How many women on HRT

[ParisUSM]

Does anyone know the figures on how many women in the UK are presently on HRT? Just interested after reading comments about all well informed women being on HRT for life and realising that although I think it is a tiny minority, I don't really know the figures.

When the new guidance came out in 2015 they said that 1 million women extra women would benefit from HRT, and that appears to be double the number already on it - so..... 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 1.5 million women experience symptoms and they are 80% of women going through menopause. No idea of a time frame.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11989679/New-NHS-advice-means-number-of-women-on-HRT-could-double.html

www.nice.org.uk/news/article/women-with-symptoms-of-menopause-should-not-suffer-in-silence

Thanks Melamin, this article says 5% of 45 - 69 year olds in the UK, so that would be about 1 million. 15% took it before the scare.

www.newscientist.com/article/2102063-why-do-women-keep-taking-hrt-despite-breast-cancer-risks/

The article said 5% in 2013 which will be out of date now - especially (hopefully), since the NICE Guidelines were introduced in late 2015. Shocking statistic really when so many could benefit.

Paris I said that I THINK that the majority of well informed women with highly demanding CAREERS are on hrt! For me it’s almost impossible to think myself working without hrt!
Bella agree with you that new statistics are different and at every country the numbers are changing.

The shocking thing is that as much as 66% of women who were prescribed hrt stopped taking it in the aftermath of the flawed studies around the millennium. Menopause specialists are seeing an increase in long term problems such as bone, joint and vaginal problems.

And of course there are profits for drug companies from medication for osteoporosis, diabetes, heart problems etc. Hrt is cheaper! :)

I am taking Elleste Duet (reluctantly due to B cancer scare but the sleeplessness was impacting so drastically on my life that I had to try it ) So far ,so good, I'm am just finishing the oestrogen pills part of the pack and a bit nervous about having a 'period' again !
Can anyone recommend which vitamins to take alongside HRT please .

Hi! I take vitamin D, magnesium and sometimes B12. My blood test showed deficiency of D, so I have to take it at least for 3 months. I also try to get my vitamins with my diet that contains fruits and vegetables.

Thank you Emerald.

I've just decided today to come off HRT. I've ordered some herbal supplements and hope they will stave off the symptoms. I've been on Femoston for about 2 years now; I just don't like being on long term medication. Prior to being on HRT I was exhausted, had joint pain , was tearful and mad (well the meds just take the edge off). I'm hoping to sail through this. My eldest sister found the menopause a breeze and my other one went la la like me and so was on HRT for a decade (unfortunately she had breast cancer, and recently went through a mastectomy and reconstruction).

Hi Vizard, I've read that it's a good idea to wean yourself off rather than just stop all together, are you on a dose that can easily be halved? Might be worth talk I g to your go or nurse about the best way to come off? Good luck.

I don't know where the statement that "all well informed women are on lifelong HRT" came from but I can assure you it is not the case. I am probably better informed than many and choose not to take HRT as do quite a number of my female colleagues who are GPs and nurses (all of us have careers and responsibilities)
Taking HRT is a personal decision and the suggestion that women should all be taking it is just as wrong as denying treatment to those who want it

Well I'm a nurse & having done loads of research & discussed it at length with my GP.
For ME I decided to carry on as the symptoms before were crippling, sending me crashing into depression. With no family history of breast or endometrial cancers ( or any other cancers) I decided to start 5 years ago & on review recently carry on.
I am concerned by the fact that women are more prone to getting these cancers at age 55/ 60/ 65 anyway NOT due to HRT.
But we all have to do what is best for our overall health, and I don't think a blanket declaration
"I choose not to take HRT as do quite a number of my female colleagues who are GPs and nurses (all of us have careers and responsibilities)" is very helpful IMHO.

Thanks ParisUSM. My sister advised me to take it slowly. Perhaps I should have a rethink and do it slow, slow.

The HRT debate drives me nuts quite frankly.

When it comes to us as individuals, our hormones are as unique as our DNA. Some women have easy periods, others go through hell every month. Some women sail through pregnancy and childbirth. For others it's a nightmare. And it's the same with menopause.

