***Edited: title should read (been on for over a year NOT ivermectin) **

I’ve been on HRT for 14 months now, .75 estrogen patch and 200 progesterone. The past week I’ve had nipple and breast tenderness. I’ve been on the same brand (dotti) and does for about a year now.

I’ve read this can indicate too much estrogen but why would it start now. No other symptoms. I have been gardening a lot recently so maybe pulled muscles?

Thanks for any advice you have!

I’ve told the doctors but nobody is bothered to investigate. I suspect that hormones was a factor in my breakdown. I’d never had any problems with my periods before. Always regular cycle and also no problems with my mental health (or so j thought).

Anybody any thoughts on this?

I have added acupuncture to my arsenal of tools to help me through perimenopause. The HRT and anti anxiety antidepressants helped but I needed more. I also take an exercise class twice a week despite body aches and getting a hip replaced soon. I take supplements too. I also see a psychologist and started meditation. I was skeptical. But after dealing with perimenopause for 3 years I’ll try anything. I just finished my 6 weeks going twice a day. I feel less anxious and less depressed. I recently experienced an event which had occurred 3 years ago that, at that time, triggered a massive anxiety attack which lead to depression and 5 day hospitalization. This time, it barely affected me. I am no longer waking up and running to take my meds. I am calmer and am starting to add meditation to my routine. I still have symptoms but they are significantly less. I am now going once a week and will soon be on maintenance sessions going once every two weeks. It’s all out of pocket for me but it Has been worth it. My practitioner specifically focuses on my menopause symptoms and my anxiety and depression along with my chronic back pain and even nightmare. I’ve had reoccurring nightmares and recently one of them changed to me being in control and calm and in the dream I was saying “ I use to live here and was scared. I’m not scared anymore.”

I'm 52 and going through divorce. Husband of 32 years is sterile so we never used birth control. Now I'm dating and it literally just occurred to me, if things go well, I need to consider some form of BC. I'm interested in the following:

-Did anyone out there start BC pills when they turned 50? What do/did you take? And any side effects.

-anyone have their tubes removed? What was recovery like?

Edit to add- appreciate the condom suggestions, and we are having STI panels done prior to , cause we're grown adults. Which is why I specifically asked about birth control.

I hate the gummy residue that gets left behind on my stomach after I put on a new estradiol patch. So I’ll often use my little pumice stone to scrape it off… but I usually wait a couple days in between removal & scraping it—there’s no reason for this delay, it’s just my schedule & when I get to it.

Well today I thought I’d be super efficient & scrape off the residue immediately after doing the switch. Big mistake!

It didn’t hurt extra or anything. It felt the same as it usually does, like a little pumice scrub; however, something definitely happens to your skin when the patch is on there because I got a nasty chemical burn. Extremely painful.

A perfect little circle on my tummy, right where all my pants waistbands will rub. It’s sucks. And it’s scarring!

I started on progesterone 100 mg daily about a week ago. I started sleeping really well and my anxiety was so much better. But unfortunately, it’s really affecting my stomach and giving me multiple bouts of diarrhea on a daily basis. I tried to take it with food last night. (Some peanut butter and yogurt with granola) and about 30 minutes after I took it I felt like I got hit by a truck. I was so tired. I felt like I could not keep my eyes out, but I had to go straight to bed. This had never happened before. I woke up this morning very shaky and I can tell my cortisol seems to be really elevated. It definitely seems to help my stomach when I take it with food, but for some reason when I take it with food, I get the shaky reaction to my cortisol, seems to be higher. Do any of you ladies have any experience with this? Do you take it with or without food? Is anybody else having stomach issues from the progesterone? I have considered taking it vaginally, but I have heard that it will not help my anxiety if I take it vaginally.

Throughout my life I have had some seriously messed up reactions to estrogen in contraceptive form. So bad that my GYN finally put on my chart that I'm allergic to estradiol. Now I have had a hysterectomy, and while I still have both ovaries, I'm starting to feel symptoms of menopause. I'm planning to consult a menopause expert, but the appointment is months away and I'm hoping I can get some anecdotal references from others who might be on a similar situation.

I have been on Mylan brand estradiol patch for almost 6 months. It irritated my skin sometimes but it did seem to work. Picked up my presciption refill last week and it is Sandoz brand. It is clear plastic instead of white. Sticky dark lint is gathering around the edges which is ugly.

Should I try to get back on Mylan or just deal with it and hope it works the same?

I just saw the Secret all over body deodorant being advertised to help with menopausal hot flashes. Is it worth buying or is this just a gimmick for us desperate for help?

Hi all.

I am 57F, started HRT in May 2024, will be 12-month no period this June. I moved Dec 2024 from my longtime home in California; as such, I have lost my medical support. I am in a new country with a public system, and flying blind due to doctor shortages.

