To want to start HRT at 42?

[rollonretirementfgs]

I've had a mare of a few years health wise. I'm type 1 diabetic, have had numerous gynae problems causing the most horrific periods, and now I'm starting feel what I think might be perimenopause. Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, mood swings. Is 42 too young to be thinking about it? Does age matter? Has anyone else started early?

I started HRT 10 days ago and I'm 40. I've had anxiety, crying spells coming out of nowhere, irritability, heavy periods, acne, short term memory loss, fatigue. I had to have a blood test to check there was nothing else causing the symptoms then an ultrasound to check for cysts etc and once that was all fine the GP was happy to prescribe it. It hasn't been long but I already feel better than I did. I track my symptoms on an app called Balance and so I have a visual of any improvements or patterns. Would highly recommend downloading the app.

These are the ingredients. My skin is a lot better too, not getting hormonal breakouts anymore.

I started HRT at 33, it actually completely transformed my life. I hadn't realised how awful I'd been feeling until I started feeling better. It felt like my brain was completely broken, less than no sex drive and when I did have sex it was painful, I was exhausted beyond belief... now I actually feel like my own person again, I can have coherent thought's, I'm not struggling to stay awake all day, sex drive seems to be on the rise (very slowly)

I'd recommend trying HRT if you can get it.

Absolutely, completely untrue and any doctor who says such absolute shite should lose their privilege of practising medicine. They have no fucking idea what they're talking about.

I started HRT at 40, op, and the sooner you do the better it is for you.

Early 40s I started with the rage, night sweats (and then insomnia), hot flushes, stupidly heavy periods (when I already had heavy periods).
I’ve been on HRT for about 9 months. It’s made a massive difference. All of the above have gone. I feel human again.

I started HRT at 37 after a few years of tests and appointments to work out what was wrong with me.

Insomnia, anxiety, brain fog, panic attacks when I'd never experienced any of these in the past, sweating a lot on eating

& heavy periods with flooding

@VeryGoodVeryNice interesting that milk thistle is in here, surley for liver?

I'm 42, have peri (mostly emotional, some physical) symptoms despite also having completely regular and very heavy periods.

I'm also on HRT & have been for ~6 mths (well, technically I went back on the combined pill, but that was agreed with the Dr, who was perfectly prepared to prescribe me different HRT products if I'd opted for that approach).

Check up NHS online guidance and Menopause Society guidance.
Go armed with lots of knowledge and an idea of what you want (both in terms of what outcomes you're looking for, and in terms of what treatment you think might suit you best: HRT, hormonal contraception if still bleeding regularly, therapy, anti-depressants etc etc)
Ask if your GP practice has a menopause/women's health specialist Dr, and make sure your appointment is booked with that person.
Be prepared to advocate for yourself - some are good and some terrible, so you may have to be firm to get what you need.

Best of luck!

If you start the menopause before 45, you are supposed to be offered HRT. It's better as a preventive treatment before things get to crisis point. As well as protecting your heart and bones.

Looks good! Thank you

As others have said, absolute bollocks. Your friend should complain, and then see a different GP.

Not having had a period for a year is, I think, the criterion for being officially in menopause ('menopause' is comonly used for the whole shebang, but technically is the point at which periods stop).

But HRT can be started (and may well be more useful) in perimenopause, before periods stop.

Slightly different types of HRT are used for women who still have periods than for those who have stopped, but both are eligible.

My period isn't due for another week and I've just woken up to spotting. This is happening a lot now, think this thread might have pushed me to take the plunge. Thanks OP

Makes sense to start early BEFORE the shit hits the fan. Good luck everyone! X

I’m 34 and the fertility clinic say I am probably perimenopausal (I have many of the symptoms, very few eggs left and elevated FSH). I don’t have to do HRT as the IVF meds will do that for me but if I weren’t doing IVF I would be making sure I saw a menopause specialist and got myself on HRT ASAP. The younger you are the more important it is.

@WrylyAmused which combined pill are you on and which HRT products can you have with it? I came off my combined pill but much prefer the control over periods I had with it. They're very heavy but at least I could take two packs back to back and not have them as frequently x

@Rachierach11 Gedarel 20/150, now trialling gedarel 30/150.

Agree, I take mine back to back to reduce them.

Not taking other HRT with it, as combined pill is higher hormone doses than standard HRT anyway. Probably you could do topical HRT (eg for vaginal dryness, or testosterone for libido etc), but haven't tried that as not relevant to me, so you'd need to check with Dr.

All very helpful I need to get onto HRT quick time, waking in the night. Periods every 23 days now, just sleeping very little. Lost a lot of interest in life. Brain fog. Insomnia two days before period. Lower sex driveS

What HRT products are best?