Yes Dandelion, the confusing thing is that when I've tried lowering my HRT in the past I would get side effects within a few days, but they were always extreme tiredness and a general under-the-weather feeling. I haven't experienced it where I've not had those side effects and then 6 weeks down the line I've had a return of my original symptoms of 3am insomnia and really bad night sweats, if you see what I mean.
I think I remember someone - maybe Hurdity? - commenting previously that there are changes that happen at two different levels, there's sort of an immediate change and then something else too... but I'm not explaining that very well as I can't remember exactly what was said 
Does anyone else sometimes just dread the years ahead? I'm still only 43 and I really hope there isn't another 10 years of upheaval ahead of me!
I dread the future, but not because of menopause. Because of the consequences of choices I made, but that's non meno stuff.
To give you a bit of positivity, I started my meno at 42, here I am at 56, 14 years later, and I am still going.
I think long menopauses are the exception rather than the rule.
We are all different, there may be some women who start early and finish early.
As for Heredity's post, I am wondering if she meant that hormones lower again at a later stage in life?
If so, we had a practice run.
Bleeding meant I came down from 100mcg oestrogen, I did ok on 75, and 50, and 25, even though this drop brought back night-sweats, however, I am, once again, being woken up in the morning, with butterflies in my stomach and the runs.
Before I gradually moved up to 100, last decade, I had IBS and they wanted to do a colonoscopy, luckily, moving up to 100mcg firmed me up.
The IBS is back as well, I was Googling return of menopause symptoms.
Don't let me put you off, I survived it, and still am.
I think most women don't have years long transitions into the tranquility of old age, gynaecologically.
As for 3am insomnia, that sounds awful.
I have read a few women on here, being woken before wake-wakey time at 3am.
Maybe there should be an online club for women awake at this ungodly hour, who feel like the last person on earth.
I often cannot get to sleep till this time, I do something, I do feel lonesome, I imagine everyone else in our block of flats, snoring.
Anyway, I am 56, started at 42, to be greeted by cortisol rushes and neck sweats in bed, but I am still here. I went from 50 to 25 without telling my doc, as I have had bleeds at higher doses.
I just think it's a shame to stay on "not-enough-oestrogen".
It doesn't make sense, my body is either bleeding from too much, or showing symptoms of not enough, but I will go back down to 25 if I have to.
What was your reason for lowering your dose?
Would you consider raising it again so you don't have breakfast with the owls?
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Topic: How quickly are changes in HRT felt? Is it immediate or can it take longer? (Read 882 times)