AIBU to think that any woman who can should take HRT?

[HRTevangelist]

It's fucking brilliant and has turned my life around. I have more energy, I can concentrate, I've lost a stone without trying, I've been promoted at work and my facial hair has completely gone. I am unstoppable!

This is truly amazing stuff. It should be considered for all peri women as routine before looking at alternatives as necessary.

Why should I take something I don't need? I'm mid fifties and had my last period so long ago I can't remember when (at least 10 years maybe more). I have had no problems and can't see the point of taking a drug that I neither want or need.

*SinisterBumFacedCat

It’s really minimal the effect lifestyle choices have on dementia, I have seen too many slim, fit, non smokers who barely touch alcohol develop it. There is a proven link between loss of oestrogen and dementia, women develop it more often than men, even allowing for life expectancy. If you don’t want to taking it fine, but other women will need it and should be offered it.

Suggeting that HRT will prevent dementia is dishonest- a quote here from The UK dementia society.

Studies looking at whether replenishing oestrogen levels using HRT can reduce women's risk of dementia have been inconclusive and contradictory. For example, some studies of women who were already using HRT during menopause found that their risk of dementia was lower than those not on HRT. However, other studies found no strong evidence for this. There is some evidence that HRT may even increase dementia risk. Clinical trials looking at the use of HRT to treat Alzheimer's disease in women, rather than prevent it, did not show any beneficial effects on cognition.

Source- www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/hormones-and-dementia

And from the same source
Of all the lifestyle changes that have been studied, taking regular physical exercise appears to be one of the best things that you can do to reduce your risk of getting dementia.

As I say lifestyle is crucial.

Marking my place. 47 and started HRT last week. Have been trying to manage with supplements, exercise etc for about a year and, whilst some symptoms have improved (headaches and sleep), the brain fog is still crippling me and my weight is totally unstable - cannot stop the belly fat piling no despite exercising daily. I know there are cancer risks, but my risk of breast cancer will increase more through obesity than HRT....

@speakout

No because many women don't need it. I sailed through peri menopause and full menopause with no symptoms at all apart from menstuation stopping.

My mum is convinced she did the same. What she doesnt realise is that she became a full on angry cowbag for about 18 months. Seriously awful to everyone around her. No one could even politely try and discuss what may be going on.

5 years down the line she misremembers and is convinced she sailed through

@speakout

No because many women don't need it. I sailed through peri menopause and full menopause with no symptoms at all apart from menstuation stopping.

this

@SecretDoor

You can't compare organ failure of the thyroid and the pancreas with the menopause.
My husband had his thyroid gland removed and if he doesn't take daily thyroxine pills he'll be dead in a month. And I'm sure we all know about diabetic comas etc.
This doesn't compare to the reduction in female hormones with the menopause in the slightest. It's not a disease.

*My mum is convinced she did the same. What she doesnt realise is that she became a full on angry cowbag for about 18 months. Seriously awful to everyone around her. No one could even politely try and discuss what may be going on.

5 years down the line she misremembers and is convinced she sailed through*

So much wrong with this post.
Disempowering, belitting, patronising.
Lets medicate the old bag because she doesn't know any better, and no woman going through the menopause is able to think clearly, have an objective view or make her own decisions.........

It's not brilliant for everyone. I piled on weight on it so stopped after a few weeks. It did get me through a stage where I was struggling to sleep but I've never managed to lose the 2 stone I gained in that 8 weeks. But my friend was transformed by it, a real game changer for her.

As various posters have shown, it should be balanced with the risk of breast cancer.

I can’t take HRT as I had hormone-receptive breast cancer.

A friend who is also peri-menopausal and likes researching the effects of drugs (nurse) said she’ll only take HRT if her symptoms get so bad she doesn’t think she’d cope otherwise.

Never taken it or been offered it Luckily had an easy menopause physically but mental symptoms were horrendous. I’m hypothyroid and apparently it can reduce the absorption of thyroid meds. I’m 60 now and keeping healthy without it. Vaginal dryness/atrophy has sometimes been an issue but there is OTC stuff for that.

No, any woman who 'can' should not take HRT. If you don't need it why take it? It should be available to every woman who wants it and the NHS could definitely improve on the diagnostic and information services at GP level for anyone asking about or presenting with peri-menopausal symptoms.

After seeing a colleague who had been on HRT going through treatment for uterine cancer, including a hysterectomy, and subsequent health scares, I would be very wary.

Because HRT does increase the risk of uterine, ovarian and breast cancer, and the earlier a patient starts and the longer she is on it, the greater the risk.

So I'd agree with a PP, I'd advise any friend or relative to only take HRT if their symptoms got so bad that they really couldn't cope otherwise.

I don't like this suggestion that women who have bad menopauses have just let their health and fitness go. I am vegetarian, nonsmoker, teetotal, (was) a healthy weight until meno symptoms hit quite early, at 45. It floored me, and I'd had no gynae-related issues until then. 'Menopause' isn't just your own subjective experience of it.

I was one of the posters who mentioned that being vegetarian and jogging had helped me but I agree @junipertree2 that was about me, not about anyone else. Sorry if that felt like me blaming you in some way. The evidence at population level is that plant-based diets seem to reduce menopausal effects but that doesn't mean it's somehow your fault if your menopause is difficult.

