Menopause without HRT?

[YukonGold]

Has anyone done this?
I’m 48 and currently peri menopausal, hot flushes, night sweats, very irregular periods, period pain for the first time in my life etc.
I’ve not been to a Dr for about 8 years (don’t have kids myself but OH does hence my being on Mumsnet!)
I can cope with my current symptoms but am wondering whether I can avoid HRT completely, has any one else done this?
Thanks!

I'm 52 and not had a period since my mind 40s. No HRT, had some really bad night sweats when perimenopausal, had some fatigue and joint aches and weight gain and had 1 period a year for quite a few years but I think I did a lot better in symptoms than many. Interestingly I don't drink tea or coffee and rarely drink alcohol so maybe that helped. I've now managed to lose the weight I gained and have my energy back and no muscle or joint pain any more and no hot flushes either. I think my only issue is vaginal dryness but will look into something for that as it's only recently become a problem. I feel the best I have in years though.

No HRT so far for me. Night sweats are the worst part. Cutting down on coffee helped with the hot flushes and anxiety but I couldn't go without in the morning! Alcohol doesn't make any difference to me, yippee!

Oh and I started taking CBD oil this year and it's made such a difference to the aches and pains.

Thank you ladies for so many replies, I can see a little trend that night sweats are the biggest problem and that echos my experience.
Tomorrow I’m going to look into all of your solutions and see what I can do to minimise. Probably not a lot.
We aren’t alone, thanks again for your replies xxx

JaneJeffer, what is CBD oil?

Thanks Yukon. I'm just wading in to this territory now due to a combo of age and chemo, and am confused about options. Good luck with finding a path through that suits you.

Me!!! I'm 45 and have been in peri menopause for over 6 years. The sweats have subsided recently but then so have my periods, now down to one every 3-6 months rather than the 3 weeks out of 4 of a few years back. Never even bothered with gp.

Hey Foldy, stick with us, we will find a way xxx

Yes, I wondered what CBD oil was too?! I need something for my morning aches and pains. Would also like to know how to loose 2 stone?! Loosing my waist has been the worst bit for me.

Tumpymummy, I’ve lost 2 stone and a bit more on Slimming World. Give It a go if you havent.

I’m 49. Last period was over two years ago. Occasionally get hot flushes and that’s really about it. My mother’s menopause was exactly the same. Haven’t taken anything for it.

I have a waist now and I lost weight by eating less and moving more, well mostly just eating less to be fair..... I do however have a tummy and my vs section overhang but nothing shifts either of thise. I had a fist sized muscle split and even when I was exercising hard, the tummy is a problem. I would add that otherwise I'm slim but not skinny, size 12 to 14 but I am 5'9.5.

I was on HRT when I was perimenopausal. I stopped taking it - and felt much better almost immediately! Began to wonder why I'd started (there were reasons which seemed valid at the time).

Of course hot flushes returned but they weren't too bad at all. Overall I felt fine.

Good for you going without HRT.

I'm 53, and periods stopped completely 4 years ago. No HRT, I did speak to my doctor about using it when I was in the throes of a particularly busy phase of hot flushes and she explained it as something that just delays the process. In other words at some point you have to come off it and the symptoms return.

I decided that as I had got so far relatively unscathed to just see it through. Now I have the occasional flush and definitely feel like my internal thermostat has changed for good but other than that I'm not really experiencing any symptoms now.

I think it's a very personal choice based on your own symptoms and lifestyle.

I meant to add that sleep has recently become an issue for me. I've always been an excellent sleeper but last 6 months or so I've been averaging 4 to 5 and a half hours a night. It's not enough. I'm tired during the day but wide awake come bedtime. Hence I'm still here posting and I need to be up at 6am :(

CBD oil is cannabid oil. People rate it for all sorts of ailments, but it can get complex seeing what ratio of CBD:THC (the psychoactive part of cannabis) is best. Anything over a tiny amount of THC is illegal in the UK, but that may change after the recent test case where a lady was allowed to bring some from Amsterdam for her seriously epileptic son. You can buy non THC CBD oil drops at Holland & Barret, but apparently they taste bogging.

I'm 47 and have always had heavy irregular periods. The last few years they have become very regular and lighter which is odd but great.
A few months ago I started taking starflower/borage seed oil to help with memory problems. It's also meant to help with regulating hormones.
I was feeling ill/run down/sick every month a few days before I was due. This has now stopped since starting the oil. My sore boobs and period pain has virtually stopped and my period now lasts for 2/3 days rather than 4/5 days. I was getting night sweats, mood swings and mild hot flashes. These have lessened considerably since taking the oil.

Periods never came back after birth of DD3 when I was 37. No menopause symptoms, no HRT, absolutely nothing. Can't say I was sad to see them go. I'd had years and years of agony with Endometriosis so it was a relief for me.

Lack of sleep is a big one for me.
My periods stopped for six months then returned regular as clockwork.
Week leading up to my period I just can't sleep.
Hot flashes are really only starting.
Night sweats have been going on for years tho.
No HRT or supplements. Winging it to see how bad it gets.
Vaginal dryness is a nightmare

sailed through meno without hrt.
periods tapered off over time, hot flushes were mild (like a wave of nausea, by the time i figured out it was a hot flush they were gone)
night sweats...maybe twice in my life.
no issues with memory, no aches or pains, bitchy mood??? maybe but by that time in my life i was fed up with lots of stuff doubt it had anything to do with hormones.
love love love no bed sheet mess, no pads or tampons, no cravings and no swollen breasts or bloating.
now at 61 the hot flushes are gone :)

I’m 55. No HRT. I took up running at 48 & that seems to have solved it. Getting my weight down and avoiding sweet stuff helped too.
Hot flushes are down to a minute or so, and quite mild. Periods are now rare, maybe one month in four and no night sweats.

I couldn't take HRT due to family history of breast and ovarian cancer. At around 50 yo my periods went crazy after a lifetime of pain free light bleeding.
But it was my mood swings that sent me to the GP, irrational rages that scared me!
I was given the Mirena and put on Fluoxetine which I tolerated for 3 months (it was a bit too mind altering for me ).
About a year later I had to have my ovaries removed and went into instant menopause.
I have quite bad vaginal atrophy and a very painful variocele but otherwise grateful that things were manageable.

48yo and perimenopausal for 6 years. Very few hot flushes and night sweat minimal. My main issues are very poor sleep, dizziness and lightheadness and anxiety. I decided to try hrt and did so forx3xmonths but hated it so stopped and much happier now as I feel more in control now I know my issues are linked with the menopause and find it easier to accept them and get on with life.

I use the H&B CBD oil because it's what I can afford but there are probably better brands. I don't really mind the taste, you get used to it and it's not as bad as valerian which I tried before!

To the PPs who say that they find vaginal dryness the only, or main problem, I’d suggest going to your GP for some local oestrogen cream or pessary. This gives a much lower and targeted dose of hormone than systemic hrt and will maintain your mucosal integrity and prevent the atrophy and drying.