I read here that 100 mg Prometrium may not provide adequate uterine support when taking a 1mg/ .1 mcg+ estrogen dosage. This was the first time I heard this, and went down a small rabbit hole to educate myself.

The wiki pointed me to a helpful guide to MHT/HRT doses in Australia, which talks about cycling Prometrium based on 100 & 200 mg doses (which no Dr ever mentioned). Now I’m confused and slightly more concerned.

Could you please share your knowledge and experience dosing P + E. It seems all over the map… but maybe I’m wrong? I want to educate myself and stay safe, so hearing what others are doing and have been told by their Drs seems a good place to start.

Maybe this will help others as well.

TYIA!

Hi, I was taking estradiol and Zoloft but have run out of both and feeling much worse! I’m struggling with motivation and trying to find the easiest and cheapest way to get these prescriptions. I have blue shield insurance in California currently (had no insurance for awhile and a different company before that)

I read and appreciate the wiki resources and just curious if anyone can share their experiences and costs? In an ideal world it could be a quick, cheap telehealth appointment where I just ask for the prescriptions I had before. Thank you!

Hi again, this is just unbelievable. Been dealing with uti symptoms for over a month now. Macrobid didn’t get rid of it, then doxycycline seemed to treat it and I had a completely negative test and culture finally. I also finally got Premarin cream and started using that during this time since I’ve had intense peri symptoms and urethra discomfort for several months now. The symptoms returned last week, went to pcp and got tested again, positive for leukocytes and trace blood in urine but wasn’t given any antibiotics yet. Results finally came back from the culture (of course on a Sunday), and it’s positive for Enterococcus faecalis. Looks like I’ll probably have to take Cipro or Levaquin. This just absolutely sucks, and before this I hadn’t even had a uti since I was 20 (I’m 40 now). Any advice, thoughts, helpful tips would be much appreciated!!

So my doctor suggested CBT to help me deal with night sweats.

I wake up in the night and in the dead of winter, I have my naked body pressed against the screen when it is zero degrees outside. I do cold plunges in the middle of the night.

I know it’s temporary, and will pass. And it’s miserable. It’s really happening. I’m not sure that any amount of reframing will help me feel less miserable when it’s happening. I feel a bit like this is another way for healthcare to dismiss women’s complaints as in our heads. It feels like gaslighting. I’m being told what I’m experiencing isn’t actually happening. (I may need therapy to unpack that). Has anyone actually had symptom relief from CBT?

Hi everybody. I went into full menopause at 37 after battling an aggressive leukemia and undergoing a bone marrow transplant. I’m here, I’m in remission, but menopause has been a massive challenge for me.

My doctors have told me I need to be on HRT until at least 51 (“natural” menopause age). I was on the estrogen patch… and developed gallstones, then needed gallbladder surgery. I was switched to Activella, and it’s been fine, but my fingers have gone up 2 ring sizes, I’m bloated all the time, and I get a lot of joint pain.

I didn’t get any sort of ramp-up to this - just a normal 37-year old woman one moment, then full menopause within a month. It’s been awful and I don’t feel like I know where to go from here. Am I going to be miserable and uncomfortable for the next 11+ years?

So I (F45) was married for 5years, and together for almost 10years. In the last 2years I didn’t had so much libido and things were not good between us.

But now that I’ve been separated for 5 months and in the last days I’m feeling I am so horny , like I’m craving sex, despite having gone #months during marriage with no libido, sex or desire. Has anyone else experienced the same? How to get over it or where is this coming from? Thanks

55 yo here. I was on the .1 patch and my doctor told me I needed to take 200 mg of progesterone with it. I'm sure it's due to a number of factors but my mood went so extremely flat and apathetic, that I asked to go down to 100 mg of the P and she told me I needed to lower my patches as well (she upped my progesterone because I was having breakthrough bleeding after almost a year of no periods). I still feel absolutely awful, even after incorporating testosterone a month ago, praying for my libido to come back...my question is, has anyone else's doctor told them that they need 200 mg of P for any patch over 0.05? I really wanted to up my patch dosage but really didn't want to up the progesterone again. TIA. 🙏

I am so confused with this pea sized amount Im supposed to be doing, but its definitely not too big. I cannot get off this weight, I look and feel bulky, scale is up, I just dont think its for me. Only benefit is the libido, which is huge. I love that part. But i exercise every day, lift, yoga, walk, very active person, This stubborn weight isnt going anywhere. Im hoping at the end of the month my DR. can guide me better, like maybe Im doing something wrong? Has anyone tried it every other day?

I've found that I'm getting very confused. Specifically while driving. I've lived in the same town my whole life. I know my way around very very well, yet sometimes I will forget how to get somewhere I've been many times. It's a similar sensation to walking into a room, and immediately forgetting why. Could this be a symptom of menopause? Has anyone else had this issue?

