…to ask if you decided to have HRT, & whether you’d recommend it?

[VenomHost]

I’m 52 & menopausal. Symptoms fairly mild but include weight gain, hot flushes & some insomnia & anxiety, although the last two likely to be partly due to a very stressful couple of years

Am considering HRT to hopefully ease these symptoms & also because I have read that HRT can be beneficial for bone & cardiovascular health & reduce risk of dementia.

If you decided to have HRT how easy was it to get, are you worried about any side effects or associated risks and have you benefitted / are you glad you’ve had it?

HRT has been life changing for me. I was amazed at how quickly it started to work as well, in a few days I felt me again, the forgetful, sweating, emotional mess that I had become disappeared. The GP was fantastic as well, no quibbles about prescribing it.

Having read the thread so far Im in the minority here. Had real difficulty getting hrt. The first few months were great, downhill from there. I've gained new symptoms while on it, then Gp decided I should be better and shouldn't need it anymore!

Amazing 🤩
Life back after 1 week of taking it

Yes I got HRT.
YES I recommend it.
It’s taken away hideous things that I thought were about ageing but were, as my nurse put it, “symptoms of a long term hormone deficiency that we can treat!”
Migraines. Horrible heavy periods and consequent anaemia. Groaning when I walk down the stairs. Eczema. Constipation. Brain fog. Amnesia and cognitive decline. Panic attacks.
All. Gone.

Oh, also the sweats. Gone.

Can you get hrt if you are still having periods or only if they have totally stopped?

I'm 7 days in of trying HRT, for those that said it was life changing when did the benefits kick in?

@Savoretti

Can you get hrt if you are still having periods or only if they have totally stopped?

You can - and should - get HRT if you are having periods & have symptoms.

Once your periods have stopped, a different regimen is advised.

@Savoretti my periods were regular and (way too) heavy. That’s a symptom of peri menopause l. The nurse said “let’s try HRT and see what happens”. Low dose, very effective. So I stayed on it.

@slightlysnippy

I'm 7 days in of trying HRT, for those that said it was life changing when did the benefits kick in?

For me, some were instant (sleep for example). Overall, within a fortnight most of the worst symptoms had been alleviated

Apart from my hysterectomy, best thing I ever did. The last three years have been awful. Anxiety, depression, not being able to get to sleep and then wide awake at 3am, flushes and being permanently boiling, aches and pains, dryness, repeated UTIs...

One wee oestrogen patch has solved the sleeping and the flushes. Think I need to increase the dose a tad to properly resolve the rest of it.

The menopause isn't done and dusted until you die...it is literally the end of hormones and your bone health will continue to deteriorate from the moment you stop HRT if you come off it. So just beware of thinking it is over, it isn't.

HRT was lifechanging for me and because I was blocked for years, I ended up with osteoporosis. My hot flushes - ended the day I put my first patch on.

I thought you had to be menopausal not perimenopausal to get HRT until I read up about it last week (thanks MN for me winning the Kate Muir book*)

I'm now tracking my symptoms on an app. It's so easy to put everything down to stress, the shit show of the past two years, getting old etc. But all of my symptoms are starting to add up and I'm just miserable. Once I feel fully armed with the info of how I'm falling apart, I'll be straight to the gp.

Thanks God for MN or I would know nothing about this. I hadn't even heard of the perimenopause last year. We need to talk about this more IRL.

*The book is 'everything you need to know about the menopause but we're too afraid to ask'

I’m starting on the patches tomorrow. Fingers crossed. I’m 51 with dry eyes, a beard, atrocious anxiety and an inability to sleep. I’ve also got the itchy skin.

I was determined not to have HRF. I had a bad experience with the pill and stupidly thought HRT was the same. Completely different. Very glad I was persuaded to give it a go.

@Tootsey11

Having read the thread so far Im in the minority here. Had real difficulty getting hrt. The first few months were great, downhill from there. I've gained new symptoms while on it, then Gp decided I should be better and shouldn't need it anymore!

Oh I had to fight a bit. We have two youngish male GPs at our practice. One wanted to take bloods even though it's not recommended as I've had a hysterectomy and obviously can't tell how my periods are. He said my oestrogen was fine, and prescribed folic acid.

Back to the other GP after another 2 months of not sleeping and being anxious about everything and there was no argument from him at all. Just a request that we start off on a low dose which can be increased if needed, which was reasonable enough.

