And so it starts.....

[Sjc1965]

Months of irregular periods, then back to regular now irregular again, the past couple of weeks been getting what I guess are hot flushes..(no sweating though)..so I am armed with my Chillow pillow, Ladycare magnet, cooling eye mask (amazon is a wonderful thing!), iced water on constant supply and barely a sheet on at night..I seem to be entering the menopause stage of my life....despite this planning and idea to embrace something I cannot stop..I feel a black cloud coming over me that I cannot stop, and the tears...almost constant. I also have an under active thyroid, does anyone know if this condition and management of it changes..I know I should go to the doctor..but tell him what, I am menopausal and....so are 1000's of women...I don't want to consider HRT, I never got on with the pill when I was younger and after loosing 2 very dear friends to BC I am petrified of the risk associated with it...it is all quite overwhelming.

Sorry you are suffering.

I know you have a 'block' about HRT but you should read all the latest research about it. HRT is safe for the vast majority of women.

More women get breast cancer by being 1 stone overweight, drinking more than 2 units a day than on HRT.

www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/breastCancerRisklinks.pdf

I will leave you a link here to some info and maybe you will reconsider? There is no need to suffer like this when help is there.
This is from www.menopausematters.co.uk

HRT risks and benefits

Benefits
The risk/benefit balance of HRT varies between women and for each woman, from year to year depending on presence or not of symptoms, other medical history and number of years that HRT has been taken.

Generally though, if you become menopausal early (before age 45) or prematurely (before age 40), the benefits of taking HRT up to at least age 50 far outweigh the risks. If you are under 60 and having menopausal symptoms, the benefits also outweigh the risks.

There are no arbitrary limits as to how long HRT can be taken, it is up to each women to balance the risks against the benefits for her. Some women may not need HRT at all, or may take it for a few years only, while others continue to take HRT for many years since it continues to provide significant benefits for them.

Every woman should be supported to make an informed choice about their use of HRT.

Just to clarify- all of the above is from the Menopause Matters website written by a consultant gynaecologist.

There are other treatments apart from HRT but it's helpful to see the stats so you can make an informed choice.

Hope you find something that works for you.

pink, fab links, thank you.

I'd just concluded that I would never again fall to the communists when... I had an unexpected period, fairly swiftly followed by another which has lasted TEN days.

Please also bear in mind that the risks in the chart are based on what is now considered old and unreliable WHI trial.
There was new research around 2 years back which showed that these stats were incorrect- so the extra 4 cases / 1000 for women on HRT is not considered a correct stat any more.

See this link here

www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9595745/HRT-is-safe-and-cuts-heart-deaths-significant-study-finds.html

I don't want to sound as if I am banging on about HRT - some women will decide they don't want to use it whatever, and that's their choice, but what is important is to know the facts - and not base your opinion on out of date news or rumour- then make a choice.

Thank you pinkfrocks...I will certainly read the information, very helpful thanks so much