Sailed through menopause

Does HRT just put it off until later?

I had a hysterectomy at 41. (Ovaries retained) I was told that the menopause would be just the same as if I had not had surgery - but nothing happened! Life went on, and although I possibly had a couple of hot flushes in the night - or maybe they were just hot nights - so lucky me. I have never taken HRT either , in spite of some pressure from my GP. I get twitchy with the constant and conflicting reports about drugs that are prescribed so freely, like HRT and statins - so stay way from them all. I do have a great deal of sympathy for those who suffer; my friend has worn sleeveless dresses for several years now, and sometimes no coat on what I would call a very chilly day as she is like a radiator most of the time.

I was also very lucky that I sailed through it, I consider myself very fortunate & do sympathise with others who have really suffered. Having now reached my 60s I’ve developed Lichen Sclerosus, a chronic skin condition. The medical profession aren’t sure what causes this but it often affects post menopausal women so seems that this my suffering

I have a number of friends who sailed through. However they now have osteoporosis, low libido, vaginal atrophy etc.

What a shame. I'm pleased to say I've none of those symptoms either.

notanan2- you must go for that promotion. I did my doctorate while I should have been going through 'menopause hell'. It was fine. Don't be held back by fear of it.

Its great to hear stories like that.
However I'm already "foggy" and am still pre/peri! I have had to start writing down all my passwords at work, even ones I use every day! I feel like the only reason I am good at my job is because Ive been doing it for a long time.

If I was to go for the next "natural progression" at work I worry that it would be terrible timing IYKWIM.

Whats hardest is deciphering what is hormonal and what is "other". Im trying to not blame everything aitomatically on perimenopause incase I miss something else

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I had problems with increasingly heavy, seemingly non-stop periods at forty-nine. I then had a womb ablation and, after post-op bleeding, everything stopped and that was that. No real problems afterwards.

I have a number of friends who sailed through. However they now have osteoporosis, low libido, vaginal atrophy etc.

I had no symptoms or problems with the menopause. In fact it wasn’t until my periods stopped completely that I realised I had had the menopause!

I`m with you NikDumpling.
I can`t take HRT for health reasons.
Iv`e been going through this nightmare for 25 years.
Hot flushes/tearful/aches and pains/didn`t see a period for 9 years then started again/didn`t see for another or 10 years then started again a week before Christmas 2019.
Hate being a female but thankfully I have great support via family/friends/women in general.

I started having debilitating symptoms over 10 years ago and they have only increased. I became cross when I found out that the severe stiffness, insomnia and chronic lack of concentration were all down to the menopause because I had no idea what was wrong and neither did the male GPs I saw. It was only when I saw a new female one that I learned it was to be expected given I was perimenopausal. Once I knew what the issue was I was fine, very relieved in fact. My view is that I wish there was more info out there about what might happen to you. I'm still not period free, but guess I'm suffering now because I never ever had any menstrual pain when I was younger.

My periods stopped at 50, from one month to the next. A blessing as they had been heavy and painful from the first when I was thirteen.

I did have some hot flushes, but nothing like as bad as other women complained of.

I felt that an easy menopause was compensation for all those years of horrible period pains.

Trying to juggle job family and visiting ailing in-laws at the other end of the country all I remember is a month of hot flushes (stopped by Red Clover) otherwise at 58 I was just relieved to be done with periods.
Feel for those who really suffer like my SIL.

Mine was actually a bit weird, I had occasional heavy periods for about 18 months. Then I had to go into hospital suddenly for a Heart valve replacement. I realised my period would be due when I was in hospital so asked DD to bring me some towels.
Nothing happened which I did not realise for a few weeks and that was that.
I now get hot flushes at night but not too bad.
I was 52, my GP had never heard of this but I am not complaining.

I had very few problems at the menopause. My daughters insisted I had mood swings, but I was so busy. My husband left, I had to sell the house and find accommodation for myself and 2 teenage daughters. I was working full-time. As well as driving 100 miles several times a week as my mother required support at that time also trying to support my daughters , the elder who was leaving for university. I certainly had no time to worry or really care about myself at that time. The menopause was over before I had time to think about it.

