was incompabile with HRT) but in the last 3 months the "bad" progesterone week is turning into 2 weeks or more and the specific bad feeling I'm getting is rage and it's making life unbearable.

On the physical side, while my periods faded out on the HRT for the first year and a bit (were normal til then), in the last three months they are back, long and quite heavy, and are accompanied by spots (which I never get). Also painful hand joints in one hand only out of the blue.
The combination of rage/spots/new period pattern smacks of some hormonal storm.
What can I do?
I read a post on there that HRT can make moods WORSE for some people.
On the other hand, I see that lots of you have better results by increasing estrogel to 3 or even 4 pumps.
I am torn - should I phase it out completely or increase my dose - I feel that I cannot afford to get this wrong.
I am surprised by this deterioration after a year and a half
Before switching to estrogel I was on femoston for a couple of months and did not do well on it.
Physically I do the virtuous stuff you're meant to do - mediterranean diet, no weight problem (if anything am a bit underweight with BMI at 17 though I've heard BMI is bollocks), moderate exercise, regular schedule. I force myself to do these things but would really like to be under the duvet 24/7.
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CLKD

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  • changes can be scary, even when we want them

Jari - where do you get the idea that symptoms are dragged out by taking HRT?

I suggest putting the name of the product into the search box.  Make notes ;-).  It may be that your hormones are spiking, making the regime less active.  Any threads might give ideas as to whether a bit more HRT will ease those symptoms.

Menopause is 'natural' but sometimes symptoms are really bad, enough to cause women to kill themselves.  If HRT can ease those symptoms then it should be considered. 

As oestrogen levels drop so the body may become dry inside and out and muscles may become lax = aches and pains. 
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Jari

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CLKD. I get that impression by reading many posts on this forum. Many many ladies are not getting anywhere with their trials and errors with hrt.

I'm sure you've read the posts?

Many women spend decades dealing with their suicidal thoughts, anxiety, weight gain, depression etc. All caused by hrt.

It's great that you choose not to take it. Like me. But, I'm not sure why you choose to “sell” the hrt regime?

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Orangefoot

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What I understand is that as you progress through the years of peri menopause your hrt needs change because your own hormone levels are changing. The specialist I see says that she sees the oestrogen needs grow then decline so in the early stages more is needed than less.

Can you see someone for a review? If the Utrogestan weeks are getting worse maybe your own progesterone is making them worse and a change in oestrogen would help. Or a different progesterone.

Nothing stands still so ask for guidance again.
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Taz2

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CLKD. I get that impression by reading many posts on this forum. Many many ladies are not getting anywhere with their trials and errors with hrt.

I'm sure you've read the posts?



But many women have been given their enjoyment of life back from using HRT. For some women the symptoms of menopause don't abate as they go further into menopause. My neighbour is 72 and has had debilitating symptoms since she was 54. She chose to ride it out but is exhausted now and wishes she had tried it. It's different for every woman.

Welcome Margherita. I don't have experience of your regime but it's worth trying a different HRT if you do want to stay on it. How old are you and what were your periods/cycle like before HRT?

Taz x    :welcomemm:
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Katejo

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My advice would be to get off hrt. It causes so many problems and it's so much better to let your body get through this phase naturally, rather than add to all the symptoms and drag it all out with hrt..

Menopause symptoms pass naturally if you don't mess with your body. If you choose to add different hormones with hrt, then you can expect years of a messed up body with all sorts of symptoms and a negative outlook.

Deal with it head on naturally and it will get better and the symptoms will pass. With hrt it just drags it all out.. with depression, weight gain, anxiety among the main hrt symptoms. X
That doesn't apply to VA and osteoporosis. I don't want continued UTI'S  and increased risk of a hip fracture.
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Jari

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Taz2 and Katejo.
That's a shame for your neighbour and it's true that everyone is different. Who knows, hrt may have given her even worse symptoms like it did for me. She won't know if she never tried it.

It absolutely didn't work for me and I was very surprised how powerful it is. I do still have light symptoms, but I've found with lifestyle changes, these have become better or perhaps are fading anyway?!

I don't know about hrt and osteoporosis and whether it helps or not?! I'm going to have a bone scan to see how my bone health is out of interest, but osteoporosis can be helped/ prevented by exercise and eating the right foods etc.. x

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CLKD

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Wrong!  Do read the Osteoporosis web-site Jari.  This affects women and men.  Can be fatal.

I don't 'sell' anything.  That comment reminds me of someone who used to be a Member several years ago  :-\.  My advice and support are freely given.

I don't take HRT other than treatment for vaginal atrophy as so far, I haven't required it.  Also, having had breast cancer in the 1990s, I would push hard should symptoms become unbearable, regardless.  Quality of Life is important to me - having been close to death a couple of times, I value each day.  If medication helps to get me through, then that's the way I go.  I did fight against it initially .......

Many ladies find it hard to get a satisfactory regime because their own hormones are rising and falling.  But eventually most do.  Those that sail through don't appear on this forum. Some use HRT for several years, then stop, to find that symptoms return with a vengeance.

