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[Gem45]

Hi everyone. Found this site whilst scrolling at 2am as cannot sleep. I’ve been on hrt for over a year after trying it as anti day did not work. Hrt has quite literally sent me feeling like a mad woman the past few months. Was on 75mg patches and the progesterone tablets two weeks of the month. I also take the mini pill. A few months ago started to realise the weeks when I took the progesterone I was literally so depressed anxiety went through the roof and felt worse than before I started it. Went to the doctors and spoke to two doctors who said I can stop taking it cold turkey so I did and they gave me propranolol for the anxiety. I have not taken any of these as since I stopped the hrt a week ago I just feel so flat no emotion just flat. I cannot sleep which was one thing I had actually improved on whilst on the hrt. Alongside magnesium at night. Has anyone been in this situation at all? I’m unsure what to do with the hrt although I have been looking at getting starflower capsules and lemon balm. I do not want to go back to the doctors as feel they have no clue! There is a menopause nurse at the surgery she tweaked the last hrt to up the oestrogen and the progesterone tablets unsure what else she can do? I also do speak to someone at talking therapies do regular exercise and lots of walking! Just wanted to get it all out sorry oh and on top of all that I have bleeding now although shouldn’t be due on the another week or so although it seems to be a very dark brown colour so assuming this is because of the stoping of hrt?

[Penguin]

I have no advice but stopped over a month ago for a similar reason, I just couldn't handle the progesterone I had to take 12 days. Testing showed my E and P to be very high on hrt anyway even on a very low dose so not a bad thing I stopped.
I ended up paying to see a psychiatrist privately, tapered off one anti depressant and have started another and that seems to be going in the right direction.
I know the flatness you describe too, that could be related to a normal dip in E if you have just started a bleed which, BTW, is totally normal if you've just changed or stopped hrt.
Do you want to find an alternative hrt you can tolerate? Hopefully someone om here can advise you re that.

[Mary G]

Gem45, it sounds like you need some help with finding a workable HRT regime rather than giving it up altogether.  Supplements, diet, exercise and the other stuff you mentioned will only take you so far and will not really help menopause symptoms.

You really need to find a specialist who can help you with the progesterone problem or you could decide to take a lower dose and self monitor by having regular transvaginal scans.  Why do you need progesterone on top of the mini pill?  Could the mini pill be enough for the progesterone component and then you could just add oestrogen?

I don't use the NHS but from what I have read on here, it is under immense strain now and probably doesn't have the bandwidth to deal with complex HRT cases.  NHS menopause clinics are over subscribed with very long waiting lists so you might have to consider private help.

I would start by taking the mini pill with a top up of oestrogen and see how that goes for a while.  What type/dose is the mini pill?

[Gem45]

Hi Mary
No the mini pill does not provide enough progesterone on its own. I am not going back to the doctors for a while think I’m going to give my body a break as HRT does not work for everyone and I have tried a lower dose of oestrogen at the start which had no affect!

[Gem45]

Hi Penguin
Thanks for your reply nice to know I’m not alone in hating progesterone! I am going to have a break and then see how I go. Think I thought it was the magic cure which is isn’t for everyone x

[sheila99]

2xPOP is licensed for hrt or you could try a mirena instead if you need birth control. I've never been on bcp and hrt but judging by posts on here it does seem to cause problems. It might be that you don't get on with utrogestan but it's also possible that you just have too much when you use both. I found utrogestan far more tolerable when I'd stopped producing my own progesterone. My worst symptoms were insomnia and anxiety and both are cured with hrt so I'd encourage you to try again when you feel you're able too, it's changed my life. I didn't find any other cure for insomnia. In my area it takes a year to get an appointment with an NHS meno clinic so if you think you may try it again in the future you might want to get on the waiting list now. Most people can find something to suit but it can take a bit of time to find what's right for you. Good luck whatever you decide.

[merrygoround]

A lot of GPs seem to overlook tibolone.

It's a type of HRT specifically for women who do not tolerate progesterone, from your post I'd guess that includes you.
I had a hard time with progesterone all my life. My husband had the snip because I couldn't tolerate any pill or mini pill.

I spoke to my GP a year post meno and asked what could I have instead of HRT.
She was clueless, put me on HRT, it was a disaster, I stopped after far too long of trying.

It was months before the pharmacist suggested tibolone.

Long story short tibolone is a great mood booster and HRT replacement in general. It is hormone based, and prescription only as an HRT, but it's not the actual hormones, your body makes the hormones itself out of tibolone and that means there is no bad reaction to the man made stuff.
I go completely crazy on progesterone pills, I have no bad side effects at all from tibolone, so I'd suggest it to anyone with progesterone intolerance.
Like all HRTs it is only actually licensed for post menopausal women, if you're peri they'll usually give out HRT anyway and tibolone has instructions for women who may get pregnant on the leaflet inside it, so in practice it's used in peri women too.

[Gem45]

Oh wow thanks both of you so much. I didn’t know 2 x minipill would be acceptable don’t think the so called specialist menopause nurse at my surgery did either. I tried having the coil but completely froze up and couldn’t let them do it and hubby refuses to have the snip! I had a three month break from the minipill and had the worst periods ever and as I’ve been on it since mid twenties that was a shock hence why I went back on it! I hadn’t heard of the other hrt though so think I’ll have a few months off and see how I go! It’s just the sleep I can’t cope with and the moods and anger!! And this bleeding from stopping the hrt so quickly! X

[Fizwhizz]

I completely stopped HRT. I was feeling worse and worse on it. I was seeing a private GP but unfortunately she didn’t pick up on possible thyroid issues. The body can’t tolerate HRT if thyroid is out of whack. Initially I felt great without it but now trying to get thyroid balanced with meds before attempting anything else. I’ve got that awful flat mood thing going on. I try push through it but it’s a grind. I just feel joyless if that makes sense. I fancy trying Tibolone if things don’t improve but have to get my thyroid under control first.

[joziel]

Gem, which mini pill are you on? Is it norethisterone or desogestrel? If so, both of those - at the right dosage - can be used as HRT progestins.

You would really benefit from seeing someone privately who can devise a routine that works for you and then write to your GP and tell them what to continue. I recommend the Newson Clinic...

As someone said, you can take 2x desogestrel as HRT progestin.

The estrogen will really help with your sleep when you get the dosage right. If it didn't help yet, you probably need a higher dose. It can take a while to finesse exactly what works for you with products and dosages so don't give up. NHS Gps sadly just seem to know the bog standard generic prescriptions to use and not really how to problem solve and you can be waiting years to see an NHS menopause clinic...