Has anyone gone through menopause without hrt

[Jakc]

I’m due to get radical hysterectomy but for medical reasons won’t be able to take HRT afterwards and due to the op will obviously be thrown straight in to menopause. Really scared to be honest about how I’ll cope with that

Me! It does seem everyone is on HRT these days, but being someone who does not to have to reply on meds (unless it is essential), I did not go down that road. Yes, I have had some symptoms but have learnt to live with them. Everyone is different, some people can live OK without HRT, some can't at all and need it to help them live their life.
Best wishes OP x

A friend of mine had success going down the alternative medicine route, so take a look at that.

Me. Sailed through pretty much. Had a few hot flushes but that was it really.

Good luck with the op, OP
Watching with interest- am managing (well, just about) my peri with supplements but there's a lot of talk about HRT on here and sometimes wonder if I'd be better off. I've just never really fancied it. My late mum had to come off it and unfortunately I can't remember why so that may have given me negative vibes.

I've had no choice due to breast cancer 5 years ago. I was 47 then, now 52. I've been in menopause since the breast cancer as the drugs shoved me into it head first! I'm actually considered post menopause now, and I've recently had my ovaries and womb removed as well.

It hasn't been a picnic doing menopause without HRT, the first year was really hard and I felt like I was losing my mind. I got very very low. I remember literally sobbing to my GP, and her handing me tissues and holding my hand. But you work out ways to cope with symptoms (did loads of reading and research).
One thing that's very important is for your loved ones to be crystal clear about what you are going through and to be empathetic and supportive. DH had to work on that!

I did. I'm not a suitable candidate for HRT because I am significantly overweight.

I got given sertraline to deal with the hot flushes (flashes as my Dr said) which happened at night. It calmed them down.

I get hot at night, but I don't sweat.

I had no other menopause symptoms. Well except for my periods ending three years ago. Don't know if being so overweight was a help or a hindrance to my menopause which seems to have been something and nothing.

I am trying to lose weight for my health as I understand obesity is the second largest cause of cancer after smoking. Other weight related health problems are available !

In the winter, I would sit in my pyjamas and dressing gown with the fire on and the central heating on and a blanket on me. Lovely.

At bed time, I would not wear anything and would throw the bedding off as if it was summer !

Go figure !

I have gone through menopause with no issues at all. No HRT either.

Hi, me too. Acupuncture and sage tablets helped me enormously. Find a good acupuncturist - if you're into that sort of thing - and keep going back to her/him.
Giving up sugar and coffee also helped me.

I sweat when I get very hot, of course.

I'm just saying even though I get hot at night, it's not hot enough to sweat. I assume that the sertraline working.

The Dr. gave me an information sheet regarding a holistic approach to the menopause which was pretty much the usual good advice regarding diet, exercise, sleep well, relax.

I'm 5 years in but hopefully going on HRT soon. I have been OK, terrible night sweats I have a fan on all night every night. Thankfully I don't have any during the day anymore. Can recommend getting a rechargeable fan, plenty of Spanish paper fans. And a good one for the bedroom I have a dyson cool me as its the only one that doesn't bother my DH. I didn't find any alternative therapies worked at all.

Me. I had a hysterectomy and one ovary removed almost 9 years ago, I started having symptoms about a year later but didn’t go onto hrt. I had some hot flushes and anxiety but am pretty much through it now

I’m mid 50s

Me. Heavy periods during peri and night sweats and some insomnia. Haven’t had a period for several months now, late last year was the last one, about Oct I think. I get occasional night sweats and that’s it, sleep back to normal.

So lucky to have sailed through without HRT. Sure I got hot and sweaty and woke up in the night but honestly it really didn't bother me. I remember being really itchy and not realising that was one of the symptoms.

I do get hot (mostly at night in bed) but sometimes during the day. I love hot weather - you have less clothes on so if you get hot it is not so bad! For me anyway; some people may disagree and say when it is hotter, they are even worse?!

Me. My male GP refused HRT on the grounds that I had to learn to deal with it. That was about 10 years ago. I think he’s a bit more enlightened now as he did prescribe for my sister.
In my case I tried various supplements, turned up the weight bearing exercise to help with calcium loss, and kept a symptom diary- as in ‘ chocolate, alcohol, fun = night of hot flushes; ‘ yoga, oatmeal, quiet book’ = better sleep. And I got a ceiling fan.

Me. Had a hysterectomy at 48 (ovaries remained) and started the menopause 2 years later. It was rough in parts (joint pains and brain fog) but HRT isn't routinely prescribed here in Portugal and it was never bad enough to go private. It took about 3 years for the symptoms to fade and now 5 years on the other side.

Me, no problems. Occasional hot flush, nothing I worry about particularly

Me, no need for HRT during my natural menopause though I wasn’t against the idea. I had no real symptoms at all apart from vaginal atrophy ( sounds worse than it is) so the GP prescribed localised vaginal estrogen treatments which helped. No hot flushes, night sweats at all, well past my menopause now.

I did. Had some night sweats, hot flushes and my anxiety levels increased (although I think that was worse in peri before I realised what was going on). I found that magnesium helped me enormously - tablets and magnesium oil on my legs at night.

It's not just the symptoms of the menopause though is it? HRT helps prevent osteoporosis and heart disease.amongst other things.

If there's a medical reason why you can't take it, fair enough, but it's beneficial otherrwise.

Me and I had/have every symptom going. HRT didn’t agree with me and did nothing for any of my symptoms - made me feel worse. I manage by taking Vit B6 Bcomplex, magnesium, vit D and evening primrose oil.

Yes. I really regret it. I had a miserable time and have osteoporosis and various other problems. My sister has HRT and is still running round like a spring chicken in her early 60s. I wasn't offered it and she was. I wish I had known then what I know now.

@beguilingeyes

It's not just the symptoms of the menopause though is it? HRT helps prevent osteoporosis and heart disease.amongst other things.

If there's a medical reason why you can't take it, fair enough, but it's beneficial otherrwise.

Not necessarily. Not over 30-40 years. If you have an early menopause and will be without benefit of menstrusl hormones for 50, 60 or even 70 years, that’s different. But for a normal woman who hits the menopause at a normal age and has a normal life span, HRT is not beneficial in that way

Had Merina coil fitted mid 40s when I was peri, due to out of control periods, then removed 5 years later and no periods since then.
Nights sweats have been bad since mid 40s and still are (55 now).
Anxiety worse at night but manageable overall.
Sleep is pretty rubbish - wake up 10/12 times and have bouts of being awake usually around 3ish for an hour or so.
Occasionally take the odd cod liver oil, turmeric, glucosamine but I'm crap at remembering to take them.
Apart from that I'm fine.
Luckily didn't experience the emotional roller-coaster but know many who did and HRT was brilliant for them .

I did, but there again I am not one for running to the doctor's even if it were possible to get an appointment.
I think my last period was at age 57, I would say I certainly became more anxious and hot flushes at times. Apart from that I just got on with it as you do I suppose