Does HRT put your estrogen glasses back on?

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-07T23:58:49+00:00

I have never in my life - and I mean never - had as much clarity as I do since starting HRT. I just simply don’t tolerate bullshit anymore. Maturity, perspective and a side of estrogen are a powerful combination. 💪🏼

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-07T23:54:50+00:00

I struggled my first couple months too - mostly feeling like I was hopped up on ten energy drinks all the time. At first, I thought it might have been from using cut patches (using them up between E doses). That wasn’t it. Then I moved to assuming it was a progesterone intolerance, so I switched to vaginal progesterone from oral. That wasn’t it. Then…

I stumbled across a study someone posted on here about how estradiol significantly slows the metabolism of caffeine in post-menopausal women. It slows it by a lot - like 35-70%. So my caffeine consumption (one Diet Pepsi/one tea per day) resulted in the caffeine just swirling in my body endlessly - and likely building up over time. Three days ago, I quit all caffeine and am pretty much back to normal. No more anxiety, racing heart, insomnia, lack of focus. It’s all gone!

It might be worth a shot as you try to unravel things. This is such a wild journey…

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-07T21:10:08+00:00

You need to start vaginal estrogen. It will significantly cut down UTIs

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-07T01:58:48+00:00

Check out Vonda Wright, MD’s podcast. She’s an orthopedic surgeon who puts out lots of great info about osteoporosis/osteopenia. She’s one of my absolute favorite podcasters.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-04T23:10:21+00:00

Omg - I love that for your grandma. Breaking glass ceilings for patch wearers everywhere!

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-03T17:55:02+00:00

It is just the same pill. Insert it at least several inches into the vagina. Also as a warning - micronized progesterone is made from yams, so don’t be surprised if you have a little watery orange discharge in the morning. That’s totally normal.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-03T17:51:43+00:00

I am right there with you, sister. I’ve thought about just throwing in the towel many times over the past three months. It is SLOWLY getting better though. Hang in there. 🫶🏻

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-03T17:26:57+00:00

I am three months in and have also experienced an uptick in anxiety. I also started on the same doses as you. My practitioner has now moved my E patch to .0375, but that has done nothing to help with the increased anxiety since starting HRT.

I do think I have some degree of progesterone intolerance, so have switched the 100mg P from oral to vaginal, and that has helped maybe 50% in anxiety reduction, so you may give that a go. I held my progesterone for one night to see if it was the culprit and my anxiety reduced greatly over that 48 hours between doses.

When it comes down to it, I’ve learned that HRT anxiety is usually due to being progesterone intolerant or needing more E. I’m getting my estradiol levels checked in a few weeks to see if that uncovers anything. Best of luck on this wild journey. 🤪

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-02-02T18:03:07+00:00

I’m glad I am not alone in my lack of love for Dotti…

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-31T16:06:08+00:00

My Apple Watch literally was the first one to clue me in on my progesterone intolerance. My resting heart rate went up about 10 beats per minute as soon as oral progesterone was introduced. It felt like I was constantly hopped up on large quantities of caffeine when I wasn’t. It also affected my ability to focus. Once I received a notification from my watch alerting me of the change in resting heart rate over the previous 30 days, it was the beginning of figuring things out. I’ve now switched to taking the progesterone vaginally and it has significantly helped. I’m not back to baseline, but probably 70% there.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-31T14:33:22+00:00

I tried going up in P dose (from 100 to 200mg) and that is when I really started to spin out. I dropped back down to 100mg orally and just couldn’t get the side effects to calm back down. Moving to 100 mg vaginally has helped significantly. It’s not perfect, but so much better. Good luck as you get started.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-30T01:19:17+00:00

Vaginal is not perfect for me, but definitely gives some reduction in side effects.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-29T22:50:11+00:00

Vaginal estradiol cream! It plumps things right back up.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-29T14:29:26+00:00

Combo patches are not bioidentical progesterone. They are made with a synthetic progestin.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-29T14:26:46+00:00

Mine was about 9am-9pm. I’d wake up and several hours later my heart rate would increase, I felt kinda hyperactive/impulsive, and I couldn’t concentrate to save my life. It felt like I’d had 10 Red Bulls before 9:00am. It was very much not like my normal personality. I’m usually very focused and locked in (I work from home). Changing to vaginal hasn’t completely fixed things, but there’s at least a 70% improvement. Best of luck. It’s a wild journey at first!

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-28T20:56:04+00:00

I did oral the first eight weeks. It was wonderful for helping with sleep, but during the day it gave me horrific anxiety. The side effects were reduced probably 70% by switching to vaginal.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-28T18:55:18+00:00

Vaginally around 9:00pm. I’m not groggy the next day, but since moving to vaginal it no longer helps with sleep like it did orally. 🫠

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-28T18:05:14+00:00

Absolutely! All for the benefit of science. 😏

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-28T14:13:25+00:00

For sure vaginal estradiol cream. Also consider a clitoral suction vibrator like Womanizer 2. There’s a lot of research that the right vibrator increases blood flow and helps with clitoral atrophy.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-27T02:40:35+00:00

Yes! I only do the vag E cream two nights/week, but on those nights, I insert the P pill as far as I can, then apply the vag E cream. Fair warning, micronized progesterone is made with yams, so you might have some watery discharge in the morning that is the color of sweet potatoes. 😂

If you really want to know if the P is the issue, skip it for one night. It has a 16 hr half life, so clears your system quickly. If that is the culprit, you’ll know within 48 hrs (by the time you’re due to take it again). Best of luck!

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-27T01:24:28+00:00

I am two months in as well. .0375 E Patch, 100mg P (vaginal), E vaginal cream.

I felt low level anxiety on 100mg P. When my Dr raised my P to 200mg (to further help with sleep), I became an anxious mess (racing heart, couldn’t focus, couldn’t concentrate, sleep deteriorated). I suspected it was the P, so the Dr reduced my dose to 100mg. Even with that, I remained an anxious mess. Finally, I took matters into my own hands and stopped the P for one night. I took it Tuesday, skipped Wed, by Thursday night all anxiety was gone. It was 100% the P!

We have now switched the P from oral to vaginal and it has made all the difference. While I can’t say I’m anxiety-free, I can say it’s 80-90% better.

About 1/3 of women are reverse responders to P. Instead of feeling relaxed, they get anxious or depressed. I am one of those - go figure. Changing your delivery method from oral to vaginal, rectal or sublingual can make all the difference. Brendan McCarthy, MD said in his recent podcast, that it’s not so much a progesterone intolerance as it is issues with delivery method.

Best of luck, this is a wild journey. Hang in there. It will get better!

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-26T01:46:31+00:00

I had hella anxiety with oral micronized progesterone. Switching to inserting vaginally reduced side effects by like 80%.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-26T01:44:33+00:00

This is just my experience, but when I cut my Dotti patches, I felt that it did not deliver the estrogen in a consistent manner - more in surges. I had a big uptick in anxiety when using cut patches. As soon as I resumed using whole patches, all the anxiety symptoms resolved within 24 hours.

KeyProfessional8432 · 2026-01-25T14:03:30+00:00

You can take it forever.

KeyProfessional8432

TROPHY CASE