Our large practice does not have a menopause clinic. They have an asthma clinic, continence clinic, foot clinic, diabetes clinic, etc etc etc.

Not the answer your asking for, but as a teenager I remember my mum having HRT, for us as a family it was the best thing ever, it was like she had a personality transplant after she’d gone for her treatment. I think she use to go for shots every few months. In the run up to her treatment she was unbearable to live with.

I’m glad treatments have come along even further since then as I have a feeling I’m not to far off needing them (46). I really don’t want my DCs and DH having to tiptoe around me or being scared of my temper and mood swings like I was of my mums when I was younger.

I have been in peri menopause for years, still have regular periods, missed one after covid vaccination. I went to male doctor a few times over the years but he said I was too young to be in peri. Anyway went to him again a few months ago and was insisting I needed hrt but he refused to give it to me. So I made appointment with the Well Woman Clinic here and they have been brilliant, a few appointments for bloods etc and got my hrt. Just started on the estrogen gel I apply daily to my thighs and then will be on progesterone 14 days on and 14 days off. Give up sugar if you take it as finds helps stop flushes. I just find my sleep is main thing as awake half the night so progesterone should help with that. Also feel out of sorts, just deflated and lost my mojo and anxiety. So hopefully will see a change in few months as takes time for body to get used to it. But now there is also a shortage on estrogen patches/gels here in Ireland and in Uk. Agree with you also helps brain fog and part of the brain that gives you dementia and good for bones. Wishing you well as I was very anxious to start it when I got it and put it off for a few months but was feeling so crap so hrt cannot make me any worse.

Definitely I recommend HRT.
Stinking sweat - gone
Hot flushes and drenching sweats - hugely reduced
Anxiety about nothing- massively reduced
Temper - greatly reduced
Itchy legs - gone

It's taken a few dose adjustments but things are SO MUCH BETTER than pre-HRT days.

Have been on hrt patches for 5 years but weight gain is an issue.

But the worry is that I had to stop for 3 months last year as doctor wanted to check something and all previous symptoms rushed back within 3 weeks. Begged doctor to resume patches again and it was agreed.

My MIL was still on hrt at 80. Joan Collins swears by hrt and she’s 88.

I’m dubious that they only mask and delay symptoms but time will tell.

[quote EarringsandLipstick]@Hospedia

It's like my soul is tired, if that makes sense?

It does. I was the same.

I could nearly guarantee that HRT will be transformational for you.

I felt the difference in a day. Honestly. I slept better after one night. [/quote]
This, oh god this.

I have had a horrendous year with the loss of two parents, a MIL and terminal cancer of a family member. I don't think I'd actually be here without HRT.

49 been on it for three months

Mild symptoms but was really struggling with insomnia and that impacted my moods just felt quite low. I sleep so much better and brain fog isn’t as bad

Not has any hot flushes but my mum didn’t either

My gp was very understanding and of the opinion but to start on HRT with mild symptoms as there is no need to suffer

And I have lost a bit of weight but it’s down to not being as lethargic as I’m not so tired

Really pleased I didn’t wait too long and have a supporting GP

@MaChienEstUnDick

I'm so sorry. That is a huge amount of loss. 💐Thank God at least you are on HRT, for the other ailments.

I'm going through a horrible divorce, and a really difficult work situation. In the summer before I started HRT I was crying to my counsellor that I couldn't cope. She kept telling me if I could get HRT sorted, I would be able to deal with the other stuff. (There was a delay as Irish GPs are very much not up to speed with menopause / peri; however, once my GP did some training, she was amazing). I'm not dealing with those matters all that well, I think, but a hell of a lot better than I would be without HRT!

Thank you @EarringsandLipstick, that's kind of you to say. I'm sorry you're going through tough times too.

I had to get a repeat prescription recently which meant getting my blood pressure done. It's a wee bit high so had to phone (lovely) GP who uttered the fateful words 'might you be under any stress right now Mrs UnDick?' Bless him. Ten minutes later we'd agreed that yes, there was a tiny bit of stress floating around and no, that certainly didn't mean we should even be thinking about removing the HRT!

Anecdotally, both of the very young practice GPs have been brilliant about HRT, that does give me a bit of hope that things are changing generally in terms of getting it in the first place.