Experiences of those not taking HRT

[JustLaura]

I'm interested to hear from anyone not taking HRT.

What happened to your periods? Did they go shorter before they went longer? Stop abruptly?

What age do you think peri symptoms started and ended?

How do you feel now?

I started hot flushes aged 47. Coped with them OK and was still having regular periods. Aged 50 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had radiotherapy then went on Tamoxifen, which stopped my periods and all menopause symptoms. Felt great ever since. I haven't had any HRT.
I took Exemestane after Tamoxifen; which caused osteopaenia. That improved after stopping Exemestane and taking Calcium/Vit D tablets for a few years.

I have considered HRT for a long time now but have just never reached a tipping point that drove me to make the effort.

I started peri at 39 but I didn't realise it. I had a crazy heavy period which only lasted about 3 days! My last child was about 18mos and I thought it was my body still recoving,

Until then I'd had a 6 day med flow every month. From then on, most months were as usual but occasionally, maybe every 6 mos or so, I'd have a super heavy, high speed period. They were fine otherwise: I've always been fortunate to have easy periods - just medium bleeding but no other symptons like headache or moodiness or cramps.

For several years in my 40s, I had terrible cotton mouth but I didn't associate this with peri or meno because I was only in my 40s and my periods were regular and normal for me aside from the occasional scary heavy one. I had some nighttime anxiety then too but again, I didn't know it meant anything. I pressure myself anyways.

My periods mainly ceased around age 49-51, tapering off with several months, sometimes as much as 6, between them. Currently it's 11mos and counting since my LMP.

Two summers ago, my hair just went screwball. It was naturally curly and v low maintenance but suddenly it would only do frizzy. I now need to spend an extra 30min to straighten it so that I don't look like a total fright.

I have had hot flashes for about 5 years? Mainly at night: waking up in the night seems to trigger them but not every time and not every night even if I do wake up. I also have tingly legs in the night, sometimes with a hot flash but sometimes without.

In the last year especially, I've had rubbish sleep. From March to Sept or Oct, I was waking every 2 hrs or less, even in the summer when I was not teaching and really had nothing to stress about. It's much better now but I rarely sleep more than 3 hrs in a stretch and sometimes find it really difficult to go back to sleep because my body feels v. awake.

I started my periods at 9, I'm 59 now
Always were very heavy and exhausted me
Went through the Menopause about 4 years ago, allergic to any form of HRT, pretty horrific to be honest, still have brain fog, chronic insomnia, exhausted, I take 100mg of Sertraline for Anxiety & Depression etc
Completely turned me into someone I really don't recognise
Haven't worked and living off of my savings for the last 2 years and can't see any way forward at the moment
I would rather have periods, however bad they get, for the rest of my life than keep going through this crap for the forseeable

Periods stopped for 4 months at 48 and at that point I realised I was in peri, also low mood and general anxiety. Periods restarted after 4 months and were awful for several years, very heavy flooding for days, for the first time in my life I had to take time off work every month for this. From 49 got bad hot flushes and poor sleep, kept waking up at 3am and unable to go back to sleep. After a bad 4 years everything just started to improve slowly. Periods lightened and got longer in between, sleep gradually improved, anxiety lessened. Reached menopause at 55. Now 58 and actually feeling better than I’ve felt for more than a decade and perhaps best of all no periods, I am able to sleep well and can take decisions easily again. Still get hot flushes a few days a month, but even they are less extreme and finish in less time. Can’t do HRT, I’ve got high blood pressure. It was really hard for 2/3 years, I nearly gave up work due to being hopelessly indecisive and having to take time off. Luckily I didn’t and am now enjoying my job again, I do really need to keep working from a financial viewpoint, need to get youngest through uni.

im 59. Peri started at around 43 night sweats and heavy periods, went to doctors was offered Premarin didn’t want it, so used natural body identical progesterone cream bought on line which Helped a bit. Periods got really heavy and long, was difficult to leave the house as it would flood. Last period Christmas 2016 at 52. Then I went au natural with the whole thing. No HRT Night time hot flashes stopped at some point and daytime hot flashes took the place of them which I have had for the last 9 years along with mood swings and rage. I am starting my first HRT on NHS tomorrow when my prescription should be ready. I can’t wait, it’s the body identical progesterone tablet which I will insert vaginally, oestrogel and a estradiol pessary. I am starting now as I want to do something for my bone health and heart for a few years and I have finally reached the end of my tether with the hot flashes.

i went through menopause without HRT because I just wanted it over and done with. Periods very quickly disappeared, hot flushes were a pain, I was hanging out the window most nights trying to cool down. Other than that it wasn’t too bad.

This is useful if anyone is wondering what happens.

Does taking HRT just delay the menopause?

Many women think that taking HRT just delays the natural duration of the menopause in your body. This is not the case. If your symptoms return when you stop taking HRT it is not because you have been taking hormones, this is because you would still be having symptoms of the menopause at that time even if you had never taken HRT. An untreated menopause can cause symptoms for many years; the average length of time is around seven years but for many women, symptoms can last for decades.

https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/hrt-in-later-life-or-after-menopause/#:~:text=Many%20women%20think%20that%20taking,This%20is%20not%20the%20case.

I'm nearly 54
Peri involved joint pain, very heavy spaced out periods
Kept on delaying HRT to see how it went
No periods for 2 years now, no HRT
No decreased libido
Anxiety always been a problem anyway
Never been thinner so no weight gain

I've always been horrendous with hormonal contraception so was nervous about HRT, given my experience unless something changes I'm happy without it

This is amazingly informative from a doctor in the States on the menopause and what can help.

