What are the benefits of NOT taking HRT?

[AlpacaThePicnic]

We obviously are wall to wall with the benefits of taking HRT

I just wondered if there are any benefits of not taking it as I weigh it up in my mind whether I wish to continue with it

Indeed. But that doesn't mean it's right for them. Science has moved on and there is increasing evidence that calcium supplements may cause harm and they don't prevent fractures.

I had severe osteopenia and that is one reason why I started HRT. I also took Osteocare for many years thinking it was a good thing. Now, I've stopped and increased my calcium in my diet which is not easy as I'm lactose intolerant, but get round it.

But surely vaginally atrophy is horrible to live with?

@rattymol I am not offering an opinion on these posts. I'm stating what specialists say on their own websites or to patients. ( I am actually getting a bit fed up of being accused of pushing HRT when in fact I'm simply stating facts and linking to science based info.) Your friend would have had her symptoms right up to 70 if she wasn't on HRT. The HRT stopped the symptoms. There is no time limit to symptoms. Some women have them for life. My consultant has started women on HRT in their late 80s and even 90 as their symptoms didn't ever stop. Taking HRT doesn't 'delay' menopause.

I'm not sure it's doing me much good. I had to fight, but been on it for about 3 years now. I've gained weight. I've got osteopenia, which I've read a lot about and there's little that you can do other than watch your weight. See above. Bit pissed of with it all atm.

The only benefit to not taking HRT is you are not being subjected to the small risk (after 5 years' use) of breast cancer.

The other things posters have mentioned are subjective and not scientific reasons.

If you are fine not using HRT, that's great and your choice. No one is telling you to!

Posting facts about osteoporosis, or heart disease, or bowel cancer (HRT can prevent it) and risks, is not 'telling you to take HRT' it's about increasing the awareness of risk, so you can make an informed choice.

I tried to come off it a couple of weeks ago and ended up losing my shit. Absolutely hate the gel, it's messy, but didn't like the tablets either. Mentally I feel a lot better but as soon as I switched from tablets to gel and utrogestan I put on 10lbs that will not shift despite weeks of 1200/1400 calories

So it's subjective not scientific that I feel better without ?

No - it's individual measurement of me
(My mother was the same )

Given the lack of osteoporosis etc in my family I suspect that genetic and lifestyle factors that are getting overlooked in your scientific averages

And also ignoring how people feel in themselves is odd

A friend of mine early 60s has osteopenia and has been prescribed calcium supplements

Another worry of mine is that Im on omeprazole, that also causes bone loss apparently

I was constantly bleeding which obviously had consequences. I was having hot flushes and sweats which for me were unbearable. The sweat did not feel like normal sweat and was bothering me so much. There were other symptoms that were bothering me. I already have chronic pain and a severe mental illness and did not need the perimenopause symptoms on top. Also I'm in my 40s so my periods may not stop naturally for a long time. My mother was having them well into her 50s.

It's very mild and not troublesome. I just want to stave off any worsening. We're led to believe that every single symptom of menopause needs medicating, but surely, it only needs medicating if it interferes with our daily life?

Interesting thread. I started HRT a couple of months ago. Generally I feel much better, sleeping better, no hot flushes and my mood and headaches are improved. However I have developed what seems to be a rare side effect of lower pelvic pain and bladder issues. I'm torn whether to give it another month to settle or stop it. The headaches in particular before HRT were debilitating.

@JinglingSpringbells no it does not delay menopause because the term menopause medically refers simply to periods stopping. It does simply delay all the symptoms relating to a drop in hormones. And the body adjusts. Those symptoms go.

@countrygirl99 do you mean weight gain piled on when you took HRT? And if so, how long after you came off it did the weight gain stop? I'm experimenting asI definitely piled on weight on HRT but can't decide whether the advantages of HRT outweight the weight!

@Gettingbysomehow did you take medication alongside HRT ? (Im having mental health issues and two years past last period.)

Yes, I gained weight really quickly on HRT and I'd never had weight issues before. The weight gain stopped almost immediately. I tried HRT twice and it was the same both times.

