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

Thank you and yes, i appreciate the situation relating to bone density and that HRT is proven to help that.

I still see (quite a lot on US forums) where women are taking HRT as a form of medication to cover any potential illnesses in later life when they haven't even had bone scans. As you say, here in the UK, doctors would not allow this.

There are though this bank of women who are on a mission to persuade all women that HRT is a necessity and if you don't take it, then you'll end up with brittle bones and heart issues amongst other things. This is simply not the case for a lot of women.

Hi OP. I've been on the highest dose of HRT with testosterone for two years. Made fuck all difference to brain fog and I still have night sweats. BUT. I don't cry for two weeks every month, I don't shout at my family and I sleep like a baby.

So absolutely totally worth it for me.

This is very helpful, thank you. I'm 44 and been in peri for at least a year but only just stopped breastfeeding, I'm definitely going to make an appointment for HRT!

There are though this bank of women who are on a mission to persuade all women that HRT is a necessity and if you don't take it, then you'll end up with brittle bones and heart issues amongst other things. This is simply not the case for a lot of women.

@Gemma5678 It depends what you mean buy ' a lot of women.'
Did you see my earlier quote today from the Royal Osteoporosis Society? 50% of all women is, IMO, a lot. It's millions.

It's all a bit academic anyway as no GP is going to prescribe HRT as a prevention. End of! If women use HRT for symptoms, the other benefits are a bonus.

If you have the time and inclination, have read of this paper on the numbers, the cost and women living with disability after a fracture. It's a medical paper (not opinion based.) This is from Page 2

Why is osteoporosis being overlooked?

Fragility fractures are a great cost to the patient and to the health economy. Fractures cause severe pain, disability and loss of independence; the annual cost of hip fractures alone is £2 billion per year.

Yet osteoporosis rarely hits the headlines and many would argue it is not treated as a health priority. So why is osteoporosis being overlooked?

Perhaps one reason is that osteoporosis is frequently referred to as a ‘silent’ or ‘invisible’ disease, as it rarely causes symptoms until a fracture occurs; suggesting a rather benign disease that has little impact.

But the reality is very different:

Osteoporosis makes bones fragile, which causes painful and disabling fractures

Women aged over 45 years spend more days in hospital due to osteoporosis than diabetes, heart attack or breast cancer

Osteoporotic or fragility fractures can have a profound impact on everyday life, causing loss of independence, misery and death

https://ilcuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/OsteoporosisUK.pdf

Thank you and yes, i will read this. I do appreciate that a lot of women do suffer with this, my mother in law who is in her 90s started with some osteoporosis symptoms in her 70s.

Saying that, for a lot of us where HRT prescribed made symptoms a whole lot worse or those ladies (probably including me) where symptoms are not enough to warrant HRT or have no symptoms at all, it is hugely annoying to hear from women who seem to think we're doomed to a life of invalidity or be incapacitated with heart problems. This is just not true.

I know a lot of women ‘get through’ menopause with few symptoms, but also a
lot of women who say that do have issues which are menopause related that they think are just ‘age’.
tinnitus
muscle and joint aches
urinary issues
irritability
low libido
loss of interest in things
itchy skin
easy bruising
gum disease
tooth decay
palpitations
body odour changes
breathing issues
burning mouth
breast size changes
reduced self esteem
reduced motivation/energy
changes to taste and smell
dry eyes
dry mouth
feeling cold
flaky nails
nausea/tummy upset
thinning hair
acne

Thats not even an exhaustive list…

My doctor advised to me to try to do it without HRT as she said she was worried about a cancer risk. I'm a smoker so that was possibly the reason why. I got through it without HRT.

It's a bit of a myth that hrt is less "natural" than using other supplements - hrt is just hormone supplements after all. What I would say is that if you decide not to have hrt, rather than try lots of random supplements, invest first in an appointment with a qualified nutritionist or medical herbalist - that way you will get advice tailored specifically to what you already eat, your lifestyle and your specific symptoms. Otherwise you can waste lots of money with trial and error supplements without ever really knowing what your body specifically needs.

Your doctor doesn’t seem to have kept up with research. The risk is tiny.

But there are women for whom that none exhaustive list is just a list of things that affects other people

What is it that makes many HRT people so determined that it's the best for everyone. ? Is it jealousy? Is it lack of confidence that you have made the right choice for you ?

And what symptoms did each of you have? I'm assuming losing bone density wasn't one anyway

Not at all. I know I’ve made the right choice - because I’ve researched. I know lots of women who haven’t, who over state the risks or who think they’ll continue to have periods, or other misconceptions, or who don’t know what the symptoms are. I know, because I was one of them.