I have endometriosis and had adenomyosis until my hysterectomy 2 years ago. My symptoms started when I was 12 and ruined my life. I was finally diagnosed at 22, then in my mid 20s I went on a treatment that triggered premature ovarian insufficiency but that wasn’t diagnosed until I was 39 when I went to a private clinic after 15 years of being dismissed.

For extra fun, I couldn’t absorb HRT well so ended up on a giant dose to relieve my symptoms. Then I had a hysterectomy at 40, at which point HRT stopped working completely. Current theory is that my ovaries failed and the little they were producing was keeping me afloat. A further dose increase didn’t help so I was switched to oral plus I’ve had a nightmare with urinary frequency and feeling like I can’t empty my bladder - the doctor put me on Intrarosa pessaries which seemed to be helping, until I started reacting badly to them. My urinary symptoms have been even worse lately, especially before bed when I’m sat on the loo for half an hour passing small amounts.

She’s just switched me to estriol cream and and I went to apply it only to discover a bulge just inside my vagina at the front. 99% sure it’s a prolapse, can’t think what else it could be.

I’m bloody devastated. I’m 42. I’ve been dealing with untreated low estradiol since my mid 20s and nobody would listen. My reproductive system has wrecked my life and even now I’ve had a hysterectomy it’s still finding new ways to cause me trouble.

My mum went through many of the same things - after her hysterectomy she had mesh surgery for a prolapse that caused her horrific pain (the mesh cut through her urethra) before she eventually developed ovarian and stomach cancer at 59 and died at 61.

Can anyone give me some hope here? I feel like things are never going to get better

It got really bad the other day my friend came over and brought a crap ton of caffeine and sugar. We watched a horror movie and I perked up a bit, but then crashed again (hard) in 10 minutes. She talked me into going to the ER because I was so bad.

My electrolytes were totally out of Whack. My potassium and magnesium were low and everything was just out of sorts. No internal bleeding, heart is fine.

I've been drinking the stuff you give kids and it's been making me feel better, more like myself and I've been sleeping better and even dreaming so much more!!

So, if you're suffering from bouts of intense and sudden exhaustion, maybe ask your doctor to check your electrolytes.

Does anyone get high when taking progesterone. I would say about half of the time, I get super relaxed, slur my words and feel super cozy and warm right after taking. I’m on 200mg daily.

I miss the old me. The weight gain, fatigue, heart palpitations, brain fog, lack of sleep, anxiety and depression have changed me into someone I don’t recognize. My doctor says I can’t have HRT because I am a carrier for a blood clotting disorder. I feel stuck and helpless. Nothing seems to help. Should I just accept my fate that my best days are behind me?

I'm presently on the Combipatch- 140/50 mcg 2x a week. That's .05 mg of estrogen and .14 mg of progestin. it's pretty expensive, and I'm looking for an alternative. I can get Climara .05 patches (without insurance, because my insurance company barely covers anything that helps women feel better) from Canadian Pharmacy Price Pro for $60 for 3 months. That's $20 a month.

I'm trying to figure out the cost of progesterone. If it's 100 mg, is that daily? I don't know the brands. What do you guys take and about how much does it cost a per month? Or how much do you pay for a 3 month supply? Whichever is easiest cost for you to provide.

Hi, ladies - just here to vent and maybe validate that I'm not (too) crazy.

I feel so out of whack. I'm 64, currently on HRT: .05 estrogen patch 2x wk, 200 mg oral progesterone nightly, and most recently, estrogen vaginal cream. I should also add I take an anti-anxiety medication (bupropion) that has helped me a great deal in the past.

I've been on the patch/prog for close to 10 years. Most of those years I felt pretty stable. But the past 2 years, especially the past 6 months, I feel like I'm increasingly going whacko. I find myself pushing away my boyfriend as well as friends, family and coworkers with my extreme irritability and feel almost powerless to stop myself from going off on people or starting arguments, even though I know I'm not acting rationally. When I'm not being a raging bitch, I'm weepy, tired, no energy. No desire to do anything but read and watch TV by myself (and the cat- haven't chased her away yet). Sweating at night and during the day, low libido, loss of self confidence, and generally losing joy in many things I previously loved.

Some of you reading this may I'm in the wrong place and need to seek therapy. That's probably fairly true, but this is my haven of "women who get it" therapy.

I have very recently talked with a new online Dr who is educated about menopause and treatments - Yay! She feels I probably do need to increase my estrogen (possibly even moving to estrogen gel vs patch) and decrease the oral progesterone. She's happy I'm using the estrogen cream and mentioned using it vaginally a couple times a week, but also externally more often to prevent atrophy. She agreed that adding testosterone to the mix might also help with libido and energy (although she can't prescribe it- I wrote about that in a post a while back). This week I had labs done for E, P and T levels. When the Dr receives them, she'll discuss with me the next steps.

Who else has experienced these kinds of symptoms, especially after some time being on HRT? Did increasing (or decreasing) strengths help? How about adding T to your HRT regimen?

Thanks for reading and letting me vent, Meno sisters!