Yep, I got lucky too. Not a single setback. Never like to mention it particularly when I read of the nightmares many of us go through. Don't attribute this to anything other than sheer good fortune.

I went through it comparitively easily. I did have hot flushes and was once wearing a cerise top when my friend told me I was exactly the same shade! I also woke up buzzing in the middle of the night and wanted to jump out of bed and DO things. I had to learn to relax, ignore the feeling and wait until I could go back to sleep. I learned to sleep naked for the night sweats and layer my clothes for the hot flushes.

I was one who had no problems at the start of my periods, while my sister suffered horrendous cramps, fainting et al.

Fast forward to the menopause and it was pay back time. Sister sailed through, while I had heavy bleeding, (once for 3 weeks in a row), thrush, a succession of benign breast lumps, depression, the lot. Eventually I was prescribed a period stopping version of the contraceptive pill which I took for 2 years. When I stopped that I had one small bleed and that was the end of it. I was 55.

My periods stopped dead when I was 48. I never had any symptoms of any sort. I feel blessed

Had a Merina coil removed, had a blood test and was told I post menopausal - that’s all I ever knew about it

I do wonder how many people who "sailed" through menopause without any ill effects have partners or relatives who might tell a different story. I listen to a friend of mine who tells the same tale but our reality was very different. She was much more short tempered, intolerant, etc but didn't have the hot flushes, etc. She's fine now but whilst she didn't suffer, the rest of us did!

I came through the menopause easily - a few heavy periods and hot flushes, but certainly nothing I couldn't cope with. I know that some women have severe problems, but I do wonder if sometimes too many women treat the menopause as an illness and expect treatment for it, rather than a natural biological process. (Will now put on tin hat and retreat behind wall.)

I didn't even notice I was though it!
I always had very light periods anyway- never more than one day after I had had my children.
Then one day I had a really heavy bleed ( Of course I was at work!!) & it was some weeks after that I realised I had not had a period. Never had another one.
I count myself really lucky. I did not notice hot flushes either but TBH I am a very 'hot' person so I was used to having hot 'moments' all my adult life. They do not bother me.

We had our cats from the cats protection...they were neutered / spayed ( a strangely ordinary word for a horrid operation ?)
When at the age 42, after years of juggling a world of contraceptives, I decided I too would be spayed, sterilised....even
The hospital was 5 mins from the Cats Protection and I wondered if the Vet might do my Op....
I had Keyhole ( laparoscopic) Surgery and was happy, that for the first time in my life, I didn't need to worry about the my ` inner child`.
That is when my Menopause Began...I never had a period again.
The doctor assured me it was a coincidence...if you read enough murder thrillers you will know the Detectives in them say there is no such thing - I agree with them here.
It lasted approx. 2 years. When I began the sweating and the extra madness ( I had never been straightforward sane, who is ?) I went to the doctor. He said go outside, find the nurse, ask for HRT Leaflets....Goodbye ( approx. 1997) I went outside, I cried, I went to the Library and I found a book written by Doctor Miriam Stoppard `Menopause` and I began my future.
Maybe because my mum never even noticed she was going through the menopause, I made myself believe it wouldn't be that bad for me, I did suffer depression and cried over becoming an old woman ( silly but they were my tears to do with as I wished ) I came out the other side and by 45ish I felt I had got through.

sharon103 Does your GP state a very good reason why you can't have HRT? Breast cancer in the family or something? If not, it might be worth seeing someone else or contacting the Amaranthus Trust.

Those of you who 'sailed through' the menopause are very lucky and I noticed that quite a lot of you were comparatively young. I seemed to have normal periods till well into my early 50s when I started to become very depressed. Blood tests told me it was pre-menopause. I've been on HRT of various sorts ever since and I really think it was a life-saver. I'll be 70 next week and hope to take it for many a long year yet. I am lucky (it seems) in that I have a lovely GP who tells me there is no real reason to give it up if all is otherwise well.