Menopause & mood swings etc

[alwaysthepessimist]

Can someone advise please? I am now in the menopause at 46 (blood test confirmed), last period was december 2016. Saw a male doc a while ago who said I didn't need hrt and couldn't because of family history - mum has high bp (I have never had), I currently take statins but that is it, am overweight & trying really hard to lose it but DAMN it is so hard.

Have an appt for next week with a female gp, want to go on hrt because I am struggling with sleep, mood swings are dreadful, really bad, not sure if I am having hot flushes but def having times when I feel hotter than I should then freezing cold again. Sex drive has taken a total nose dive too.

Will HRT help with all this or do people take other things too? I tried to look at the menopause matters site but I found it pretty difficult to navigate around.

[PollyPerky]

The male doc urgently needs to update his knowledge.

HRT is NOT like the Pill. Blood pressure of a relative is not relevant at all, and neither is your BP! Honestly, these drs seem thick, to put it mildly.

Do you have high cholesterol? Interestingly, using HRT has been shown to improve the lipid balance.

You should only use transdermal HRT- that's patches or estrogen gel/ plus a progestogen each month.

Transdermal is not linked to blood clots.

At 46 you are young for meno. 45 is considered young and early, so 46 is pretty young!

Hopefully the dr you see next should be better educated on meno and HRT.

[alwaysthepessimist]

Thanks PollyPerky

Yes I agree he does need to update his knowledge too - he did actually say he wasn't 'that good' on things to do with the menopause.

I was thinking patches would possibly be the best for me to start on. I was classed as peri-menopausal at 40 as my hormones were all over the place but then fell pregnant & had my dd at 41. After that I went straight to the coil. Had that out last year at the same time I was sterilised, had regular periods for 3 months then nothing since December - last blood test it came back as in the menopause.

I have looked at all the herbal stuff but there is so much of it it is hard to know what to take or do you just take the lot and hope for the best - I have to do something, my very patient OH is going to lose the plot soon because of my moods and lack of sex - poor man is getting it from me in all ways and I do feel bad for him

[PollyPerky]

Herbal is a bit hit and miss but some women think black cohosh helps.

It's not going to build your bones though or do all the other stuff that HRT could and as you appear to have been in peri very early, it looks as if HRT would be best up to the age of average meno at least (52.)

Losing weight will help as some women find meno is worse if they are overweight. can you manage some exercise and a steady loss of maybe 2lbs /1 kg a week?