What age did you start HRT?

[Chocguzel]

Just that really. Interested to know when it’s most common to start.

45, hated it, came off and I am now 54. Have managed ok without it I think. I do have other health conditions which may have interfered with how HRT made me feel at the time.

After a lifetime of being a totally chilled and rational person I had a meltdown and handed in my notice at a job I loved after a ten year period of being very happy there. Couldn’t cope anymore. Everything felt too much to manage. Went on HRT at 47 then got asked to work in a more stressful environment than I had previously. Took the leap and I’m happier than ever. It changed my life and improved my hair!

43 - not been on it a year yet though. Only s couple of months.

45, it was transformative. I hadn’t realised quite how miserable I’d been until I wasn’t anymore. It gave me myself back.

I’m 55 now and ‘post menopausal’. My HRT has been adjusted 3 or 4 times over the last 8 years as symptoms changed with hormone shifts. I now have a mirena coil, 4 pumps of oestrogen daily, testosterone and vagifem.

I wouldn’t be without any of it.

44 - GP still thinks I am a bit young for it at 47 but I was suddenly so anxious and overwhelmed by little things and that has gone away.

Last year at 44. Can't recommend it enough

46 - I had already gone through menopause for a year at that stage. I wanted to go on the continuous HRT (so it doesn't prompt further bleeds) so had to wait for a year post-last period to start that.

This is pretty much the same for me. It's been great for me and I would recommend giving it a go.

About 51 - now 70 and still on it

45. Nearly two years now, with a couple of tweaks.

47

Just shy of 44 x

39, family history of early menopause and symptoms started 5 years before. Life changing!

49 ish? Had crippling anxiety amongst other symptoms and whilst it reduced most symptoms it’s squashed the anxiety thankfully.

43. It's brilliant.

I’m about to pick up my prescription, two weeks shy of 47

51 , but have come off it 15 months later. Made me put on weight. Really worked well for everything else though.

46, and that felt young in my circle so this is interesting to see. I had severe joint pain as well as a constant low level anxiety and depression I never would have labelled as such - thought it was all just ‘normal’. The difference has been amazing.

I was about 49 but I had a hysterectomy when I was 44 and with hindsight should have started a bit earlier.

Is that the only reason you came off it when it was doing you so much good? Surely the other stuff is more important and then you can tackle the weight gain separately?

I started taking it at 50 after my periods had stopped. I've been on it 12 years and probably won't stop until I retire. It seems like the norm is now to start in the perimenopausal phase, but my GP would not allow me to take it until after my periods had finished.

For my lifelong pmdd under a private specialist.

I'm 46 now, and hopefully will see me through the worst of perimenopause...

The weight all went straight to my tummy and would not budge even with diet and exercise. I have diabetes in my family plus Asian genes, so need to keep my waist to height ratio low.

I also don't have much anxiety so going to try to see how I do without it for a bit.

If I feel terrible I will go back on it.

At fifty. Started it to see if it would help with palpitations. It didn’t. I went into AF and had an ablation but stayed on the HRT for other protective benefits. Not sure I feel any different tbh.