What creams are you referring to? I am on Vagifem for UTI issues after a full hysterectomy as it supports the whole of the urogenital system. I am also on Oestrogel. I am in my 60s. Vaginal atrophy can be devastating.

Every woman is different in how they experience the menopause and as has been said it is very much an individual decision. People who say they "got a bit hot" are obviously lucky and have not suffered the full impact it can have. It is up to each person to educate themselves properly about this from reliable sources. I find that the NHS are very ill informed generally about HRT (still) and paid to see a private specialist. Each year I am asked by my GP practice "why don't you come off it?" by someone who has no knowledge of my history or even how long I have been on it or why.( Some random GP who has been bought in or the Head of the Pharmacy). Everyone has their own particular issues and it is up to them to evaluate what they are presented with.

To answer the question none that I see in my case.

I always get a nervous twitch when someone mentions their private practitioner

A follow the money twitch

I know it's honest that you mention that you are paying for advice but it always to me devalues what you then report

@rattymol

My consultant says he was women in their 80s and 90 still having symptoms. My mother still had flushes and night sweats in her 80s. The body does not 'adjust' always. Some women have symptoms forever (this is documented in medical research papers.)

HRT doesn't delay the symptoms. It treats the symptoms of loss of estrogen. That estrogen is never replaced and some women have symptoms for life.

https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Menopause-and-me-v15-03.pdf SEE PAGE 11

Myth: HRT delays the menopause False. If you experience menopausal symptoms after stopping HRT, you would have experienced them even if you had never taken HRT.

I will ask my GP which cream would be best for me. I have no UTI issues or other problems (I'm not sexually active though), but I'm aware I do have a degree of VA. So I'll ask my doctor what would be best for me, to prevent things getting worse.
Apart from this, though, I'm aware that I've been very lucky and had no other symptoms of menopause, just periods stopping and skin ageing, both of which I can live with.

You are right to get the twitch. Although many women have no choice but to pay for advice because the services just aren't available as they should be on the NHS - there is no doubt that a whole industry has been created around menopause. And when that happens there will be genuine experts who do their very best for the women they see - and there will be others who are just jumping on the bandwagon to make as much as possible. The critical thing can be working out which camp everyone falls into.

It definitely sounds to me as if you are pushing HRT @JinglingSpringbells, and it always does.

You are quoting facts, but very selectively - for instance you quoted those life expectancy stats for women in the 1900s and 1930s (life expectancy average 47 and 63) and that may well be correct but you make it sound as if most women died at those ages. They didn’t. The average is because of higher mortality in childhood (esp before aged 5) and in childbirth. As others have said, if you got past that then you were much more likely to live into your 70s and 80s.

FWIW, my elderly mother had an early menopause due to hysterectomy and then had breast cancer twice, so no HRT for her. She is now in her late 80s and should by rights have all sorts of issues but apparently does not even have osteoporosis, despite being pretty frail.

Re vaginal atrophy I have that now and I went to the GP who said even though I had Breast cancer I could have local Estroegen cream as it was safe. I wasn't sure so did see the Newson clinic who also advised it was ok , however they also recommended I went back on full HRT to relieve the symptoms. I decided against doing that as I knew it would cause me too much anxiety re the breast cancer coming back
Overall I feel fine now I just tell my friends who ask fine if HRT suits you make sure you have regular mammograms and check your breasts regularly

In what way, I hvae a consultation coming up next month for a private clinic, I want to know what to ask my GP for, what is the right HRT for me, what delivery system etc. I dont have convidence that my GP practice, who dont even have a well woman clinic or practitioner will be able to talk me through this and test me for what I need. I was recommended by a colleague who was also having no joy with her GP

Yes it's shocking that people have no faith in the NHS and no specialists they can access

And it's shocking how many hurdles sone people have to overcome to get HRT

So I can see why people go private

However private practises can become biased because of the financial rewards available - for example

Perhaps they don't read the research well enough because they trust their suppliers with whom the have a good relationship ( from a few nice lunches )
Perhaps they know that a prescription will mean years of regular income

I don't believe that's always the case but it is a risk , and the medicalisation by private practise of menopause is ripe for exploitation

There is no easy answer for women going through it today