Marghereta  - some find keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use ;-)
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Tracey E

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I started a year and a half ago: estrogel (2 pumps) and utrogestan 100 mg which I take for 7 days orally days 21-28, a la Studd (who I don't see as I can only afford NHS).

When I began, I was perimenopausal, normalish periods, bad pmt that was greatly helped by Agnus Castus.
I've never had typical symptoms like hot flushes or night sweats but worsening moods, not helped by a bereavement and sharp decline in circumstances, financial and family. Obviously like any other condition, hormonal problems intersect with various personal issues.
I had read that depression and anxiety at this time of life could well be due to declining hormones so was very hopeful hrt would help.
The progesterone week is always bad so I assume I'm intolerant (and no longer take the agnus castus as heard it was incompabile with HRT) but in the last 3 months the "bad" progesterone week is turning into 2 weeks or more and the specific bad feeling I'm getting is rage and it's making life unbearable.

On the physical side, while my periods faded out on the HRT for the first year and a bit (were normal til then), in the last three months they are back, long and quite heavy, and are accompanied by spots (which I never get). Also painful hand joints in one hand only out of the blue.
The combination of rage/spots/new period pattern smacks of some hormonal storm.
What can I do?
I read a post on there that HRT can make moods WORSE for some people.
On the other hand, I see that lots of you have better results by increasing estrogel to 3 or even 4 pumps.
I am torn - should I phase it out completely or increase my dose - I feel that I cannot afford to get this wrong.
I am surprised by this deterioration after a year and a half
Before switching to estrogel I was on femoston for a couple of months and did not do well on it.
Physically I do the virtuous stuff you're meant to do - mediterranean diet, no weight problem (if anything am a bit underweight with BMI at 17 though I've heard BMI is bollocks), moderate exercise, regular schedule. I force myself to do these things but would really like to be under the duvet 24/7.

Hi Margherita, could I ask whether your now peri or post menopause? As far as I know Prof Studs 7 day regime is for post menopausal ladies.
Maybe the imbalance of the 7 day Utrogestan is not agreeing with the mix of your own hormones. Or maybe like me Utrogestan makes you just feel like poo. How do you feel on the Estro phase of this regime? There is an alternative if you wish to continue on the HRT and that's a Mirena coil I'm having one fitted next month.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2019, 07:56:03 AM by Tracey E »
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jaycee

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This sounds like someone on facebook,i read this morning warning people not to have HRT as it from horses urine, there is quite a lot of anger about it, as she is making out that all HRT is bad for you,
It is scaremongering in my opinion, as we know that most HRT is NOT from Horses urine
Premarin and Prempak are,[or were] i thought it was banned ages ago
 not sure if it still is, as someone else said it is made a different way now
I refused these in the past on ethical grounds, but if people dont want HRT  or it doesn't suit them stay off it and let others make their own minds up
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Tracey E

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My advice would be to get off hrt. It causes so many problems and it's so much better to let your body get through this phase naturally, rather than add to all the symptoms and drag it all out with hrt..

Menopause symptoms pass naturally if you don't mess with your body. If you choose to add different hormones with hrt, then you can expect years of a messed up body with all sorts of symptoms and a negative outlook.

Deal with it head on naturally and it will get better and the symptoms will pass. With hrt it just drags it all out.. with depression, weight gain, anxiety among the main hrt symptoms. X

Hi Jari, how do you deal with VA and Osteoprosis naturally? My mum had an hysterectomy at 48 and suffered with Osteoprosis all her life numerous breaks and falls regardless of what calcium tablets she was taking. Just interested to know of any treatment that's more effective than Estrogen for this condition.
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sheila99

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Many women spend decades dealing with their suicidal thoughts, anxiety, weight gain, depression etc. All caused by hrt.

These symptoms are caused by menopause. There is no scientific evidence for your statement except for possibly a small handful of women. For thousands of women hrt alleviates these symptoms, it doesn't cause them. Perhaps scaremongering isn't appropriate.

Margherita, I wonder if the increased bleeding is because the utro isn't sufficient? I'm on 200mg for 12 days. If you're getting spotting I would ask for a smear test unless you've had one recently. Symptoms do change throughout peri and sometimes heavy periods can be the last hurrah. Provera might be worth trying instead of utro. If these are the symptoms you had before then it would indicate that increased E might help but I'd be wary of doing this on the low dose of P you're on.
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Jari

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Jaycee, some hrt's are made from pregnant mules urine, not horses I don't think?

Some are plant based..

I agree that people should of course make their own minds up whether to take hrt or not and I think it's good to hear all experiences of taking hrt, good and bad!? Right?
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Jari

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Tracy, I don't take hrt and I don't have VA or Osteoporosis currently.
I am going to have a bone scan out of interest, because I choose not to take hrt and I want to therefore see if my bone health is affected because I don't take it.

There are plenty of foods and supplements that help with osteoporosis and VA symptoms. Exercise is really good for bone health also. X
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Jari

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Sheila, I'm not scaremongering, just telling it how it is. For some women, hrt does cause these symptoms. As you point out of course, other women are not affected, but I think all women should understand that it is not a wonder drug that will cure everything. For me, it caused really bad symptoms. It's not meant to scare people, just to make aware.
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