I got a new GYN in September and told her some of the symptoms I was having. She suggested I try Remifemin (black cohosh mainly) for a little while then see if I wanted to get on HRT after giving that a shot. The hot flashes are ramping up and my bra is getting too small and my belly is starting to flop over, and those are just the new symptoms. I’m 54 and officially in menopause for just under a year and have been having mainly mood symptoms with mild hot flashes. What is the typical “starter” HRT and what kind of side effects should I look out for?
Hey I thought I responded, but maybe it didn’t save. Are you still using the black cohosh? You want to be careful with that as high dosages may increase risk for liver damage.
For ‘typical’ starter dosages of hormones, you want to go with an estrogen-only patch. The lowest dose is 0.025, then 0.0375 (in some brands), then 0.050, 0.075, 0.1mg. Generally it’s a good idea to start with the lowest dose, and if symptoms are persistent after 6 weeks or so, then you’d want to increase to the next level.
If you have a uterus, then you also have to progesterone. The common (lower risk) progesterone is Prometrium, and dosages are 100mg daily (which is standard). This is only increased if the dosage of estrogen goes up to around the 0.1mg range. Otherwise 100mg daily is good for any of the lower dose estrogens.
Thanks, it’s good to know what to expect. Is the progesterone generally a pill? I’m thinking about stopping the black cohosh to get it out of my system before the appointment. I’ve been taking it less than a year.
yes, progeterone is a little round pill. Some insert it vaginally instead to lessen any side effects, but not everyone experiences side effects, the most prominent one is that you feel more sleep (if taken orally).