No Symptoms

I too am very grateful for a trouble free transition particularly when I read here of the horrors some endure. Just thinking.... maybe those around me 'suffered' and I didn't even notice?!! Hope not.

Situpstraight2

So trying to sum things up then.

If you sail through with no particular Menopausal problems you aren’t offered HRT, because you don’t ‘need ‘ it but then you go on to get Osteoporosis and all the other age related problems, which in my opinion is worse and potentially has a huge impact on my old age.

If you suffer badly , you are offered HRT and don’t get age the related problems.

Does this seem be a correct view? Or are you still at risk from Osteoporosis etc if you have taken HRT?

Very good summary Situpstraight though you don’t necessarily suffer from all the lack of oestrogen problems as you get older. You just become extremely prone to them.

You don’t need to be suffering from menopause side effects to go onto HRT either. Because of the huge benefits for most women, and depending how up to date your doctor is on the subject, you should be able to get HRT as it amounts to a long term saving for the NHS (unless it is contraindicated for you).

To answer your last question. Taking HRT keeps your bones strong. If you stop taking it then they start to deteriorate at the same rate as they would have if you hadn’t taken it. So if you take HRT from 50-60 then stop, by the time you are 70 your bones will be like a 60 year old’s, by 80 like a 70 year old’s.
I am on oestrogen for life. Many women are. I was amused to see a personal number plate on a car in the supermarket car park - HRT. Kept a sharp lookout and spotted the owner. I quietly said “love your number plate”. She paused, looked at me and replied “imagine what life would have been like without it” smiled and walked away. It takes one to know one.

Same here and I consider myself very lucky indeed. I kept waiting for the horrors that my friends have suffered and what I’ve read about, but fortunately they didn’t arrive. So you are not alone, I’m very thankful

Your very lucky as were a few of my friends. I had a terrible menopause which lasted about 10 years. Hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations and insomnia. Think I tried everything apart from HRT.

There are apparently 37 symptoms of menopause. I had 36 of them, it seems, apart from psychosis (although my husband says who would know the difference when it comes to my state of mind?).

I had a hysterectomy at 34 due to fibroids and a prolapse. I always had heavy periods so it was a bit of a godsend not to have to put up with that nightmare anymore. As far as the menopause was concerned all I was aware of was a few hot flushes. That was did not bother me because for most of my adult life people only had to speak to me and I would go red as a beetroot. The hot flushes were my saviour because if I went red for any reason be it embarrassment or the menopause I would just say - bloody hot flushes - and they would feel more embarrassed than me, especially the men. Thus I became the bolder person I am today. Consequently the menopause was my saviour (except when I look in the mirror and see my soon to be 70 year old face gazing back at me),

ESSPEE. I had all that you mentioned, plus very heavy periods from age 11. Sometimes having to be sent home from school/ work. I have even passed out a few times. Had a bad menopause, am still on HRT at age 74. Have the odd hot flush and suffer with awful brain fog and aches and pains. Life’s not fair sometimes.

Esspee

So none of you have stress incontinence, waterworks problems, low libido, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, sleep problems, etc.? Amazing. Being on Gransnet must have some protective benefits as statistically the rest of the population who are post menopausal have high incidences of those medical issues. ?

None of those, no. I take HRT. I can't imagine putting up with all that without attempting to do something to alleviate it. Why don't you try and get at least some of it sorted?

Am so glad you wrote this as I was pretty much going to say the same myself. Menopause is often seen as an “endurance test” with the “ill do this myself “ mentality. This is backed up by very basic knowledge by most GPs and incorrect information still being put out there ( and then retracted) the Guardians incorrect recent piece on new HRT comes to mind . We live a lot lot longer these days and menopause in late 40s etc can often mean another 40 years without oestrogen. So much info online and there are some specialists out there , Dr Louise Newson for example who have lots of free up to date info for women. We need to empower ourselves with information and make decisions based on this. We can be the generation that doesn’t have the hip/wrist breaks when falling or vaginal atrophy ( another terrible side effect mostly unknown). I fear for us all without the knowledge that we are often denied or just plain unaware of . I am 57 now, had a partial hysterectomy at 33, menopause symptoms in my early 40s and been on HRT for ten years . It’s not for everyone but at least we should be open to information about menopause aside from starting our periods is the beginning of another phase of womanhood . Xxxx

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Having had quite light periods since I was 12 I had one heavy period at about 40.
Nevet had another one.
I couldn't believe it was that easy.

Well, you lucky lot. I had a hysterectomy at 43 went in HRT for 10 years and oh boy did I get the menopause for 13 years of hot flushes

Reading some posts, such as "my daughters said I had mood swings, but I don't remember" and others remembering an "easy" menopause, does make me wonder if in some cases the memory isn't exactly accurate!

