Women who have been through meno without HRT

[Sarcelle]

I am on my "journey" without HRT. Symptoms fairly mild/manageable.

I was surprised to read somewhere that only 20% of women take HRT. So lots who don't. My question is about the effects of getting through it without HRT - what happens to you after meno?

I have read loads about the meno (it's confusing!) but there seems to be a suggestion that you should be on HRT, not necessarily to ease horrendous symptoms, but to maintain good health afterwards - because of hardening of the arteries, osteoporosis etc.

So are lots of women post meno who did not/are not on HRT ill and feeling crap all the time with a myriad of complaints?

I think I am looking for evidence that you can thrive, age well, feel great after meno without having taken HRT.

Sacrifice, and nowhere in my post did I say it was my board 🙄 But you clarify why it’s just not worth hanging around the menopause board...

I have no choice but to manage without HRT as I had breast cancer at the age of 47. I’ve been on Tamoxifen since then which wipes out your Oestrogen and basically puts you in the menopause. I would probably be entering true menopause now anyway as I’m 50 now. All the issues of osteoporosis etc really worry me, but at least so far I’m surviving cancer.

I can’t manage much exercise at the moment as I’m retraining for a new career, working loads of hours, and taking exams. But when I’m qualified (hopefully by next July) I plan to start taking better care of my body, and making more time for myself.

I hope it makes you feel big and clever. Well done.

Why? Because I wanted to know if Queen was Polly so I know her provenance?

#QueenOfTheNights please don't be offended by the comments of certain posters. I have found your posts clear, well-written and extremely helpful, and I think there are thousands of other Mumsnetters who would agree with me. I'm in the early stages of perimenopause and I'm still not sure whether or not I'll use HRT, but I am already in a far better position to decide thanks to your posts and I really appreciate the time you spend sharing your knowledge on Mumsnet.

Queen - OP here. I thought your posts were v. Informative.

I had no symptoms at all either with periods (apart from a brief nagging pain when I ovulated) or with the menopause. For which, given other people's posts, I'm heartily grateful. Thus I did not consider HRT. Karma did mean I had to have a lot of help conceiving.

I'm glad for people like Queen and the meno boards. Thankfully oestrogen patches ended my dire hot flushes and sweats but without that research I was being fobbed up for uninformed GPs and told just to take anti-depressants.

Polly’s lectures... Well, not being funny - but it isn't your board

Not sure it was Polly’s, either, but one would be forgiven for thinking so.

Polly / Queen IS very informative and many women will welcome her input. She does have an unfortunate tendency to adopt an ‘I know best’ tone though and that grates at times.

I went through menopause 4 years ago, and my perimenopause lasted about 6 or 7 years before that. I didn't take HRT because I didn't feel my symptoms really needed treatment, but I would have gone to the doctor if I felt I needed to. No need to suffer in silence.
As for hot flushes I got them for a couple of years after my last period (never before), they were only really bad in hot weather. I found giving up caffeine and alcohol was the best way of dealing with them.

I’ve been through the menopause without hrt. There was nothing I found I couldn’t manage naturally. I’m about two years out the other side and everything is absolutely fine.

Agree gobbin. I kept off the menopause board for a while when I was going through it and needed it, because of that.

I lost interest in what Polly had to say when she said she knew better than my consultant. Shame because up to that point her advice was very useful.

I must admit it was thanks to pollyperky that i learned the most from, certainly not the numerous Gps i went to to help me with horrid symptoms of peri, Queen/Polly are very knowledgable ladies, Polly helped me understand that hrt is not scary but a great tool when needed.

I’ve been through the menopause with no symptoms whatsoever, one hot flush, periods stopped .... that’s it. Maybe genetic as my mother told me she had no symptoms either. Never discussed it with a medical professional (or anyone for that matter). Perhaps I was just lucky, but I never had period problems or PMT or anything gynae related.

Thanks everybody for very positive posts. Lots of posters saying they did not need anything except perhaps natural means to get through, or minimal symptoms. The stories where people had to go on HRT are positive too, it's good to know that this is available (if you find the right one).

Feelverylazy Can you drink alcohol and coffee again, now that you are through it?

I'm in 2 minds whether I've made the right decision. My mum didn't take hrt but suffered the symptoms and developed osteoporosis in her 60s. I thought i was okish and could m

Could manage! But dexa scan showed osteopena so I've started hrt patches at 51.

I am also slim, eat well and exercise/am fit, so my bones shouldn't be a problem at this age, but my estrogen levels are deficient. Some 'symptoms' are silent I guess.

My periods stopped at 47. I had hot flushes but not unmanageable - they eased off over a year or so. My main issue has been weight gain. Reduced libido too. That might be connected to the weight though! Now 55 and a bit more achey and tired these days and no more hot flushes

Sarcelle I drink coffee now, but not in very hot weather. I mostly just drink water in the summer. I can drink alcohol but I only drink ocassionally now, for other reasons.

@Sarcelle
Thanks for your kind words and other people who have come along with similar. I don't know about Polly, but in future, I'll just stick to writing for people who pay me for this type of stuff! Far less hassle! :)

Queen sorry if I offended you but your posts were so relentlessly pro-HRT it did come across as if you were selling it.

Queen, sorry from me as well. Polly and I had words when she was doubting that a consultant oncologist was qualified to say no to HRT or not and I was being over cautious.

Queen I think your posts are evidence based and helpful, which is very much needed in the discussion as there has been plenty of irresponsible journalism that prevents women accessing appropriate health care. My GP likened it to reporting on MMR. There are many health benefits of HRT, but it is treated as a last resort and something you should try to do without. Why? It sort of reminds me of the natural childbirth movement - real women can cope with pain - but it is worse, actually as there are real long term health benefits to HRT for many women.