Feeling very strange - please offer me advice!

[WheresMyLife]

Hello, thank you for reading.
I am totally clueless on the subject of menopause. I have been reading lots but it’s such a minefield and I’m confused!
I am 50 had my last period 5 years ago. I asked my doctor a couple of years back if I needed HRT but he said as I wasn’t having hot flushes etc I didn’t need it. I haven’t asked again.
Ive started feeling a bit weird now. It’s hard to describe but I’ll try.
I feel like I was always fully immersed in my life and I was taking all the paths where it lead me, having kids, work etc. Now I almost feel like I’m looking in from the outside, like it’s a film and the person who is me is just playing a role. I then think it’s so much hassle playing this person who has to go to work, deal with teenagers, and even my car breaking down and needing expensive repairs has me thinking what was the point of that plot twist!
I know I sound mad. I just want to get back ‘inside’ my life again and live it.
if anyone can relate in the slightest do you think HRT will help?
thank you :)

Depersonalisation is where you have the feeling of being outside yourself and observing your actions, feelings or thoughts from a distance.
Download the balance app, look at the symptoms check list. You might be surprised…

I think you go back and ask for HRT to prevent osteoporosis and for your heart health.
‘Have you read the NICE guidelines? I’m pretty sure they say you can start HRT up to 10 years after your last period.

Yes, it’s definitely worth looking into. There are so many menopause symptoms and this sounds very much like the kind of thing that happens. My advice would be to ask your Dr’s receptionist who is best at dealing with menopause issues as at mine nearly every GP I spoke to said they didn’t know much about it!

@TreeHuggerMum1 thank you for this. I have just googled it and it says that it can be a way of coping with stress. I lost my mum 6 months ago and don’t feel I have really accepted it so I wonder if this may be something to do with how I’m feeling. Thank again.

@DustyLee123 i will have a look at NICE. Thank you as I haven’t heard of it before

@CharlotteSometimes1 thanks, I will definitely do this. A lot of my friends have been put on HRT but I felt my doctor was pretty dismissive.

Well, for a start @WheresMyLife your dr was wrong. No one has to have hot flushes to be given HRT! You also had an early-ish menopause which comes with risks.

Hot flushes are just one of many symptoms women can have but sometimes women don't have them (but have other symptoms.)

You had what would be considered an relatively early menopause, at 45. (The average age is 51.) This does put you at a higher risk of osteoporosis because you've lost estrogen 6 years earlier than average.

The way you describe your symptoms now could well be because of loss of estrogen.

You can start HRT at any time. My consultant has started very old women on it ( over 80.)

The benefits to the heart are if it's started within 10 years of your last period. After 10 years, the damage to the arteries has already been done (thickening) and estrogen won't reverse it (although it would prevent more.)

You need to be firm with your GP. Say you want to use HRT, mention you were 5 years younger than average with menopause and are concerned about bone and heart health. They can't refuse unless you have any medical conditions that would make HRT dangerous.