Hi AngsanaBlossom,
I started HRT exactly 12 months ago after years of Peri and about 18 months of hell!!
It had an immediate effect and by Christmas Day I felt back to my normal self,happy in control of my own brain and tear ducts 😀
However, I wonder if it's the effect of have very little estrogen for a long time and then getting what must be a big hit of hormones??? I felt great for about a month but it did level out and although in the main I'm overall much improved I still have odd days of brain fog, like your phone thing and some days when I start worrying about weird things again.
Like you I was fit before this started, gym, spinning, walking about 40k a week, but I spent about 14 months crying on the sofa and lost much of my fitness, but gradually since about June this year I've got back into it and I'm even having PT sessions and feeling so much better now that I'm exercising again.
I do think for me HRT has been good, although I still worry about the risks but I'd hate to think where I'd be without it this past year, but it isn't a cure all and I do believe if you slowly got back into exercise you'd feel much better. Just don't overdo it!!
Good luck x