Thing is menopause never used to be an issue because lifespans were a lot shorter meaning women died before it really came up!
And medicine is sadly still in the dark ages when it comes to women's health.

In fact modern medicine is all about treating illness and disease rather then prevention.
Nothing wrong with using supplements or hormones to prevent future problems.
(I didn't even know I had an issue with bone density until I had an x-ray at the dentist!).

This was 13 years ago so perhaps her concern was legitimate at the time?

No HRT but I do take 5mg DHEA each day to replace some lost oestrogen and vagirux twice a week.
Mind you I never had a hot flush or insomnia and was one of those rare women whose periods just stopped one day so I think I was very lucky.
As a result of taking the OCP I know my body doesn't cope well with synthetic hormones so I've don't really fancy HRT.
If I was having awful symptoms I might give if a go though, but fortunately I'm not.

I've never yet met a woman who says hrt is the best thing for everyone! Everyone knows it's a very individual decision, and thank goodness there's choice.

Maybe what you're seeing is women (me included) who have had the hugely positive experience of debilitating symptoms being reduced by rebalancing their hormones with hrt, and are just so bloody relieved that something finally helped. It was SUCH a relief, I will never forget it or not be appreciative to have the option.

I think everyone should do a bone scan before writing off HRT. My mother (no HRT) has osteoporosis - and has had 2 joint replacements. I had a bone scan and have osteopenia so the writing was on the wall for me. Here in Aus, I will get a yearly bone scan now.

I will be working hard to maintain bone health as I read somewhere that it's a key determinant of whether you end up living independently in old age.

Osteoporosis is the biggie. Family history here and I have mild osteopenia. The GP recommended HRT as I was on the fence. Sleep better and feel calmer and less anxious too.

One if my friends ran marathons but had an early menopause. Didn’t take HRT and now has full blown osteoporosis aged 57. Only discovered when she lent over something and cracked a rib.

I’m the same. I had to pay privately here. Do you mind my asking what your scores were? I wasn’t planning a follow up for a few years.

I'm on HRT it took a few goes to get the combination right.

I don't understand why women wouldn't, these are your hormones you need for your body to function and to support future you.

I have no intention of coming off HRT and see it just to same as a blood pressure tablet and a necessary part of life,

I feel immensely grateful to have the choice and access that I have and it stopped my anxiety, hot flushes, gum pains I could list for days!

I’m 63 started menopause at 52 and at the time GP’s virtually offered no positive advice on HRT, they were still unsure of the side effects then, despite the GP specialising in menopause, so leaving it up to you if you wanted to try it, my main symptoms were hot flushes, day and night with so much broken sleep and every time I said I would give HRT a go, another scare story would come out, so I was back to square one. If I were to go through it again I would seek professional private specialist consultation as I believe it would have helped, but I will never know. I did try all the supplements going, magnets, creams etc. all worked for a short period, say 1 or 2 months, then symptoms would return again.

We have them yearly as well, from age 50.

I have booked for mine off the back off this now, as I skipped last year. Thankfully I don't have any concerns there, but always good to have keep an eye on.

I'm on HRT at 43. My symptoms were rage, brain fog, nocturnal panic attacks and not feeling happiness when I should. My periods are fine and don't have any issues on that side. Since being on HRT I have seen a massive improvement in my pelvic floor, I use to leak just walking. This alone has made me happier not dealing with that everyday. I haven't had any issues the last couple of weeks. Also I feel a lot calmer and my mind feels clearer. Feeling better on HRT than not being on it.

I was denied HRT because GP said he didn’t believe in it. It was the practices policy to not put anyone on it or refer anyone.
I think private was the only way forward and I just didn’t have the money. Mind you given the cost to put right some of the symptoms I think I am ending up having to spend more b

Whilst I never really had any hot flashes, (vegetarian with a heavy soya diet) out of the list this is what affected me

muscle and joint aches
irritability
loss of interest in things
itchy skin
gum disease
tooth decay
palpitations
reduced self esteem
reduced motivation/energy
feeling cold
thinning hair

as well as brain fog and insomnia. Have spent approximately £2500 on Melatonin and Ashwagandha just to get a few hours sleep.
(GP wouldn’t prescribe sleeping pills). Will continue to pay £250+ per year for the rest of my life just to be able to sleep

Quote from dentist to fix my teeth £8000 plus other dental issues. It does explain a lot that dental issues are a side effect of the menopause
I have always looked after my teeth and have never had a single filling so to go from not a single filling to full blown gum disease is something I couldn’t get my head around