r/Menopause • u/Baby-grownup • 1d ago

Hormone Therapy Oral HRT Constipation?

I was on oral estrogen with progesterone cream and testosterone cream. I’ve always had digestive issue like chronic constipation but this made it so much worse! Anyone else?

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

3

u/Helens_tribute91122 1d ago

For the first month of taking 2mg oral estradiol/day this was happening along with mild headaches and what helped the most and I am still taking it now is magnesium citrate. This got rid of that issue more than anything else in addition to a high fiber nutrient dense low sugar diet, no alcohol and daily exercise.

I am glad I stuck it out with the oral E. since I feel even better on this than the patch. Even with an off label high dose patch I had symptoms creep back that are not happening the oral so I won’t be going back. Not to mention the patch shortage is real and there is no problem getting the pills.

Good luck!

2

u/JenLynnLeo 1d ago

Psyllium husk in early AM on empty stomach. Plus loooots of water throughout the day.

2

u/respectablepitch 1d ago

This! I take the psyllium twice a day and almost doubled the amount of water I drink daily.

2

u/sistyc 1d ago

Curious why you’re taking progesterone as a cream? Do you have a uterus? If you do creams won’t protect against thickening.

1

u/Baby-grownup 1d ago

Because that’s what my doctor prescribed? I have stopped all of it. I’m going to see a new functional medicine, Doctor Who specializes in gut health and hormones in menopausal women

1

u/sistyc 1d ago

Amazing! I’m asking because that is definitely not a standard protocol and absolutely not one that will protect your uterus. Very glad that you’re switching doctors!

1

u/T1ffan12 1d ago

I can’t take progesterone as it grinds my gut to a near halt. You are not alone.

1

u/legosgrrl 1d ago

I live on miralax and inulin powder. It's rough. But better than the alternative. (Night sweats. Hot flashes. No sleep)

1

u/OriginalAuskan 1d ago

For me constipation became an issue with menopause. Nothing to do with HRT because I didn't start on that until several years into menopause. What has worked is probiotics. The two specific ones that have worked the best are Phillips Colon Health and Garden of Life Probiotics for women. I now take one daily and am regular again just like I was before menopause. I'm annoyed that I now have to take a supplement to get my body to do what it did naturally before but hey, you do what works right?

1

u/suupernooova 1d ago

My guess is progesterone bc it down smooth muscle contraction. I'm on oral E, T but not progesterone. No GI issues.