Last Friday I started an estrogen patch and daily progesterone pill treatment regimen to deal with severe hot flashes that kicked in about 4-6 weeks ago. It’s been less than a week and I haven’t noticed really any improvement. Just curious if others have gone down this treatment path and how long before you noticed improvement?
I’ve been on a patch for a few years now, but my hot flashes weren’t constant or consistent, so I can’t say for sure when it “kicked in”. I just know that I don’t have them anymore. I think you probably need to give it longer than a few days to determine whether the mix of what you’re taking is effective. What did your doc say about when you should expect a change?
I’m not sure I actually asked that question unfortunately. And since it’s after hours figured I’d crowd source some info here.
Check the hystersisters site for, most likely, lots of info, weather you had surgery or not.
I got relief within a week or two. I’d been having hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia for about 2 years. It’s really been a game changer for me.
I don’t remember but I have been on for years. My OB has to check with me yearly to let me know that over 65 it is no longer suggested. We LOL together as I have no intention of giving this up. I can tell if I am a few days late changing it.
That said, I did take a super low dose of prozac ( not enough to be therapeutic for depression) for a few years. It was know to help with hot flashes. I don’t know if this is still suggested but something to look into.
The hot flashes and sweats at night were the worse for me. For awhile I found wearing a wicking t-shirt helpful. I know there are pj’s on line for just this issue.
It is interesting watching the pendulum swing back and forth on the advisability of HRT. Every one takes it forever, no one gets it at all, and everywhere in between. Estrogen causes cancer and heart disease, wait, it prevents dementia. We only know what we know, there is so much science does not yet know.
Do you exercise? Have a healthy body weight? Limit alcohol and sugar? I think real exercise (not the pandering kind) has a big effect, ditto for sugar (or any diet overloaded with low value carbs) and alcohol. Not instead of but at least in addition to your other choices of RX.
If you had hysterectomy and no specific BC risk factors, HRT is the way to go.
No hysterectomy, not a smoker, very limited alcohol intake although could definitely do better on the sugar. I’m at a healthy weight and I do exercise 3-5 times per week (weights, running and other aerobic activities). I’m hoping it starts to kick in any day now.
Not a doctor by any means, I was recently poking around the web looking at HRT when I thought I was starting to get hot flashes… from what I read, HRT can kick in several weeks down the road. Do check with your doctor if you don’t see any effect in 3-4 weeks; you might need a different dosage. This hormone stuff is very tricky to dose.
I never had a patch but with gel estrogen it registers very quickly (hours). It could be that while you are receiving some estrogen, it isn’t enough/too conservative. Your doc may want to do more bloodwork.
I’d give it 2-3 months, for your body to sort out & adjust to the HRT.
They will have to take my BHRT out of my cold dead hands. Life-changing!
For those of you that started HRT to deal with hot flashes and night sweats - how bad off were you when you began? Night sweats for me are the WORST but I can’t decide if I’m just being a big baby or not.
(ugh. first post/reply with the new format, NOW I understand the complaints on the “double spacing”)
My night sweats and daytime hot flashes had gotten steadily worse over the last 2 years. I was feeling a bit hopeless that I would ever feel better and get sleep. Started in lowest dose of prempro and within 2 weeks I feel like my old self! Run, do not walk to the doctor’s office to get help. Women suffer too long with these issues when it is not necessary!
I started BHRT — progesterone only — during perimenopause to alleviate flooding periods.
As I entered menopause, I lowered the progesterone and added in a low dose of estrogen.
I have never had a full blown hot flash or night sweats. I have had what I’d call a mini-hot flash, maybe 3-4 times, & it was tolerable.
Small sample size & purely anecdotal, but I seem to be weathering this stage better than friends who are steering clear of HRT.
Your practitioner will likely be aiming for the lowest effective dose (to relieve bothersome symptoms & improve QOL).
My hot flashes mostly were daytime, although my sleep was disturbed. It felt like I was sitting in the car in Phoenix, in the summer, with the heat on full blast. So.
I’m on a similar regimen, @adigel, but I needed it to address my other perimenopausal symptoms. I would say it kicked in around 2-3 weeks. For the most part I now have minimal hot flashes and night sweats.
I was pushed into menopause after having an ovary removed. I had always been a great sleeper previously and I suddenly couldn’t stay asleep and I was so hot. I never got sweats just an overall feeling of being so hot. I would go outside on my deck to try to cool down. That was about 6 years ago. I started on the combipatch which I felt worked great. About 3 years ago I started having itching from the patch. I switched to a estrogen patch which is much smaller and a progesterone pill. In mid May I decided I would try to go off of the hormones. I find it thins the skin on my arms and I bleed and bruise easily on my forearms. I lasted about two weeks. The sleep wasn’t bad but I was so hot at night. I’ve been back on for about 3 weeks. I still am having some night heat flashes but they are lessened and I don’t feel as intense. I’m hoping to get back to where I was in terms of relief.
My Dr pushed me to try the hormones. She knew I was not one to take any medications but if I was miserable enough to come in she felt I should try. I haven’t regretted it. She said I could continue on for quite a few more years.
I had such horrible night sweats starting around age 50 that I would stack up 6 t-shirts on my night stand and change them throughout the night as I woke up every hour or 2 with my shirt completely saturated. Some nights I would have to get up and change underwear and pj bottoms. I also used “wicked sheets” which were very helpful (moisture wicking sheets). I started the patch/progesterone combo and I rarely have hot flashes (day or night), I sleep great, I have less brain fog, and it makes migraines more manageable! If I am late changing the patch (2x per week) I will get a migraine. If I recall correctly, the meds started working very soon after starting them- so I would ask your MD about adjusting the dose.
*I exercise, I’m not overweight, I eat a healthy diet. Believe me, I tried everything before starting the meds and nothing else worked. It is absolutely worth the risk, to me, to manage the awful symptoms.