Menopause - at what point did you go to the Dr's?

[Frenchcremefraiche]

Did you go to the Dr's?

I'm 46. Pretty sure I'm in perimenopause. Not suffering much (so far?) - main issues are that I'm too hot and really tired. And grumpy but if other people weren't such idiots, I wouldn't be grumpy. Being grumpy is increasing my DGAFs so is that even an issue really?

I've not had a period for almost 3 months. I cant remember the last time I had sex so I'm not pregnant.

It's a fight to get a dr appointment so I'm wondering whether it's worth it? By all accounts it wont be much use. I dont feel like I need HRT at the moment. Is there anything they can do?

I was scared to start HRT so started on supplements to ease my aching joints and brain fog. But then I started with tingling hands and thought I had MS or something, so went to the GP. Turns out I had low ferritin due to the horrendous periods I was putting up with, as I thought it was normal for this time of life! To prevent that happening again I had a Mirena coil, which eased my rages too. Then when things were just getting worse I added in the gel, I convinced myself to have a 6 month trial, and never came off it.
The time to go to the GP is when the symptoms are bothering you.

HRT will ease or eradicate your symptoms so why do you “feel you don’t need it”?

I had no hot flushes but became very irritable for no reason and constantly anxious, which was out of character. I started HRT at 44 and those symptoms went away very quickly. I’m nearly 50 now and still on it. I take testosterone as part of it and that has helped with libido and mental focus.

Your oestrogen is depleted and that constitutes an increased risk of osteoporosis as you age.

Don’t understand women who don’t want to take HRT (absent a medical reason to avoid it). If you had any other physical ailment you’d take the medicine. Why is this different?

Once the rose tinted glasses fall off you simply can’t go back. Pills aren’t going to change being able to spot stupidity.
Personally I didn’t bother with a Dr. But HRT does protect the heart and bones.

I rang the Drs and was told that the practice has a menopause specialist nurse practitioner there so went and saw her instead. I had no idea they had this service.

I was at the end of my tether and waited far far too long. Should have gone sooner.

I did go onto HRT as although my symptoms were bad, I was more concerned about the heart and brain protective properties of HRT and knew that it would be impossible to backpedal the damage if too far gone.

Trouble was, the symptoms of peri crept on and I coped and managed as they were not sudden and in my face, so you do don’t you, you just crack on putting up with one symptom after another after another until it begins to properly impact your life.
Might be worth persisting and getting a conversation with the GP or practice nurse for advice.

eh? How do you get prescription medicine without a doctor?

I initially went at age 42 having increased migraines but I didn't link this to perimenopause, the Dr did. They put me on the POP but I didn't have a good experience with it. So I just kind of got on with it.

At age 45 (just) my anxiety started ramping up (I have always had anxiety and I'm ND) but I noticed heavier periods, loss of libido, hot flushes. The mental health symptoms were the worst though. I was put on HRT a couple of months before Christmas and initially it was great, then when I finished the progesterone part of the cyclical HRT I experienced very difficult low mood and intrusive thoughts. I'm now on continuous and it's been amazing.

With the benefit of hindsight, I think I would have benefitted from HRT earlier, when I started having the migraines.

I started at 40 due to hot flushes and very heavy periods and have been on it now for 12 years. I can’t imagine coming off it tbh. The worse symptoms for me are the anger and irritability which developed later, I just didn’t feel like myself at all.
A dexa scan I had for something unrelated showed I had oesteopina in some bones so I’m very glad I started HRT when I did.

I went when my colleagues in the NHS pulled an intervention and get HRT or we wont work with you anymore 😍
I hadn't realised Id become so moody and sweaty. I went on HRT and all was well.

I’m 45 next month and started HRT about three months ago due to changes in mood, cycle length, libido and vaginal dryness. The advice I received was that it’s better to start earlier, rather than after your cycle stops/ menopause. I feel so much better. It was quite unbelievable to me how quickly I felt like myself again.

Go now, the hot flushes are a symptom that shows you would benefit from HRT. You'll feel much better.
HRT protects you against muscle weakness, bone loss, urinary symptoms, reduced risk of heart disease by 50% if started before age 60, reduced risk of dementia, reduced risk of womb and colon cancer. And it makes you less likely to shout at your loved ones and spend your life if floods of tears.
I could tell you my long journey to get HRT but it's irrelevant now as it was before the HRT explosion a few years ago. It's much easier to get it after the exposure of the study that implied the increased risk of breast cancer which has been shown to be misleading, if there is a risk it's tiny. The risk to my sanity was huge.
Oh and look at exercises to keep your bones strong.
As an aside on healthy living into old age. My mum is in her 90s has fallen twice didn't break a bone, no cancer, no heart disease excellent health. She was on HRT until nearly 70 the Dr just kept renewing the prescription in error. She walked, no car, she carried shopping, and she gardened. She swears by vitamin D with K, Fish oils, daily walk, gardening, she uses to do yoga too. And was grateful she kept quiet about the HRT, and kept taking it!

