What's it like on the other side?

[Eliza22]

It's almost 12 months since my last period. I've the full on flushes, middle aged spread (despite walking the dog for around an hour and a half, daily), dry skin, feel exhausted but...the worst thing for me is the aching bones and joints. It is truly dreadful. Am hobbling about and can't grip things (my hands and wrists hurt).

Does it "all go back to normal"? Or is this "it" now, at 53, for the rest of my life? (God forbid)

TBH I'd not put up with all of those things if HRT was not contraindicated for medical reasons. You don't have to!
I didn't want to accept all that crap and went on HRT 7 years ago. As long as I stay well on it my consultant isn't drawing any line under using it.
Many women don't suffer like you are and am over it all in a couple of years but some have symptoms for life. I'm sure you will get posts from women who say they have come through it and are fine. Equally, some women don't link ill health and symptoms in mid life and old age to the menopause. My mum had flushes into her late 70s, but everyone is different.

I am also on HRT as I could not stand the kind of things you are talking about Eliza22 - especially the aching bones and joints. I felt like I was 95! Have a chat with your doctor and be fairly strong about your feelings about this especially if it is the NHS as my experience with them is that they want you to suffer ! :-) I went to a private doctor to get started on HRT ( due to the negative attitude of my doctor and then eventually having to wait for months for a referral to a menopause clinic) and am now on the NHS with my GP continuing it. After my visits with my private doc I now know more about HRT than my GP does. As Pollyperky said some women get through this with no ill effects but for others it is sheer Hell.

I come from a parents with history of stroke and heart disease (having said that one was a smoker and the other a drinker). I have high blood pressure and my sister does too and has had a series of mini strokes. So, my GP flatly refused. She put me on Citalopram (AD's) for flushes and Naproxen for bone pains. They don't work.

I may ask to be referred to a menopause clinic because this is dreadful.

I totally get it Eliza I have had the most agonizing joint pain for nearly 2 years now, the same time my periods started going haywire. The pain started in my hip, I ended up using a cane, I couldn't get in and out he car, turn in bed etc.... I was told I was way to young for arthritis at 48. I eventually got an xray/ MRI which they said didn't show anything, then a year later after insisting I be referred to an orthopedic surgeon, he said there was obviously something wrong from the xray. I was diagnosed with OA. I am not convinced. I have been researching Menopausal arthritis as my hip has gotten much better but it has migrated to my shoulder. I am totally convinced it is all hormone related. I have an appointment with a menopause clinic( going because I am bleeding constantly) but want to talk about the joint pain too. I have read that HRT eases joint pain in menopause.

Thanks Scots. Hopefully, you'll get sorted at the clinic.

Eliza Your parents' medical history has no relevance on your own use of HRT- believe me- I've used HRT under a consultant for 7 years and have discussed all of this.

Heart disease and strokes kill more people than anything in the UK so I think it's likely that almost every woman has a parent with some history of these.

If you have high BP are you managing it with lifestyle measures- exercise, weight control and diet? And meds if need be.

You ought NOT to be on ADs for menopause- please look at the NICE menopause guidelines - I've linked to this many times so if you do a google search or a search on this site you will find them. NICE has said quite strongly that women ought not to be given instead of HRT unless a woman is clinically depressed - and your GP ought to know this!

Transdermal HRT is not linked to an increase in blood clots and there is significant research which shows that HRT used in early menopause prevents heart disease and arterial plaque.

Please have a good read around this and go to your GP armed with some facts!

Thanks for that.

I've been doing some reading up and printing off to take with me, to my GP. Dr John Stevenson is a keen advocate of hurt for those with with high blood pressure. He says raised BP should be a prompt for taking oestrogen as it protects from future coronary disease.

Now all I have to do is secure a GP appointment (which at our surgery is like trying to find hen's teeth) !

Before starting HRT I had constant dull, aching pain in my shoulder and elbow. Some mornings it would actually waje me up.

Totally disappeared since being on HRT. When I look at my friends who are on HRT, and those who aren't, you can tell the difference in the way they look and move.

Have friends in their late 40s and early 50s complaining of bladder issues, severe aches and pains, dry/chapped skin, exhaustion and fanjos so dry that they squeak when they walk.

There's just no need to suffer low level misery like this anymore.

fanjos so dry that they squeek

i'll admit to dry fanjo but other than that no aches or pains. my hot flashes have decreased and even at their peak were not dreadful. I've not considered hrt for me. right now i'm suffering with plantar fasciitis but other than anti-inflammatories think of myself as being healthy....definitely overweight which isn't responding to exercise or decreased intake :(

oh forgot to mention I love being menopausal!!! soooooo much better than periods.....i'll take my mini hot flashes anyday multiple times a day to a soggy pad or packing my purse with "supplies". no mood swings no swelling boobs twice a month so much better :)

Place marking to read later, but omg the aching. I get out of bed and hobble for 10 minutes! And my fingers and wrists ache. I'm looking forward to reading about everyones suffering

Chortle!

