How bad must menopause be to be prescribed HRT?

[JustMeAnon]

Im 50 and whilst my periods are still regular-ish (though changing in other ways) I have been suffering from low mood and exhaustion for a couple of years now. I have had all the usual things checked out (eg thyroid, iron, vit d) and already take anti-depressants since I have a history of low mood anyway. I changed to a different a-d a while back which helped a little. In these 2 years my PMT has been getting worse and worse and can last for half the month. It isn't every month, some are okay, but more often it is pretty much intolerable. My symptoms include memory issues, clumsiness, low mood to the point of paranoia - I convinced myself my DH was sexually abusing my children one month, and was so sure that he was having an affair another month that I downloaded spyware for the PC....totally cringe when I think of it now - I get a weird all over body restless legs type sensation, I am tearful, strung out, and to be honest feel desperate and quite frightened by how intense it all is. However, I don't get hot flushes or any other particular physical symptoms so when I present to the GP I suspect I'm being dismissed as a depressive. I was recommended evening primrose which has never helped with my PMT before so can't see it helping now. I intend to go back to the GP, but wanted to know what my chances of getting HRT are given that my periods are still quite regular and my symptoms mainly emotional? Also, a recent blood test showed nothing menopause wise.

Lisbeth in a very polite way, can I say you very clearly have no idea how desperate a rough menopause can make you feel.

When I started getting menopausal symptoms I wanted to 'keep things natural' and for over 2 years I spent a fortune seeing private herbalists and naturopaths with a special interest in menopause.

I took all their supplements, drank all their tinctures and did hatha yoga twice a week. I cut out refined sugars and alcohol and caffeine.

And every month that went by I just felt worse. The insomnia got worse, as did the sweats and the joint pains. The mood swings got worse as did the random anxiety and feelings of panic.

In the end I felt so desperate that I terrified my poor DH by telling him that being dead was preferable to this daily Hell. And I absolutely meant it. He insisted I dropped the alternative therapists and saw an NHS gynaecologist who took one look at my symptoms and told me my body was desperate for oestrogen. I started HRT the same day.

Within a few days I was sleeping through the night with no more sweats. Mood swings disappeared within a couple of weeks. After 3 months I was as good as new again.

All thanks to HRT. Thank God for HRT. Thank God.

There are women for who menopause is so mild that all they need is a positive attitude and a pretty packet of Vit B6 from the health shop. Lucky them. Lucky, lucky them.

But for some women menopause can be a dreadful, horrible experience that threatens your mental health.

I don't want to hijack the thread...but....
I am peri.
In the last year I have had irregular periods - can vary up.to a week
Not as long, usually not as heavy
Horrific night sweats.
Mood changes
Palpitations
Gum disease
Joint pain
Fatigue
Nausea
Ibs
Acid reflux
My gp put me on hrt patches but they made me heamorrage each month and made me dizzy
She then put me on progesterone only but reading up you shouldn't take these if you have periods/ your uterus
:(
I'm desperate
I don't know what else to do

Also recently had some bloods done and all.normal (lft, fbc, esr, cholesterol etc)

Your GP sounds pretty crap tbh.
The mini pill can help bleeding but not sure if this is what she gave you. Friends of mine used it for spotting in peri. If you bled too much on patches the odds are the dose was too high and you had too little progestogen to counteract it. Has she suggested oestrogen and the Mirena- that would stop the bleeding

See another GP who knows more about HRT or ask for a referral to a gynae. Help exists- no need to try to fathom your way through this on your own- or if none of this helps, and you have some cash, see a gynae privately for support.

Like you Justbeinghonest I literally couldn't cope, I was the only breadwinner and barely functioning at home, let alone work.

Alongside the awful night sweats, fatigue and aching joints I really thought I was going mad, felt completely out of control and had overwhelming feelings of dread and despair (totally unlike the real me).
I too tried 'natural' ways of managing but nothing helped. Eventually I went to my GP and I was prescribed HRT, I believe it saved my life and my marriage.
I'd had an emergency hysterectomy aged 33 after years of dysmenorrhea and as I'd had numerous ovarian cysts they were pretty well shot anyway.
I was on HRT until I was 54, gradually reduced it and am fine since.

Thank heavens for a very understanding GP.

Lisbeth
ODFOD
And I say this as someone who has sailed through the menopause with no debilitating symptoms.