Thanks @tarheelbaby

Oh my hair! I have an abundance of frizzy curls from nowhere! Even frizzy straggly bits have appeared around my ears. I also get rampant eyebrow growth!

One of my work colleagues is the opposite. Hair falling out everywhere she says. She doesn't even need to shave her legs anymore!

I've had 2 years of flooding followed by 4 years of mostly medium flow. Though I do wonder if others would class it as heavy flow still as I was so accustomed to the flooding episodes. I ended up having to book annual leave as I needed to be close to the toilet.

I don't fall asleep easily at all. Often still awake at 3/4 am.

I wish I knew how much longer of all this! I expect everyone does.

I'm 50. Periods disappearing now. Think I'm currently on day 66. This is the longest it's gone. I'm not really having any other symptoms yet. I'll get HRT eventually but am scared about weight gain.

@RizzoRules My periods started at 10 and I thought that was early.

I hope things improve for you.

I take Menopace supplements which have definitely lessened my symptoms but it does take 5/6 weeks to feel their effect.

I haven't taken hrt but I didn't really have any symptoms except perhaps a tendency to sleep badly when I had too much sugar or alcohol

Periods got lighter for a couple of years and then less frequent but it did seem to drag on

I feel better now post menopause then I did for the 40 years of periods and hormones

Thanks @EndorsingPRActice

It's good to hear the positives. Would you say the heavy periods were towards the start of Perimenopause then?

I seem to be in the minority sleep wise. I can't fall asleep easily. I often see 3 or 4 am then I could sleep for England. Unfortunately my alarm clock for work wakes me up. It's a vicious circle.

Interestingly my BP increased when I started with peri symptoms. I take medication but it's still high especially the week before my period? Is that similar for you?

I am early 60s. Periods became less frequent at about 52. Had to be aware they could come at any time for about a year..then none. Had hot flushes but nothing too bad...like you wouldn't see my face red l just felt a hot sensation. No HRT. I don't have osteoporosis which is good..had a few dexta scans at this stage.
I did take supplements: the Complete Woman from Boots and it did help. Also l did more exercise which was the thing the helped me the most and l continue with that.i did get horrible dry eyes at one stage but only for a short while.
My biggest issue was an overactive bladder which was awful but l got botox into my bladder which was miraculous. Overall l feel l got off light but l had horrendous pregnancies with sickness so maybe it was time for me to get a break.

@bittertwisted

I've been waiting to ask this question - has your joint pain lessened since menopause?

Do you mind me asking how many years of peri symptoms did you have?

I feel like I've had symptoms for 4/5/6 years possibly. My period are mostly lighter than previous years but are now every 26/27 days when they used to be 36/36 days but they were flooding periods.

Thanks @PrimalLass

Did you periods go from your normal length to closer? Or have they just gone into longer cycles?

Thanks @midgetastic

That's good to hear.

I hope that's my end experience!

Thanks @junebirthdaygirl

That's good insight.

What were your dry eye symptoms? I don't:t seem to fit the description as mine aren't watery more scratchy? My eyelids go really dry the week before my period which I find odd too.

I take Menopace.

Joint pain and insomnia are the big ones for me currently though I had 2 years of flooding periods a few years back.

Do you get a Dexta scan through your GP?

Eyes were irritated and itcy. Took me a while to associate it with menopause. I used eye drops for a while then it stopped.
Dexta scans here in lreland are through the GP so l'm not sure about UK.

I'd like to add that some symptoms associated with perimenopause need specific treatment, not HRT. Gengivitis and bleeding gums need to be treated by dental gum specialists and is an urgent priority or you will start losing teeth. Joint pain needs anti-inflammatory treatment or supplements such as fish oil or similar.

Also delighted you feel better post-meno with no HRT.
When you say you feel better than in decades, what do you mean? Healthier? More energetic? What has changed for the better?

(I'm only 42 but had been getting very heavy flooding periods every 2.5 weeks until I went on mirena, now stopped bleeding and feel much better and some other symptoms have improved too - but the insomnia is getting worse)

I didn't take HRT. It was a while ago, but I'm sure my periods just lessened and then stopped. I felt hot once or twice, that was it. Nothing else.

I’d love to be allowed HRT. I don’t feel like myself some days. The mood swings, anxiety, brain fog and insomnia are absolute buggers.

@JustLaura Statistically, 75% of women have symptoms and around half find symptoms really affect their lives.
15% use HRT.

When you start a thread like this you will get responses from the small minority of women who didn't have many symptoms (less than 25%) or chose not to use HRT but did or do have symptoms. But they are the minority.

Your GP won't refer you for a DEXA scan unless there is a strong family history.
You can pay for these privately- cost around £200 and they're done every 3 years.

HRT is not just for flushes etc it's also for bone and heart health longer term and some women are more at risk.

The reasons many women choose not to use it even if they are suffering is for several reasons -

-Misinformed by GPs about whether they can use it.
-Unaware of the risks/benefits
-Many women don't join the dots and don't appreciate that their symptoms are down to loss of estrogen.

If you need HRT, the risk of using modern HRT for 5 years is almost zero. After 5 years you can decide what to do next.

You asked about dry eyes- my Mum has dry eyes (she's very old) and for years have used eye drops either OTC or advised by the eye clinic (she has some other eye issues.)