It’s almost been a year since I started researching hormone replacement Therapy (HRT) due to some good friends who were talking about their HRT experiences.
The idea and treatment are as personal as our clothing and fashion choices, but if it’s one thing I’ve learned, sharing our HRT experiences can help everyone.
Quote of the day: “Gravity and wrinkles are fine with me. They’re a small price to pay for the new Wisdom inside my head and my heart.” – Drew Barrymore
As a biology-based person who has been leaning towards more Eastern medicine-based ideas, I wouldn’t have tried HRT without some of my friends’ input PLUS researching the idea.
I’m not here to sway anyone, but just to share my HRT experiences so we can make informed decisions. “No judgment, just choices,” is a great way to look at it, per my friend, Kellyann.
Let’s just say—this journey started with three books and ended with me writing all about it here. Something I never thought I’d do.
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If you’re like me, you may have grown up in the era where hormone replacement therapy was something you only whispered about, and usually with a side of fear. After all, there were all those headlines years ago warning of heart attacks and Cancer, right? It was enough to make any of us swear off estrogen for life.
Even though I was under the impression that I breezed through Menopause with very few issues, I started digging into the real science. I picked up three game-changing books that absolutely shifted my perspective:
My menopausal symptoms:
–Hot flashes. They were few and far between. In fact, I used to laugh that I wanted more because I was always cold when living in Denver.
–Vaginal dryness. I even shared my experience with this years ago when I tried out a procedure.
–Stiff joints. Within the last 2 years, I’ve noticed how my ankles and Achilles tendon were so stiff and achy. Even with all of the stretching and moving and clean eating that is part of my life. That’s why it was so surprising to me.
–Nasal Issues. This was my biggest annoyance, and it took me 7 years to realize it was a menopausal thing. I wrote an article about my experiences.
But I will share that the most significant reason I’m continuing HRT is the studies that show it decreases osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and Heart Disease in older women.
After reading the books, I went to see my doctor. She doesn’t seem very knowledgeable, but I figured I was armed with all of the information that I needed at the time.
I knew how much estrogen my friends were taking, and the delivery system, and had made my decision to try it out for at least a year and see how I felt.
Of course, I kept notes too (because how else can you tell if something is working?). Here’s what I noticed at certain weeks:
1-I could “feel” my uterus. I know that sounds hokey, but it just felt full.
2-This was when I started having a discharge again. Yes, just like when I was younger. Vaginal dryness is refered to as genitourinary syndrome and it cleared up fast.
3-My joints (ankles) and Achilles tendon were back to normal.
At this time, Rob also thought I was on edge more. It reminded me of PMS, haha. But by week 6, that went away, and I am now a much nicer person.
Insider info and thought: HRT is a much lower dosage than birth control pills. Yet I never had a second thought about being on the “pill” when I was younger.
Now, I have to be honest. I’m not one to complain, but there’s always a pro and con, right?
As much as I’m grateful for the medical advances and the fact that we have access to HRT, there’s one thing that drives me a little bananas: being dependent on a doctor’s prescription.
I don’t mind the cost or the HRT itself, but having to go to a doctor and all that rigamarole is not my favorite.
Maybe it’s because I like being the boss of my body (and clothes), but it can be time-consuming to go to the doctor, get the RX (and sometimes only with blood tests or other requirements), and if you want to change the dosage, it takes more time and energy.
I only know the costs of my options, yet I’m happy to share.
–Weekly estrogen patch (meaning I change the patch once a week): Covered with insurance- $ 25 for a 3-month supply.
–Progesterone pills: Covered with insurance- $ 10 for 3-month supply.
–Testosterone cream: Not covered by insurance- $ 180 for 3-month supply.
Since budget is a factor in our lives, I have made some changes to my spending to counteract these costs.
-I don’t purchase eyelash, eyebrow, or hair serums anymore.
-As of right now, I also don’t continue to buy vaginal creams. Some of the menopausal doctors that I follow suggest they are still good to use to counteract UTIs, especially when you hit your 70s and 80s.
The biggest reason I wanted to write this post wasn’t just to share my own HRT experiences, but to open the door for you to feel empowered to ask questions, explore options, and talk openly about what you’re going through.
Because trust me, if you’re struggling with Sleep, Intimacy, mood, memory, or even just feel like your body betrayed you somewhere in your 50s… you’re not alone. And you don’t have to “tough it out” or suffer in silence.
Even if you’ve sailed through menopause, like I did, there could be some compelling reasons to consider this. It’s all a very personal decision.
Insider eye opener: The original (erred) data claimed that estrogen caused breast cancer. In the book Estrogen Matters, the point was made that if that were the case, the number of women with breast cancer would be greater for those UNDER 50 since they have much more estrogen in their bodies.
That’s why it’s either good to do the research or see a doctor who is well-versed in the up-to-date menopausal information.
AND REMEMBER, science and discoveries are always changing.
Ideally, we would Love a doctor to figure out the best path for us, but in reality, no one person knows everything.
That’s why it behooves us to be our own advocate and learn some of the basics ourselves.
If you aren’t a fan of reading a book about the subject, there are many other resources available on all of the social media channels.
Here are a couple that I’ve used and follow:
Insider info: Sometimes we think the only “good” information is from a healthcare provider, but women who have HRT experiences can be just as knowledgeable and helpful.
For example, why take fashion advice from me, who is a retired cosmetic dentist and only took some styling classes online? Yet, I’ve learned so much about clothes and style just by experimenting with all the things.
HRT isn’t for everyone. I’m not here to say that every woman should be on it. What I am saying is that we deserve to know about the options.
It’s no different than when we were exploring birth control methods.
If you’re on the fence, I highly recommend reading the three books I mentioned above. And if you have HRT experiences, consider sharing them so others can learn.
I hope I thank you enough because your support allows me to continue this journey, which I LOVE!!!
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