I chose not to take HRT. I've negotiated menopause and I've come out the other side and am doing fine. In fact in many ways I'm better than I was before. It was my choice not to take it, I came close a couple of times but ultimately I went through the whole business cold turkey (with a few self help remedies along the way - some of which seemed to help and some of which didn't).

My best friend on the other hand has gone down the HRT route. That was her choice. But what pisses me off is when I told her the other day I wasn't sleeping very well - she immediately puts it down to menopause and hormones, and tells me how HRT would help. My insomnia has fuck all to do with any of that and is down to a broken relationship and pressure of work, and as it happens, I'm over it now and sleeping like a log again.

And being absolutely brutally honest, I'm a couple of years older than her and look 10 years younger. I've got younger looking skin, better hair, I'm in better shape and more energy. That's probably down to genes and other factors, but the point I'm trying to make is ... it's got fuck all to do with HRT.

You know yourself, you know your own body and mind and life ... and what you decide to do is down to you. But don't push your views on other people. And as for 'all well informed women being on HRT for life' - well bollocks to that.

So the rest of us who choose not to take it are not well informed?

Yes, Fontella, if you are under 45 and have a premature meno and you choice not to take hrt if there are no contradictions of course, I think that you are not fully informed for the risks of not taking it. If you have a normal meno at normal age, lucky you!

Exactly Fontella, and I need to be careful too of thinking every ache and pain is down to hormones - can be easy to get a bit obsessed. Men my age are also going through an ageing process.

Good to hear a positive story of someone coming through it all, pretty sure I'm near the end now. Woohoo.

The actual quote used was "Well informed and career women use hrt for life for sure! " which I couldn't get my head around as so few women use it on a short term basis, let alone for life.

Have you had your thyroid checked? I ached all over before i started the Thyroxine and i feel so much better. Im on menopace the double tablets and they help as well. Infact i got a period after starting them, the first one in a year!

Hi EachandEveryone, yes loads of bloodtests last month. Ferritin and vitamin D are low again which is probably the reason for quite a few issues.

Have heard good things about menopace from a lot of women who are post menopause, will definitely keep it in mind. At the moment I'm taking ferrous fumarate with vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin d and Viviscal for a wee thinning patch which I am too vain to ignore ;)

Hi Fontella. Out of interest, which self help remedies worked for you? I've decided to come off HRT and I have ordered some supplements (they may not work for me but I've got to try). Thanks.

after reading comments about all well informed women being on HRT for life
obviously those who use HRT are keen to believe that hrt use is highly correlated with being successful and intelligent, ie 'high status'

I have no idea what the actual figures are and how they break down by educational level and income group

Ohfor the ladies who use hrt aren´t just keen to believe that, there are studies that prove that hrt improves cognitive function and depletion of estrogen is a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
I personally cannot imagine how a woman, especially a young woman can handle a highly demanding career when she cannot sleep, has brain fog and sweats all the time etc.
The duration of hrt is an individual decision and the the statement that career women stay on hrt for life is my PERSONAL belief!

I agree Emerald .
I started a new job in September and my menopausal symptoms kicked in with a vengeance in October. I thought the insomia and anxiety were down to the stress of the new job, but as I became more competent in the job and had no real issues going on in my life and was still struggling to sleep and have periods of anxiety, I realised that something else was going on . My GP prescribed an AD and admitted she knew nothing about the menopause. ....I am so relieved that I decided to try HRT as my sleep has been great and the anxiety gone .

I’m in the same boat Ophelia! I was thinking to quit my career, Hrt gave my life back and I feel better than ever! I’m grateful for it! :)

Before I went on hrt, I was going to sleep ok, but waking regularly about 1/2am and failing to go back to sleep until after the birds had done their bit, then crashing out about 30min before the alarm went off.

Some nights I would fail to sleep at all, staying in a state of almost falling asleep. Just as I was about to drop off, I would notice, get a massive adrenaline rush and be wide awake again - until the birds had sung, then I would drop off just in time for the alarm............

Sometimes I would not sleep then be too hot/cold and would drink water and go to the loo to cool down and then drop off, or just keep doing it all night until 6am again. Some nights I would take a nurophen plus in the hope that it would help, or have a stiff gin. It didn't help.

Since going on hrt, it never happens.