Am I about to be hit like a truck!

[Ginghamtablecloth]

So I’m 51. I have regular periods not massively heavy or light. Have minor PMT symptoms nothing out of the ordinary. I have a bit of muscle aches etc tennis elbow but again nothing I can’t cope with. I sleep well. Don’t have hot sweats etc. am a little anxious at times but again all manageable.

I was at lunch today with life long girl friends. 5 of us. The other 4 are all struggling. All on HRT. All reporting it helps etc. they reckon I’m putting my future health at risk by not taking it. I don’t take the pill or anything either and they think I’m heading for a big shock and it’s all going to hit me
like a truck!

my question is, has anyone gone through this to this stage and not needed HRT? Am I about to get the shock of my life? All advice and experiences welcome. Thanks x

I posted above. Am approaching 70 now, and full of life. I have had all the cardiac workups. Fine. Dexa scans, fine.

I do have other health issues associated with the aftermath of H Pylori which recurred. But treated. Oh and I have a gallstone! No symptoms though.

I'll probably drop down one day or get everything under the sun all at once some time. But until then....

My periods stopped at about 52 one day and never came back. I'm not on HRT as I'm asymptomatic apart from zeroooo libido and the brain fog has never lifted but that could be age lol. Im considering vaginal oestrogen though as I think it might be disappearing!

Oh I take vit D supplement for bones but I think everyone can benefit if you work in an office and live in the UK

I’m 50 and only about six weeks ago was thinking exactly the same as you OP. It had been more than a year since I had a period and I was smugly happy about no menopause symptoms. Then overnight it was like a switch had been flicked. Hot sweats like nothing on earth, unable to sleep, palpitations, feeling faint and dizzy. I’ve started HRT now.

I sailed through. 66 now. Periods fizzled out 52-3 ish. The odd sweaty night, and I think I worry more but that could just be age. It’s not tough for everyone- I was lucky.

I'm 56 and periods stopped a couple of years ago. I use an oestrogen pessary but other than that nothing. I've had a pretty easy time so far.

I have been having night sweats but I'm also being treated for cancer and have had a lot of chemo which may not be helping. Once the dust settles from the cancer treatment (I'm in remission) I'm planning to go back to my GP for a review and to ask for a bone scan. I don't think HRT is essential if you haven't really got any symptoms.

Of 8 women: three of us no symptoms other than periods getting irregular and lighter and eventually stopping. Only one of the three had a
few mild hot flushes that’s it.
Three had symptoms you expect: hot flushes, a bit of brain fog and mood swings and just feeling not right. Two went on HRT the other felt she could cope without.
Two had quite bad symptoms particularly hot flushes and night sweating. Both went on higher dose HRT. One claimed it was a ‘lifesaver’.
We are all in our 60s now. So it’s not a given you will have an awful time. In fact by my small group it was a third nothing, a third mild to medium, less than a third severe.
My mother had a really dreadful time, me and my sister had a very easy time.

My periods vanished for 6 months & then reappeared just as I was getting hopeful. Annoying but not really anything more than that.

go to Sainsburys and buy their menopause vitamins. Game changer.

Just looked them up. These are a very generic mix of ‘wellness’ vitamins. The profile is no different to any other multivitamin.

I went through menopause without a single thing happening to me. I did get brain fog but I've got Multiple Sclerosis and I've had a Stroke... so who's to say.
I'm not on any form of HRT.

Well I only learned in January that I am post menopausal and I'm 50.

It was confirmed because I was bleeding for the first time in years and had a hysteroscopy /biopsy and ovaries were seen and declared defunct.

So, I've been though the entire thing whilst on Mirena coil.

I've been knackered, angry, moody and sweaty but that was pretty much normal - I thought!

No hrt here.

I don't have anything to compare it to. I need a polypectomy and that should be me done...

I definitely did not know this.

Thank you for this thread, it’s really interesting to see how everyone has such different experiences.
I’ve had no period for a year. Some anxiety and insomnia but mostly ok. I’m seeing myGP soon just to discuss my options.

I feel that most people my age are on HRT and it’s just the done thing.

I only started HRT as my symptoms were so bad plus my periods stopped at 41.

Personally, if I was in my 50s, minimal symptoms, I wouldn't take HRT.

For me its caused as many issues/side effects as its helped.
I have spent 10 years trying to find the 'best combination'.
It doesn't exist!

You will probably be fine. Don't underestimate good life style choices, exercise etc.

I feel the opposite,.
None of my friends or sisters are on HRT.

Yes this is maybe what OP’s friends are getting at. There are wider health benefits to taking HRT and why women take it longer term. I have a family member who is still taking HRT and she’s 84.

I tried HRT and came off it.
managed some insomnia with magnesium and night sweats with sage tablets.
also, I found that if I do get a symptom like the above, it does pass - seems to be a phase for a few months rather than here to stay.

The most dramatic thing to happen to me when I hit menopause was my periods stopped….no other symptoms really. So I didn’t need HRT. We are not all the same.

I went on HRT in my late forties as I was having panic attacks instead of hot flushes and it was horrible. I can’t take it now since breast cancer visited my life. I wish I could take collagen for my knees but that’s not recommended for me either.

if you’re basically symptom free and getting on with life all I would recommend is exercise that keeps your joints supple.

It's like everything, different for everyone. For examole some sail through pregnancy and childbirth whilst others have a terrible time.

Just see how you go. Eat well, lots of physical activity to promote good sleep and calm mood and don't worry. If you start struggling then seek advice.

Not necessarily. I'm 60, my periods stopped when I was 56 and that was the only symptom of menopause I've ever had. I don't take HRT, and never will, nor any over the counter stuff - simply because they are not needed. I have never needed to consult a doctor about any of this.
I accept that I am lucky, but the point is that everyone is different. There is a huge range of experience, your friends are only "qualified" to speak about themselves. Also be wary of the trend to medicalise normal feelings, and to commercialise middle-age by trying to flog us "menopause products".
If you have unwelcome symptoms, see a doctor. If you don't, then just celebrate the fact that you don't have to worry about periods anymore!

See how you go.

I was almost 53 before I started HRT and had no symptoms at 51 other than the very vague feeling a flush coming now and then.
Periods were still pretty regular to almost 53 when I began HRT as I had hourly flushes and my sleep also changed completely.

I also paid for a private DEXA scan which showed a lot of bone loss, despite still having periods and no risk factors. That's been part of my decision.

I'd recommend a DEXA scan for all women if you can afford it. Too many women are diagnosed too late with osteoporosis.

I've been on it for years as when I stop the above symptoms (mainly sleep) are still there.

I was lucky to not suffer any extreme effects from the menopause, some very hot flushes, but that's about all. My bone and joint health is very good (apparently) for a woman of 68. So not everyone suffers badly with menopause. My friends have all had various symptoms rangeing from mild to horrendous, there doesn't appear to be any logic to who gets which symptoms.

I've had awful perimenopausal symptoms for the last 6 years, and don't take HRT yet. My health has been dreadful for a decade anyway since my mid 30s as I had a horrible head injury and post concussion syndrome before being injured permanently by an off label antipsychotic that gave me a neurological involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia 😢

Perimenopause symptoms aren’t there all the time but things like tinnitus, dry eyes, horrendous painful gingivitis and bleeding gums, and now I'm coming out in hives when my progesterone is high at ovulation, makes me feel so awful and depressed at times.

I'm on the fence about HRT as I'm worried about it exacerbating my movement disorder symptoms but similarly I can't go on for years like this. It's a bit shitty really 😕