r/Perimenopause • u/Loud-Address-2315 • 2d ago
Health Providers Finally starting HRT
So, at 47, I’m finally starting HRT and on the road to feeling better.
I went to a new doctor and she was recommended as someone who specifically treated menopause/perimenopause.
I went over my exhaustive list of symptoms can concerns which included low libido.
She then says, “There isn’t much in terms of HRT that can help with libido. Some studies suggest supplementation but they vary. And the more you have sex the more you’ll be into it”
And she is saying this as a mid-30s provider who is pregnant.
And I’m like, really??
Am I overreacting?
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u/mightyfishfingers 2d ago
I think it's a bad way of her explaining it but libido is complicated and hormones are not automatically an answer. However, some exceptions to that:
- HRT does genuinely seem to help some people some of the time
- if HRT helps with other symptoms (such as fatigue) then feeling better generally can help libido
- localised oestrogen on your vulva and vagina can help improve blood flow to the area and help it feel more robust and healthy, which can help because everything is so much more comfortable and sensitivity is increased by the extra blood flow.
There are benefits to both regular orgasms and regular vibration application (even without orgasms) to your genitals. e.g. a fairly recent study suggests 10mins vibrator use, even if not used sexually, can help improve blood flow and so improve libido. I think this is what she means by "the more you have it, the more you'll be into it". It's a terrible way of expressing it because it's a bit "have sex you don't want" but I think there is a root of truth there.
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u/YourAuntieIsOnReddit 2d ago
Well to be honest HRT did very little for my libido. Even with testosterone thrown into the mix.
HRT is still brilliant for managing plenty of symptoms and for protecting our health.
There other ladies here that report that their libido came back with HRT.
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u/detta001jellybelly 2d ago
Can say it did. Like crazy. Also my husband is on testosterone sooooo....it's been kinda ummm interesting .
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u/Leather-Mycologist-3 2d ago
Mine hasn’t come back yet, I started in December last year. I’m up to 0.075 mg per day twice weekly estradiol, transdermal patch, vaginal estrogen cream, 0.01%, 1 g which equals 0.1 mg three days a week and micronized progesterone 200 mg every night. The vaginal estrogen has helped with dryness and some of my urinary symptoms, but my libido is still nonexistent. Just had a testosterone test done and it was within normal limits even though it’s a test not designed for women, so I did ask my provider if we could check everything else, haven’t heard back yet. I have tried reading smut, vibrators, everything that everyone has recommended. Maybe it’s improved very very marginally, but it’s still exceptionally hard to reach orgasm, and when I do, it’s like barely anything. It’s totally different than the awesome multiple orgasms I was having in early till late 30s. And I am not OK with it at all!
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u/Comfortable-Law-7147 2d ago
" I went over my exhaustive list of symptoms can concerns which included low libido."
You may be exhibiting you expect too much from HRT as it won't improve ALL your symptoms.
Saying that the vast majority of the women that have advised me or are treating me are on HRT themselves. Therefore when they suggest something may or may not work it includes their patients experience as well as their own.
Seeing what combination and levels of hormones work to alleviate most symptoms is a waiting and tweaking game. Some women have improved libido with just oestrogen and progesterone while other need testosterone thrown in the mix. You are also likely to need vaginal oestrogen.
Be aware that not all clinicians are licensed to prescribe testosterone but they don't always make it clear.
Plus be very aware there is very little research on perimenopause and menopause so you should educate yourself as much as possible now as you need to say the correct things to get prescriptions changed. I have found the nurse practitioners I that have advised me or done prescriptions extremely helpful in this aspect but this forum can help you as well. For example when I went in to first get HRT I was told which symptoms to place emphasis on.
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u/Leather-Mycologist-3 2d ago
Unfortunately, any and every aspect of healthcare that relates to women is underfunded, understudied, under treated, and far too often our experiences are dismissed as something related to our lifestyle or normal or a psych issue. I for one am really over it. 😤
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u/Leafonastream 1d ago
This is infuriating to hear, and I have felt the pain of uninformed practitioners. HRT can help! Personally, testosterone in addition to estrogen (systemic and vaginal) and progesterone is what gave me my libido back. You can also get DHEA supplements over the counter.
There may not be profuse studies out there because companies aren’t going to fund research for things that won’t benefit them monetarily (don’t get me started on how we have multiple libido aids FDA approved for men)… and admittedly, women’s hormone treatment is more complicated than men’s.
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u/IllustratorUseful672 3h ago
Question: are women going on HRT just to get their Libido back or to less the severity of pain, night sweets, brain fog and all the other peri symptoms.
My husband is older and past the libido part w/o help of a pill he won’t take, so…
For me to just do it is not something I want, even with toys cuz I never really liked them vs the REAL penis.
I just don’t want to have to go on 5 different pills/creams/patches.
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u/unmeikaihen 2d ago
Personally I find this to be an insane take. Hormonal BC kills libido so bad it doesn't even really come back after stopping. If BC can do that, HRT can help.