Think I finally need to see GP

[mommybunny]

I've been on and off the threads in this topic over the past year or so very smugly proclaiming that I had sorted my night sweats and hot flashes by training for half marathons, and hey, you should try it too before going on HRT!

Well, my smugness is now completely gone - a month into a training program for a new half and I haven't had a proper night's sleep since before Christmas. When things are really bad and I'm really over-tired I get really anxious and tearful (and also repetitive - 3 "reallys" in that sentence!). My dealings with my DCs and DH are becoming rather fraught, and my patience is cracked. I don't think I'm otherwise depressed - it's mostly the exhaustion that's making me feel this way.

So I think it's time I finally acknowledged that I can't go on like this - I had always said I would keep an open mind about HRT and to the extent my exercise program wasn't helping me I would consider it.

Thing is, I don't know what to expect. I'm 49 (50 this month), so I think I should be easy to diagnose (I have read the NICE guidelines). I had very regular 23 day cycles until about 2.5 years ago and since then they have become erratic - I haven't had a period since around Christmas. I have never smoked, do not have high blood pressure, or diabetes, or increased cancer risk, or obesity, or any of the other risk factors specified in the guidelines for special treatment. As I said, I exercise regularly and I also try to eat 5-10 F&V a day. Could probably reduce alcohol intake but that's really the only tick on the "negative health" side of the list.

I have just been seeing horror stories on this forum from women who have had such trouble getting relief from their symptoms and the thought of going through a huge rigamarole makes me even more anxious than my current state would indicate.

Just looking for a little support, and forgiveness for my prior smug attitude .

[Eatingcheeseontoast]

HRT helped me with everything apart from the anxiety and depression - but I think that's because I am actually anxious and depressed.

When I was menopause anxious and depressed the HRT did help. And I slept better on it.

I don't think it can do you any harm trying it. It took me a couple of go's to find one that agreed.

[Pollyanna9]

I've just started on this possible HRT highway myself. I'm 50.

I've got a Implanon contraceptive implant in at the moment (don't know why, never have any sex) so that muddies the waters - I don't have periods on it so it's hard to say if my periods have stopped because of that or due to menopause.

I just feel ancient, creaky, no energy at all to exercise with, my cognitive function and memory are literally at rock bottom so I need to do something.

I already have anxiety so I'm starting with Sirtraline for anxiety, try that for a month or so to get to the right dose and see if it works, and then I might be going the HRT route next and see what that does for me.

I too sleep badly a lot of the time and I just feel exhausted 24/7 so something needs to change.

[MrsGotobed]

I think a lot of women, me included, plod along thinking that they're getting on OK with menopausal symptoms until a certain point. It's like a tipping point where you decide Sod it, enough's enough, and go to the doctors.

For me it was the hot flushes and night sweats that reached a point where I knew it couldn't go on (plus fatigue, brain fog, anxiety/low mood etc).

As I fall into the "special treatment" category (mum had breast cancer) the GP was reluctant to go down the HRT route so I'm taking fluoxetine which can help in some cases with the flushes and night sweats and, as it's an anti-depressant it also helps with mood/anxiety.

I'm about 6 months down the line now and I have to say it has made things more bearable all round. OK, the flushes haven't completely gone but I'm not waking up in pools of sweat any more and my mood is definitely more stable. The only down side was that it made me feel nauseous for the first few weeks of taking it and my sleep isn't great (although TBH it wasn't great beforehand either)

[PollyPerky]

When you say what to expect, do you mean from the GP?

My own advice is to go along asking for what you want. So if you want to try HRT you say that! I didn't have any issues- consultant prescribed gel on a long cycle so 'period' only once every 2-3 months and felt great from week 1.Been on it for 8 years. Intend to carry on forever as long as health etc is ok.

Get a handle on what you want to try- patches( or gel and a separate progestogen are the best) and give it 3- 6months to see how you go.

[homebythesea]

I've just taken that step mommybunny after months of symptoms that really were only pointing towards one thing, but I didn't really want to acknowledge it and/or thought that it was too early to seek intervention. I'm a fit 47 year old, and like you exercise a lot. I saw my GP yesterday and set out the tale of woe (forgotten how to sleep, dizzy spells, night sweats, some days feeling like I'm wading through sludge, sore breasts which have actually prevented me from exercising) and she couldn't type the HRT prescription fast enough!! I've now got estrogen patches (I've already got a Mirena for the progesterone) and we'll see how we get on. I've kind of forgotten what normal feels like, I'm quite excited!