Anyone choosing NOT to use HRT?

[WandaWomblesaurus73]

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

I will be looking into the evidence further. And assessing it as best I can. And I do appreciate the links - just not the drama.

I think a lot of the apparent evangelism comes from the frustration that many women feel at the state of women's healthcare in the UK.

There are just so many debilitating and miserable conditions that are dismissed as "women's lot" or other variations of "normal for women". Even being taken seriously is a complete lottery in the UK.

The fact that many can be treated and improve women's lives will make those who have benefited do want to share that info and frustration. That was the driver behind a lot of Emma Barnett's writing on endometriosis.

I find it interesting to contrast the hesitations and resistance to HRT (not natural), lack of help for endometriosis (just bad periods) and menhorrhagia (ditto), the dismissal of many immune conditions which disproportionately affect women with the enthusiasm for rolling out hormonal contraception in the 60s. The latter was wanted by women but in a key driver which pushed over the moral objections (loose women) was the potential to stop feckless poor women over breeding.

Wherever you look for the research, its always worth keeping the lens of women's rights well polished.

@C8H10N4O2

I will be looking into the evidence further. And assessing it as best I can. And I do appreciate the links - just not the drama.

I think a lot of the apparent evangelism comes from the frustration that many women feel at the state of women's healthcare in the UK.

There are just so many debilitating and miserable conditions that are dismissed as "women's lot" or other variations of "normal for women". Even being taken seriously is a complete lottery in the UK.

The fact that many can be treated and improve women's lives will make those who have benefited do want to share that info and frustration. That was the driver behind a lot of Emma Barnett's writing on endometriosis.

I find it interesting to contrast the hesitations and resistance to HRT (not natural), lack of help for endometriosis (just bad periods) and menhorrhagia (ditto), the dismissal of many immune conditions which disproportionately affect women with the enthusiasm for rolling out hormonal contraception in the 60s. The latter was wanted by women but in a key driver which pushed over the moral objections (loose women) was the potential to stop feckless poor women over breeding.

Wherever you look for the research, its always worth keeping the lens of women's rights well polished.

Very wise post

@JaniieJones

'I find some of the posters who seem quite ‘anti hrt’ a bit like that Netflix film Don’t look up.There is so much info out there - books, websites etc that seem to now favour hrt or explain clearly the pros and cons but some posters keep saying ‘where’s the evidence’.

Often conflicting info. I posted upthread a study that claimed hrt can increase the risk of prolapse. No one commented. So which do we believe, those that say it reduces risk or those that say it increases the risk?

We want consistent believable advice. Not from clinicians with private clinics but from clinicians who can also interpret data but don't have a financial interest in it. That would be unbiased. The BMS article was ok but it was more general advice not actual stats from long term hrt users.

I'm absolutely pro choice obviously and am interested to hear stories from both hrt users and none hrt users, but you must be able to see the tone of some of the pro hrt posters can be incredibly patronising. It will put others off contributing or asking questions. We don't want to be told 'Google it'. Don't come on a forum if that's the attitude.

That sounds like the vaccination comments tbh. Scientists tell us it’s prob best to take it, someone pops up saying it’s not good for certain people and round in circles we go.

Hrt is approved for medical use. It’s manufactured on a massive scale. Yes I’d like more research and ever evolving products and better communications on it. But it’s not some woo-woo thing that hasn’t had the research.

JinglingHellsBells

“I am very happy to give facts, figures and links to posters who are at a cross roads themselves about HRT and who find GPs unhelpful.

I am not impressed, by posters who join in these threads yet it's never for their own personal information or circumstances, as they have already made up their minds that HRT is not for them.

It's easy to see who is genuinely in need help and info and those are just 'coming along for the ride”

@JinglingHellsBells, it is your attitude and that of a few others which creates the often dismissive attitude on these threads.
Did YOU even read the OP initial question?? She was asking for info from people who had NOT taken hormone medication.
Yet somehow you attempt to turn this into another flounce off because shock horror many women either don’t need or don’t want steroids and say so.
You are very invested in HRT . That’s your prerogative. Please allow other views to exist here too

@lljkk

This new ‘pro hrt’ movement/discussion is only a couple of years old.

Couple = 2, right?
Is PP saying nobody was pro-HRT before 2019???

Except on MN in 2009.
Or on BBC in 2002
Or in the Newspapers in 1996

But sure, play a "Woe is me nobody was talking about HRT or told me I might like it" card if that makes you happy.

Somewhere I actually HAVE a 1970s edition of Our Bodies Our Selves. I'll try to find it to see what it says about HRT.

Great! So people can read up on it!

So many women come on these threads and say ‘where’s the research/evidence’.

Plenty out there.

I do think the movement is ‘new’ in terms of tv coverage and the new NICE guidelines. Certainly the massive recent uptake reflects that.

Of course if someone makes a bold claim such as

‘Even if you think you’ve sailed through if you haven’t’

Then people will ask for background to that.

If posters say go find it, it’s out there etc, fine up to them.

