Hrt or not??

[peppajay]

I have had erratic periods for 3 years now they are getting less and less frequent and the flow is very light. I have been to gp and had blood tests to rule out thyroid and POS and the FSH Levels for menopause came back slightly high I need to have another blood test in 6 weeks and if this is high the GP will confirm that I am at the start of the menopause. I am 41 so quire young to go through this. The gp is being very non committal about Hrt she says I am very young to go through this and my body should really still be making the hormones that protect my bones for another 10 years but HRT is usually used to relieve menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and dryness down below and i have no other symptoms what so ever but the locum GP I saw before the blood tests was very adamant that because of my age Hrt is vital but I don't like the risks involved. Any advice would be greatly appreciated?? Xx thanks xx

Ask for a Dexa bone scan. This will determine if you have osteoporosis.

I have it and have been on high dosage calcium tablets for a couple of years (started at age 47).

I also have the HRT patches now, they have been great for my mood as well as acting as bone protection.

Your GP is right.
10 years without oestrogen now will show itself by the time you are 51 or 61 not only in possibly thinner bones and osteoporosis but also a higher risk of heart disease. This is why women's risk of heart disease starts to equal men's post menopause because we don't have oestrogen.
Yes there are drugs to treat osteoporosis but they have side effects too and can be very unpleasant. There are currently law suits in the US from people who have serious side effects from bisphosphonates ( the most common drug for osteoporosis) because they have got broken jaws or damaged intestines- the drug makes bones denser but still liable to break easily and is derived from industrial paint stripper.

There are no risk with HRT if you use it at 41. The risks only start to outweigh the benefits once you get over 70. Please forget all the outdated risks that hit the headlines 12 years ago- these have been shown to be based on flawed data. HRT is safe and you should use it.

sorry- meant the locum- your GP is being negligent and the latest guidelines from NICE say all women of your age should have HRT- no brainer.

The new NICE guidelines are good to read on risk. I'd have taken HRT without question at that age if the GP would have given it to me. Had to wait for 5years. 5 years which would have been much better with HRT. It helps a lot of women, and does provide protection from loss of oestrogen.

Polly what are these unpleasant side effects from osteoporosis drugs ypu mention? I certainly don't have any.

I'm on calcium plus Alendronic acid, which seals the calcium into the bones.

I was glad last week, when I fell down the stairs at home, that I didn't suffer any broken bones, and I believe that the drugs can be thanked for that.

The thing that confuses me is that they say HRT is used to alleviate symptoms but at the moment I have no other symptoms such as hot flushes or mood swings and feel fine in myself, so dont want to put a drug into my body that isnt necessary but do the risks of oesteoporossis mean I need to take it to protect my bones. So many different schools of thought!!

Who do you mean by 'they' say?

HRT is for women who have symptoms but it's also prescribed for premature menopause- which is what you have- in order to protect you from serious illnesses in 10+ years. It's not just your bones, it's also heart disease which is the biggest cause of death in all women at any age.

All medical guidelines say HRT should be given to women who have a menopause before the age of 45 (some even raise this to 47.)

It's your choice of course but your dr is suggesting current advice. You are not using a 'drug' you are putting back what nature intended you to have so no risks apply at all until you reach 51.

Cutted so sorry, I missed your query when I posted earlier.

This should tell you about alendronic acid- marketed under the name Fosomax.

Drug Watch Fosomx

I was offered it many years ago for osteopenia and investigated it then. I saw another dr who said it was not suitable for me and only for elderly women with severe osteoporosis.

Cutted here is another link

Fosamax and side effects

I have no idea of your medical history but looking at these reports, unless you have severe osteoporosis- T score less than -2.5, maybe you ought to have a chat with a consultant about continuing with the drug?

Hi PeppaJay I am not using HRT but I did investigate the issue of early menopause before 45 as earlier this year a blood test suggested to my GP that I was post menopause - this was a mistake diagnosis as you need to have two blood tests and a year without periods to make that diagnosis.

I can understand your confusion, as mentioned already HRT is used for symptoms and it can be used preventatively. If you are under the age of 45 then preventatively is what you would have it for. The younger you are the more hormones you need to maintain heart and bone health until the time your body would normally lose these hormones - the risks of taking HRT in this instance are less and different than when older.

I suggest you have the second blood test, it may be that you caught your cycle at a point of high FSH and that hormones are fluctuating and the next test will be different. If you are still having periods you are producing some hormones.

If it turns out that your blood tests do indicate early menopause, I would have a good chat with your GP about your own personal risks for taking HRT and risks if you didn't - then you can make an informed decision. There is also a helpful organisation called the Daisy Network that might help with info if you need it.