Yay! I’m so happy for you! As a pharmacist and a friend who has been using a patch for 20 years this year (hysterectomy at 34) I would love to offer a few tips. 1. Progesterone needs to be at night because it mimics your body the best that way AND it helps your sleep 🎉. 2. Believe it or not, patch location can affect absorption. You get a little more absorption on your backside. I wear mine on the front too, but if after a while you feel like you need a little more you could try moving out around back before increasing your patch dose. 3. If you have any issues with the patch staying on you can get tegaderm patches at the pharmacy to put over them. They are those super thin clear films they put over an iv in your hand in the hospital. The patch won’t budge and you will not get the annoying lint ring around the patch. Good luck! I hope it works. Fell free to ask me a Pharmacist questions!
First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing these tips with me and everyone else reading the comments! Honestly my pharmacist just handed me the stuff and said nothing lol. I read through the packets obviously but your advice is invaluable! I have been taking the progesterone at night and I can tell you that even just a few days in, I am SLEEPING the whole night! The entire night. Not waking even once. I cannot tell you how magical that is lol. I may move the estrogen to the back if that helps with more absorption. I had no idea location could make a difference! It did not say that in the packet so thank you for that. And I am already noticing the lint ring lol so I may take you up on the tegaderm recommendation. I feel like I have my own personal pharmacist here and boy am I thankful for your expertise and info! I am so excited to see where this takes me. Thank you again!!!!
@@MrKongsMomyou are so welcome! I’m a long time subscriber but never commented much because I always listened on my way to work then never had time. I’d be happy to answer any questions for anyone! I’m so happy you are already seeing results and getting better sleep. I think you will be a new person in no time!
@@dandy6196 I have a question! Can the micronized progresterone pills be cut? I was given the 100mg little capsule-looking pearl thingies (lol) and my GYN told me I could increase my P by 50mg until I reach 200mg to see how I do with it but she didn't phone me in any 50mg ones. So I was just wondering what your thoughts were on it. Thank you!
Melanie! OMG thank you for this update. I've been subscribed for a while as well but hardly have time to comment. God bless you for making your journey open for us to learn from and engage in. I *just* turned 52 and am still having periods every 28-30 days believe it or not. I was only just this last year that I FINALLY got my GYN to prescribe me some micronized progresterone and estrogen patches. I think I have been in peri for many many years. When I think back to my mid 40s, I can remember having panic attacks around certain times of the month every month and then other times I'd be ok. Then fast forward to last October, I had some of the worst heart palpitations I have ever had. It's the skipping beats (PVCs) and then I'd get episodes of where my heart would race (SVT). I underwent many many cardiac tests and all was normal. My estrogen (and the other hormones) were finally tested this past September and my Estrogen level was 14 and my FSH was 33. At that point, my GYN said I was having "ovary failure" and would never call it peri-menopause 🙄🤦🏼♀ Anyway, my worst symptoms have been insomnia, heart palpitations, panic attacks, anxiety, some irregular bleeding, weight gain, nausea (THE worst), rage, bloating, the list goes on and on. I am going to start my HRT after my next period and see what kind of results I get. I was given 100mg of Progesterone and 0.50 Estrogen patches (Dotti patches). Anyway, thank you again for making this a great place to collaborate and hoping we can get through this together!
Wow, you were going through it my friend! Isn't it crazy how we just kind of put up with it as women and think "eh, this sucks but what can you do?" It can be exhausting advocating for yourself but its so important. I am so glad you found a doc who tested you and found out what was actually happening. Ovary failure must have been crazy to hear. I am so excited for you to see if you can get some relief. We share a lot of the same symptoms and I feel for ya sister. I hope this works for you! So far honestly I am sleeping SO much better. That alone makes me feel like a new woman! Sending you all the positive mojo for your journey!
Thanks, Melanie! It means so much to me that you have been so generously sharing your experience with us. Huge hugs and I am so happy to hear that your HRT has begun! ❤️❤️
I am so glad that its helpful sharing what i am going through. I feel like a lot of women don't feel comfortable sharing, which is totally fine but my hope is that they are at least encouraged to have a conversation with this doctors about their symptoms!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I went through menopause at 51 during covid plus my husband's parents moved in with us. My mother-in-law had alzheimer's and we were taking care of her. During this time, I had the RAGE, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues, and weight gain. It was a difficult time for sure.
