Anyone choosing NOT to use HRT?

[WandaWomblesaurus73]

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

@Topseyt It's worth doing some reading into taking calcium supplements. I was listening to a top former bone specialist (rheumatologist) online and he says that supplements of calcium tend to do more harm than good. There is evidence they cause deposits of calcium in the arteries (and block them) compared to getting calcium in food. This was also reported in the press a few years ago.

@WandaWomblesaurus73

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've never taken a regular multivitamin, so can't answer that. I have decided to take the menopace calcium because the drop in hormone levels during and after the menopause is believed to be a trigger for osteoporosis, which has affected my own mother quite badly. So I thought I should do something at least. However, risking bringing back bleeding when the purpose of my Zoladex injections was to stop it seemed dappy to me. That is how I arrived at my decision.

I did try a mirena coil and had it in for 13 months. I bled heavily for most of that time so I got rid of it and would rather have a hysterectomy than ever repeat it. Didn't work out for me.

@WandaWomblesaurus73

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?

Tiger

You'd have to try it and see if it comes to the point you feel you want to.

Personally, I think most of the meno supplements are a complete waste of money. If you read the labels, the amount of whatever in them is tiny, and you can get most of it from food.

[quote JinglingHellsBells]@Topseyt It's worth doing some reading into taking calcium supplements. I was listening to a top former bone specialist (rheumatologist) online and he says that supplements of calcium tend to do more harm than good. There is evidence they cause deposits of calcium in the arteries (and block them) compared to getting calcium in food. This was also reported in the press a few years ago.[/quote]
Thanks, I'm sort of aware of that, but don't really think that anything else seems likely to work for me

Well… no it’s not inevitable otherwise every woman would be on it and it wouldn’t be an ongoing issue for so many women to get some. But, nothing in life is inevitable other than death and taxes ;)

I certainly don’t think it’s inevitable for every woman. I know several in their late 50/60’s who have sailed through without any additional help. Unfortunately I’m not sure if I will be one of those lucky ladies, I am almost 49 and often feel like crap but atm that has mainly been because of my horrendously heavy periods and subsequent awful anaemia.
On a side note can I ask if you had any side effects from the mirena? The gynaecologists keep pushing it at me but some of the reports of awful side effects have put me off especially as it’s something inside you which you can just stop taking if there are any adverse side effects.

@Topseyt I feel quite worried for you. At the moment you are in the same place any women whose periods have stopped at 55. Have you seen a specialists about your risk of osteo as it is hereditary? At the most basic, you must have a DEXA scan of your bones now and then use that as a base line for more scans every 2 years. Then if your bone density falls a lot you can decide on what's best then. Some form of HRT may suit you and ones like Tibolone are 'no bleed' and used for women at risk of osteo.

Calcium alone does not stop osteoporosis. That's a myth.

At the moment it's not for me. I've had no symptoms whatsoever during peri. I would consider it at some point though.

Do we normally have hormones made from yams circulating in our bodies? I have a feeling that's not the usual definition of "natural"

Anyway, OP, just see how it goes? Be open-minded -- isn't it marvelous that modern medicine can help us avoid so many unpleasant experiences.

I'm mid50s and not even had peri so I can confidently say "HRT is not inevitable" but that's almost irrelevant to you personally, your experience is unique. Good to not rule anything in or out if you don't have to.

ps: I also had bad reaction to The Pill in my 20s, I understand that aversion!

I'm 60, and started the menopause around 45. Never used HRT - never felt the need to.

I did go through some horrendous nights when I sweated so much my pjs would be soaking, and I had to change the sheets every few days, also hot flushes.

My periods just stopped. Right at the beginning I had one huge flood while I was at work (embarrassing), and had a D&C afterwards, but that was pretty much the end of them.

Any side effects of the menopause are well worth it for the benefit of not having periods ever again.

My mum went through menopause without hrt I think she just couldn't be bothered going to see the gp about it.

I’m peri right now and I have no intention of taking HRT.

First, it makes no sense to me that we need to take something for a natural process.

Second, I have a really bad history with awful side-effects from hormones and don’t see any reason to take the risk of dealing with that again.

Do we normally have hormones made from yams circulating in our bodies? I have a feeling that's not the usual definition of "natural

If you want to take issue with it, look at the same comments online by menopause specialists which is where this info comes from- the science :)

It's the molecular structure that is identical.

So if you looked at the structure of estrogen from your ovaries and that of body-identical estrogen they would be the same.

@Blossom64265

I’m peri right now and I have no intention of taking HRT.

First, it makes no sense to me that we need to take something for a natural process.

Second, I have a really bad history with awful side-effects from hormones and don’t see any reason to take the risk of dealing with that again.

Might make no sense to you but for some1 with awful symptoms it would make perfect sense

I am 56. In the last few months I think I have finally hit menopause. I wouldn't go near HRT because I don't want to treat this perfectly normal stage of life as an "illness". Plus, wouldn't want to risk the return of bleeding with HRT. Mind you, I haven't seen a GP for nearly 20 years as I don't want to waste doctors' time.

