Will I need HRT?

[Kasterborous]

My periods started going erratic in 2013, I didn't have one for four months. I had hormone tests at the GP and they referd me to the endocrine clinic. I saw them the back end of 2013 and last May. I haven't got another appointment there until this May.

I only had four periods last year, (2014, I had eight in 2013),and I'm getting a lot of symptoms now. I get in terrible rages, lots of hot flushes that wake me up at night, no sex drive and palpitations, also a feeling of doom like something really bad is going to happen.

I'm 42 now, I've made an appointment to see my GP next week, is it likely I might need HRT? I always thought you only had it if your periods had actually stopped.

Lots of women use HRT during peri-menopause. There are 2 types of HRT mainly- one for women still having periods and one for women a year post meno.

You definitely do need to consider it because you are having an early menopause (under 47 they say now) so you need oestrogen to protect your heart and bones 20 years from now.

I started HRT at 45-ish, and periods are still going strong now. But - they're regular, manageable, I'm not always either furious or crying, I have energy again. I don't think I'd realised quite how rubbish I'd been feeling until I felt better. My GP didn't even ask for blood tests first.

Thanks for your replies I will certainly ask about going on it, I just feel 'rubbish' all the time at the moment.

I've done what I can to try and help myself too. I joined slimming world and have lost one and a half stone now got a healthy BMI of 23.7, my diet is much healthier now too. I do regular exercise (run three times a week) and I take a vitamin supplement designed for menopausal women none of it's made any difference I'm having a hot flush now just sat typing this. No fun being a woman at times!