Oh wow, that is incredibly stressful. Having all of that coming at your on top of going through menopause. I want to congratulate you on still being here and surviving!
Hi Melanie I went back onto HRT a few days ago after a fourteen month break. I had bowel issues and it was stopped in case it was cancer - it's not and an appointment with the gynaecologist put me back on HRT for life. Recent research shows my thirty plus year history of severe endometriosis puts me at higher risk of gynae cancers and I need stability in my hormones going forward. Despite being fully menopausal for six years I was having hot flushes and symptoms still at fourteen months off HRT. I have adhesions everywhere and calcified fibroids and my body was just going mental. Mammogram and smear were both normal btw. Ideally I am to get a mirena coil and an estrogen patch, but the waiting list on the NHS for mirena coil insertion under GA ( they couldn't do it without it) is 66 to 72 weeks!!!!!!! I'm back on a combined constant pill in the short term until the coil insertion (I had them before for endometriosis management but was removed during perimenopause by my previous gynaecologist about ten years ago). I will be glad when the hot flushes stop again and my eczema and rosacea should improve a bit again too (extremely dry off the HRT). I really hope it works for you. Best wishes x
Thank you so much for sharing your story Loraine! Its interesting that they put the coil in under GA over there! I once had an IUD that was put in with ZERO pain meds prior. It was awful lol. Thankfully it was a copper IUD so it was a longer term one. Had it for years. I had it removed right before getting pregnant with Stella. I think its nice they actually put you out for it.
@MrKongsMom it depends tbh. A normal coil in someone without any gynae conditions is usually done easily and without anaesthesia. I have chronic pelvic issues due to the endometriosis and had it done with and without anaesthesia previously, but they couldn't get it in without anaesthesia this time due to menopause having dried and thinning the tissues, so I have to wait for the insertion under GA. Apparently they think it will be a traumatic insertion with fairly substantial bleeding and trauma so theatre it is. I have had several gynae operations previously with scarring and adhesions so it was impossible without being knocked out. I'm a complicated case apparently 😱. It lasts five years and I had three previously, so it's worth it for me to deal with the insertion trauma which will be temporary. The oral combined HRT for a few months first will help moisturise and thicken the tissues which will also help with insertion being less traumatic. x
I am SO happy for you Melanie!! I was so lucky that my OB/GYN was a huge advocate of HRT and said she refused to doom me to a life without hormones lol! I LOVED my patches and micronized progesterone for the full month I was on them before finding a huge lump that ended up being breast cancer 😭. My mammogram and ultrasound in February had been perfectly clear, the breast exam the doctor did before putting me on the patch was perfectly normal and then 1 month later i found a lump that thankfully was very close to the surface and bigger than the size of a quarter (otherwise, I might not have caught it so early). Breast cancer does run in my family and while I was negative for the BRCA 1 and 2 genes, apparently I have REALLY shitty luck 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🙄. Of course the tumor ended up being estrogen and progesterone positive so no more hormones for me 😞. I will also most likely end up on a hormone blocker or aromtase inhibitor to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence or spreading. All this being said, I still am an advocate for HRT because when it works for you, it is LIFE-CHANGING! I have severe hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, brain fog, daily migraines that are estrogen dependant (meaning i get them more frequently and more severely when my estrogen is low), weight gain, complete loss of libido, depression, anxiety, severely dry skin, hormonal cystic acne, short temper, severe noise aggression, ringing in my ears, worsening hearing loss, high cholesterol, higher than normal blood pressure, swelling hands and feet, severe joint pain, frozen shoulder, IBS flare ups, and the general constant and overwhelming desire to punch my hubby in his gonads (or his face!) because he loves to *poke the Mama Bear* 🙄🤦🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🤬😬😆🤷🏻♀️ The GOOD news is that I had surgery and they got all the cancer out 🙌🏻 I'm currently on celexa for the depression and anxiety and gabapentin for the hot flashes. I am also a very strong advocate for regular breast self exams because no one knows your boobs like you do!
