Anyone choosing NOT to use HRT?

[WandaWomblesaurus73]

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

[quote JinglingHellsBells]@Esspee It's interesting that you are a long term user. What's worked for you and (shhh...!) can I ask your age? You don't have to say![/quote]
Hi @JinglingHellsBells
I have no problem admitting to being 72, nearer to 73 actually. 😃

I had an unplanned hysterectomy at 40, my lovely surgeon popped an oestrogen implant in while sewing me up and I felt wonderful…until it started to wear off. I became an expert on the subject pretty quickly and with the help of some of the best doctors in the field I tried every type of transdermal oestrogen but much preferred the implant.
Twice a year I get a tiny pellet of oestrogen implanted under my skin, for the other 363 days of the year I do nothing. As a result I have no osteoporosis (which runs in my family) and I am in far better health than my peers who are not on HRT. The ones on HRT are noticeably happier and healthier.

I am on it for life.

I try to educate women to research their options. It may not be applicable for some because of e.g.a genetic predisposition, but the majority of women would have a much better quality of life on HRT.

@Quarks69 , I can only speak for myself and I had similar insomnia issues. I’d say it was the worst symptom of peri menopause for me.

The HRT patches helped the insomnia at first ( it didn’t last) but as I said above I then got new symptoms. Most particularly depression and fatigue ( like the worst PMT), some headaches.

I don’t have the insomnia issues any more.
But talk this over with some one medically trained .

@FoxyBadger You are incorrect. And I'd be grateful for you not inventing things and saying they are mine. The only times I say women must have HRT is if they have an early menopause or surgical menopause. This is medical advice and in the NICE guidance.
Nothing I say here is at odds with medical advice, available online on medical sites. Women can make their own minds up when they have the facts.

Nothing has presented itself during menopause that I've wanted to try hrt for.

@MrsLargeEmbodied

how long after the end of menstruation can a woman start hrt?

Some women go onto HRT as soon as the effects of lowered oestrogen levels become apparent. This can be years before their periods stop.

If you don't want to take it then don't.

Personally aside from the benefits to my peri menopausal symptoms I'm also delighted to have the chance at benefitting from reduced chance of osteoporosis and heart disease and maybe even dementia.

There are many many benefits to HRT for future health.

Personally I'm chuffed to get it

@Quarks69
Sorry I forgot to say the HRT also gave me severe breast pain.
Basically the progesterone in the HRT patches gave me PMT on steroids ( pun intended)

What I dislike is the evangelical attitude of some people towards HRT. Its not the answer to everything or for everyone and I found it quite devastating initually tbh when I realised that it wouldn't be for me. All the Davina stuff, some posters on here @JinglingHellsBells* in particular- suggest you MUST take HRT or you'll really suffer,etc.

Completely agree.

Every night for the last year I am awake with night sweats. It can take me ages to fall back to sleep. I worry that this lack of sleep is leading to cognitive issues, crap memory big time. I just want some sleeeeep.But will this go eventually

Yes it will go.
My hot flashes and night sweats were brutal for a year. Less so for the second year and eventually stopped.
Those were the only symptoms I had. The end of periods was bliss. No more PMS or heavy bleeding, sore breasts, bloating, mood swings - all gone.

So I guess HRT might have helped for a year. Don't people usually take it long term?

I feel confused about it

Some people do seem evangelical

Others positive

I’m not sure what to think. I’ve never taken the pill, and rarely other stuff and feel good atm but then I read posts and am not sure

@Espee,

"several" -> dictionary definition is 2 or 3, BBC definition is easily 43. What number did you mean?

Do you interrogate everyone you know about their HRT habit -- how do you know who is or isn't on it?

How did you accompany so many people to their medical appts in the last 2 Covid years?

If you look 25 yrs younger than them, why haven't you converted all your friends already?

I'd love some HRT but having had endometrial cancer, I'm finding it hard to get a Dr to prescribe it.

@catalice good question. I wonder how long the average person takes it for. If it as good as some women say, there’s that part of me (and probably a few on here) thinking what am I missing? The evangelicalness is not uncommon, so can’t be ignored. No reason for people to lie!

@CatAlice

What I dislike is the evangelical attitude of some people towards HRT. Its not the answer to everything or for everyone and I found it quite devastating initually tbh when I realised that it wouldn't be for me. All the Davina stuff, some posters on here @JinglingHellsBells* in particular- suggest you MUST take HRT or you'll really suffer,etc.

Completely agree.

Every night for the last year I am awake with night sweats. It can take me ages to fall back to sleep. I worry that this lack of sleep is leading to cognitive issues, crap memory big time. I just want some sleeeeep.But will this go eventually

Yes it will go.
My hot flashes and night sweats were brutal for a year. Less so for the second year and eventually stopped.
Those were the only symptoms I had. The end of periods was bliss. No more PMS or heavy bleeding, sore breasts, bloating, mood swings - all gone.

