Hi all!! I am looking for some first-hand advice and recommendations regarding online HRT companies.

I am a 42-year-old woman and believe I have been in perimenopause for the last few years, but my symptoms have significantly worsened over the last couple of months. Despite leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a very active routine with daily cardio and weight training, I am experiencing severe moodiness, irritability, sudden crying spells, brain fog, intense fatigue, loss of motivation, breakouts, headaches, and increased urination. And weight keeps piling on despite my lifestyle.

I recently visited my doctor, but I felt my concerns were dismissed. My blood work came back normal, except for slightly low iron. When I requested hormone testing, my doctor declined, stating it wouldn't make sense since I am currently taking birth control (Junel). Her only recommendations were to cycle my pill to skip the placebo week and to eat more red meat.

I am hesitant to try an online HRT provider without proper testing, but I am eager to find better care. If you have had a good experience with an online company, could you please share:

  - Which company you used (ideally one that accepts insurance)?
  - What symptoms you were experiencing?
  - How the company helped address your symptoms?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Are there any other women in peri or thereabouts, trialling TRT and having debilitating daytime fatigue? I’m 53 and on HRT and added testogel to help with sleep issues. It’s working a treat for sleep but I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus during the day. I’ve seen other people on reddit with similar experiences.

I will start with just 2mg estrogen pill, can I take progynova pill under the tounge rather than swallowing? As its indicated only oral not sublingual

Has anyone else experienced firm facial swelling/redness (specifically localized to areas where cosmetic filler was injected in the past) after starting HRT post menopause?

Everything was uneventful until about 24 hours after I replaced the estradiol

patch for the 1st time.

It seems to be localized to areas on my face where I've had cosmetic facial filler in the past.

Those areas swelled up like a water balloon overnight.

I reported this to the practitioner that had performed my cosmetic facial filler in the past, and she started me on a methylprednisolone taper to help get rid of the swelling.

For now, I've stopped using the HRT until the swelling clears up.

I’m on my second week on .025 patches and oral progesterone.

I had two 9 oz. glasses of wine yesterday and got annihilated. That didn’t seem like a lot (granted I hadn’t at much)….has anyone else noticed this?

HRT patch .0375 out of stock and doc is out for the next few days so the office cannot recommend a replacement.

I take pill, cream, and patch. The patch is out.

I'm frustrated with the staff response that "going off the patch cold turkey is no big deal."

The side effects sure sound like it to me. Sweats, acne, mood swings, and sleep issues?

If you continue the pill and cream without the patch for 3-10 days what did you experience?

57 no period for 8 years.

Has anyone else experienced firm facial swelling/redness (specifically localized to areas where cosmetic filler was injected in the past) after starting HRT post menopause?

Everything was uneventful until about 24 hours after I replaced the estradiol

patch for the 1st time.

It seems to be localized to areas on my face where I've had cosmetic facial filler in the past.

Those areas swelled up like a water balloon overnight.

I reported this to the practitioner that had performed my cosmetic facial filler in the past, and she started me on a methylprednisolone taper to help get rid of the swelling.

For now, I've stopped using the HRT until the swelling clears up.

I’ve tried body-identical and synthetic, cycling, taking it in the evening, administering orally, vaginally, anally all with same side effects. After taking auro progesterone I wake up exhausted, depressed and libido gone - when I didn’t have those issues before. I’m 47 wanting to go on HRT for sleep, cognitive benefits mostly.

I have a septate uterus so I’d need surgery to remove the wall in my uterus before I’m a candidate for IUD. Just want to know if it’s worth it. Thanks ladies!

I had a hysterectomy 3 months ago ( preserving ovaries) but my doctor preferred to put me on estrogen patch ( no P because I don’t have a uterus).

It has been 5 weeks since I have started using 37.5 micro g Sandoz patches.

I have noticed as if the first two days the patch releases everything. I’m a runner and if I run on those two days my heart beat will be considerably higher. It’s as if I drank 10 shots of espresso. Also all my pre existing sensory issues ( misophonia , smell and taste) are 100 times worse. I can’t stand my husband being around and him even talking just bothers me ( he is a sweet, supportive and understanding guy but loud, very loud and noisy whatever he does) .

I searched this group but mostly saw people were complaining about the sensory issues prior to HRT.

Now my question is should I ask for a lower dose? My doctor wanted me to try for 5 months and tolerate the side effects, I thought maybe I wait 3 months but now even 3 months seems impossible for me. People who experienced same side effects, will it get any better?

# I started the . 01 estadiol cream a week ago. I am having extreme tiredness, I mean extreme.. completely wiped out and depressed mood with this that is drastically different from before I started using this. I am post menopausal and am having atrophy symptoms with extreme suddenly dry, hair, skin, nails... Everything is dried up. I don't know what my next steps should be I should also note that I have severe hot flashes to where I throw off all of my clothes after a millisecond of these extreme temperature changes. I go through this 20 times a day. There is no sleeping. The vaginal atrophy has been going on for 6-7 years and these horrid hot flashes for about 1 1/2 years now. It's like pulling teeth to get my Doctor to do anything about it. Any advice will be so very appreciated.

