I started my first cycle of HRT on 1 June, and was prescribed Novofem. I'm 47 and think I have been in peri for 2 or 3 years (according to some previous bloods taken, but I know how inaccurate these things can be!) I had been suffering for about a year with headaches, silent migraine, tingling in hands/feet, periods all over the place. Looking back, a few other things had got worse like my vertigo and definitely nausea and reflux.
The not knowing how I was going to be each day was really starting to get me down, it's so hard to make plans and just function properly! So I went to see my GP who put me on this Novofem sequential. A secondary reason was that I am very slightly built and the doctor was concerned about osteoporosis (had another bone scan last week so that's in hand). The first couple of weeks were ok on the oestrogen side of things but then once the progesterone started it all went south. My mood was really irritable, boobs sore as heck, dragging/period pain and my tummy felt upset a lot. The worst bit for me was the feeling of being on edge the whole time, I would describe it as "wired". When I was trying to tell someone else about it, he said "oh, like an adrenaline rush?" Yes, that's exactly what it felt like. My BP spiked a few times at nearly 130, when it is normally on the low side at around 100.
I spoke to the nurse at my surgery re the blood pressure, as that did concern me. She said I could just stop the HRT if I wanted, or if I felt I could continue I could do that too (helpful, right?). I decided to stop, that adrenaline rush was horrible.
Through searching on here, I now realise that the progesterone in that tablet was norethisterone and testosterone based, and wondered whether it was just a step too far and too much for me.
Since stopping the tablets at the end of June, I had the withdrawal bleed (it was very, very heavy for 2 days then petered out as normal) but towards the end of that week and over this last weekend, the headaches are back and making me miserable again.
I am going back to the doctor this week to discuss this and I just want to be able to cope again. My brain fog this last week was silly, like a journey I normally make in my car several times a week I had a complete blank about the name of a village for goodness sake. I honestly just couldn't bring it front of mind!! My husband is being really supportive, but I'm worried that he's going to start eye rolling me soon if I keep talking about HRT or menopause symptoms.
Has anyone else moved from a norethisterone to a different progesterone and been ok with it?
The other thing that I am worried about is my mum took HRT for 10 years and then had the symptoms hit her like a brick wall as soon as she stopped. My mind feels like spaghetti junctions at the moment with everything intertwined
