General Chat

Julie, that's awful.
I think I've gone through the menopause (no period for 3 years - yippee).
I was quite fortunate (I think) as I didn't have any of the 'usual' symptoms.
I had a lot of extra sweating for about a year - and just wore black the whole time!!
No-one noticed any great mood swings (possibly because I'm a moody mare anyway - and live alone!) Even my (elder) sister was unaware I had gone through the menopause.

My sister was on HRT as she started going through the menopause when my BIL was (finally) diagnosed with mesothelomia (the worst form of Asbestosis). 3 years after his death,(still on HRT) she started suffering migraines, and gave the HRT up.
Now she's getting the symptoms she had before she started HRT - with her it only allayed the symptoms to a later date.

i find sometimes well a lot of time i feel like im in the tropics,
wake up at night everynight, cold cos my pjs are soaked with sweat,
hubby says no wonder i ache so much trying to sleep like that,
its rheumatic,
he could be partly right,

i wont take HRT
mum was prescribed it wrongly when she went to GP with other symptoms
cos he didnt check it was menopause as he wrongly diagnosed,
(just a blood test would have told him the lot)
he gave her patches and basically told her to get on with it,
she had brain tumour and the hrt after one use accelarated the symptoms , i believe the hospital doc said,
i had approx 3 days to talk to mam
after she had gone into hospital due to collapsing at home, then she was in coma for week,

It werent the HRT fault i know,
but a wrong diagnosis,

i still wont take it

I am 53 Helen.My periods stopped about 2 yrs ago and the hot flushes/night sweats kicked in.I average one every 20-30 minutes.I have been given a booklet from my doc about HRT but am still unsure.
Paula

Morning ladies,
I am recovering from a total hysterectomy (4weeks tomorrow) and my consultant has written to my Dr asking that he puts me on oestrogen only HRT in 2 weeks time. Now I'm not a 100% sure whether to go on it or not, or whether to try a natural approach. As a result of the op I should be starting to have a surgical menopause, I have had a few hit flushes since the op but none of the soaking wet sweats yet. My mood is good and there has only been once when I felt tearful.
I am 51 in September and nowadays the experts say the average age that women start the menopause is 52. I would be interested to hear peoples opinions.

Regards
Helen

ta Pam

Nudge........................

My sister lives in Queensland ,where it's very hot,and she has always had
extreme sweating,night sweats etc.She would be sitting still and the
perspiration would be literally dripping off her continually.She has been on HRT for the last 10 years.She's well aware of the risks,as is her doctor,but she just cannot cope without it.Try other things first,if you can-HRT is to be used as a last resort only if everything else fails,because of the risk of cancer.My sister has tried going off it several times,but it's just too much hassle to live without it.She had her hair cut so short that it was about one inch long all over.She perspired so much all over her body that her clothes and her hair were constantly wet.She would leave a puddle of perspiration on a chair,if she sat on it for any length of time.

Thankfully now,after 10 years of enduring this horrific menopause,she is finding that her symptoms are lessening,and her hair is now cut longer.I have never known anyone to have such extreme symptoms,for such a long period of time.My other sister and I certainly never experienced anything like the severity of her symptoms,thank goodness. Try the treatments available until you find something that works for you.Good luck!

Thanks everyone for taking the time and the trouble to post up on here regarding HRT...I have an appointment with my doctor this wednesday ...so will see what he has to say....

I did not take HRT because I didn't want any more chemicals in my body, and because I knew that you get hot flushes etc when you stop taking it.

However, I did develop breast cancer about 4 years after menopause .................. and it was of a kind that is most often found in people who take HRT. The surgeon could hardly believe it!!


HRT is now recommended over here only if you have symptoms which are causing great discomfort, and which cannot be treated by other means.


Why not investigate some of the options ...... high doses of Vitamin E, evening primrose capsules, etc etc


You're only delaying the symptoms, it doesn't stop them permanently.




BTW ............ my hair did not get thinner, and my skin is still elastic and youthful! So that could be a benefit to NOT taking HRT!!



sylvia

I was prescribed it too soon so ended up taking it twice, once for about three years in my mid forties, and stopped, and then again for about 4 years when in my fifties, but stopped again as it didn't seem to make a lot of difference. I suppose I have been lucky in that I didn't have very extreme flushes altho at 62 I still have the odd tropical moments, not bad enough that I need to change clothing or bedding as some women do.

I was horrified when taking the first lot to find it was made from horse's urine, from mares kept pregnant to produce the right hormones so I went onto a synthetic one immediately.

I know that is when the weight started piling on tho and I have never been able to lose it.

Good luck with your choice

Lizx

If you look up Yam on google you'll find it has a natural hormone in it that reduces hot sweats etc. Cooking it though you need a West Indian to show you how (found in West Indian and African shops) Helped my wife

I found it great too but developed Breast Cancer in 2000 and the surgeon blamed being on HRT too long.
It is a side effect so tread carefully
Best of Luck

Hi,

I was getting desperate last year with the flushes etc and was considering HRT, but tried something called MENOPACE instead. Its available from Asda, Superdrug etc. Its basically a multivitamin with soya isoflavines. All I can say is that it works for me.
Theres plenty of info on the net re HRT, the pros and cons.
Also go see your GP.

Good luck

Pat

I went to a menopause clinic in 1995 and went on HRT then as I could hardly cope with my job because of painful and very heavy periods as well as flushes. The important thing they said to me was that HRT was like shoes.....you might have to try different ones to find what best suited you. It was a life saver for me and I stayed on it till 2006 and I would still be on it if I could. After I came off it, the flushes came back, skin and hair became dryer and skin lost it's elasticity!! I realised then how it had been holding back time!!! lol

Thanks for the replies ladies...as you say I can give it a try...

I was on it for about 10 years from about 1993. Cant say it was a life changing experience, but then, don´t know how I would have felt without it. It certainly dealt with the hot flushes, but within about 3 months of coming off it, they were back although nowhere near as badly as before.
Give it a whirl. If it doesn´t suit you, you can always come off it.
Marion

Hi Pam ,
i was on HRT some years ago about 1990/1.
the doc put me on a gel that you could rub into your
arms or legs i found it o.k. .. but didnt need it for long
i cant remember what it was called now.sorry .
Hazelx

I'm getting fed up with the hot flushes etc...
I've heard good and bad about HRT...I'm completely in the dark, so has anyone got good things to say about it...and not so good...