Are you over 60 and on hrt ?

Estrillita it is such a shame that your sex life suffered . Even if you aren’t on HRT there is a estrogen pessary that you can get from the doctors that’s just for down those bits so doesn’t go in your system so completely safe And it keeps you moist and free from soreness and water infections . I feel sad for lack of information and the suffering some of us women have endured

What is hrt please?

I was taken off it by my GP some years ago, but persuaded his replacement to restart it (at 61). Sadly, it really didn’t suit me this time round, I had horrendous acne which wouldn’t settle, and my BP shot up. I wish I had put up more of a fight to stay on it, as I didn’t have any problems before. Hindsight is a wonderful thing...

I felt so much better on it though, I had more energy, slept better, felt more alert and my hair wasn’t as thin (which is a big issue for me).

I am 64 and was refused, as too old. (NHS doctor).
Would love to have tried it, so l hope you have a more open minded doctor and get a chance to try it.
Start off slow, with patches perhaps, and very good luck to you.

From age 65 or so, my private gynecologist advised for Bio Indentical HRT and it is successful in bringing energy and boosting the immune system. I would advise it. What do bio-identical hormones mean in HRT?

Bioidentical hormones are different from those used in traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in that they’re identical chemically to those our bodies produce naturally and are made from plant estrogens. The hormones used in traditional HRT are made from the urine of pregnant horses and other synthetic hormones.

I was on HRT for 14 years from age 48 - 62
I moved home and my new GP - a woman - refused to prescribe me anymore.
I hadn’t realised that when you come off it all the symptoms of menopause come back. It was horrendous. I put up with it for 2 years, felt like a wet rag, not sleeping and dreadful mood swings.
I then changed my GP and saw a young male doctor who referred me to a Gynaecologist. She said there was absolutely no reason given my current health and medical record that I shouldn’t go back on it.
I had to try a couple of different brands before I found one that suited me, but it has made such a difference.
I’d suggest to the OP to try and see a different doctor and get referred to a Gynaecologist.

Hormone replacement therapy = HRT

I use the pessaries as that’s all my GP would allow because it was the time of the false alarms. I also use vagisan cream which is supposed to be available on prescription but I’ve given up with my surgery. Since their prescribing less equates to more money for the practice and their own pockets.

Sylk is a good temporary moisturiser.

So many on it over 60, yet all the press/gp say no

So pleased for the ones that it fixed

So if still got ovaries you need

Oestrogen & progesterone??

I am 70 and have never taken HRT as I do not have bad systems but do now suffer with mild anxiety, sleepless nights and mild depression - on and off. I have spoken to a private doctor about it but she said that she did not think the systems were bad enough and urged me to take a natural path which I am but it is still at the back of my mind. But why did the doctor not sympathise with my request??? made me think that maybe at my age it is too late and to much of a shock to my system. Any comments????

I have been on HRT for years since having had a hysterectomy at 40. I will never come off it. I suffered with awful anxiety before I started taking it. I am 64 now. I feel great. I also suffered with vaginal atrophy. I now take vagifem as well. Both drugs have helped me enormously. My sister suffered no menopausal symptoms other than hot flushes. HRT and vagifem has transformed my life. My sister who is three years younger than me looks older than me. Is that the HRT ? Who knows.

Thank you,Sussexborn.I'm not sure I'd want my hormones replacing.They seem quite happy as they are.Nor do I fancy any form of therapy.

May l ask a personal question? One of the big advantages of the menopause is no more periods. For those of you who have not had a hysterectomy, do you still have monthly "periods" while taking HRT?

Been on hrt since I was 39 and am now65 and no intention of coming off it !!

I started HRT when I was 60. I had the coil fitted and use a low dose patch-so a combination of the two. I was advised this was the best and safest way to take HRT and I have never looked back. All the horrible symptoms disappeared and I feel like myself again.

Take pity you fortunate ones on those of us who will never be allowed on HRT because of oestrogen receptive breast cancer. I take anastrozole now to keep oestrogen (and cancer) away. I'm sure it is ageing me (aged 58), but for some, oestrogen is very dangerous. Life can be a struggle, but I want to live as long as possible.