Wow, thank you so much for sharing all that! You have been through it my friend. I am so glad you caught your cancer early and that you are on the road to recovery with a game plan to keep you safe in the future with recurrence. Man, life comes at your hard sometimes, doesn't it. Good for you for checking yourself! One of my best friends from high school got breast cancer a couple year ago and it rocked my world a bit. We are so "young" but it can literally hit you at any age. Again, I am so glad you are here to share your story! You stay healthy!!!!!
Glad to hear that you got HRT prescribed! I’m 44, 3 months into my HRT journey and it has improved my life in so many ways! I slowly started to lose weight and I’m a lot less emotional, less anxious and the brain fog is gone. I moved from the UK to the US last month. I still have 2 months of HRT left that I brought from London and I’m already worried that getting the prescription in the US will be difficult. At this point I can’t imagine being without it so if I need to go back to the UK for picking up the prescription, I will do it.
I’m so glad you hear you benefited from the treatment! I hope you don’t have issues with our system here getting what you need but I can tell you from personal experience that American healthcare is a wild ride sometimes. Insurance will determine what you are “worthy of” in some cases. It blows.
I am happy to hear that you will finally be getting relief. I also have cystic breasts that have to be monitored closely, but my Dr said the benefits of HRT far outweigh the negatives. I have tried a couple of options, but last week finally tried pellets. I was told it may take 2-3 cycles of them to feel major changes, but all coworkers, family, and friends who have used them say they're life changing.
YES!!!! This is such wonderful news!!! I’m so happy for you!!! I have an appointment on January 7th and I am beyond excited and hopeful after this video. It’s funny you mention being withdrawn from friends and family - this has been a big issue for me and didn’t relate it to perimenopause. It totally makes sense! I am here for all the updates and can’t wait to hear about your progress! 🎉
Hi beautiful! I'm really much impressed by your profile and smile. I don't normally write here but I think you deserve this compliment, please let's be friends
I'm in my 30s and my mom didn't go thru it until way later in life. I deal with awful Pms now. It's so great knowing we have menopause to look forward to lmao. not. Bottom line....... being a woman is not easy. ❤ We are so strong. And I hope you feel better soon ❤
I just turned 45 but I don’t feel as though I’m perimenopausal yet thank goodness. But, I love these videos to keep me aware. I have three babies and with two I was soooo sick with vomiting that I ended up with hyperemesis and had to stay in the hospital to get it under control with fluids meds like zofran and eventually a picc line to feed me. I never even thought about menopause possibly doing the same to me! Now I will definitely pay attention when the time comes.
For sure keep an eye out on the nausea, could be a sign for you. It was awful while I was pregnant. I was working a 40 hour job and our wedding planning company was just starting to take off so I was working so many hours and it about killed me. I remember working weddings and just dry heaving in the corner whenever I could escape people during set up lol. I swore I would never get pregnant again after that. It affected every aspect of my life. Obviously it's temporary but I don't think people who never experienced that level of nausea can even understand how drastically it can affect your life. Very grateful for my girl but getting her here was a rough ride.
Nausea all the time would probably drive me to look hard for solutions for sure. I had not morning sickness, I called it all day sickness. Also would experience it right before my period, but very luckily not at all in menopause years. Good luck with the new regimen.
I’m so happy for you! I hope you get some relief soon!! Thankfully some relief for you soon! 🙏🏼 If you start feeling muscle fatigue and or low sex drive, consider adding testosterone too. We as women have that hormone as well. Just an fyi, I started with cream, then switched to a dissolving patch you place on your gums, and that didn’t work out. Now I take mine in pill form, that the pharmacist makes specifically for me according to my blood work. All that said, it may take a bit for you to get the right dosage. Don’t get discouraged though, once you find the right dosage, or form of delivery, it’s life changing. I pay $115 every 2 months and it is well worth it!
Hi beautiful! I'm really much impressed by your profile and the post you share on here I don't normally write here but I think you deserve this compliment, please let's be friends
Moral of the story is insurance sucks ass and most practitioners treat women subpar and NEVER get enough education in hormones, ever! It’s the most annoying battle. No wonder they had us committed back in the day🤷♀️😂😂🤦♀️…….so glad you’re on the hrt journey and I really really hopes it works for you. I’m still hoping it’ll work for me! The struggle is real…….dizziness, no sex drive, snappy, and waking at 3 am still! Yay me😫
That is definitely the moral of the story here. Based on my monthly premiums I should really get ALL medications for free, with a side of gold bar or something. Healthcare here is wack to say the least. The maternal death rate is atrocious for a country as advanced as ours. Have you ever looked into those numbers? VERY depressing.
