.. .. to assume it is too late for hrt?

[Chewchewaboogiw]

Watched the Davina documentary about hrt . Anyone else?
When i started the menopause it was at a time when hrt was seen as a breast cancer risk.
The information now seems to be saying that hrt is good for future health. Things like the heart and bone density.

Going back to my menopause. .. it was no problem compared to many of my peers , so simply did not think of hrt.
I had brain fog, and now have dry hair, skin and vaginal atprophy.
However, I had limited hot flushes . Period just stopped. No sleep issues. It was a short transition.
I was also deeply relieved to be free of period dysmorphia.. i was sensitive to the hormone drop following ovulation. Each month it was like severe pmt for two weeks , with relief when my period came. I was moody, clumsy, painful breasts, v angry , weepy, mood swings, like pmt but more intense. .. therefore periods stopping were such a relief and as menopause as short, hrt didnt enter my mind.
Now I have gone through it some years ago i do have the above isuess amd feel tired with no libido..,am now reading that hrt has many health benefits and its almost like all woman should consider it .?
Every woman I know on it says they feel great( unsure if i wd due to the sensitivity to progesterone?).. iabu to think its now too late or do i think about the health benefits...?

Similar to you, so interested to read the comments

No idea, but could you ask your GP anyway? And if not,contact a menopause clinic? You have nothing to lose

I was planning on asking my gp. However, hoped to discuss with others too. My gp appears quite fixed in views... very get on with stuff.. For eg went to gp re low mood once and she just said oh we all get low moods from time to time.. end of discussion ..

I Did look up menopause clinic just now .. its expensive .

Look up The Irish Menopause on Facebook. It will answer all your questions. You can do a one to one zoom with a lady trained in menopause for about £12. It's definitely worth it.

If your GP is unwilling to help ask to be referred to a menopause clinic. If you can afford that 150 -200 pounds then go for it and the doc will refer you back to NHS for your prescription.Your life sounds miserable. How old are you?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause

Perhaps vaginal estrogen to start to help with atrophy.

There was a thread last week about this (and your story sounds exactly like me, OP) and the posters on the thread have convinced me to make an appt and go and ask my GP. JinglingHellsBells is excellent on the menopause boards.

Depends how old you are. Starting HRT after 60 isn’t usually recommended however you can use vaginal oestrogen at any age and indefinitely.

I am 58 .

PAFMO didnt see that post! Can you recall were it was eg aibu etc ? Thanks !

Ask your gp. Mine have been great, I'm 63 and they have been entirely supportive of my decision to carry on with hrt, Have done a proper review and I've added testosterone to the mix. Even if you just get something for your VA it's well worth an initial discussion, don't write off your gp as first port of call.

I'd second vaginal oestrogen. For the rest, I would see if you can get a DEXA scan to check your bone density as this is probably one of the biggest risks of not having HRT.

Thank you all.
I have been given the vaginal oestrogen .gp great about that.
I think that i am really unsure if I should take hrt for the health benefits that seem to have come to light since I went through menopause and due to my own unsure stance I therefore am less confident in asking/ pushing gp compared to something I have a clear knowledge/ perspective about.
I have also suddenly developed tinitus and am undermedicated re low thyroyd so feel a bit discombopulated !

How long do people stay on HRT? Is it just a few years, or forever more? If it’s a few years don’t you just delay all the menopause issues?

Dr Louise Newson is the 'menopause doctor'...check out 'balance' which is her website/app. She provides so much information, all up to date stuff.

Also speak to your GP and ask for a referral to your local menopause clinic. There should be an NHS run one near to you

It's never too late and there is no cut off age wise if you are having symptoms.
it's a common misconception that you go through the menopause and some how miraculously come out of the other side all done (some lucky women do) .
women are menopausal for the rest of their lives and many women have symptoms for the rest of their lives.... my dm is 75 and still has hot flushes and night sweats along with osteoporosis.

58 is definitely not too old to start HRT, the challenge is finding a GP who understands this, so do your research and read the NICE guidelines and go armed with all the facts you can.
it's becoming more and more accepted that if women want to remain on HRT for the rest of their lives and they are otherwise healthy then there's no reason not to and I for one intend to do so.

Hi, I went through menopause at 55 and like you, I welcomed it after years of terrible pmt and painful periods and I sailed through it. However fast forward 3 years, I had no energy, debilitating joint pain and just not feeling (or looking) anything like me. I convinced myself it was my thyroid and at that point I went to the doctor and had full bloods taken, which were all normal. Then came pandemic. I just came to the conclusion that this was what ageing was. At the age of 55 I had run my first half marathon and 5 years later, I just had no energy at all. Never considered HRT.

However .....last year I became aware of the high court judgements regarding HRT prescriptions and when I listened to the women telling of their symptoms, I just thought "that's all me". So I made an appointment with Newson Clinic and it's been absolutely great. I felt understood and it was such a relief to talk to someone who said, "I hear this day in day out and what you're going through is what a lot of women go through". No question I was too old. From day one on HRT I felt more relaxed, the heart palpitations which I had thought were the prelude to the end of me, completely went. And I felt better immediately. I have had problems with Utrogestan, the progesterone element of body identical HRT. I didn't get on with my own, so why would I get on with it now. But oh the sleep that Utrogestan gives is just wonderful after 15 years of not sleeping and thinking that was normal. Now I slept. The problem was I didn't wake up properly until well into the afternoon. I now use Utrogestan vaginally and it's much improved, but not perfect, but I still sleep well. I've recently been prescribed testosterone too, which is really lifting my spirits. I've been on HRT for five months now and I am sleeping well, feeling more like me (not quite ready for another half marathon yet), the joint pain has gone from a 9 to a 1 and I'm happier.

I'd say if you're considering HRT, do your own research. The Newson Health website is a treasure trove of accurate, evidence based information. The Balance app is very useful tool to take to your doctor. The evidence seems to be that for most women, the benefits outweigh the risks. But that's something to discuss with your doctor. If you decide to try it, give it some time because it's really not a one size fits all. But you have nothing to loose by trying it. And you're definitely not too old.