Tried the mirena....after 5 months of spotting I begged them to take it out :(
Tried depo...I put on 2 stone and it made my pmt so much worse
Tried pop pill....made me sick
Can't have mini pill as I'm a stroke risk
I feel like I've tried everything.

HRT helped me, insomnia much better, anxiety and mood way better. I was pretty much at rock bottom though. Still get the odd awful pmt but it's manageable.

Should have also mentioned I've been taking menopace plus and epo for the past 2 and it has helped (wigh breast pain and the night sweats) yet here I am, my period is due, I keep having smears of blood when I wipe but nothing is happening, nausea, HeadAche, feel quite fragile emotionally....
I'm 43 fgs.
I can't go back to gp - she will be cross I didn't take the last lot of hrt she prescribed...but the fact sheet said it shouldn't be given to women who were still bleeding!!
I feel like there is no hope.

I had a year of hell, heavy bleeding for 10 days every fortnight.
Mood swings where once I packed my bags and was going to leave the family and night sweats.
you couldn't have paid me to take hrt because of the risk of cancer.
i'd rather put up with what came tbh.
I was lucky though and all finished within the year just before my 40th.

Night sweats and hot flushes were wrecking my life. Have been on HRT two months and they have almost completely stopped. Downside is that periods are back and heavuy, but I feel the lesser of two evils at the moment. Still prone to cystitis though which is absolutely the very very worst thing of all the symptoms. It's a complete life wrecker and I just seem to go from infection to infection.

Sadly the first really heavy bleed was when we were on holiday :(
I bled through pad, pants and jeans in about 20 mins.
Was awful. Also lasted a week, whereas my periods have been down to 4 days for the year proceeding. Can be anywhere from 25-30 day cycle.
Same the following month, maybe not quite as bad but then dizziness and feeling ill through blood loss.
So stopped the patches and went back. Given prog only patches....but read the info leaflet and didn't take them
Starred menopace plus and it has helped but this month is awful....I feel.like an old womAn

@Badders, why would it be bad to take the HRT your GP prescribed while still bleeding. I mean, what's the harm it might cause?

Apparently it can cause Blood clots and all sorts of other issues (sorry cant remember them all)
The info leaflet stated they were not to be taken by women who were still having periods/still had their womb

Just don't see what else they can give me...
Maybe I'm just one of those women who have to suffer

Badders I don't understand the risks you mentioned with the patches. As far as I know there is no such thing as progesterone patches. There are combined patches but not progesterone only. if you aren't sure about them, ask your local pharmacist or go back to GP.

NEWLife You had a premature menopause (before the age of 40). The recommended medical treatment is HRT to the age of 50. Without oestrogen you are at risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. There is no cancer risk with HRT for women under the age of 50 who have premature menopause.

Firsthrt was sequi then put on.conti patches
Conti is for women who.no longer bleed
No.idea why she prescribed it forme
They did do a blood test but it was "ok"

No.idea why she prescribed it forme

Go back and ask- have a conversation with her about it all.

This thread is fascinating and I recognise a lot of aspects of what I'm going through. I have the added complication of a sudden rise in blood pressure which may be attributable to the menopause but may not!

I'm going to ask for a referral to a gynaecologist but how do I know who to be referred to? I'm in the South of England but not in London.

If it gets much worse I will go.private - I can tests on dhs work bupa cover

If you have private insurance I'd not think twice about going to see someone privately. Why wait?

I've been back and forwards to gynae drs for years...since my teens.
I'm pretty sure I have exhausted their bag of tricks Tbh.
Mirena yep
Depo yep
Pop pill yep
Hrt both sequi and conti yep
What else is there?
No idea when women in my family go into meno as my mum and sis had both had a hysterectomy by the time they were 38.

Badders
The most obvious option if you've not tried it are separate hormones. Have you ever tried Oestrogel? brilliant stuff as you can lower or increase the dose yourself to get the results you need (and possibly reduce bleeding) Then a separate bio identical progesterone like Utrogestan.

I have made an appt with the gp...earliest I could getaways 4th December!
I will ask about the gel
As I am still having periods I'm.not sure what's best for me

Can else that last post!
I am going to try and get an appt for tomorrow and ask to be referred to gynae at the local Nuffield.
Got an appt with him next weds.
Enough is enough.