What age did you start HRT?

[Rolloisthebestpony]

I’m 41 and going to ask for it

43. I was already postmenopausal.

How do you know you need to start? My periods are on schedule and I have awful depression monthly but that’s the norm for me.

Sorry, should have read the thread. I don’t have any symptoms yet. I’m 45.

44. I stopped at 48 - I had sepsis and a 3 inch bloodclot in my jugular vein in my neck and brain.

I survived it and now the blood clot is 2 inches, calcified and sits in my neck and brain (benign). I have all the symptoms of menopause as well!

45 - but felt symptoms from mid to late 30's with dreadful anxiety and PMS. Got accidentally pregnant in late 30's and after that - BAM - mother had early meno too, but 10 years ago I was dismissed! I had crippling anxiety, vertigo, mood swings, headaches almost daily, aches and pains, really heavy periods, felt like I couldn't think straight, avoided driving, bloating palpitations and IBS to mention a few things - thought I was seriously ill so I begged GP and agreed - I thought I'd got nothing to lose! If it didn't help then I knew it wasn't meno.... guess what? It helped - took a bit of time plus testosterone added in and I feel SO much better!!

I was 38. I had been experiencing increasingly horrible symptoms for almost 3 years and had been period free for over 18 months.

Like many women, after sobbing in the Dr’s office a year previously I been put on anti depressants.
I was not depressed, I was menopausal.

just started patches last week ,they keep falling off after 1 day ment to stick on 3 days,been told to stick on with tape you use for dressings.god i hope they work so tired brain dead poor memory ache, fed up am aged 51.PS ANY ONE ELSE HAVE TROUBLE GETTING PATCHES TO STAY ON THANK YOU

50, when I had my first - very dramatic - hot flush.
Sooner would've been better, but perimenopause wasn't really a recognised thing then. It probably contributed to my emotional & mental health issues from early 40s onward.

@billybear, I can't get any sort of patches to stay on! Cleaning with alcohol helps, but I still have to cover the whole thing with duct tape 😳 And keep adding more tape as it detaches!!

Are you still on it? I'm trying to get my GP to put me back on, but it's getting harder as I've now been HRT-free for 6 years. I'd love to hear from older women still using it.

55

My patches don't like coming off - and they leave square, grey gunk lines.

I am 48 and like a pp tried it and have now stopped it for now. My symptoms were fairly minor with the worst being sleep issues but the hrt caused migraine, nausea and digestive issues, awful pmt and heavy bleeding without many noticeable benefits.

Drs view is that I'm not far enough along to feel the benefits yet. We did talk about a different combination but have decided to pause it for now and to go back when symptoms get a bit worse.

Happy with this for now, know the door is open and focus is on life style changes at the moment. Magnesium really helps sleep so that feels better in any event.

@GarlicGrace - confused. You said in one post you can't get your patches to stay on but then you also said your GP is reluctant to put you back on it as you're older and been off it for 6 years.

I didn’t have any obvious menopausal symptoms
until I was 53.

But looking back, my appallingly heavy and frequent periods through my late 40s, my anxiety and brain fog were telling me something.

Perimenopausal care is dreadful.

MaggieBsBoat I wouldn't go looking for a problem if you don't have one.
HRT is not without risks.

@MaggieBsBoat Might just be too soon for you. I had no symptoms other than slightly shorter cycles till I was 52.

@JinglingSpringbells ??
I said I can't get any patches to stay on.

Indeed. I do think forewarned is forearmed in a way. I’m reading a lot on the menopause threads and learning. I’m hoping that I’ll know it when I feel it, but I still wonder if I’m not at my best.
For instance currently I want to murder my boss and change Job and reduce stress. How much of this all is the fact that often women are at their peak career wise when menopause hits and they are at peak stress and how much of it is just bad situations or bad hormones.
It must be like a perfect storm for some women. Maybe me.

@GarlicGrace Is there an error in your post at 00.22?

Because it said this in reply to another poster.

Are you still on it? I'm trying to get my GP to put me back on, but it's getting harder as I've now been HRT-free for 6 years. I'd love to hear from older women still using it

Full menopause hit me as one parent died and the other developed incurable blood cancer and a student child was going through a bad time and my career went down the drain Without HRT it would have been so much more difficult.

What's the matter with you, @JinglingSpringbells ? There are other patches.

54

Goodness, I'm looking for an argument with you or anyone.

Your post at 00.22 said that you were looking for older women on HRT as you had been off it for 6 years. I was about to offer advice (as an older woman!)

This is under your username at 00.22
Are you still on it? I'm trying to get my GP to put me back on, but it's getting harder as I've now been HRT-free for 6 years. I'd love to hear from older women still using it.

Scroll back to that time and you'll see it.

not looking! LOL