Feeling rubbish, HRT or not?

[Shallysally]

So, I’m post menopause, age 50 and 2 years since last period.
So far symptoms haven’t been so bad, I’ve managed with exercise, good diet, supplements and fans!

These last few months I’ve been having real brain fog, feeling low, sore joints and not sleeping well at all. I can’t remember the last time I slept for more than 2/3 hours in a stretch.

I’ve spoken previously with GP about HRT, she advised against it due to family history, maternal grandmother had breast cancer.
Also, when she was talking about the risks, ovarian cancer risk was mentioned, it was a while ago though so don’t really remember the conversation.

I’m fairly fit, weight is ok, just fed up of feeling rubbish. I’m on high dose vit D as level is low, but I feel this is more than that.

I’d really welcome any advice re symptoms and if I should seek a second opinion ion re the HRT.

Wish I could help but wanted to chip in and Say "I feel ya".
I'd also be interested in the replies you might get on this xx

Ah thank you @DaesieMay

It’s horrid isn’t it? I can deal with the sleep, or lack of. But it’s the knock on effect on energy and mood

I am 56 and on HRT and it's been great for me. I don't sleep well still - wake every couple of hours needing a wee generally - and I do have really vivid dreams but I did before the HRT as well.

However, it has stopped the hot flushes, the panic attacks, the feeling of utter dread, the feeling I might burst into tears over nothing. Altogether I feel stable and myself again.

Thank you @MadMadMadamMim. Yes to the feeling of bursting into tears. I’m a bit sensitive but blimey, one wrong word and I’m off

Can I ask please, will it help with being too hot in this heat? I was already warm last night, and was washing up, had a full on hot flush from having my hands in the hot water, crazy

Right now I feel like having a decent quality of life, because that’s essentially what HRT gives us, outweighs the small higher risk of developing cancer. I know that opinion isn’t for everyone though.

I think it's worth having another conversation with your GP or seeking a second opinion. I'm with you on the small risk v actual decent quality of life! Yes it should help with feeling hot in this weather. There's loads of helpful advice on the Menopause boards and lots of people recommending YouTube Dr videos...Davina McCall did a programme that was apparently excellent...I didn't watch because I find her irritating and I feel like my menopause issues are all sorted and fine but it may be worth checking out.

I can only speak from a personal perspective but I genuinely feel - both physically and emotionally - the way I did in my 30s pre menopause. I'm fatter...don't have the figure I did then 😁 but I have the same mental stability and energy if that makes sense. I just feel myself again and not some hot, shaky hormonal mess. Good luck!

Thank you @MadMadMadamMim, I’ve booked a GP appointment for next week. Done a lot of reading and if GP is still reluctant to prescribe I think I’m going to go down the private prescription route.

Hope it makes a difference to you. It's worth a try at least, I think.😊

What age was your DGM when she had breast cancer? I believe its only a risk if she was young. If she was older then it doesn't count.

I think HRT would help with your symptoms, just depends on what your other risk factors are and now high risk they are.

Good luck with the Doctor.

DGM was diagnosed in her 70’s. Thank you for the info, I’ll have a google and see what I can read about age.

Thank you, really hoping she will listen and consider any options!

To repeat what I just wrote on another post … I had terrible fatigue before I was put on the right HRT regime. It got to the point where I could barely climb the stairs, and I had awful brain fog, wasn’t getting refreshing sleep, felt anxious all the time and all my muscles, joints and glands always ached. I lost my job because of how incapacitated I became. I even got diagnosed with ME at one point, the symptoms I had were so similar. But it turned out to be all hormone related and after a lot of trial and error with adjusting my type and dose of HRT I’m finally better (or near enough).

Glad you are feeling better Pegs, what regime are you currently on HRT wise now?

I've no direct experience but have heard a lot about how the link of HRT to cancer was from misleading and since retracted studies.

Have a look at this website: https://www.menopausedoctor.co.uk

Dr Newsom also has this booklet

This was also discussed on this podcast recently, with the authors of the book Oestrogen Matters: open.spotify.com/episode/5xJQhIco6xXrr5w6j75T36?si=uMavuu3iRmW9uLu9H4ewOw&dl_branch=1

Good luck finding help

@BlitzenandMikey I’m now on Evorel gel, 4 pumps, twice daily, and I had a coil fitted in December as I was intolerant of the progesterone pessaries. I went through surgical menopause aged 32, now 41 and only recently got the right help to find the right HRT regime for me. It’s made a massive difference to my life. Can I add that I owe a huge debt of gratitude to @jinglinghellsbells who steered me in the right direction on this forum!

