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[Sarah2]

Yes.
So far it has stopped all the horrible things and I have no side effects at all except slight ones during the progesterone phase.

It stopped my flushes and night time waking in 4 days.

[coolatlast]

Wow it's amazing how quickly these things can work!  Pleased its working for you Sarah!

[Shazzie]

Thanks so much for all our really helpful replies.

I know what you mean Taz about the chin hairs.  Oh well.  There is always the circus I suppose.

I am feeling much better on my patches.  Just wish the palps would completely disappear but I reckon that is something that won't go too soon.  At least it is natural.

Take care and thanks again for the replies.

Shazzie xx

[Hurdity]

Hi Shazzie

I'm not sure about what symptoms  - eg I have lots over the years and some are to do with ageing and some connected with menopause.

The main ones for which I started HRT over 7 years ago - hot flushes and night sweats - lessened within days and disappeared within weeks, never to return - except when I stopped (once for 3 months) or reduced the dose (twice).

In that sense - a resounding yes! The night sweats and sleeplessness/disturbed nights are what I found more debilitating than the hot flushes, because at least with the latter I could fling clothes on and off and flap myself - embarrassing but I didn't find them so exhausting as the night sweats.

Other symptoms - dryness - unfortunately once you are well post-meno, many women find local oestrogen also necessary, although when I started HRT ( while still not quite at menopause) I was fine in that dept.

Someone mentioned libido declining with HRT - I think I read somewhere that oral HRT is more likely to have this effect - something to do with the metabolites and free testosterone but I can't remember and brain not working this w/e sorry (fog!). However since testosterone declines with age irrespective of menopause - and more so in some women where menopause can exacerbate this (no more T produced by ovaries - for some women the adrenal glands still produce enough) - then a decline is probably expected.

I have found though, and so have other women in the past on here , that although HRT alleviates the troublesome symptoms, once you are well post-meno - the excitement and huge enthusiasm for things, life etc does not seem to return. There are no hormonal mood swings any more, and oestrogen levels are just not high enough compared to our fertile days - so you have to make more of an effort to do things and make things happen, I suppose everything is more on an even keel. No tears, no hormnal surges  , but also things are just fine - if you see what I mean. Better this than the alternative though - on balance!

Hurdity x

[Shazzie]

Thanks Hurdity

You explain things just as they are for me.

I feel much better on the HRT than when I was off it.  I haven't bled for a couple of years now and am very dry as you describe.  Haven't noticed any change to my libido apart from the dryness.

I first went onto HRT as I was really suffering with the hot flushes and sleepless nights due to palps.  My GP prescribed me HRT as I suffer from Relapse Remitting MS and if I get hot my MS symptoms flare up.  I can even go blind if things are very bad.  My temperature seems to have returned to normal since starting the patches so I will definitely be staying on them as long as I can.

Thanks for your helpful reply Hurdity, I really appreciate it.

Have a good weekend.

Shazzie x

[jgr]

It certainly helped a lot of my symptoms. The most noticeable were the hot flushes. I still get what i call blips every now and then, ie Weird head feelings, aches, headaches, itchy skin, tiredness, disturbed sleep and odd dreams. palpatations, ectopic heartbeats to name but a few, but like i said only now and again and thankfully not all at once.

[Dandelion]

My HRT finally kicked in after three and a bit months on the Femoston 2/10.
I still get morning dread, anxiety and depression, but that may be due to my factual circumstances rather than medical or hormonal.
My IBS and flushes finally vastly improved after stopping gluten two and a half weeks ago.
I still need the fan on, on a morning in bed, because I do get very hot, but I dunno if that's just because of the warmer weather we have been having recently.
I can blend in with the crowd in town more now, because I don't need to walk around in a vest or shirt sleeves while everyone else has a coat and jumper on.
A brisk five minute walk to the town no longer leaves me in a lather of sweat and burning up.
My IBS has gone and I am finally able to pass normal stools. I also only go once most mornings now.

It was stopping the gluten that finally helped my HRT to kick in.

I would say, for any woman who finds that their sweats and flushes are still happening, because their HRT is not working, to try going gluten free for a period of time to see what difference that makes.
I'm not a doctor though, so you may want to tell your doctor especially if you have medical issues.

It doesn't have to be expensive. The gluten free bread is more dear but its lasting longer than normal bread, and you don't need as much to fill you. The pasta is the same price. Don't bother with all the other expensive gluten free products, they're mostly junk anyway.

If you're like me, your HRT will suddenly start working.
I never told my doc about gluten, because she fobbed me off when I told her I thought I had IBS cos my symptoms matched the criteria.

[Hurdity]

Hey Dandelion - really great that it seems to be working out for you now healthwise! Long may it last!

Hurdity x

[Shazzie]

Thanks jgr and Dendelion and glad you are doing ok.

I am much better on the HRT than off.  Sleep is definitely better. 

It's really interesting how HRT is working for many of us.

Shazzie xx

[Dandelion]

Hey Dandelion - really great that it seems to be working out for you now healthwise! Long may it last!

Hurdity x

Hi Hurdity,

Yeah, long may it last.
I gave up coffee today, just an experiment to see how it feels.

[Dandelion]

Thanks jgr and Dendelion and glad you are doing ok.

I am much better on the HRT than off.  Sleep is definitely better. 

It's really interesting how HRT is working for many of us.

Shazzie xx

It's really strange how my hrt likes me more now that I am not eating gluten.