There is a reduced risk of dementia and osteoporosis with HRT.

Since I’ve been on it my hair has grown back and I sleep better. I’m also less furious. It’s just replacing the hormones you’ve lost.

I don’t understand saying it won’t be much use. Why? I don’t get this refusal to take HRT, it baffles me.

No hot flushes unless I do something to bring them on eg run for the bus. Just hot. Today everyone is in coats and hats. Im in a jumper. The most annoying thing with it is that I feel like I should take a coat just in case but then end up carrying it all day.

I'm not refusing it at all.

OK I'll look into HRT. I feel too young! 🤣

I started getting extremely heavy and long periods at about 43 so was advised to get mirena which I did and it was amazing for me periods stopped completely. About 3 years later I just started getting really tired despite having great sleep. I go for a run a couple of times a week and I felt I was dragging my legs out of mud trying to get around I also started getting a bit of mild anxiety and after struggling with post natal anxiety in the past I did not want this to develop so went to women's clinic and was prescribed hrt patches which have been great. I have the mirena and 50mg of patch strength and they have been doing fine for me. I turn 50 this year and have started to get joint pain particularly frozen shoulder so may look into upping my patch strength

Seems to be a lot of surgeries giving out HRT!
Where I live they don’t give it to you.
i went years ago and had a blood test to see if I had started and it showed I had, when I asked for help they refused as it’s not their policy to issue it!
I was recommended to take black cohosh? I think it’s called, it didn’t help at all

I begged for help when it took me over 6hrs to stop shaking with rage after someone cut me up on the main road.

I'd noticed my sweat smelled, and that my sleep was all over the place but the rage, oh the rage..... I work in a profession that requires me to be squeaky clean and I was absolutely convinced I'd go to prison if I ever let go of my temper.

Now I'm on HRT, no more resurgence of murderous temper.

ETA - I started age 43. I have vaginal pessaries for repeated UTIs and not had one since, Mirena coil for progesterone and topical oestrogen gel.

If you’re not planning on HRT, then why go to the Drs? Perimenopause is not an illness.

Personally though, I think you should consider HRT. I didn’t bother until I was 53 and wish I’d done it earlier. My anxiety and insomnia were helped greatly by it.

Theres a new article about menopause contributing to Alzheimer’s, so that’s another reason I take HRT!

Following as I’m not sure what to do either. For some reason I don’t fancy HRT - I’ve not got on well with many medications. But I don’t feel right in my body.

i’m 43 and on the Mirena which dealt with flooding periods. I still bleed on it but only for a couple of days, my bleeding is now totally erratic. It has also cured the night sweats I was getting, but it’s caused as massive increase in vaginal discharge which I don’t like (albeit maybe better than dryness?)

But the rage and the brain fog are real, and i’m having trouble with body aches/stiffness and tendinitis.

I can’t decide whether to go to fight the GP for HRT or just wait the 16 months until I turn 45 when it seems they’ll hand it out like sweets.

How long can you/should you stay on HRT if you start it young?

Never, and noboby in my friendship group. But we are all older women, and the Menopause is becoming steadily more pathologised. If i was feeling cynical i would say it was in the interest of certain organisations to sell drugs.
But i do appreciate that some women have difficult a menopause.

I'm not refusinh HRT! I'm not sure why people are saying I am.

Well my mum is in her 70s and her generation all seemed to be on valium so I will take HRT over that. Not everyone will need it but why do people always feel the need to judge women for taking something that will improve their lives both physically and mentally? Keep on suffering women, always seems to be motto

46 is young for menopause so in your shoes I would insist on HRT for future bone health / evidence is very clear here

my mum is in her 80s and takes neither hrt nor vallium. Her doctor wanted her to try HRT or drink lots of milk. She went for milk. But she was mid 50s not mid 40s

Unfortunately there is clear evidence that menopause symptoms suffer the reverse placebo effect and if you go around telling everyone that it’s awful a LOT more people will find it aweful

placebo effects can be 30% of any benefit Or symptom.

Similar here. I'm 48 and no particular symptoms of menopause aside from flooding periods and a few little niggles. I'm not against HRT at all but I dont want to make myself dependent (physically or psychologically) on medication if I don't need to.

A friend started HRT quite young and forgot to take the meds with her on a 2 week holiday abroad which led to her having a terrible time with heavy periods and mood swings when she should have been having fun with her kids. I also remember the medication shortages during covid and all the desperate women on the news doing 100 mile round trips to try and get their prescriptions.

Its a personal decision but I note on MN a real push towards criticism of women who don't take it.

I was 48 when I went to see my gp as I felt anxious for no reason, out of nowhere. Sometimes it felt like palpitations in the middle of the night. Then I started getting absolute rage. Also feeling incredibly low, like feeling I might walk out and not come back low. So I went and was put on hrt patches, all of those symptoms eased. I’m almost 50 now and still having regular periods although they are starting to get a bit funky - longer, earlier, bit of random spotting!