Should I be on HRT

[MrsMagoooo]

I am 54. My periods are intermittent. I was in patches for 18months but stopped them to see if I was ok without as my anxiety levels were off the scale. I started it in the first place as I had brain fog, anxiety, flushes and trouble sleeping.

Having been off everything for about 3 months, I feel fine. A few hot flushes, not many periods, and when I have them they're light. I sleep like a log. My joints are painful, I limp out of bed first thing in the mornings.

Should I be taking HrT anyway for my health? My skin? Anti aging? It just carry on as I am.

I started taking it mainly for joint pain, it has helped a lot.

Well it's totally your choice. No-one HAS to go on HRT.

I think it's great. I don't cry all the time anymore, don't need to use the loo all the time, mainly night sweats have gone.

But it took a year of trying different types to get one that worked.

If I'd felt mentally lower like you did, I'd have increased the oestrogen and played around with the form of progesterone as that's what caused some form of anxiety for me. Once I switched to the mirena coil, upped my oestrogen to the highest amount I could and added testosterone I found I was on much more of an even keel.

What do you take?

That's what's giving me pause, the thought of trying to figure out what I need, the trial and error of it all when even getting a GP appointment is a huge undertaking. Im exhausted and defeated just thinking about it.

If I miss one night of oestrogel, my hips hurt.

It’s entirely up to you, but the couple of friends I have that have decided to ‘manage without’ hrt are always taking about their symptoms. Plus they are looking wrinkly in their late 40s/early 50s. I think hrt helps stave off wrinkles (amongst more important things) 😂

Hi op. Yes it was an exhausting year.

But if you already know that patches didn't suit you, you could try something else.

Or start with higher oestrogen. Just with the caveat that you may bloat for a few months at the start. For me it was fully worth it.

@MrsMagoooo I'd always suggest anyone with joint pain that's so bad they struggle to get out of bed, has some investigations to rule out other things first- for example osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

RA can often start in later life and without the proper treatment, can be disabling.

You really need X rays and blood tests (that would show inflammation of RA.)

(It's easy to blame the menopause when it might not be.)

If all of those are ok, then consider it part of menopause.

Being realistic, only 3 months off HRT (when you were on it) is the minimum time to see negative changes again. (My consultant suggests a 3-month break to reassess.)

And at 54, there may be more symptoms down the line once your periods stop for good.

What's your family history? Heart disease and bone density issues are something to consider for the protection HRT would give you anyway.