@ it’s so depressing. I’ve been on a health journey since they stole my uterus back in 12😂….trust me when I say I know more about my body then any dr, so having one that listens is imperative. If I could prescribe for myself, I’d feel damn normal right now! But I do love my dr. She’s amazing even if she wants to try as natural as possible first. The premiums we pay ought to cover our prescriptions. And I still think that compounded should be covered also! I’m on thyroid, and hrt, and not a single one is covered by my insurance and we pay so much to have it. Hell, they charge me a double co pay just to see my dr because they call a naturopathic dr a “specialist” even though she’s my primary care. Oh I spit fire just thinking about the corruption in our medical system.
Melanie, have you watched any of Dr. Barbara Taylor's You Tube videos regarding menopause on her "Menopause Taylor" channel? The perimenopause and menopause education I received from her changed my life. It took three different doctors, but I was finally able to find one who gave me HRT and that SAVED my life!
Yes, she is so informative! Love her content. Also Dr. Haver is a big resource for me as well. I am so glad you are on a path that works for you! Isn't it great to get your life back???
I wish you luck with HRT I know you have shared how unhappy with how you have been feeling and I hope it will be the answer, I have shared how for me HRT did not work out after I had my full hysterectomy, I was so happy that after my surgery I could at least be able to take what I had lost, HRT made my breast very swollen and very tender, even how uncomfortable I was I kept taking it hoping it would eventually go away, I was taking it for 3 months when out of the blue I started to get bad dizzy spells, I still continued taking it, what made me give it up was one morning my vision was very blurry, so blurry I couldn’t drive, thats when I said I’m done, I was put in the lowest amount but for some reason my body was rejecting it, I’m saying this so women out there know unfortunately it’s not always the answer for everyone, sadly it wasn’t for me
Very true, it’s not right for everyone. But it’s so nice to at least be able to try something beyond natural supplements. I wish you had been able to find something that worked for you.
So I signed up and just checked prices. Turns out the Climara is more expensive there than my insurance but the progesterone is way cheaper. I think the best deals I have found were through GoodRx overall. I hate that we have to try to hunt down decent prices on drugs.
Thank you! That's nice to hear because usually I am told I look like I'm in my 60's or up because of my hair color lol! In fairness, it's mostly from men, who, sometimes can be very clueless haha!
Hi Melanie. Congratulations on getting HRT. I have heard that taking those hormones can cause hyperpigmentation. I don't want to sound alarmist. But it is something you might want to talk to your doctor about This is what I found on the Internet Yes, taking progesterone and estrogen, particularly in the form of birth control pills, can potentially cause hyperpigmentation, also known as melasma, due to their influence on melanin production in the skin, with estrogen often considered the primary culprit for this effect; however, the exact role of progesterone in hyperpigmentation remains somewhat debated and can vary depending on the individual.
That’s ok. I’m used to having melasma already and have the ideal routine to counteract it. It’s more important for me to feel better. But that’s for sure good for others to take note of if it’s a deal breaker for them.
Yay! I’m so happy for you! As a pharmacist and a friend who has been using a patch for 20 years this year (hysterectomy at 34) I would love to offer a few tips.
1. Progesterone needs to be at night because it mimics your body the best that way AND it helps your sleep 🎉.
2. Believe it or not, patch location can affect absorption. You get a little more absorption on your backside. I wear mine on the front too, but if after a while you feel like you need a little more you could try moving out around back before increasing your patch dose.
3. If you have any issues with the patch staying on you can get tegaderm patches at the pharmacy to put over them. They are those super thin clear films they put over an iv in your hand in the hospital. The patch won’t budge and you will not get the annoying lint ring around the patch.
Good luck! I hope it works. Fell free to ask me a Pharmacist questions!