Could aches be down to VitD deficiency?

I take...
Omega 3-6-9
Glucosamine
Silica
Devils Claw
Vit D + Calcium

...which is why I "give up" and will demand something from my GP.

Get your thyroid checked out.

i have experienced most of the symptoms mentioned regarding aches and pains, hobbling on my feet in the morning (god that hurts). I have since been diagnosed with an under active thyroid, and have been taking levothyroxine for about 2 months and most of my aches and pains have disappeared, as well as the chronic fatigue, unfortunately I can't say the same of my increasing waist line!

Sorry but why aren't you on HRT? I was in a depression with mood swings, terrible flushes, never sleeping, always tired, aching and arthritis and this has all gone since i went started taking gel hormones 4 months ago. Don't wait until your periods have stopped, the very time you need hormone help is in the LEAD up to the end!! I went to the Marion Gluck clinic and I was VERY disappointed. I met a young, inexperienced doctor who seemed cold and unsympathetic about menopausal issues. There was no sign of Marion Gluck. I was prescribed a cream which seemed to make things worse and after 6 weeks I stopped applying the cream. I didn't go for a follow up as i didn't trust the inexperienced doctor i had seen. Later on, after visiting a proper doctor - Professor John Studds - i was put on the correct dose of hormones. John Studds looked at the prescription that I had been given by Marion Gluck and was not impressed at all.

Sorry but why aren't you on HRT? I was in a depression with mood swings, terrible flushes, never sleeping, always tired, aching and arthritis and this has all gone since i went started taking gel hormones 4 months ago. Don't wait until your periods have stopped, the very time you need hormone help is in the LEAD up to the end!! I went to the Marion Gluck clinic and I was VERY disappointed. I met a young, inexperienced doctor who seemed cold and unsympathetic about menopausal issues. There was no sign of Marion Gluck. I was prescribed a cream which seemed to make things worse and after 6 weeks I stopped applying the cream. I didn't go for a follow up as i didn't trust the inexperienced doctor i had seen. Later on, after visiting a proper doctor - Professor John Studds - i was put on the correct dose of hormones. John Studds looked at the prescription that I had been given by Marion Gluck and was not impressed at all.

My GP looked at my own health issues...very high BP - (now much better with medication) a sister who has a history of mini-strokes, a mother who had 9 coronary by-pass grafts at 51 and said a flat "no". Obviously, I'm going to ask her to reconsider.

My thyroid was checked and found to be Ok. Thanks for the recommendation tho'

Just to add, the NHS ought to deliver. But if not, you do have options. There are several very good gynaes in the UK who know about menopause and will treat you privately- healthcare is a consumer industry and you don't have to stick with what the state provides if it won't in fact provide, to be blunt! I don't mean that private drs will bend rules or prescribe willy-nilly, but you would have the reassurance that you are seeing the best and getting another opinion.

I saw a top gynae consultant about something not directly related to meno and stuck with them once I was menopausal. I know I am getting the best care in the UK, can talk to them at any time if I'm worried, and feel reassured by it all. It's not mega costly and if I had to I'd forgo holidays or whatever to continue with it. Yes, the NHS should support you, but if you're banging your head against a brick wall, just go somewhere else!

Eliza I have high blood pressure and am on HRT and will be for another 10 years hopefully

I took a short cut to menopause 2 years ago by having my ovaries out (sever pmt) went straight onto HRT and feel great, well normal, which is all I ever wanted to be.

Have an appointment for 29 Feb. Earliest I could get!

UPDATING .....

Saw GP. She's started me on FEMSEVEN CONTI Patches. Progesterone and oestrogen combined. To be fair, she put THE FEAR in me talking breast cancer, stroke and heart disease.

Anyone take this? Does it make a difference?

Any opinions much appreciated BEFORE I "cash" the prescription!

It really disgusts me that drs do this 'fear' talk. Talk about biased!!!!Have a read of info online- look at sites like the British menopause Society, International menopause Society and Menopause matters and the NICE menopause report.

There is no way of knowing how you will find this type of HRT. The only thing I would say is that you don't have to go down the conti / no bleed route. The downside of this is you will be using 2 hormones daily. With a sequential regime, the progestogen part (which is the hormone that can cause most side effects) is only used for half the month. You can do that even at your age.

There are loads of variations on HRT! Some of us are still on sequential (me) many years after the last period because we prefer a bleed and a cycle. I am using long-cycle HRT which is a 'period' every 2 months. This is under the care of a consultant- your GP is unlikely to agree to this.