starting HRT at 65. private menopause clinic?

[pagansophie]

I'm 65, my last period was 9 or 10 years ago. Is it too late to start HRT? I can't find much information about the benefits of starting this late. I was prescribed antidepressants when it all started, but of course I now realise all my symtoms were those of the menopause. I asked my dr about HRT about 5 years ago and was told it was too late (by the woman's health specialist).
I've only just discovered the existence of private menopause clinics, an expensive one in London, and also BUPA have them. How would I go about finding one that's likely to be sympathetic and let me try it?
My symptoms are anxiety/depression (I'm not currently taking the anitdepressants), my skin has gone horribly tensionless ( that's only over the last 2 or 3 years), sleep problems, No libido whatsoever for the last 10 years, I occassionally wake up feeling dizzy, which I've read is also a menopause symptom
I suppose my question is, given that I am 10 years into the menopause, also very overweight (don't know if that's relevant but suspect it might be), my blood pressure is on the high side but within normal range, where could I go that might consider prescribing HRT, and is it likely to help at all, especially with my skin which I am finding particularly distressing.

I can give you details by PM if you are able to afford a private consultation. My own consultant has a woman of 90, who used HRT for the first time at that age. At 65 you'd have no issues. The guidance is that ideally it's started within 10 years of the last period but can be later.

Many consultants are working now by video as well as in person.
First appts with consultants are around £300 so if this is an option let me know.

You should also be able to get HRT from an enlightened GP!

Hi
I’ve just seen my gp for HRT . I’m 61 and been having symptoms for years but after seeing recent publicity around this decided to seek help for insomnia anxiety night sweats joint pain and frequent urination.
My GP (a youngster :-) has this week prescribed a combined patch with oestrogen and progesterone however I’ve done some research on treatment options and it seems that a separate version is better option for 60 plus so lower dose oestrogen patch and body identical progesterone called Utrogestan tablets.
I found this site very useful -Dr Louise Newson who is a well know specialist and was in Davina Mcalls recent programme. Here’s link lots of information under resources.
good luck
www.newsonhealth.co.uk/resources/#factsheets

That's good news @Global22 . I'm debating whether to contact my GP first, although generally they don't seem very enlightened. I find dealing with the GP extremely anxiety inducing, and I'm in danger of not doing anything because I can't cope with the anxiety. There doesn't seem much information about starting HRT a long time post menopause, but I'm going to look at some of those links, thanks.

I can recommend Newson Health, I had my first consultation in September and have a follow up booked for late December after blood tests. It's definitely worth paying if you can afford it.

I understand the anxiety with making the GP call and sometimes it seems too much effort when we feel we may be fobbed off. I started taking HRT this March (turned 61 in the May). Like you, I'd finally had enough of my symtoms; mainly 8 years of debilitating evening and night heats. Final symptoms: couldn't get off the sofa; couldn't walk up the stairs and doubled up out of breath once I made it to the top; digestion issues. Final straw and I made that call. Dosage still not right, or I'm not absorbing my conti patch, but its still made a difference and the heats have disappeared. Also on testosterone (started in September), which is starting to work and vagifem. All making a difference, but likely it could be better still with more oestrogen (and the accompanying progesterone). I have managed to half my antidepressant dose and anxiety is still being held at bay. Will taper off the second tablet starting spring. Make yourself a cuppa, sit with the phone, deep breath and try your GP first. Look on your surgery website to see who may be the better GP to assist you. I've been very fortunate, as my woman Dr has been marvelous and at our age, we are eligible for free HRT. The private clinics are then there to help you if GP is not helpful. Sorry for the long post, but wanted to let you know how its helped me at a later stage of life and hopefully encourage you to make that call. Good luck and PM me if you need to talk further x

Like you, OP, I was told by my GP it was too late for HRT. This was around 8 years after my last period, which was relatively early, at 46. Sadly, the Davina Effect hadn't happened when I went through the menopause, and because it happened early it was done and dusted before I even realised it was happening! Back then, people mainly went onto HRT to control symptoms, and I didn't have any.

My situation is complicated slightly by a diagnosis of endometrial cancer three years ago, and subsequent hysterectomy (now all thankfully in the past). Also, I still have precisely no symptoms of anything - I had such an easy menopause, no hot flushes, no moods - it's been difficult to persuade a GP that I need HRT. It still doesn't seem to have filtered through how beneficial it is.

I did raise a question in a Live Chat on Instagram with a private gynae doctor (possibly was Louise Newsom) and she backed up what the GP said, so I have concluded it wasn't going to happen for me, due to my medical history. But if you haven't had the cancer complication it's worth a try!

St Erme medical. All by video.

Hi there, my original post was back in May, and I did in fact approach my GP again, and was prescribed! I believe the guidance at present is that if you ask for it (and don't have any complicating factors like @CointreauVersial ) it should be prescribed, this is on the NICE guidelines. I was still expecting to be fobbed off again. However I wasn't.

It did work really well to begin with, my issue is anxiety, and I can clearly pinpoint the anxiety increase to the early post menopause time, although I didn't realise at the time. On taking HRT I felt much more energetic and less anxious, but then had to change what I was using because of supply issues, and this caused me problems, and I stopped using it. I have subsequently been able to get the version that works for me, but I am not finding it so beneficial this time. Maybe it was just chance last time and I would have felt better anyway, or maybe it's because everything is more anxiety inducing at the moment or maybe it did work, and I need to give it more time. It's so hard to tell.