Thing is the OP is off on some sort of evangelical high. It's great that HRT helped her and it should be widely known about. But no-one should be made to feel bad either for taking it or not taking it. My mum had a dreadful experience with menopause and took HRT for nearly 20 years. Then she came off it and got hit full-force by the old symptoms. I watched her and thought 'well I'm going to ride mine out and see what happens'. I have managed to find what works for me and now enjoy being post-menopausal. I think this is only possible if you're open to various possibilities, including taking or not taking HRT, as you see fit.

Yes, it should be more accessible to those who want and need it. Used HRT since imwas 26 (not for menopause) and its been a lifechanger.

@CounsellorTroi

Never taken it or been offered it Luckily had an easy menopause physically but mental symptoms were horrendous. I’m hypothyroid and apparently it can reduce the absorption of thyroid meds. I’m 60 now and keeping healthy without it. Vaginal dryness/atrophy has sometimes been an issue but there is OTC stuff for that.

I forgot to add, another reason I don’t want HRT is that I had several (unsuccessful) attempts at IVF, when I was on the maximum dose of synthetic hormones for ovulation stimulation, so don’tthink it would be wise to take them again.

And there is zero comparison between taking HRT and taking thyroxine or insulin.

Long term lurker, just joined to post about this. The op is on a high about HRT and probably didn’t need to say everyone should be on it who can, but the important thing is that some women do feel fine during the peri menopause/menopause and some women feel appalling. Everyone is different and should be able to choose what is right for them without judgment. There is loads of research out there, you can literally find anything to support your point of view, whether you are pro or anti HRT. Personally I had a terrible time in peri and I am pro, but it should be up to the individual to make an informed decision and be supported by educated doctors (of which there appear to be very few)

I am very, very wary now when people wax lyrical and evangelical about certain things like this. This is because I've yet to meet a GP or gynaecologist who did not hard sell the mirena coil in just such a way.

I'm 54. For at least the last 10 years I have suffered with very long, heavy flooding periods. The mirena coil made them much worse, if that were even possible, but it did. It was then 13 long months before I could get it removed and I bled heavily for much of that time. Plus it gave me permanent PMT all the time it was there. Never again!!

I'm now on Zoladex injections trying to shut down my so far very menopause resistant ovaries to finally bring things to a stop. If it works for me. Seeing will be believing there.

I want to protect my bone density as much as possible having seen my mother suffering with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis as she has aged. However, having done a fair bit of reading up on side effects of HRT I have not found anything that doesn't list vaginal bleeding as common ones. I simply won't be willing to risk that due to the hell of the last 10 years.

I'm now starting to think that I should invest in some Menopace supplements (perhaps the one with extra calcium) as the way forward for me. Something to try anyway.

Not everyone needs or wants HRT. Not everyone is suited to it. In an ideal world, all options should be laid on the table for all women with all pros and cons fully explained to allow informed choices. That isn't often what happens though.

No, I didn't need HRT. Peri-menopause was up and down; but menopause - periods stopped and that was it, apart from one hot flush for 30 seconds, when I was stressed! Other than that, it's been the best thing ever - no more PMT, cyclical pain from benign fibrous cysts, periods....I breast fed three children, so not unduly worried about breast cancer.

Yes as much as people say there is no connection - the coincidence with people I'm aware of that did develop a hormone linked cancer is amongst those on HRT. Yes, anecdotal again - but I'm glad I didn't opt.

I take the mini-pill which stops periods and am 45, and can carry on taking it for another ten years. I don't have any peri-menopause or menopause symptoms other than perhaps occasional insomnia and haven't had a period in three years. I've always had sleep issues from time to time though, even as a child, so I doubt that's due to menopause. So I am loath to change any hormones I'm taking when the ones I'm taking are working for me as it is. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But yes, all women should be offered it and being able to get HRT if they want it and it suits them.

@RaininSummer

I seem to have been fine without it and never really considered it. Not been near a doctor about Meno as it isn't an illness and the symptoms are manageable.i don't like taking any drugs if I can avoid it

If you've been fine without it, great.

But you can hardly say "The symptoms are manageable" in the general sense: for some women, they aren't. No, it's not an illness but then neither is pregnancy and childbirth and most women need help with THOSE.

To add: if someone needs it, then they need it - I came it from an angle of not feeling I needed it and feel better out the other side and I wanted to find out how I felt. Turns out felt better for me in lots of way with no HRT and love the absence of hormonal headaches I had for last 10 years (lasing days on end).

I'm in my sixth week since starting and I feel bloody amazing. The best bit is the brain fog lifting, I'm so alert it's like I'm mainlining Red Bull. Any woman who wants it should be given it without question. My GP was ace and gave it to me on the spot, but I know so many women who've had to beg for it.

I don’t have a choice as currently being treated for breast cancer which is hormone fed.

@Abouttime I strongly recommend you ask the cancer support team at your hospital for advice on managing the peri-menopause.

I didn’t as I had a bug on the day of my post-cancer course at the hospital. I regret that now.