So sorry to hear that Kryptonite. That's awful. Its good that there is at least something to keep the oestrogen at bay, but the side effect of ageing faster is a real bummer.

I don't think taking oestrogen only HRT I'm on is keeping me young, but it does keep me being a nicer person - and not the bitch from hell I turned into on the occasions when doctors have tried to persuade me to give it up.

Thank you. I don't think Esspee is right about HRT preventing Alzheimer's. Some studies say the opposite. Reading her long list of ageing ailments was quite depressing for me. ? Some people are just blessed with good health in longevity.

I took HRT in the form of a low-dose progesterone only patch (I had had a hysterectomy with retained ovaries) - I felt wonderful and well.

When I got to 60 I was told to go off it - GP would not prescribe it any more. So here I am at 71 with osteoarthritis (needed a hip replacement, which has been hopeless and still gives me pain), widespread osteoporosis (needing two different treatments), pains in all my joints and my back, hot flushes, giddiness etc. etc.

Too late now; the damage is done. Makes me cross when the cure was there in front of me, but refused.

One of these instances where you have to make a judgement call. Depends also on your current health and quality of life. At one time smoking came into it I seem to remember.

I went through menopause at 45/46 and had awful hot flushes and depression which was affecting my work. Doc put me on HRT and the difference was miraculous. I was on it for 7 years and was told it wasn’t safe to take it longer than that. When I stopped I felt fine, no menopause symptoms returned.
I wanted to stay on it longer but 12 years later I’m fine, healthy, active and still working .

I agree with Sussexborn, I was on HRT and pessaries including a cream on prescription which the pharmacist rudely said " you'll have to wait for that as it is normally over the counter". I am in Scotland by the way. Eventually my GP (male) said that the HRT that I was on, which suited me, wasn't available and could I manage without it? I said "yes" not realising that it was to probably save him money. I take nothing at all now and think the NHS is useless for women like me. In Scotland we get no annual health MOT and I have to go private which isn't as good and costs me a lot!

Yes, Clio51, if you still have your womb and ovaries you need both oestrogen and progesterone. The one thing I would advise is to visit the Menopausal Matters website. There is a wealth of information on there and some extremely knowledgeable ladies who always do their best to help.x

MartineMagale Your private consultant clearly impressed you with his explanation of bio identical hormones.

Conjugated equine oestrogen is from the dim distant past of HRT and I don’t know a single person who has been prescribed this this century.

I have been on oestrogen implants for the past 30+ years, my friends are on patches or oestrogel, nobody is on Premarin.
The NHS is bang up to date.

Emile. You asked what HRT was.

By around the age of 50 on average, women’s oestrogen supplies are used up. In the past most women didn’t live that long. Nowadays thanks to medical advances the life expectancy of a woman in the U.K. is 81 years.

Without oestrogen our bodies deteriorate and some women suffer menopausal symptoms. The widely talked about one is hot flushes but if you refer back to my earlier post you will see a list of some of the unspoken consequences of menopause.

The worst of those in my opinion is osteoporosis. Once your oestrogen supplies are depleted your bones become more and more porous which is why you hear of so many hip fractures in elderly women.

Fortunately medical advances allow us to replace the missing oestrogen. Commonly you put a small patch like a corn plaster on your bottom and the medication is absorbed through the skin although there are other methods.

For most women the result is vastly improved heath in their latter years. It is not recommended for a small number of women who are pre disposed to other conditions.

If you are diabetic you lack insulin, modern medicine allows you to replace this with Insulin replacement therapy. If your thyroid is not working you take thyroxine replacement therapy. If you reach menopause you can take hormone replacement therapy. The difference is mainly in quality of life.

It is clear if you read all the posts on here that, apart from those for whom it is contra-indicated, women are generally divided into two camps. Those who use it and are delighted with the quality of life it gives them and those who would never take it and are prepared to accept the deterioration caused by the lack of oestrogen as being natural. Some women get little or no visible symptoms at first and other women get disabling symptoms but prefer to try to self medicate with unproven products.

If you have any further questions you can PM me and I will be happy to help.