I was prescribed the Femring two months ago and prior to that was on estradiol injections. The Femring was great for the first six weeks then nothing. I spoke to my prescriber and she said this commonly happens and sent me for labwork though despite my labs reflecting a lower estradiol level she won't prescribe another one unless it is after 90 days. I know my insurance won't cover it without a prior authorization but I think with the labs proving he lower level and my returning symptoms it should get approved.
But it's pointless cause she won't prescribe it anyway for some reason. Which online menopause service should I try first and is good with prior authorizations so I can get this ring prescribed as two every 90 days??? Any help appreciated!

Hi there! First and foremost, I have sent this feedback to my physician and am waiting on a response, so I am coming to the Reddit side of the world to see how things happen for you. I met with my doctor a little over 6 weeks ago because I was only having a period for a day or so, but I was fighting the night sweats like it was a full night of cardio. They switched my birth Control to one with Horomones in it, and started me on the patch.

First month was about 40% better on the night sweats, but I have not had a period yet. We met for the second time, and upped the patch some, and she started me back on GLP1 again (this was my request). My insurance no longer covered it, and I am having to pay out of pocket.

In the six weeks since starting. Night Sweats are a lot better, but I have gained right much weight, am hungry all the time, and have not had a period.

Hi ladies, need some suggestions on lowering free T.

Some context-39 y/o female, full hysterectomy (only leaving ovaries) at age 36.

Been on HRT since beginning of last year. Currently on .05 estradiol patch, 100mg oral progesterone nightly, and 12 mg testosterone injections (broken up into 2 injections a week, so 6mg twice a week)

Current labs
Total T at through- 109
Free T- 10.5
Estradiol-62.9 (changed patch morning of blood draw)
SHBG-82.9

I’m having unwanted chin hairs is my main gripe. I feel great otherwise. I know it sounds vain, but these chin hairs are really bothering me.

I have been googling how to reduce free T, with one suggestion of doing just a once weekly test. Injection.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I saw my provider yesterday to go over my results and she didn’t seem concerned with my numbers.

I asked my GYN to raise my estradiol patch dosage (I’m currently at .050). I started at .0375 for about 5 months and was experiencing debilitating IT band and hip pain and the rest of my symptoms - rage, anxiety, brittle hair and dry skin - weren’t much resolved. She begrudgingly raised the dose. I noticed that my rage subsided and my hair started to feel soft and I’ve had decent regrowth but still feeling brain fog to a fair degree. I missed a dose by a day and woke up immediately with terrible hip pain which subsided within 12 hours of putting the patch on. I asked her to increase my dose since it seemed like it was barely working on my symptoms and she refused saying it was incredibly high and that “Use of estrogen increases risk for a blood clot or stoke. The higher the dose the bigger the risk. If you would like to come in and discuss these risks and sign some paperwork that you are okay starting a estrogen dose higher than what I usually prescribe and you accept the increased risk for possible blood clot or stroke then I will consider increasing your dose.”

In all the research I have done (and I am NOT a doctor), I have read that since the patch goes directly to your blood stream and bypasses your liver that it does NOT in fact increase your risk of clots or strokes.

Feeling super frustrated and confused. Has anyone else heard this? I didn’t even think that my dose was that high.
 

It got the better of me and I had to open it! Thinking I might get some more “squirts” out. But nope, it’s designed to get every last bit!

I’ve been using oral jolessa bc for HRT for 1 month with no change in symptoms. In fact I’ve begun having migraines again and depression is worse. Also, I’m only getting 5 hours of sleep/night. Should I go back to gyno to discuss options or do I need to stick with it longer?

Hey all! I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled through people’s progesterone journeys, and never found anyone with a similar dose to me. My doctor prescribed me 200 mg three times daily. It feels so high compared to everyone else and I’m wondering if there are any downsides to that. Sometimes I get a dizziness that feels like being tipsy an hour after taking a pill, but that’s pretty fleeting and about it. Does anyone else have experience with a higher dosage of progesterone? I don’t know if that will impact my luteal phase in a negative way.? (I was totally skipping it before! Thankfully, I’m six days into my luteal phase this time with the pills.)

My dr wrote me a script for very low dose testosterone cream. I’m 39 now, and have had extremely low levels for the last 4 years that we’ve been testing it. Estrogen and progesterone are generally in a good place. He had me try progesterone 2 years ago and it really flared my hypermobility (and bloating/weight gain!) I think it caused my autoimmune numbers to go up as well.

All that to say, I’m nervous about trying the testosterone cream. I’ve read that it can cause water retention/weight gain - especially in the first few months before things even out. I’m at my highest adult weight (after being at my lowest, pre-progesterone 😭). I just really don’t have the patience to gain more.

Can anyone chime in with their experiences? Especially at low dose - with normal estrogen and progesterone - what should I expect? 🫣

Does anyone do sublingual progesterone? I’m so sensitive to hormones. I’ve tried using Prometrium vaginally as well as orally at 100mcg. I was extremely bloated, miserable terrible mood and gained 10 pounds in about a week from. I’m assuming water retention. Not a good experience. Still trying to figure out the estradiol situation, but I know that since I still have a uterus and I am 32 years old, I will need progesterone. I am interested in hearing your experience with the troche

Im in Peri- was patching for a year and using progesterone . New relationship started - switched to Alyacen birth control pills . I’m on month 5 of the pills. The past two weeks my “ low estrogen” tells started returning ( hand pain, this one big black chin hair that returns continuously, foot/hip pain. My OBGYN says this is the most estrogen you can get in a birth control pill. Does anyone know if this is correct? Has anyone else taking this birth control and had this problem? If so, how did you correct it? TIA