Anyone choosing NOT to use HRT?

[WandaWomblesaurus73]

Does anyone feel that HRT isn't for them or feel happier without it?

Is this for your workplace survey like your other post? Or for you? :)

This one is for ME. Currently peri menopausal at 49 with the mirena coil.

My GP is implying that HRT is inevitable - is it so?

@WandaWomblesaurus73

My GP is implying that HRT is inevitable - is it so?

How surprising! Many women here are desperately trying to get their GPs to prescribe it.

What's this GP's rationale?
How do you feel?

It's been casual conversations as I've been going in for various ovarian issues in the last year - I've had endometriosis for thirty years.

The GP is lovely - but he always says "when you take HRT" or "Eventually you'll want HRT."

Will I want HRT? I suppose how I feel about it is that why would I need it if our bodies are meant to go through menopause as a natural process. But I don't know enough about it (or my own symptoms yet!) to know.

Love my HRT. Dunno if that's helpful 🤷

@WandaWomblesaurus73

My GP is implying that HRT is inevitable - is it so?

Really? I've had the complete opposite with three GPs in a row from 2013-2022.

I don't get on well with the pill etc - so him saying this makes me pause. So normally is it a struggle to get prescribed HRT? I wonder if he's thinking of it because I have crippling endo.

Because I'm doing the menopause research for work I've started to look at my own health and I'm so upset that I actually know nothing about my body in this respect.

Playing Devil's Advocate @WandaWomblesaurus73, it could be argued that having a Mirena is not 'natural' and women should just carry on having more children or heavy periods, both of which are completely natural.

You could argue that all kinds of things are a natural process including every single disease there is.
Some will be just unpleasant, others will kill you.

Many women have menopause symptoms for decades. They can't function at work or at home. But this is all 'natural' so just accept it?

(Just putting another view here :) )

The Pill is not HRT- they are very different substances. HRT is the same as our own hormones.

And anyway- your body has a constant 'drip' of synthetic hormones in from the Mirena. Some women would refuse that.

@JinglingHellsBells

Playing Devil's Advocate *@WandaWomblesaurus73*, it could be argued that having a Mirena is not 'natural' and women should just carry on having more children or heavy periods, both of which are completely natural.

You could argue that all kinds of things are a natural process including every single disease there is.
Some will be just unpleasant, others will kill you.

Many women have menopause symptoms for decades. They can't function at work or at home. But this is all 'natural' so just accept it?

(Just putting another view here :) )

Yeah it's definitely not a judgement on anyone else - more a thing that is in my head. I had the coil put in two years ago having not used the pill since my twenties - at the time he said that it would be the last coil I could have and it would have a benefit for the endo and possible peri menopause. It actually has stopped the impossible heavy bleeding and it feels much better than the pill in my twenties which just made me mentally really unwell. This is really well tolerated.

If you decide to use HRT you can use the Mirena (4 years it lasts as HRT) alongside estrogen.

I am 55. I have recently finished a 6 month course of Zoladex which has hopefully shut down my rather stubborn ovaries and tipped me into menopause. It was to stop my heavy flooding periods, which were becoming serious haemorrhages.

So far I am not taking HRT. I have read up on it a fair bit and as far as I can see most of it lists the return of bleeding as a potential side effect. That would be very much the opposite to what I have been trying to achieve, so I don't want to take it no matter what other menopause symptoms I get.

I'm taking daily Menooace Calcium and hoping that will be sufficient. Fine so far.

HRT has significant protective health benefits, so it is certainly worth considering by all women.

I definitely don't think anyone struggling should not have HRT. It absolutely changed my mums life. My question was more one of what happens if you don't and can it be managed in anyway without so that a woman can thrive?

When I took the pill in my twenties - we tried three different types and I was almost suicidal by the end as they made my moods go haywire. I also tend to get side effects from antibiotics etc for instance and end up with rashes often from other meds. So I suppose my fear is about not being able to tolerate additions. The Mirena so far has actually helped and been good - I was so reluctant to try it but I was flooding the house like the Shining so something had to be done and I'm glad I took the risk.

Menopace

@JinglingHellsBells

If you decide to use HRT you can use the Mirena (4 years it lasts as HRT) alongside estrogen.

This is good to know - because the Mirena works well for me. What would extra oestrogen tiger feel like I wonder.

I tried it a few years ago and had to stop as constant headaches. I won't be trying any again as it only prolongs the symptoms as they can come back once off HRT as a second menopause. No thanks.

Tiger? Don't know how that slipped in!
Yes I have just bought some Menopace Plus - do I use it in place of my regular multivitamin?

I don’t take HRT. I’m 55 and have not had a period for a year, relatively regular before that.
I can be meno symptom free if I’m clever with my diet. Christmas indulgence has me overheating and finding everything stressful and overwhelming. I’m back in my stride now and it’s all settling.
The main thing for me is cutting out sugar, it sends to have the most impact in terms of disrupting hormones and giving symptoms.

@Chunkymenrock

HRT has significant protective health benefits, so it is certainly worth considering by all women.

My understanding is that you can only get HRT if you have symptoms. Is that right? So if I have no symptoms, or symptoms so mild I don't really notice them I can't get HRT purely for its protective health benefits?

And to answer the OP's question, I'm not taking HRT, been peri menopausal for a while, had some hot flashes (which for ages I thought was just the room suddenly getting a bit warm) and nights sweats, had some anxiety which I had CBT for. I now don't recall the last time I had a hot flash. I think I had a slight night sweat a couple of weeks ago, before that I think I had one a few months back. I don't have any troublesome symptoms that I want/need to get rid of so am not on HRT.

I have never liked the idea of putting artificial hormones/non essential drugs into my body, tendency to use natural remedies on occasions, so I have never used the contraceptive pill or coil and when I hit the menopause just went with the flow. Yes I had hot flushes and erratic periods but it was quite livable with and quite honestly best thing to happen to me. No periods is great!!! It is a natural process after all which women have been going through for ever without having to medicate.

I have never liked the idea of putting artificial hormones/non essential drugs into my body,

@Mossstitch HRT is not artificial hormones. The sort used is an exact replica of what you have in your body- and it's made from yams. It's Replacement therapy.

On the other hand, most medicines, used including common painkillers are artificial substances :)

@RichardMarxisinnocent It depends on the dr. One of the top consultant in the world/ UK is Nick Panay (just mentioning him as he's on record on a website podcast saying this!) and he says he does give women HRT for better health and to prevent some diseases, if they want it, having informed them of the pros and cons.