First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing these tips with me and everyone else reading the comments! Honestly my pharmacist just handed me the stuff and said nothing lol. I read through the packets obviously but your advice is invaluable! I have been taking the progesterone at night and I can tell you that even just a few days in, I am SLEEPING the whole night! The entire night. Not waking even once. I cannot tell you how magical that is lol. I may move the estrogen to the back if that helps with more absorption. I had no idea location could make a difference! It did not say that in the packet so thank you for that. And I am already noticing the lint ring lol so I may take you up on the tegaderm recommendation. I feel like I have my own personal pharmacist here and boy am I thankful for your expertise and info! I am so excited to see where this takes me. Thank you again!!!!
@@MrKongsMomyou are so welcome! I’m a long time subscriber but never commented much because I always listened on my way to work then never had time. I’d be happy to answer any questions for anyone! I’m so happy you are already seeing results and getting better sleep. I think you will be a new person in no time!
@@dandy6196 I have a question! Can the micronized progresterone pills be cut? I was given the 100mg little capsule-looking pearl thingies (lol) and my GYN told me I could increase my P by 50mg until I reach 200mg to see how I do with it but she didn't phone me in any 50mg ones. So I was just wondering what your thoughts were on it. Thank you!
OH that is a great question! I hope she circles around.
@ was a question for me? I couldn’t find it.
Melanie! OMG thank you for this update. I've been subscribed for a while as well but hardly have time to comment. God bless you for making your journey open for us to learn from and engage in. I *just* turned 52 and am still having periods every 28-30 days believe it or not. I was only just this last year that I FINALLY got my GYN to prescribe me some micronized progresterone and estrogen patches. I think I have been in peri for many many years. When I think back to my mid 40s, I can remember having panic attacks around certain times of the month every month and then other times I'd be ok. Then fast forward to last October, I had some of the worst heart palpitations I have ever had. It's the skipping beats (PVCs) and then I'd get episodes of where my heart would race (SVT). I underwent many many cardiac tests and all was normal. My estrogen (and the other hormones) were finally tested this past September and my Estrogen level was 14 and my FSH was 33. At that point, my GYN said I was having "ovary failure" and would never call it peri-menopause 🙄🤦🏼♀ Anyway, my worst symptoms have been insomnia, heart palpitations, panic attacks, anxiety, some irregular bleeding, weight gain, nausea (THE worst), rage, bloating, the list goes on and on. I am going to start my HRT after my next period and see what kind of results I get. I was given 100mg of Progesterone and 0.50 Estrogen patches (Dotti patches). Anyway, thank you again for making this a great place to collaborate and hoping we can get through this together!
Wow, you were going through it my friend! Isn't it crazy how we just kind of put up with it as women and think "eh, this sucks but what can you do?" It can be exhausting advocating for yourself but its so important. I am so glad you found a doc who tested you and found out what was actually happening. Ovary failure must have been crazy to hear. I am so excited for you to see if you can get some relief. We share a lot of the same symptoms and I feel for ya sister. I hope this works for you! So far honestly I am sleeping SO much better. That alone makes me feel like a new woman! Sending you all the positive mojo for your journey!
@@MrKongsMom thank you sooo much!! I can’t wait for more updates in the future as you go forward on this journey!
Thanks, Melanie! It means so much to me that you have been so generously sharing your experience with us. Huge hugs and I am so happy to hear that your HRT has begun! ❤️❤️
I am so glad that its helpful sharing what i am going through. I feel like a lot of women don't feel comfortable sharing, which is totally fine but my hope is that they are at least encouraged to have a conversation with this doctors about their symptoms!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I went through menopause at 51 during covid plus my husband's parents moved in with us. My mother-in-law had alzheimer's and we were taking care of her. During this time, I had the RAGE, hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues, and weight gain. It was a difficult time for sure.
Oh wow, that is incredibly stressful. Having all of that coming at your on top of going through menopause. I want to congratulate you on still being here and surviving!
@MrKongsMom Aww, that's sweet. Thank you!
Omg, yes!!!! I’ve been waiting for this update. Please do more of these. Your videos are so informative. ❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you! Will do!
So happy for you! ❤ I hope you get relief soon. I have had to adjust mine several times.