Menopause related i had occasional hotness- not a real 'flush' as such- strangely i read if you're on oxybutynin for bladder problems (which i was at the time) that it helps prevent the hot flushes too- but dr told me to stop taking it as they now know there are serious side effects (altzheimers, or forgetfulness, dry mouth, dizzy spells, high blood pressure, insomnia among them!) However i noticed since coming off those ive had No 'hot flushes' at all either! But i never had loss of libido or mood swings since menopause either.(not due to tablets- i just never had it- and im not allowed HRT as im on warfarin- another general health problem that i got in my 30's so not menopause related-So no esspee we dont all get the 'bad' stuff and we dont all put down other real medical issues to the menopause as we could get those at any time. (Sleep problems for example- ive always been a night owl- then was made worse by a combination of oxybutynin pills and then all the covid worry/time stuck home etc.) So it appears a bit better now.If any of you are on that tablet please get in touch with your G.P or consultants and ask about the side effects- as its serious enough to warrant the medical team getting in touch with me and all the others on it personally with this warning!

Mine was pretty smooth sailing. My periods tailed off and stopped in my late 40s.
Twice "came back" with small shows and on both occasions was sent by gp to consultants to be checked inside and out, and all was fine.
I never had hot flushes, just very cold ones that no one believed ?
The worst thing was Very Low Mood - by which I mean (probably fairly mild) depression, not just being hacked off.

I remember at the time feeling very affectionate about my body. I've never been pregnant nor tried to be, so I was genuinely fascinated and had a sense of wonderment at my body working and doing its peri-menopausal thing.

I am over 80, but remember that I had an "easy" menopause,
few, and I do mean a few, hot flushes... a few funnies, but then back in the day, we were taught, well I was brought up to get on with things,, and I was working,, etc, so I think that helps take ones mind off things..

now,, if only I had something to take my mind of my present circs... ho hum!

God bless everyone!

Phoenix
You have my sympathy.I had such a job to had to take HRT
as you know the flushes seem to get worse when you have important presentations to give.I was mostly lucky that my clients tended to be similar or older than me and always sympathised with me as their wife’s were suffering the same problems which in some times embarrassed me that they knew what was wrong ?
I think a bad menopause is genetic my mother suffered dreadfully with mood swings she attacked me one one occasion I was quite young and had no idea what was wrong,now I feel great sympathy for her she had an horrendous time and at 76 I still have terrible hot flushes.
But took HRT for nearly 30 years until I had 3 bouts of cancer
2 breast and 1 uterus.
So please be careful ladies HRT is not the cure all it’s made out to be.By the way I still got hot flushes on HRT just not as bad without it.

In my 40s, I had a few really heavy periods, went to the dr about it. he did a blood test and told me I was into the menopause and I also had an underachieve thyroid. no hot flushes, just a bit bad tempered at times. Went on HRT and that was it.

My periods stopped dead when I was 48. There had been no tailing off. I actually thought I was pregnant. Friends thought that so funny. I had the odd hot flush after but nothing else. I have since found out that my high soya diet could be the reason...veggie for over 40 years.

*menopause- sorry for typo

Esspee- some of the 'things' you mentioned are NOT due to 'menapause' but in general getting old or just general ill health anyway! And indeed some can even be suffered by MEN too! (Osteo arthritis, alzheimers, bladder problems? Sleep problems?) None of those are simply down to the menopause! So stop scaring the ladies! Sounds to me you had all this stuff but attributed it (or someone did) to the menopause and you didnt question it maybe? I have osteo- arthritis and a 'waterworks problem' but that started about 10 years before my menopause started- when i was only early 40's! So i cant attribute it to that! Its just my general health! As you they- they are 'medical issues'!

I had a couple of sweats, 2 very light periods and nothing else, when I was 48. My daughters insist I had mood swings but I don't remember anything too bad. I had a hysterectomy when I was 68 and I'm now 80. I strangely enough get sweats sometimes but probably because I am too warm.

I had my last period when I was 50 - I am 69 now. No tailing off or they just stopped.

A few not very bad hot flushes that continued until I had an ovarian cyst and both ovaries removed this year.

Apart from that I had some vaginal dryness about a year after my last period, but that righted itself again.

No mood swings, decreasing libido or any of all the other problems you hear about.

Had a few hot flushes and that was it. I just couldn't understand why some women had such problems.

Esspee

Unfortunately, I did not escape the symptoms. I went through an awful time but I think it was also because I was in a 'bad marriage' coercive control and with the menopause I was really convinced I was going mad. I read the other week only 9% of women suffer from night sweats. Yes 20years of night sweats and hot flushes, apart from the five years I was on HRT. I did go to the doctors a couple of years ago and he prescribed me an antidepressant because of my age wouldn't put me back on HRT. I didn't take the antidepressant because of reading the side effects. I wasn't depressed either far from it. I will, however, go back when this pandemic is over(could be a long wait) and see a new doctor. I also read and I hope it is not true that long suffering night sweaters are vulnerable to 'heart attacks' I better stop reading the newspapers