I'm 57 and haven't felt the need to use HRT. I'm postmenopausal now and I'm feeling great, apart from a few aches and pains.

I had a Mirena put in to calm down my heavy and erratic periods in my mid 40s, and never had another period. Yay!

My other main menopause symptom was that I used to overheat a lot, though not actually get flushes. It was like my inner thermostat changed. I started taking Menopace and, coincidence or not, the over heating reduced a lot within a couple of weeks. I now take the one with additional calcium, and make sure I have calcium rich foods in my diet.

I also take soy isoflavones (from Boots) a vitamin D supplement and zinc. It's anecdotal of course, I'm aware I'm just a sample of one, but for me they work.

I do use topical oestrogen for vaginal atrophy (oh, the joys) but that is essential treatment if you suffer from it.

I wouldn't rule out HRT if I felt the need, but I haven't and I'm doing fine. I realise that compared to many women I've had a fairly easy menopause and I'm grateful for that. If your symptoms are mild then supplements have their place, as does HRT if you want or need it. We are very fortunate to have options.

'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?'

It varies massively. Some women manage fine without, some don't. Reading this board some women do tend to over analyse and seem to put every grievance and gripe done to 'peri' when it may well just be life in general. I think women should see how it goes and ask for hrt if issues become intolerable.

I've always thought taking hormones when we don't need them isn't a good idea. It isn't like insulin or other medication, hrt does come with risks. However I balance that up with thinking most of us took the pill for years without thinking of the risk of clots so some perspective is needed.

Women who can't take HRT can use other methods to manage unwanted symptoms of the menopause. From personal experience I recommend yoga, diet, and oral evening primrose oil.

Back then I could get EPO on an NHS prescription; now you'd have to buy your own supply.

i'm post menopausal. I had a mirena coil in until after menopause completed. I had a very easy menopause - some sweats and heating (and complete inability to lose weight!) but that was it. I was lucky. It didn't affect me much at all so I didn't look for nor was I prescribed HRT. If I had symptoms I would have talked to my doctor about them and possible solutions including HRT. Many of my friends are happily taking HRT and my mother took it for years - but she had a very early menopause.

I'm not sure why you wouldn't wait and see what your menopause is like and react then - sounds like your doctor is open to HRT if you need it.

@Chunkymenrock

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

Absolutely! Had an interesting conversation with my consultant who believes that being on HRT will become the norm because of the huge health advantages.

I’m not and am 47

But not sure I’m peri anyway. Periods normal so far

I feel good these days, think it was the pandemic more than anything getting to me

@JinglingHellsBells I did have a dexa scan about 5 years ago following a badly fractured arm. It was OK, though may need repeating in future.

I may quiz my GP about tibolone the next time I speak to him. I've looked it up and see that it does have a much reduced (but not eliminated) risk of bringing bleeding back. My bleeding was extremely traumatic (caused mainly by fibroids and exacerbated by a mirena coil that my current gynaecologist says should never have been inserted). Hence my reluctance.

I'm keen to reduce the possibility of osteoporosis if I can, but there must be no bleeding.

I don't know how much of my mother's osteoporosis (and osteoarthritis) is due to her being post menopause (86 now) or to her always having been a very heavy smoker. I have never smoked.

Anyway, all will be up for discussion over the next few months as my next appointment with the gynaecologist is at the end of March, which is to check on where the Zoladex injections have left us.

Age 65. Periods stopped about 55. Can't really remember exact age. Never took HRT. Never any symptoms of anything. No night sweats or anything.

Are you a doctor JinglingHellsBells? Just curious as you seem to answer a lot of posts on HRT?

Reading this board some women do tend to over analyse and seem to put every grievance and gripe done to 'peri' when it may well just be life in general.
I agree with this. It's almost an extension of periods and the tendency to put everything down to hormones. Obviously sometimes it is.

HRT -There are pros and cons.
I chose not to. I had a Mirena coil which worked very well for me but was reluctant to use HRT because of the breast cancer risk. Also I had migraines with the pill.
I know it's small risk but I decided on balance I could manage. I had a couple of difficult years of hot flushes but that was the only symptom really.

In hindsight - well I was wrong. I got breast cancer anyway plus osteoporosis. So perhaps HRT might have helped prevent the osteoporosis?

It is surprising so many of you don't realise that the symptoms of menopause you know about are only the tip of the iceberg. Hot flushes, mood swings etc.are usually only in the early stages. The life changing debilitating results of the menopause kick in after 10 years or more when osteoporosis, prolapse, incontinence, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, loss of libido and extreme aging amongst other things start to show themselves.
I have been on HRT for 30+ years and have been assumed to be the daughter of several of my peers when accompanying them to medical appointments. Listening to their worries about broken bones, stress incontinence, prolapse and husbands leaving them for younger sexually more active models is so sad especially as medical advances allow the well informed to avoid it.
Open your minds. Research the LONG TERM EFFECTS OF OESTROGEN DEFICIENCY. HRT is as much a lifesaver as insulin is for diabetics.