If it's mainly the night time symptoms that are bothering you, and you can't do HRT, try an antihistamine at night. Not the day time ones like loratadine, try a Piriton or a Cetirizine. A lot of those symptoms are far worse on no sleep. I had to coincidentally start taking nightly antihistamines for a severe allergy and it totally lessened my menopause symptoms.

Other thing to try (during the day, with a meal) is Magnesium Glycinate.

I'm not sure which one is working better so I darent stop either!

@Pegs11 that’s great news! Im so glad you are on the right regime. It does make a huge difference once you get there. I’m still in the process of trying to reach optimum dose, but am not giving in!!

@Jinglinghellsbells is ace. A real person of knowledge and experience! 👍👍👍

Shallysally - hi. Can I ask if you're GP won't prescribe HRT, would you ask to be referred privately or some other way?
This is so helpful to me and I agree about Jinglinghellsbells!

Thank you

I have found HRT has been marvellous. I had rage, brain fog, and was gaining weigh in my stomach. My mother had breast cancer, and I've still been told HRT is safe. I did go private - my GP was reluctant in general.

I have given up most alcohol - I went from a glass of wine a day to about a glass twice a month with a special meal. I exercise every day. I am slowly chipping away at the stone I gained in lockdown. Those things will lower my cancer risk more than HRT will increase it.

HRT is amazing.

Blimey @Pegs11, your symptoms almost mirror mine. So glad you are on the right treatment and feeling better

@HappyThursdays, I understand what you mean about if the day symptoms are more dominant due to lack of sleep.
I feel as though they are always there to some extent, although sleep definitely factors in.
I did take a Nytol Friday night and last night, slept a few hours but night sweats were horrendous. I don’t honestly know, but I can’t carry on feeling like this.
I do take Magnesium every day, it does help, I can definitely tell when I’ve forgotten to take it for a couple of days!

@Trampoline11, yes I will. I will of course listen to what her rationale is for not prescribing. I’ve done more reading this weekend, and obviously the increased risk of ovarian and breast cancer are to be thought about, but so are the protective factors that HRT offer, along with a better quality of life now. I’m 50, and feel like I’ve aged 10 years in the last 2.

@TupilaLilium, thanks for your advice! I agree, re weight. I could do to lose a few pounds and this will be the incentive I feel

Great to hear that there’s some hope of feeling more stable emotionally and physically, with treatment. I’m finding the long battle against my GP saying I am not menopausal yet so there’s nothing for me to worry about, really dispiriting. I have just approached someone about an assessment privately because I don’t want to waste any more time feeling shit, exhausted and miserable and not doing anything about it.

Was going to suggest the Menopause Doctor, which another poster has already mentioned.

My own GP told me that HRT is treating a hormone deficiency, which was a really great way of looking at it!

Am on patches but think I will ask to be switched to gel as my skin is not loving the patches.

@Fishflakes what is your GP basing that on? If you are over 45 the guidelines for GP’s are that they treat symptoms rather than blood results.

@ilovemydogandmrobama2, yes, that’s how I view menopause!

This is how I feel. I really feel like I have aged overnight and feeling so down in myself. I have an appointment with GP Wednesday and I really want HRT my symptoms are debilitating and it's affecting my work. I am really worried that at 44 I will be told I can't be peri menopausal. I can't cope with these symptoms. I do take menopace not sure how much magnesium is in that but have heard lots of positive things about it.

I was perimenopausal at age 45. Ask for some bloods if GP says that you can’t be peri.
I take Boots brand black cohosh, a vitamin b complex and magnesium. I’ve tried different supplements but these have helped manage the symptoms until last few months.
Good luck!

Little update. So GP has prescribed combination HRT in tablet form and has booked me for a review in a month.

She was concerned re breast cancer on maternal side, and I’m sure she wasn’t going to prescribe it but I just broke down, so yeah, that was great

I said that I feel like I’m an old woman, mood is affected as low energy to exercise, said I don’t want anti depressants as not clinically depressed, it’s a combination of symptoms.
She mentioned Clonidine but I’ve taken that before.

So see how this goes. I am worried re the increased risks but I need to feel better now, not to live like this in case develop breast cancer when it’s more likely my wine intake will contribute to that anyway

I can really recommend Jane Pangbourne's page HRT Truth Collective on FB, lots of factual information and very reassuring