Hi Melanie I went back onto HRT a few days ago after a fourteen month break. I had bowel issues and it was stopped in case it was cancer - it's not and an appointment with the gynaecologist put me back on HRT for life. Recent research shows my thirty plus year history of severe endometriosis puts me at higher risk of gynae cancers and I need stability in my hormones going forward. Despite being fully menopausal for six years I was having hot flushes and symptoms still at fourteen months off HRT. I have adhesions everywhere and calcified fibroids and my body was just going mental. Mammogram and smear were both normal btw. Ideally I am to get a mirena coil and an estrogen patch, but the waiting list on the NHS for mirena coil insertion under GA ( they couldn't do it without it) is 66 to 72 weeks!!!!!!! I'm back on a combined constant pill in the short term until the coil insertion (I had them before for endometriosis management but was removed during perimenopause by my previous gynaecologist about ten years ago). I will be glad when the hot flushes stop again and my eczema and rosacea should improve a bit again too (extremely dry off the HRT). I really hope it works for you. Best wishes x
Thank you so much for sharing your story Loraine! Its interesting that they put the coil in under GA over there! I once had an IUD that was put in with ZERO pain meds prior. It was awful lol. Thankfully it was a copper IUD so it was a longer term one. Had it for years. I had it removed right before getting pregnant with Stella. I think its nice they actually put you out for it.
@MrKongsMom it depends tbh. A normal coil in someone without any gynae conditions is usually done easily and without anaesthesia. I have chronic pelvic issues due to the endometriosis and had it done with and without anaesthesia previously, but they couldn't get it in without anaesthesia this time due to menopause having dried and thinning the tissues, so I have to wait for the insertion under GA. Apparently they think it will be a traumatic insertion with fairly substantial bleeding and trauma so theatre it is. I have had several gynae operations previously with scarring and adhesions so it was impossible without being knocked out. I'm a complicated case apparently 😱. It lasts five years and I had three previously, so it's worth it for me to deal with the insertion trauma which will be temporary. The oral combined HRT for a few months first will help moisturise and thicken the tissues which will also help with insertion being less traumatic. x
I am SO happy for you Melanie!! I was so lucky that my OB/GYN was a huge advocate of HRT and said she refused to doom me to a life without hormones lol! I LOVED my patches and micronized progesterone for the full month I was on them before finding a huge lump that ended up being breast cancer 😭. My mammogram and ultrasound in February had been perfectly clear, the breast exam the doctor did before putting me on the patch was perfectly normal and then 1 month later i found a lump that thankfully was very close to the surface and bigger than the size of a quarter (otherwise, I might not have caught it so early). Breast cancer does run in my family and while I was negative for the BRCA 1 and 2 genes, apparently I have REALLY shitty luck 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🙄. Of course the tumor ended up being estrogen and progesterone positive so no more hormones for me 😞. I will also most likely end up on a hormone blocker or aromtase inhibitor to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence or spreading. All this being said, I still am an advocate for HRT because when it works for you, it is LIFE-CHANGING! I have severe hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, brain fog, daily migraines that are estrogen dependant (meaning i get them more frequently and more severely when my estrogen is low), weight gain, complete loss of libido, depression, anxiety, severely dry skin, hormonal cystic acne, short temper, severe noise aggression, ringing in my ears, worsening hearing loss, high cholesterol, higher than normal blood pressure, swelling hands and feet, severe joint pain, frozen shoulder, IBS flare ups, and the general constant and overwhelming desire to punch my hubby in his gonads (or his face!) because he loves to *poke the Mama Bear* 🙄🤦🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🤬😬😆🤷🏻♀️
The GOOD news is that I had surgery and they got all the cancer out 🙌🏻 I'm currently on celexa for the depression and anxiety and gabapentin for the hot flashes. I am also a very strong advocate for regular breast self exams because no one knows your boobs like you do!
Wow, thank you so much for sharing all that! You have been through it my friend. I am so glad you caught your cancer early and that you are on the road to recovery with a game plan to keep you safe in the future with recurrence. Man, life comes at your hard sometimes, doesn't it. Good for you for checking yourself! One of my best friends from high school got breast cancer a couple year ago and it rocked my world a bit. We are so "young" but it can literally hit you at any age. Again, I am so glad you are here to share your story! You stay healthy!!!!!