So I guess HRT might have helped for a year. Don't people usually take it long term?

yes! I was the same - I’d forgotten about the mood swings .

I have long wondered if it could be that women take HRT when symptoms are at their worst then continue on it when those symptoms would have ended anyway but they are unaware.
It’s personal choice of course but I’m seeing lots of posters listing other health benefits from HRT and as far as I know NICE does NOT recommend HRT as any kind of disease preventative (except for severe osteoporosis I think and obviously for premature menopause)

I'm confused too. Not had a period for 2 months (51) and never taken the pill, so very apprehensive about taking HRT. Feel good at the moment but sleep is not as good as it was and can get migraine type headaches around time of non-appearing period!

However, the benefits I hear about make me wonder even though I have lost weight and taken up the gym to improve my fitness.

Never wanted, or been offered HRT. Am more than happy without it. No issues so far and I’m way past peri menopause.

Well being slightly cynical, I can imagine that there is an subconscious bias in the male And young women dominated ranks Of Nice and the like.,...where even if HRT gave decades of good health, they might not want the nhs to fund it for millions of women, when they Prefer to see it as a natural part of aging.

The famous blue pills For impotence for the Men on the other hand are given out like candy. No word about natural aging effects there!!

Imagine if women ruled the world..there would be an automatic menopause health MOT for all women, so any queries could be reassured and we wouldn’t all be on here 😜

None of the women in my family took hrt and now in their 60/70s have bone fractures and heart meds. That scares me. My grandmothers lived into their 90s and that is a long time to manage health issues. I suspect for many of us it will be when we take meds rather than if. Hrt is prescribed for osteoporosis so if that’s an issue in your family it’s worth thinking about it. Also getting plenty of calcium in your diet of course

Aye, since terrible xperience with the pill I've sworn off every using any kind of hormone treatment, OP, so I hear you.

I'm using Vogel Menopause support pills and upping protein and avoiding sugary/carby food (a bit). And drinking LOTS of water. And epsom salts baths. So far seems to be working okay.

I got the 'Happy Menopause' book which has diet/lifestyle recs.

I do low carb and eat a fair bit of eggs, tuna, veg and drink almond milk daily so calcium in it . Might help a bit

I don’t want to make incorrect decision though if in twenty years I wish I had or something

@lljkk
I am probably the fittest of all my female friends, some of them have lost confidence driving and I am retired. I have been the go-to for assistance for many years through their divorces, widowhood and illnesses. I really don’t understand why you feel it necessary to make personal attacks.
Once the long term results of oestrogen deprivation show themselves through conditions such as prolapse or osteoporosis it is too late, it cannot be reversed. That is why I give of my time to make younger women aware of the risks facing them. You need to make an informed decision and for so many (as evidenced here) general knowledge on the long term effects of the menopause is more or less absent.
Prolapse, Osteoarthritis, Vaginal atrophy, Osteoporosis, Incontinence, esp. stress incontinence, Sleep issues, Alzheimer’s…the list is very long.

All I want to do is make women aware they now, thanks to medical advances, have a choice. If it is medically appropriate for them they can choose to use HRT for a better quality of life in old age.

My MP started at 52 (I'm 61 now) and I didn't take HRT. I never felt I needed it really as whilst I did have day & night sweats they were manageable. I have always been minded what an older friend of mine said about when you stop taking it you'll still go through all the symptoms, you'll just be older and so I didn't think there was much point as I'd be less fit when I'm older to cope

@ginislife

My MP started at 52 (I'm 61 now) and I didn't take HRT. I never felt I needed it really as whilst I did have day & night sweats they were manageable. I have always been minded what an older friend of mine said about when you stop taking it you'll still go through all the symptoms, you'll just be older and so I didn't think there was much point as I'd be less fit when I'm older to cope

Not true. If you stop when you are post menopausal, you will only experience symptoms that would have been present at that time anyway. It doesn't reset your clock!

[quote Esspee]**@lljkk
I am probably the fittest of all my female friends, some of them have lost confidence driving and I am retired. I have been the go-to for assistance for many years through their divorces, widowhood and illnesses. I really don’t understand why you feel it necessary to make personal attacks.
Once the long term results of oestrogen deprivation show themselves through conditions such as prolapse or osteoporosis it is too late, it cannot be reversed. That is why I give of my time to make younger women aware of the risks facing them. You need to make an informed decision and for so many (as evidenced here) general knowledge on the long term effects of the menopause is more or less absent.
Prolapse, Osteoarthritis, Vaginal atrophy, Osteoporosis, Incontinence, esp. stress incontinence, Sleep issues, Alzheimer’s…the list is very long.

All I want to do is make women aware they now, thanks to medical advances, have a choice. If it is medically appropriate for them they can choose to use HRT for a better quality of life in old age.[/quote]

I completely agree. So many women are oblivious to the health risks exacerbated by years spent with depleted oestrogen. HRT is not just about easing symptoms, the protective health benefits are significant.