HRT - how am I old enough?

Well you might not need hrt but because they have done fuck all research into women's health, they just offer blanket hormone solutions for everyone. It's just like giving your daughter the pill, they just suppress women's unruly bodies instead of researching and solving things. I can understand what a shock it is, especially as I know people who are in their 40s and pregnant. I have heard the synthetic hormones are shit and you have to try to get natural ones.

Also did you have the Pfizer COVID vaccine? I am not an anti vaxer, but women have campaigned to let Pfizer know that it does actually disrupt hormones, and now it's listed as a side effect. I know 2 people who bled non stop for years after the booster, and some who are in early menopause.

I didn't realise it was so hard to get HRT, I'm 38 now and have been on it for 2 years since having a hysterectomy for PMDD, I would take it if you are offered it to see if it helps. I can't cope without it but that's probably my PMDD brain still lurking.

I started at 41, HRT has saved me.

I went private, specifically to a female GP who specialises in menopause.

my consultation was 1 hour and we went though everything with a fine tooth comb

this is a great podcast on menopause: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/happy-smiling-people/id1701602372?i=1000730964001

There are pros and cons of hrt like most things. It’s not a magic fix it in itself. You need lifestyle changes too - sleep, diet, reduce stress, resistance training etc etc as well

look at people like

dr Mary Claire haver
dr vonda wright
dr mindy pelz
Dr Lisa Misconi

among others

average age of menopause is 51 and peri can start on avg 7-10 years before that

I've just turned 44 and perimenopause has hit. I never even gave it a thought. My periods kept starting early and I couldn't understand why. My mother in law said might be the menopause and my first thought was how dare you.. I always thought of the menopause happening to women in their 50s early 60s.. I've found it seriously depressing.

God how ridiculous - perimenopause understanding is just woeful with some HCPs

My HRT took a good 8 weeks to kick in, so stick with it. Feeling so much better now

I'm mid 30s and on hrt. It's not an age thing.

I was 43.

I went into peri at 45 almost overnight. Tried HRT but had to come off it after three months. I'm 53 now and pretty much done with menopause I think.

I asked for HRT when I was 44 and having classic peri symptoms - brain fog, anxiety, insomnia etc. But I was told I was too young and as my periods were still OK it couldn't possibly be that. 4 years later I'm finally starting my patches next week - I sooooo hope I get the positive experience a lot of you describe

I’m with you too. 42, and the only symptoms I have are insomnia and irritability

The blood test is highly unreliable. Really sorry your Dr's are so shit.

I’m 30 and already on HRT. It’s been an absolute godsend for me. I’m getting my life back!

Omg that’s so depressing. Your GP practice doesn’t know the NICE guidelines for HRT. I had to go private as I was told I was too young. My GP wanted to diagnose me with Chronic Fatigue and get me on antidepressants - I’m still not sure what the link was there. Went private and now my GP do my prescription - some doctors unwillingly, others quite happily. It has changed my life. I’m 44, been on it for 2 years. Definitely push, because if you try and it doesn’t work, you can stop, no harm done. I just don’t understand the reluctance of doctors, it’s so frustrating.

I was the same age as you and did go through the same feelings. We're taught menopause starts in your 50s (and for my Mum it did). But quite a few women I knew in their mid 40s had also started peri.

HRT was the right thing for me, it made me feel more 'youthful' than the symptoms of peri.

Op it's really common for women to start getting peri-menopause symptoms around age 43 so it's bang on. But I heard the GPS don't like to prescribe HRT without doing bloods etc until you are 46.

That's utter horseshit. You are not too young for HRT and there is no minimum age in NICE guidelines that in any way would affect you aged 44.

Blood tests for FSH also tell you absolutely nothing unless you have had previous tests to compare with.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#identifying-perimenopause-and-menopause

I'm the same age. Also on HRT.

Had to laugh though, told my (also) same aged mate I was on HRT a few months ago and she countered it with being booked in for a hip replacement in a few weeks 😂

How the fuck did we get this old?

Well that’s rubbish and @Lottapianos is right, it is well understood blood tests are no good for diagnosing peri menopause why with hormone cyclica being, you know, cyclical and therefore in constant flux… you might need to fight for it OP. Look at the prescribing guidelines and ask to see the menopause specialist at your practice, try keeping a log of your symptoms and don’t do the natural thing of playing them down.

Like you said earlier in the thread if this affected men it would have been cracked generations ago!

That's exactly why I went private. When prescribed privately for 3 months, my GP practice then agreed to pick it up.

If you want your 'youth to be preserved' and you're offered HRT then grab the script, run and don't look back. Because it's the nearest thing to the fountain of eternal youth you're likely to find.

'As I feared, they consider me too young and have a minimum age at which point they will prescribe HRT. They have agreed to do a blood test to check though so hopefully that will help.'

How ridiculous. Did they tell you what this magical 'minimum age' is?

Unfortunately blood tests are not reliable for diagnosing perimenopause because our hormone levels fluctuate so much. They should be diagnosing based on your symptoms

In my experience they don't tell you that you don't need it, that's a decision you need to make based on how disruptive your symptoms are. But they will discuss your symptoms to see that it tracks with peri menopause, and run through a check list to see if you are eligible. Good luck.