HRT what percentage don't take it?

[Allshallbewell2021]

I never took HRT & menopause started a long time ago. I didn't think I needed it but now I get the sense that everyone seems to have it and I wonder if I would have benefitted. I was extremely busy at the time; I changed jobs and went back to working full time with a still young-ish family so I just didn't think to explore the idea.
It sounds like there are great benefits but maybe some women don't have HRT and are fine?

Also, to defend my ignorance - it used to be a near taboo subject whereas it's like talking about the weather now where I work.

What is your denominator, OP, women in their 50s? Women age 50+, women age 40+ ?

I've never wanted to take it as it just seems so unnatural to me. The body is supposed to age! (Totally appreciate, though, that I had a very easy menopause.)

Thanks whyhere.
Lljkk, I'm interested that it used to be sone women take it in their 50s if necessary if they needed it but that it wasn't the norm for the majority. I feel as if it is becoming far more the norm and I'm interested to discover whether I was wise to just carry on - whether the health benefits would be more than enough reason. I avoid taking anything if I can and I treated this the same way.

I'm 57 and took it for less than a year, prompted by insane skin itching (I was already past the hot sweats and brain fog stage) then stopped and stmptoms haven't returned. Seem to be through the other side and not keen on synthetic hormones. Not keen on hormonal contraception either.

You're right about the pendulum swinging, from it being a bit of a shameful taboo to all women being urged to demand HRT, esp by celebritues (Davina et al)

I’m 65+ have been post menopausal since 2009. HRT was available for those who suffered, but it wasn’t pushed or recommended certainly not to me or colleagues. There seemed to be a feeling that healthy women didn’t need it.
But the relationship to osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy wasn’t discussed, only the link to breast cancer.

I'm post meno aged 54. I've sailed through with the exception of joint pain. I've considered it but don't want to unless I have to. Menopace calcium have helped my joints.

My mum didn't have it, looks like at mid 40's i have started the very early changes

If I am told I should have it by doctors or Ihave any issues I can't cope with, but otherwise I will not

I'm a year younger than you and I would have written your post.

I was fortunate and managed to avoid most of the menopause symptoms. Migraines were the worst, but I don't get them any more. My main issue now is thinning hair.

I thought I wouldn't do it.

3 hot flushes and 2 weeks of an itchy vag and I was booking my appointment.

Now realise I actually had loads more symptoms than that.

It's good to know, I had started to feel as if I unwittingly walked past a miracle elixir of youth and would look ten years younger if I had picked it up.

How do you know you need it?

What would prompt someone to say - ‘I need HRT’?

I feel like this is a really stupid question. But I’m interested in the answer.

I suppose, if you have to ask, then you don’t need it………..?

I’m 42 and have been on HRT since I was 37 - I went into early menopause due to autoimmune issues. Looking back at my Mum I think she would have had a much better quality of life if she had taken HRT - her bone health went downhill so badly after menopause, she ended up with severe osteoporosis and her hip and knee joints effectively crumbled away. She did have a lot of other health issues but HRT really does help with long term bone and heart health. I’m sure it would have helped her - alongside the other treatments she had.

I’ve never felt the need for it. I’m now 56.

62. Periods stopped at 45. Never taken HRT. I had awful night sweats for a long time but that was the only symptom I can remember. It never crossed my mind but I'm not one for going to the doctor unless my leg is hanging off. I've noticed my hair is thinning over the last few years.

At 55 I view it as a last resort.
I didn't use hormonal contraception and have no wish to start disrupting whatever hormones I have left.

Look up the symptoms of menopause- google Newson health clinic website and have a read of the stuff on there. Lots of women have symptoms and don’t attribute them to the menopause. Anxiety, depression, vaginal dryness and soreness- sometimes to the point they struggle to walk without pain (this was me), dry eyes, dry skin, recurrent UTIs, inability to sleep, joint pain, etc etc. All of these things can be due to low oestrogen.

If your symptoms are debilitating then you need it, if your symptoms are negatively effecting your life you need it.

My perimenopause was awful- rage, anxiety, panic attacks, feelings of doom. I didn't ask for HRT as I didn't have any physical symptoms. I was stupid. I could have saved myself 5 years of misery.

I finally went on it after menopause when I realised that in addition to all my perimenopause symptoms I also had complete lack of joy.

I was on hrt for a few months, i came back off it because i was having a monthly bleed and my symptoms weren’t bad enough to offset the benefit of no periods

im 53, i might look into other options

Googling finds results reporting 10-15% of menopausal women in the U.K. take it. The denominator might be defined a bit broadly there as that seems on the low side.

There is no need to have a bleed on HRT. I am on the mini pill, Oestrogel and utrogestan for HRT and don’t have any bleeding at all, ever. Many people wrongly think HRT will either bring back their periods or will cause bleeding. (I will say however that the mini pill doesn’t stop bleeding for all women but there are other options as well).

Oh my goodness ....you certainly know if you need it. 😂

Thanks all - I am 49 and starting to have somewhat irregular periods and quite a few symptoms that are not debilitating, so I guess maybe it’s not something I need at this point, but should be open to it in the future.

I too thought I’d sailed through the menopause until my atrophy symptoms got worse and worse. I had no real hot flushes, night sweats etc but the vaginal business needed to be treated.

Women who go into menopause early - like me- do benefit from having HRT even if they don’t have any symptoms as there is a preventative effect in terms of bone and heart health by having HRT - effectively you are just giving your body back what it should be making naturally. For example, a young woman who has cancer treatment or surgery that means she cannot produce oestrogen shouldn’t be going their whole adult lives without it - we do need it. When someone reaches 50 plus it’s not quite as clear cut as there is some argument that it’s natural to go into a non oestrogen state at that age but it’s a very debated thing. Most women will benefit from having HRT. Women can continue to take HRT until they die now. The old scare stories have been debunked.

Workplace stress, teenage kids, moody dh, money woes typical stuff for mid-late 40’s. Not stuff that can be fixed with HRT, but if framed as rage and anxiety, tearfulness etc maybe HRT helps.
i didn’t/don’t take it as hot flashes passed, retired, kids grown up etc, but worry about bone and heart health.