HRT questions

[awrbc81]

Looking for advice.... 42 and I think I'm definitely in perimenopause, periods have always been regular with 26 day cycles but last 6 months or so have been getting more and more irregular with more pain but i think a little lighter than normal for me.
When did others consider HRT? Is it necessary or am i better off not bothering?
My mum never had it and she has quite an easy menopause, but did have a mirena coil so maybe that influenced things.
Also if i did go on HRT what effect would that have on periods? Would I end up having them for longer? My periods are really heavy so to be honest I'm done, I'm quite looking forward to being in menopause and not having them anymore!

I can only offer limited advice. I'm the same age as you. Been peri for approx 2.5 years (this was when my periods went irregular). I didn't think it was peri until last summer when I started with night sweats and hot flushes.

I'd already seen a gynaecologist under the NHS urgent pathway. I'd had a period in Oct 22 which lasted 3 weeks!! It ruled out various other issues. At this point I queried peri - but was outright dismissed by the gynaecologist. I was far too young (at 40)!!

Fast forward to last summer and just turned 42... as I said earlier the night sweats and hot flushes started. So I was then in no doubt what was happening!!

I had a GP appointment and was again dismissed - again (at 42) I was too young. I know my body FFS. I had to have a load of blood tests for stuff like thyroid etc to rule other stuff out. Pretty sure that's standard practice for women under 45. I didn't have an issue with that as it's always good to have an MOT. They all came back clear. So after some debate (I'm an amateur age group racing cyclist as a hobby) where he tried to blame my irregular periods on my training. His face was a picture when I argued I've been doing this 15 years, I'm coached and nothing has changed. Anyway he begrudgingly diagnosed peri (no shit!!). But refused me HRT. By this point my night sweats and hot flushes had stopped and periods settled back into a more regular pattern. I still had other issues - joint pain, mood, muscle aches, fatigue... but manage it with my training.

Anyway. The night sweats started again recently with a vengeance. Trashing my sleep. My cycle went wonky again and I'm on day 60 with no period. I thought fuck this. Got an appointment with a pharmacist prescriber who specialises in HRT. This was through my surgery (live in England). Had to wait 3 weeks!! Anyway we had a great chat. She took my history, listened to me. Talked me through HRT options. I decided patches were most suitable. So I've been on them two weeks now. They are cyclical - so 2 weeks oestrogen then 2 oestrogen and progesterone. I can't comment on what they are doing for my periods yet. Night sweats and hot flushes have gone though and sleep restored!!

I understand there is a protective element in terms of bone and heart health. BUT she reinforced what I already knew - this is a small piece of the puzzle. Good bone health and cardio health is also dependent on exercise, diet, booze (as in none), smoking (not doing it) etc.

When you are younger - it seems much harder to get HRT. I wasn't sure I wanted it as I live a healthy lifestyle... but the bloody night sweats were unbearable! I think the biggest challenge is finding a health care professional who you can have a sensible conversation with, who looks at you holistically. Good luck!

I was a bit older than you, early 50s, when peri symptoms hit.
Periods started being more erratic, like I was missing one every so often. They had been getting heavier prior to that.
I started getting night sweats but the thing that prompted me to get HRT was a severe PMT episode where I was practically suicidal. I never had brain fog.

I started with oestrogen gel and progesterone pills but changed to a mirena coil as I couldn’t see the point of carrying on with monthly bleeding, and having to remember to take the pills. It took around 6 months of constant heavy spotting which was irritating to say the least, but I’ve been bleed free for about 3 years now. Have recently changed to patches instead of gel and find them easier in terms of not having to do the gel every day.

My GP has been brilliant btw.

Thanks for your replies, I'm glad you got it sorted in the end. I think being told I'm too young to be perimenopausal is putting me off going to the GP actually, but I know my mum and gran had gone through menopause by the time they were 50 so does make sense that I'm starting it now, plus having regular periods since I was 11 and now they change?!
There are two female GPs in my practice, might try and see one of them for advice, but may hang on a bit longer before going on HRT because my symptoms aren't that bad yet really!

Hi I started on HRT in June 23. I’d been struggling with a bit of brain fog January 2023, all other symptoms manageable. Then my dad died march 23 and my brain shut down. GP was great and put me on patches. Brain improved within about 2 months but although I’d not had a period for 6 months within weeks I was heavy bleeding and on transamic acid to help. That lasted until December then nothing since. The weight started to creep on within a few months of taking HRT and no matter what I did I couldn’t shift it. I got more tired and low in mood and stopped going out due to the weight. I decided end of March I was done and without GP help started take half my dose then for 3 weeks then quit cold Turkey. Early days but so far No Period returned. Having the odd hot flash but the weight has started to fall off and I’m back exercising. I just think it wasn’t right for me. If you can try and do without.