Handling The Menopause Without HRT

[Eliottsmam]

Many women don't want to take hrt, others can't take it for a whole variety of reasons.

It would be nice to hear positive stories about what helped you with any menopause issue.

For example, I found a fan by the bed helps me sleep all night. So sometimes there is a simple solution to a problem, it's just a case of finding it.

Simple or major changes to your routine, diet, lifestyle, or whatever else, I'm sure there are many women who'd benefit from widening their options.

I'm not playing sunny it's not why I came to this thread.

Sunny I love that image of the cock-and-ball removal request!
Okay, this has helped me: sage tablets for hot flushes, which also helped with sleep quality. Walking more (have started the Mutu programme for diastasis rectii - better late than never - and it's a daily requirement). Improving posture and alignment (see Mutu and have also done Alexander Technique sessions). Sitting down less as a lot of aches and pains can be attributed simply to sitting, especially on squashy furniture.
Have found a fantastic iyengar yoga teacher whose instructions focus on performing the exercises in correct alignment rather than contorting yourself to maximise the stretch.

I had my ovaries removed last year aged 46' I was not in peri or meno at that point.
I was fine apart from the odd sweat at night and was patting myself on the back.
This year though my libido was non existent and I felt very sad about it as I've only been with dp for 8 yrs.
I saw the consultant and she said that she would like me to have some hrt for my bones and other health concerns so I am on tibolone and yay hay my libido is home and my skin is great and I feel great.
Looking back I can see now that I was having anxiety and trouble coping with work stress and I now feel better.
I have brca1 and had breast cancer at 27 so it's a slight risk but in my opinion it's a risk worth taking as I feel alive and happy again.

Just coming back to this thread to think a bit more about the risks.

Like you say, Ledkr, there are risks you have to balance against quality of life.

I am such a basket case at the moment that I am going to follow the advice from pinkfrocks and discuss transdermal patches with my GP.

Thanks for that, pinkfrocks, and sorry I was so weird to you upthread. It's been a crappy couple of years for me, health-wise. This perimenopausal anxiety is not helping at all.

Lots (and lots and lots) of exercise. Swap the shared duvet for individual ones so you can choose which tog is best - I've been using the lightest weight one all year, DH was in his winter one until we got the heatwave. No caffeine, no alcohol, high protein diet. I'm not on HRT and haven't had a period since December.