What age did you go on HRT?

[zafferana]

I've just turned 46 and have several symptoms of peri-menopause, a few of which I've had now for several years. I've made an appointment to go and speak to the GP and I remember reading posts on here where women said they wished they'd gone on HRT earlier than they did. So what age did you start and what age will GPs consider it? My memory is becoming dreadful - I lose my train of thought, can't think of words and today I forgot two appointments, both of which I was well aware of. I'm so fed up

46 now and haven't had a period since I was 41. Confirmed early menopause.

Interesting reading all this. I thought I'd had no side effects but I was diagnosed with Multiple Scolrisis aged 44 and some of the menopause effects are the same as MS! I have difficulties talking at times and I'm unable to control my body temperature. MS or the menopause? Who knows!

Positive side effect- lost 3lb in weight, seems to be off my stomach.
I’m only 6 days in but definitely feeling better each day

46 now. Total hysterectomy at 42 so 4 years.

@WWlOOlWW. Are you on hrt then?

I started HRT aged 46, for crippling insomnia. It made a huge difference and my weight stayed stable. Aged 54, I’ve reduced it to half a patch (rather than a whole patch each time) with a view to coming off it. In the year that I’ve reduced the dose, I’ve put on about 5lbs and have gained some middle aged spread 😳

I’ve never taken HRT, no symptoms at all apart from erratic periods which then stopped. Not all women will experience problems with the menopause. Can honestly say it’s not something I’ve ever talked about within my circle of friends, are we all just very lucky?

@LearningPianoAgain The 'advice' of the BNF is not one anyone should use for medical advice on HRT. You need to be looking at the advice of the British Menopause Society and menopause consultants.
BMS puts no time or age limit on HRT. You can use it for life and some women carry on til l their 80s or 90s. Not sure about your comment on IUDS? It's known that synthetic progestogen increases the risk of cancer and also continuous as opposed to sequential types ( 1.5% higher risk with the latter.)

are we all just very lucky? YES! Because you are in the 20% minority. But maybe they do have symptoms which they don't link to menoepause...

low mood
aches and pains
lack of sleep
pelvic floor issues- prolapse increases post meno
vaginal dryness
bladder issues
brittle bones (not clear till a fracture happens)

A lot of these don't kick in till 5 years or more after last period.

Nice, eh? :)

I think I must be very lucky then, over 15 years since my last period.

Yep, I had a friend who was just lucky. Older than me. She suggested herbal remedies and exercise and talked about how healthy her lifestyle was, food wise etc. There was a clear implication. While I struggled with low mood, anxiety and insomnia. Hrt was a godsend. Met for lunch s year ago, she’s now having about 40 hot flushes a day. She apologised and there was a tiny part of me thinking schadenfreude.

Very lucky @Ragwort. The thing is, more women die form complications of osteoporosis ( around 100K pa compared to 30K for b cancer) and that's without adding in the biggest killer of all for women- heart disease. Bone loss post meno can be 5% pa so in 5 years - 50%. Women may feel fine till they break a bone then discover that they have advanced osteoporosis at 55. 1:2 women have osteo after age 50.

Wow those are really alarming statistics @JinglingHellsBells! I remember watching that programme that Mariella Frostrup did about menopause and she had osteopenia (the early stage of osteoporosis) in her mid-50s. She admitted that she did no exercise and that programme spurred me to start running to build bone density (among other things).

I had bad osteopenia in my late 40s. No risk factors. Thankfully I'd booked a private bone density scan, out of interest really, or I'd be a in a terrible state now. Exercise, diet and HRT have now reversed the decline.

At about 47 - night sweats, insomnia and brain fog got to the stage where I couldn't function in day to day life. Going to take it indefinitely if I can.

It did help with weight gain for me - once the insomnia and low mood were dealt with I found I stopped craving sugary crap and could find the motivation to exercise again.

@barsh

Nope. Now wondering if I should be talking it !

45. Its making a difference

I was peri from about 37, finally diagnosed with premature menopause at 40 and went on HRT then. Came off at 56.

Cross posted with a lot of discussion of osteoporosis.

Family history is really important here. My family history is one of serious musculo-skeletal problems in later life, rather than reproductive and breast cancers. Hence, my judgement is that it is much, much better for me to take HRT than not.

@WWlOOlWW you'll want to do your own reading on the NICE guidelines, but my understanding is that if you have a menopause before 50 then it's recommended that you take HRT in order to protect from osteoperosis. As the drop in hormones makes that much more likely.

@WWlOOlWW As PP says- the medical advice is all women who have early menopause (before 51 or thereabouts) should use HRT up to age 50-ish at least for reasons given.

I thought the tests for MS were very black and white and conclusive? It doesn't mean you can't use HRT too. Are you taking drugs for your MS?

@JinglingHellsBells

Oh, no sorry misunderstanding! I definitely have MS. I just meant that the brian fog (and other symptoms) could either be the MS or the menopause! (Or both).

I'm having yearly infusions for MS (Lemtrada).

Guess I need to have a conversation with my doctor. Tbf I could do without more medication (epileptic too).

@WWlOOlWW try not to think of HRT as medication. It's replacementand it's like using drugs for low thyroid or diabetes, in women your age with early menopause.

50..just started...already seeing a huge difference.