Friend said I'm cheating my way through the menopause

[LovingLalo]

I'm 47 and have been on HRT since February. I had reached a crisis point where I could hardly sleep, had anxiety over trivial things, I'd put on 2 stone as had no motivation to exercise anymore and I had no zest for life.
6 months later and I feel like I'm 37 again. My mood and skin are great, I'm back to a size 10 and exercising, most importantly I'm back to 8 hours unbroken sleep. It's been life changing for me.

Saw my friend yesterday who is also struggling and she knew I had started HRT. I encouraged her to go to her GP. Blunt response was no I'd rather do it naturally than cheat thanks.
I'm both gobsmacked and really hurt. Is this how some women think?

I

Did you tell her you are taking it not only to improve your health in the moment but also to prevent against osteoporosis later in life?

I'm convinced that one of the main reasons for the reluctance among doctors, and NHS attitude in general to prescribing HRT is cold, hard cash.
There are a hell of a lot of women who would benefit from it, but the more they put us off the more money they save. And of course as soon as we hit 60 and free prescriptions kick in the more they save.
Cynical, moi??

It's absurd and utterly insensible someone tells you that.
Doing HRT is your decision and your doctor's. Do whatever makes you feel well

I have an underactive thyroid I take thyroid hormones so I’m not exhausted all the time. I’ve taken them for 20 years. Is that cheating?

So odd….

Personally I wouldn't take HRT but would never criticise anyone for doing this - unless there are obvious counter-indications regarding their health. Many of my friends have taken it and been fine, though one has had breast cancer and discovered she should not have been.

Make sure you get an invite to her medal ceremony when she makes it through without hrt!! 🥇😂

I really hope, come her time, that it is absolutely mentioned in her obituary “she was such a martyr, she didn’t cheat her way through the menopause you know”

Honestly, I couldn’t care less how someone manages their own health. You got to do what you got to do

👍

I went on HRT when I started to get forgetful and do crazy things; just one example: I put a dinner plate on the hob and lit the gas under it 🤪. If every month is a hormonal battle maybe see your GP? Good luck.
You’re right - her friend IS an arse. I

Has anyone tried Menopause Complex from hey nutrition? Did it work?

I’d honestly dismiss her comment as ignorance! Why should women suffer the menopause?!it’s bad enough we’ve had to bleed every month for 30-40 years and all that comes with that!!

m I think I’m currently in the throes of menopause (achy joints, struggle to loose weight etc) but I’m also bleeding constantly which the pill is helping slightly with but I’m awaiting an assessment for a complete hysterectomy now… so expect I’ll need HRT. It’s not like it used to be and is much safer to take these days!

Quite frankly I find anyone who chooses to suffer through it for 10 years a bit strange… what’s the point in being miserable and making your friends and suffer your moods when you don’t need to!!

I bet she is jealous …. I also bet she’s been to doctors and asked for HRT and they wouldn’t give it to her!
my doctor hasn’t offered me it because blood test was ‘inconclusive’

^ friends and family suffer’

My mum didn’t take HRT. Her bones are now crumbling and she’s in constant pain.
what’s the point of suffering?!?

My mum died this year from endometrial cancer. There is a greater risk of getting it if you take HRT my mum was diagnosed in her late 50's.

I have two options I either don't take it and suffer with crumbling bones or I do take it and risk the same fate as my mother. I doubt they will offer me HRT based on my family history. OP do you think it maybe because of family history why she has decided not to take HRT now remember your friend doesn't owe you an explanation to make you feel better.

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/hormones-and-cancer/does-hormone-replacement-therapy-increase-cancer-risk#:~:text=Endometrial%20(womb)%20cancer%3A%20oestrogen,at%20risk%20of%20womb%20cancer.

Fact finding mission to protect my health and hopefully help others.

How do you know that this wouldn’t have happened anyway?

I’m on HRT and was allowed to stay on despite having a hysterectomy four weeks ago for pre-cancer of the endometrium. The consultant said the HRT hadn’t caused it and it was probably genetic as I had no other obvious risk factors.

My mum is the only one in the family to get womb cancer her parents died from stomach and bowel cancer. I have questioned my mum's diet and whether that contributed to it because she ate a lot of processed foods. No matter how many times I asked her to eat well she wouldn't she would skip meals or would eat rubbish.

The one thing HRT definitely does is help maintain bone density whilst you are taking it. An extra 5-10 years of protecting your skeleton, or slowing down the bone weakening process, can make a massive difference, by delaying progression from osteopenia to full blown osteoporosis, none of the other medical treatments for which are without risks and unpleasant side effects, nor fully effective.

More awareness of the risk factors for osteoporosis and proper screening for those most at risk would be good - too many people don’t realise until it is too late and they already have full blown osteoporosis, with all the intense pain and disability (and potentially even premature death) it causes. Avoiding the sun or always wearing sunscreen without supplementing vitamin D, avoiding all dairy products or having a faddy diet, having an eating disorder, having a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, drinking, having to take steroid treatments, having an early menopause, having low oestrogen levels, having a small frame, having various autoimmune conditions - all big risk factors.

I was discussing this with a friend and she was telling me about how HRT helps to prevent osteoporosis later in life. I hadn't planned on taking any replacement because my symptoms are pretty mild, but I've reconsidered after a little bit of reading.

So it's not "cheating" at all, it's listening to science.

I was today years old when I learned this. I'm glad I did, I have enough health problems without adding brittle bones to the list lol

The best way to prevent osteoporosis is exercise and weight training. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise are particularly important for improving bone density and helping to prevent osteoporosis. NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/prevention/#:~:text=Regular%20exercise%20is%20essential.,and%20helping%20to%20prevent%20osteoporosis.

My dad was fit and exercised all his life and still got osteoporosis. My yoga teacher was on her way to it when she had a bone density scan before she started HRT. I go to the gym and do yoga but I'd rather have HRT as well - I'm not taking any chances.

So if I’m lifting weights and doing resistance training, don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t have a sedentary life style but don’t take HRT which would be better?

so Asian woman not having dairy products suffer greatly from osteoporosis?

Have you had your bone density tested?

Not yet, but I will when I reach menopause.