Glad to hear that you got HRT prescribed! I’m 44, 3 months into my HRT journey and it has improved my life in so many ways! I slowly started to lose weight and I’m a lot less emotional, less anxious and the brain fog is gone. I moved from the UK to the US last month. I still have 2 months of HRT left that I brought from London and I’m already worried that getting the prescription in the US will be difficult. At this point I can’t imagine being without it so if I need to go back to the UK for picking up the prescription, I will do it.
I’m so glad you hear you benefited from the treatment! I hope you don’t have issues with our system here getting what you need but I can tell you from personal experience that American healthcare is a wild ride sometimes. Insurance will determine what you are “worthy of” in some cases. It blows.
I am happy to hear that you will finally be getting relief. I also have cystic breasts that have to be monitored closely, but my Dr said the benefits of HRT far outweigh the negatives. I have tried a couple of options, but last week finally tried pellets. I was told it may take 2-3 cycles of them to feel major changes, but all coworkers, family, and friends who have used them say they're life changing.
Good luck!! I hope the pellets work!!! Fingers crossed!
I hope you feel more "normal" soon. That is all I want from my therapy. The extreme peaks & valleys are my arch nemesis.
Hey Melanie I have been a silent watcher of this journey. I am 48 and appreciate you sharing this information. ❤
You are so welcome! We have to give it a voice. Maybe it will bring about change.
YES!!!! This is such wonderful news!!! I’m so happy for you!!! I have an appointment on January 7th and I am beyond excited and hopeful after this video. It’s funny you mention being withdrawn from friends and family - this has been a big issue for me and didn’t relate it to perimenopause. It totally makes sense! I am here for all the updates and can’t wait to hear about your progress! 🎉
I'm so excited for YOU! I hope you get what you need! Fight!!!!
Hi beautiful! I'm really much impressed by your profile and smile. I don't normally write here but I think you deserve this compliment, please let's be friends
I'm in my 30s and my mom didn't go thru it until way later in life. I deal with awful Pms now. It's so great knowing we have menopause to look forward to lmao. not.
Bottom line....... being a woman is not easy. ❤ We are so strong. And I hope you feel better soon ❤
Being a woman is super tough sometimes and I hate we have to fight for our own care. I think we need more women in charge around here lol.
I just turned 45 but I don’t feel as though I’m perimenopausal yet thank goodness. But, I love these videos to keep me aware. I have three babies and with two I was soooo sick with vomiting that I ended up with hyperemesis and had to stay in the hospital to get it under control with fluids meds like zofran and eventually a picc line to feed me. I never even thought about menopause possibly doing the same to me! Now I will definitely pay attention when the time comes.
For sure keep an eye out on the nausea, could be a sign for you. It was awful while I was pregnant. I was working a 40 hour job and our wedding planning company was just starting to take off so I was working so many hours and it about killed me. I remember working weddings and just dry heaving in the corner whenever I could escape people during set up lol. I swore I would never get pregnant again after that. It affected every aspect of my life. Obviously it's temporary but I don't think people who never experienced that level of nausea can even understand how drastically it can affect your life. Very grateful for my girl but getting her here was a rough ride.
Nausea all the time would probably drive me to look hard for solutions for sure. I had not morning sickness, I called it all day sickness. Also would experience it right before my period, but very luckily not at all in menopause years. Good luck with the new regimen.
Mine was most of the day as well. Gosh that made life hard.
@@MrKongsMom The nausea for me is like morning sickness! Ugh!!!
Hope you get to feeling better.
Me too. I have some hope finally 🥳
I’m so happy for you! I hope you get some relief soon!! Thankfully some relief for you soon! 🙏🏼
If you start feeling muscle fatigue and or low sex drive, consider adding testosterone too. We as women have that hormone as well. Just an fyi, I started with cream, then switched to a dissolving patch you place on your gums, and that didn’t work out. Now I take mine in pill form, that the pharmacist makes specifically for me according to my blood work. All that said, it may take a bit for you to get the right dosage. Don’t get discouraged though, once you find the right dosage, or form of delivery, it’s life changing. I pay $115 every 2 months and it is well worth it!
Congrats on getting HRT. 🥳
Oh yes! I will pay what I have to pay. I mean, I wish we didn't have to but I will pay what I have to pay. I just want to feel better!
