Can I ask what your experience of taking HRT is like?

[Kasterborous]

I've been to my GP today as I'm going through the early menopause I'm 42 now and it started when I was 40. I only had four periods last year and I've been getting a lot of symptoms which have been getting more frequent and worse over the last eight months. I've been prescribed HRT, as tablets, she said its a medical need to protect my bones. I've read up about it and there is lots of information on it. But what are your real experiences of taking it if you don't mind me asking?

First, for your dr being on the ball- so many don't suggest HRT and as she says it's essential for your bones. It's not the 'same' for women your age who take HRT because you are only replacing what should be there, so many of the side effects and small risks that are written about don't apply to younger women ( ie under 51 which is the average age of menopause.)
I've been using HRT for 6 years and it's great. I do however use gel - not tablets- because for many reasons it easier and better. You can adjust the dose yourself until you get symptom relief and it's safer re. blood clots. Because the gel is oestrogen only then I take a progesterone- bio identical - every few weeks to stop the uterine lining thickening too much - so there is a withdrawal bleed.
I have no side effects at all, no weight gain, no nothing so far and feel exactly as I did before menopause.
Anything else you'd like to know?

I've been on HRT for four months and should have taken it earlier. Although I'm older than you I had a GP who was very positive about taking it.
So from being a shuffling, joint pained, emotional and physical wreck I am now able to do all that I did before the peri-menopause kicked off. I did have to change the brand of tablets as my breasts were extremely uncomfortable.

Thanks pinkfrocks that was very helpful. I was actually refered to an endocrinologist in Nov 2013 (by the same GP I saw today) as I'd missed three periods and my hormone levels were off. They confirmed it was the early menopause but said I didn't need HRT unless I had less than three periods a year. I only had four last year (from eight the previous year), and I had no real symptoms apart from no periods when I was first refered but recently they got quite bad. My GP was very good today and did explain it well, I just forgot most of it by the time I got home. That makes sense about being younger and you would normally have these hormones anyway. I have recently lost one and a half stone and have a healthy BMI now and I run three times a week, she said the running will help my bones too which is good to know. She said I will have to take it until I'm 50 at least to 'cover' me and protect my bones. I'm glad there is no weight gain as I tried hard to lose that one and a half stone.

Thanks MyLittleFinger I'd been putting it off for a couple of months but I'm glad I went, my GP was very good at explaining why I neeeded it and did reassure me. I just hope it has positive effects on my symptoms.

I have been on HRT for maybe 4 years (I'm now 50), after suffering really bad peri-menopause symptoms for the previous 2 or 3 years and trying all sorts of other stuff. I was still having periods, albeit very irregular and unbelieveably heavy when they did come But that was the least of my worries!

I am a healthy BMI and exercise regularly. I don't think there's any weight-gain due to the HRT (just me eating/drinking more than I should) and it has meant that all the other awful symptoms have receded massively.

Pinkfrocks, do you mind me asking, you say you take the progesterone tablets every few weeks. I have the gel and tablets but take them continuously. Would you know if this is ok?
Thank you

ohheavens It depends what your dr has prescribed and why. Continuous progesterone/ progestogen is for women who don't want a bleed and who are usually 1 yr at least post -meno.
For various reasons I prefer to have a cycle and taking progesterone daily doesn't suit me.

I am on the exact same HRT as Pinkfrocks I had an early menopause too. I love my HRT it is fab. I feel fantastic on it. Plus I have Gynest Cream for vaginal dryness.

Well i have been on it for a week now and already feel a lot better. It got to Thursday when I'd been on it six days, I woke up that morning feeling rested and full of energy for once. It was like a big black cloud had been lifted. My mood is much more stable and my fuse had gone from this length - to this ---------. The hot flushes aren't as frequent and it might be coincidence but I do four mile runs three times a week and I knocked a whole two minutes off my best time yesterday. I should have gone to my GP months ago I didn't realise how bad I actually felt until now.