My first week on HRT

I've been taking a deep dive into menopause for the past 2 years because I want to be prepared and knowledgeable about what to expect. Before this, I had every intention of going through this phase naturally because I HATE taking medicine and will try every "natural" remedy first. So, I've been fine-tuning all the lifestyle factors to ease my way through this transition.

Well through my research I have learned a lot! The risk factors of NOT replacing our hormones as we age are REAL. Heart disease is the number 1 killer of women post-menopause. Our risk of osteoporosis, type II diabetes, Alzheimer's and dementia, suicide, vaginal atrophy, and UTIs all increase as well. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27745704/)

After learning this, I'm 100% on board with taking HRT. The next question was, how do I know when its the right time to start? So I tracked my cycles and every symptom I was having that wasn't "normal". My cycles were getting shorter, I wasn't sleeping as well, I had vertigo, I noticed I was forgetting words in conversation, I felt the urge to pee ALL THE TIME, and my shoulder (that I injured playing volleyball) was taking FOREVER to heal, despite going to one of the best PTs I know. What else was I waiting for to go wrong? I knew I wanted to start HRT before my body really went haywire, so I made a telehealth appointment with Midi Health (a menopause-specific telehealth company) that took my insurance.

My experience with Midi was great. My nurse practitioner went to undergrad at ISU, my hometown! She listened to all of my concerns and 25 minutes later she wrote me prescriptions for the estradiol patch, oral micronized progesterone, and vaginal estrogen cream (all bio-identical forms). My insurance covered everything except the vaginal cream, which was $125, but I used the GoodRx app and got it down to $88. Judging by the size, I assume this will last a couple of months.

I started with the estradiol patch first because I was at the beginning of my cycle. It's TINY... about the size of a dime, but rectangular. I put it on my stomach, just to the left of my belly button. The patch lasts 3.5 days and then you peel it off and put another one on, in a different spot. What I noticed first was how much better I was sleeping. This alone has made it worth it! I have not noticed a difference in the brain fog department, but maybe that takes a bit longer or maybe my estrogen dose is too small... that answer will take some time to figure out. As my ovaries age, I anticipate this dose will continue to increase.

The oral micronized progesterone pill (that little white ball in the photo above), I'm cycling. I'm taking that for only 2 weeks, from ovulation until my period (because that's naturally how our bodies cycle). That is not what the instructions say to do, but I've done my research and at this point in my journey, I feel this is the best way to support my body (this doesn't mean you should do this too).

The vaginal estradiol I started at the same time as the patch, and use it nightly for 2 straight weeks, then just 2 nights from there on out. What I have noticed is my overactive bladder has improved. I'm not getting up in the middle of the night to pee and I can "hold it" much longer during the day.

If you want additional information about HRT, I recommend you start with Dr. Mary Claire Haver's site, www.thepauselife.com or her Instagram page. She shares so much information on her blog and social media sites.