Hi beautiful! I'm really much impressed by your profile and the post you share on here I don't normally write here but I think you deserve this compliment, please let's be friends
Moral of the story is insurance sucks ass and most practitioners treat women subpar and NEVER get enough education in hormones, ever! It’s the most annoying battle. No wonder they had us committed back in the day🤷♀️😂😂🤦♀️…….so glad you’re on the hrt journey and I really really hopes it works for you. I’m still hoping it’ll work for me! The struggle is real…….dizziness, no sex drive, snappy, and waking at 3 am still! Yay me😫
That is definitely the moral of the story here. Based on my monthly premiums I should really get ALL medications for free, with a side of gold bar or something. Healthcare here is wack to say the least. The maternal death rate is atrocious for a country as advanced as ours. Have you ever looked into those numbers? VERY depressing.
@ it’s so depressing. I’ve been on a health journey since they stole my uterus back in 12😂….trust me when I say I know more about my body then any dr, so having one that listens is imperative. If I could prescribe for myself, I’d feel damn normal right now! But I do love my dr. She’s amazing even if she wants to try as natural as possible first. The premiums we pay ought to cover our prescriptions. And I still think that compounded should be covered also! I’m on thyroid, and hrt, and not a single one is covered by my insurance and we pay so much to have it. Hell, they charge me a double co pay just to see my dr because they call a naturopathic dr a “specialist” even though she’s my primary care. Oh I spit fire just thinking about the corruption in our medical system.
Melanie, have you watched any of Dr. Barbara Taylor's You Tube videos regarding menopause on her "Menopause Taylor" channel? The perimenopause and menopause education I received from her changed my life. It took three different doctors, but I was finally able to find one who gave me HRT and that SAVED my life!
Yes, she is so informative! Love her content. Also Dr. Haver is a big resource for me as well. I am so glad you are on a path that works for you! Isn't it great to get your life back???
❤
Have you tried BHRT?
No, this is the first time I am trying any type of hormone therapy.
I wish you luck with HRT I know you have shared how unhappy with how you have been feeling and I hope it will be the answer, I have shared how for me HRT did not work out after I had my full hysterectomy, I was so happy that after my surgery I could at least be able to take what I had lost, HRT made my breast very swollen and very tender, even how uncomfortable I was I kept taking it hoping it would eventually go away, I was taking it for 3 months when out of the blue I started to get bad dizzy spells, I still continued taking it, what made me give it up was one morning my vision was very blurry, so blurry I couldn’t drive, thats when I said I’m done, I was put in the lowest amount but for some reason my body was rejecting it, I’m saying this so women out there know unfortunately it’s not always the answer for everyone, sadly it wasn’t for me
Very true, it’s not right for everyone. But it’s so nice to at least be able to try something beyond natural supplements. I wish you had been able to find something that worked for you.
I don’t blame you, I myself would be on it right now
order from cost plus, so much cheaper
So I signed up and just checked prices. Turns out the Climara is more expensive there than my insurance but the progesterone is way cheaper. I think the best deals I have found were through GoodRx overall. I hate that we have to try to hunt down decent prices on drugs.
@@MrKongsMom oh i know it's a constant battle for me.
I have also had good luck at honeybee; I am using a different patch though, so this is the best price for me so far.
Oh and Ps you do NOT Look 46!
Thank you! That's nice to hear because usually I am told I look like I'm in my 60's or up because of my hair color lol! In fairness, it's mostly from men, who, sometimes can be very clueless haha!
@MrKongsMom ummm.. Wow. No girl. You look super young! Men are clueless!
Hi Melanie. Congratulations on getting HRT.
I have heard that taking those hormones can cause hyperpigmentation. I don't want to sound alarmist. But it is something you might want to talk to your doctor about
This is what I found on the Internet
Yes, taking progesterone and estrogen, particularly in the form of birth control pills, can potentially cause hyperpigmentation, also known as melasma, due to their influence on melanin production in the skin, with estrogen often considered the primary culprit for this effect; however, the exact role of progesterone in hyperpigmentation remains somewhat debated and can vary depending on the individual.
That’s ok. I’m used to having melasma already and have the ideal routine to counteract it. It’s more important for me to feel better. But that’s for sure good for others to take note of if it’s a deal breaker for them.
@MrKongsMom I'm glad you got the HRT. Please keep us posted on your progress.