HRT or no HRT

[Essieloulou]

Hi, has anyone gone through the menopause naturally , wothout HRT and did you use any supplements, im trying tp weigh up pros and cons

Tha.k you

Get yourself on hrt. I tried without. ... Why ? It prevents bone issues in the future as well as taking away the night sweats and itching I was having

No brainer

@stomachamelon cancer doesn't make you ineligible for hrt, even some types of breast cancer women use hrt afterwards, as it depends on the type of breast cancer. AFAIK, there is evidence that hrt protects against some types of cancer. Not all doctors are equally knowledgeable about hrt and cancer risks.

It depends if your cancer was hormone dependent. I have triple negative so can take HRT

It's natural not a deficiency though

It's medicalising normality

It’s a deficiency. When male testosterone drops there’s no question - that’s age related too. Nature has no need for women past child bearing, so once that’s over it doesn’t give a stuff. Modern life is a bit different.

Only 14% of women in the UK take HRT. Yes, some are suffering without it but others are doing just fine. Yes, the risk of osteoporosis increases without it but I know many older women who've never taken HRT and are in fine health. My 77 year old mum, my 82 year old MIL, my 60 year old marathon running colleague, my aunt who's 95 and in excellent health, to name but a few.
I'm all for HRT if needed. I'll certainly take it if needed. However, I don't like the implication that to not take it equals serious health problems.

I don't think that is how it comes across at all. Badge of honour?

There are many reasons why some women don't want to take medication.
Maybe some not the case in UK but certainly elsewhere a factor is cost, availability, access and then there are previous risk factors etc

I don't see it as being any different to the multiple posts I see where some women refuse to have a pap smear. It is available, they don't want it, they don't do it. And that is okay as it is their choice. Why is the choice for HRT so different when it comes to opinions?

I will add in as I said upthread, I am now not on HRT, but not through choice. I was taken off for medical reasons, which was most likely caused by HRT.
I also have regular pap smears (only mentioned due to my example).

It's not a badge of honour. I'm not being snooty.

I just don't want to use something when I don't seem to need it ? When I feel better now than the previous 35 years ?

I don't think it's possible to compare screening of any sort, with a choice to take meds. Screening is for prevention. No one will be suffering with symptoms if they avoid screening. If they have symptoms, they'd have treatment.

Taking HRT is for treating symptoms that are affecting quality of life.
The 'bonus' is it can prevent other diseases long term but officially it's not licensed for prevention without reason.

Some women do use HRT for prevention of osteoporosis but there are medical criteria for this - a DEXA scan or a fracture etc.

I am 45, I have been having symptoms for 2-3 years and had been managing them via lifestyle and supplements. However....I have just gone onto HRT and already feel better for it. It is like symptom whack-a-mole and as I said to the (wonderful, male) doctor, I can't keep waiting for the next symptom to hit. I have also done a.lot of research on the benefits of being on hrt for long term health and I am sold. I have a 92 year old woman in my family who took hrt between 50 and 70 and she is so vibrant and active (mows her lawn, plants vegetables, cleans house from top to bottom, takes flights to home country alone), I have to think it is connected. No one else in the family took it, they are all pretty healthy luckily, but nothing like her!

I didn't say that not taking it equals health problems. It's not licensed for prevention unless a woman has high risks or chooses to take HRT rather than other drugs for bone loss.

However, 1:2 women will develop osteoporosis.

This is from the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

• Osteoporosis causes bones to lose strength and break more easily (also known as fractures).

• 3.5 million people in the UK are estimated to have osteoporosis.

• Half of women and 20% of men over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.

• We reach our peak bone health at the age of 30 and it begins to naturally decline as we get older, especially for women around the menopause.

• Osteoporosis and broken bones are not an inevitable part of ageing however.

• It is estimated that every year in the UK there are more than 500,000 fragility fractures, that's one every minute (1,400 a day).

100 000 women die very year from complications of osteoporosis and many more are disabled.

My mother 'sailed through it' at the time, apart from some flushes and irritability. She's slim, and was always active.
Then she fell over at 80, fractured her wrist and hip, and was diagnosed with osteoporosis.
I've been mostly ok. But started on utrogestan 100 and evorel 50 to protect my bones and heart, and six months later I am less foggy, sleep much better, calmer and vulval itching of nearly ten years has stopped completely. I started at 56 and wish I'd done it ten years ago. I was worried about side effects but not noticed any.

Edited to say I had joint pain too, particularly fingers and whichever hip i was sleeping on, and I've just realised that that has stopped too. Also I was waking very hot in the night and that has eased. And sex is more comfortable too as I have more natural lubrication ( had slightly too much discharge for a while but that's settled down now) I just feel much more comfortable in my own skin than I have for several years. Nearly three years since last period.

