45 no symptons

[loveautum]

Hi all, after some advice. I'm wondering if I should start taking estrogen supplements before my symptoms start or wait until I'm perimenopausal. I'm still getting periods monthly although they are starting to get lighter and shorter, but other than that nothing else symptom wise. I have friends the same age on HRT but I'm not sure what to do as have read that you shouldn't let your estrogen levels get too low?

Also any positive stories on going through the menopause ie symptoms were not so bad after all 😊

Can I join your thread please?

I'm a similar age, and have been wondering about this as well. I don't think I've got any particular symptoms yet, although I have had some intermittent rage recently 😳.

Would like to know this too

I would wait personally, since you don't know what your symptoms are going to be yet or when they will start.
I'm 51 and my symptoms are pretty mild, I certainly don't feel that I need to take anything. Everyone is different after all, so speculation is difficult.

The average age is 51 so you’re not in the danger zone yet. I wouldn’t take oestrogen early - I did that and it might have caused my fibroids that ended up requiring a hysterectomy. (Fibroids are fuelled by oestrogen.)

Just be aware that perimenopause symptoms aren’t the classic hot flushes, night sweats, etc. They’re more likely to be stuff like anxiety, hair loss, waking at 3am for no reason, feeling lonely/unloved. It’s odd. I’m in surgical meno now and I still haven’t had a hot flush or a night sweat!

@loveautum You wont get HRT from a GP if you have no symptoms. HRT is licensed for women with symptoms.

You can't get it to prevent symptoms (other than as a prevention for osteoporosis if you have risks, or already have it.)

Too many women here , sadly, are still having to fight for HRT from a GP even when they are suffering.

No need I think at the moment. At 45 I was the same, no symptoms. I’m 48 now and definitely symptoms so have started hrt patches which are helping. It’s mixed among my friends my age - maybe half of them are peri. 45 is on the young side I’d say.

Oh, ironically I forgot to say that memory loss is another early symptom. 😂

I find Menopace vitamins are AMAZING for stopping the sudden rages.

I also like Menofriend vitamins. They seem to be good for cognitive stuff. Obv you can’t take these two together.

OP, you could look into phytoestrogens maybe. Like soy. Natural stuff your body converts into oestrogen.

I'm 53 and feel a bit guilty I haven't had any symptoms except for almost no periods.. I haven't taken anything but do things such as regular exercise ( 5 days out of 7 home pilates), intermittent fasting/ one alcoholic drink a week/ magnesium . I don't know if that has helped , I keep not having a hard time with it to myself but honestly if anything I'm feeling a lot better than my 40s

51 is the average age to go into full menopause. Menopause lasts only 24 hours. It’s the 24 hours one year after your last period. Everything after it is post menopause. Perimenopause can start up to ten years before menopause, so 45 is absolutely in the game to be going into peri. It’s not early as pp said. I went into peri at 45/46 and that was fairly typical amongst my friends.

58, no issues other than one year of night sweats.
No hrt for me due to a family history of cancer.
I eat fish nearly every day.
I gave up drinking. I have other health issues that cause body dryness but other than that nothing.

I don't think the OP means to start a debate about HRT and how many / if some women managed without.

The simple answer is you can't ask for HRT just because you 'fancy taking estrogen.'

It doesn't matter if some women have no symptoms or managed without.
For reference, only 15% of women have no symptoms and are in the minority.

The 'danger' in low estrogen is if you are at risk of bone density loss or heart disease. Or you're having a premature or early menopause (under 40 and under 45.) That means a total end of periods by that age.

I'm only saying this as it is not possible to get HRT on the NHS just because you are worried about what may happen later on.

You could possibly get it from some private consultants who aren't constrained by NHS licensing .

HRT is prescribed for symptoms that are bad enough to affect quality of life.
If these occur, see your GP and say you want HRT.

@loveautum Wait till you have symptoms. If you don't, then you don't need HRT and would find it hard to convince a GP for it.

Thanks all that's so helpful. I was just thinking about supplements I can buy myself rather than HRT patches. I eat healthy and have one alcoholic drink a month on average. I exercise but not enough, so will look at increasing that again. So nice to hear that there are mild symptoms, all we ever hear is women having a dreadful experience sadly, plus if you don't get your treatment right early on it might have an adverse affect on your future health.

Is there any documentaties on the subject. I've downloaded the D McCall book.

Thanks all that's so helpful. I was just thinking about supplements I can buy myself rather than HRT patches.

There is nothing you can buy that is an 'estrogen supplement'.

Some women swear by phytoestrogens (found in plants) but it's not certain and not science-based. There is a debate about soy but the jury is out mainly because women in the East have a very different diet and often lifestyle to women in the West so soy isnt the simple/only difference.

I'm nearly 45, no symptoms either. Hadn't crossed my mind to try and take something prophylactically. I'm not in any way ruling out HRT if I need it later but I don't think it's an inevitability so certainly wouldn't consider pre-empting it.

No. Often the early days of peri are down to peaks and troughs of oestrogen and lowering progesterone. Shoving extra (excess) oestrogen onto will not help and as pp said, could fuel fibroids/bleeding etc

Just crack on with your life. Why take medication you don't need? I never had any "symptoms" and then my periods stopped when I was 56. If you're very lucky, you'll never have to think about any of this.