I’ll take it off thread, find more nuance elsewhere - BMS has an approach which recognises individual solutions

Great if some get symptom relief btw but that doesn’t apply to everyone and that group may well be more focussed on preventative part and evidence behind it.

DD is fairly obsessed with the copy of Our Bodies Ourselves & took it to Uni so I can't look inside. She says the Menopause chapter is 10 pages long. I remember reading & rereading that book avidly as a child (but probably not the menop chapter too closely).

There is a whole 2007 OBO volume about Menopause available, < £7 delivered.

Well said @bulletjournalfail I've given up posting on these threads because they get hijacked every single time.

Surely it's okay to discuss alternatives to HRT on these boards, JaneJeffer?!

@ArabellaScott

Surely it's okay to discuss alternatives to HRT on these boards, JaneJeffer?!

Yes of course it's ok but it's impossible because you will be told HRT is the only answer. I think you took my post up wrong @ArabellaScott

I have to say that someone down thread bringing up the anti vaxers as equivalent to HRT unwanters is imo very off

Anti vaxers go against mainstream scientists and existing processes... the NHS

The existing process and NHS says nothing about people experiencing menopause over 50 with no symptoms needing to consider HRT

In its advice to those who have early menopause it says it's good to take HRT to protect your bones but you can stop when you reach ~51

I am not impressed, by posters who join in these threads yet it's never for their own personal information or circumstances, as they have already made up their minds that HRT is not for them.

You may not be impressed, but the original post asks this:
Does anyone feel that HRT isn't for them or feel happier without it?

Is there a reason why, to your mind, people aren't allowed to answer the original question?

I have to say that someone down thread bringing up the anti vaxers as equivalent to HRT unwanters is imo very off

There's been plenty of off!

you will be told HRT is the only answer

seems to be so, yes. Really odd.

It might be helpful to have a thread that explored alternatives to HRT really, for those who either don't want to go down that path at this stage, or who simply want to look at alternatives.

Someone started one a few years back @MrBIobby. It ended up the same as this one.

That's disappointing. It would actually be helpful to have some alternative advice.

I’m 51, had my last period over a year ago, suffer night sweats but have no intention of starting HRT at the moment.

The nhs does make suggestions

Nothing too radical , diet , losing weight , exercise and sunlight./vitamin d etc

Personal experience, I was waking and getting hot in the night ( not sheets soaked territory ) but cutting sugar drastically seems to have cured that

I think if you have lots or bad symptoms HRT can be a life saver

I do all those suggestions but I’m not sure if it’s preventative enough even if it helps with symptoms

Which is why I posted really, if it was just symptoms I’d not be interested as not relevant

I think the main problem is extreme tiredness. Aside from trying to get a good night's sleep, what other solutions are there? 🤔

Why does HRT cause such division?

If you take it and it's wonderful and life changing and all the rest of it then great.

If you don't take it either by choice or for medical reasons and you are thriving or even just doing ok without, then surely that's great too?

IT'S A PERSONAL THING. One of the most personal things in the entire female life span. But there are myriad reasons why some of us don't go down the HRT route. It doesn't mean we're stupid or lacking in education or information. It just means that for one reason or another it wasn't for us.

Why does that invariably turn into a massive great big barney on Mumsnet?

Well said, Jitters.

I suspect some women feel like they are "cheating" if they get HRT -- like they aren't real women or something if they have HRT. (which is obviously daft thinking) And then you get the HRT evangelicals who insinuate "You're doing terrible things to yourself if you don't take HRT!" (which is very annoying).

omg, just try a bit of "Live & Let Live" folks. Would go a long way.

@lljkk

Well said, Jitters.

I suspect some women feel like they are "cheating" if they get HRT -- like they aren't real women or something if they have HRT. (which is obviously daft thinking) And then you get the HRT evangelicals who insinuate "You're doing terrible things to yourself if you don't take HRT!" (which is very annoying).

omg, just try a bit of "Live & Let Live" folks. Would go a long way.

Thanks @lljkk

I have a friend in real life of the same age, who at the first sign of peri was straight onto HRT, whereas I didn't end up taking it for reasons I explained earlier in the thread.

Every time I complain about anything - sore leg, cough, headache, feeling a bit down, it's apparently because I'm not on HRT.
I've learned not to say anything anymore in regard to my health or emotions because I know what the response will be.

Meanwhile if she complains about feeling fat, tired, achey, depressed etc. I resist the temptation to say "Really, in spite of your HRT?"

We are all so very different, we all react to things in such different ways, our bodies, our attitudes, our circumstances, our genes and hereditary characteristics, what works for you won't necessarily work for me and just multiply that by billions - all the women in the world.

How can one argument be right - either way?

*If you take it and it's wonderful and life changing and all the rest of it then great.

If you don't take it either by choice or for medical reasons and you are thriving or even just doing ok without, then surely that's great too?

IT'S A PERSONAL THING. One of the most personal things in the entire female life span. But there are myriad reasons why some of us don't go down the HRT route. It doesn't mean we're stupid or lacking in education or information. It just means that for one reason or another it wasn't for us.*

This should be a sticky at the top of the menopause section!

Sorry bold fail!