You'll hear stories from women who take HRT and find it a literal life saver in helping their symptoms. You'll also see posts saying that we should all be taking HRT for the benefits and they'll only stop when it's wrestled from their cold dead fingers. Then there are women who do really well without taking HRT looking at lifestyle measures for continued good health that work well for them, or who prefer not to take it, or are unable to, or for whom it doesn't help their symptoms.
The decision to take HRT is very individual and based on individual risks and benefits. Google the NICE Menopause guidelines for more information. If you have menopause symptoms you're wanting support with - or even to see if it will help them suggest you see your Dr. It's important to note that it can take time to work (give 3 months then review) and the dose might need adjusting.
The one treatment that can be started at any age that is low dose with little systemic absorption and safe for the vast majority of women to use forever is topical estrogen (eg as cream or pessary) to help genitourinary symptoms (vaginal atrophy).

Im 48 now, i tried to come off antidepressants but my mental health plummetted , i cant function without them

Black Cohosh is implicated in cases of acute liver injury
I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole
I find it wierd that these supplements are seen as natural when hormones your body produces are called medicine
HRT all the way here -I feel fantastic

Exactly that and it annoys me when women push others to take HRT to pre-empt future health issues - there is no concrete evidence it helps with heart health. And in any case HRT isn't a magical solution for all menopause issues. I was prescribed it to help with with insomnia & some occasional night sweats. It did nothing for my sleep so i stopped.

Again, what works for some doesn't mean it works for all.

Most or possibly all medications, have some risks.

I won't be touching HRT with a bargepole now, so here we are. Each to their own.

This thread is a perfect example of what I touched on earlier.
Why does it upset so many people that some might choose to an alternate / different or even no route?

I don’t understand- what is the downside of taking it? Worst case, it makes no difference.

I held off having HRT until I was 59 because of the associated risks and because when I was first seeking advice about 15 years ago the gp offered me that premil stuff made from horse wee, which i declined. I have had a horrible menopause extreme night sweats for 5 years followed by extreme day time hot flashes for 10 years!!! Depression, rage, weight gain, melasezzia, plus I became insulin resistant , ahh At the start of this year I researched what was available and went to my new gp and asked for oestrogel of which I have two pumps per day, ustrestogen 1 at night vaginally and an oestrogen pessary. The hot flashes have disappeared and what is weird is I can’t even remember having them. I do feel a bit tired in the day though sometimes. But maybe that’s the winter.

I had virtually no menopause symptoms. If anything not having to deal with PMT was a godsend. However I have arthritis and a family history of osteoporosis and Parkinson's so have been taking HRT to address risk

I didn’t say all women. But there are lots who project ‘I didn’t need it’ as some sort of virtue. There’s a post early on with someone saying she didn’t but then she’s slim and fit and eats healthily. Lots of women seem to think treating the menopause is weakness.

@Gemma5678 If you'd be interested, I can link to a 5 minute video on the British Menopause Society website where Prof John Stevenson discusses hearts and HRT. He's an expert and it's an interesting watch.

To be clear- no one can 'demand' HRT to prevent anything. It's licensed for relief of symptoms (or for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis where applicable.)

The benefits on the heart and bones are a bonus. There may be a positive link with preventing dementia. This is why women with premature menopause are strongly advised to use HRT to at least age 52- heart, brain, bones.

Because most women are completely in the dark about their bone density (until something goes wrong) taking HRT for menopause symptoms does give the added bonus of helping bone density for as long as it's used.

Maybe one day all women will get an NHS bone density scan at 55 just like they get cervical screening and breast screening. Then 1:2 won't get osteoporosis.

This thread is a perfect example of what I touched on earlier.
Why does it upset so many people that some might choose to an alternate / different or even no route?

I don't think anyone's upset.

They're saying that if you have symptoms that affect your quality of life, consider it rather than ruling it out.

Unfortunately, quite a number of women are still behind the times and think it's made from mares' urine, that it causes blood clots , etc etc and are making decisions without being informed.

I’m 56 and don’t take HRT other than I have recently started using Vagirux which is a topical oestrogen pill I insert in the vagina twice a week because this, for want of a better description, helps keep things “juicy” for me. I don’t want HRT proper because I am wary of putting artificial hormones into my system. Also I feel fine except I got some really bad night sweats and hot flushes a couple of years ago, but then I lost a lot of weight and they completely stopped - maybe they would have done that anyway, I don’t know. It would be good to protect my bone density but I’m not going to take HRT just for that - especially as there’s no history of osteoporosis in my family. I eat healthily and keep as fit as I can. I don’t have symptoms so I’m not taking medication basically.

Not upset at all, I just find it odd that untested " natural" remedies are seen as ok including one highly associated with liver injury but HRT is not.
I agree with others it's seen as being stronger not to give in.
I had general fatigue, brain fog and joint pain , HRT just means I'm back to my previous younger feeling self including skin and hair
They will have to prise it out of my cold dead hands !