No Symptoms

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?).

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.

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

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.

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.

I am also 53. I was taken off the 'pill' 3 years ago as a former smoker and being overweight, and had an implant instead.
I recently had one or two minor gynae issues and my GP sent me off to see a Consultant.

The Consultant informed me that I had gone through the menopause and should have the implant removed. Also recommended some estrogen treatment for the gynae issues.

Now, aside from from some uncomfortable nights, I really can't say I suffered too much. Whereas my poor Mum had an horrendous time, necessitating an early hysterectomy and other drug interventions, as did my younger sister.

I know there is no 'set' menopause, but as the Mum of teenage girls, I do wonder what lies in store for them in the future.

I think that we all have different experiences of periods, pregnancy and menopause and they are all valid.

I had bad periods except while on the pill. I had an early menopause (43) and didn't have HRT as my mother told me NOT to as it hadn't suited her and Dr said it was my chioce. Symptoms were unregulated body temp in the day and terrible night sweats. I had a total menopause aged 55 because I had ovarian cancer and was put on HRT to help with recovery because of no ovaries. My doctor took me off HRT at 58 as he said I had been on it for too long! I then had several years of terrible symptoms including brain fog, lack of concentration, extreme tiredness so bad I couldn't stay awake and kept nodding off at my desk! Physical symptoms included bleeding, soreness and bladder weakness. I had a very responsible job from which I retired as my colleagues and bosses had concluded I was "not up to it".
I had a routine check up with my gynaecologist (when I was 60) who diagnosed vaginal atrophy and recommended I go back on HRT. My doctor refused to prescribe it. Next check up gynae asked why I wasn't on HRT and was so furious he phoned my doctor and I had prescription next day. 18 months on and I am much better, I feel like I have been brought back to life again and I can enjoy my retirement and grandchildren.
Some of my friends have had few or no real syptoms and others have, I think it's just how we are made.

Esspee I wish I had had more information at the time as the distress caused to me by losing my job and two further jobs reduced my self-esteem to nothing. I thought I was going mad and was no use to anyone. Luckily I have a wonderful husband and daughter who helped me through it.
If Esspee's post helps one other person I am delighted.

Esspee I notice you still haven’t answered questions from previous posters about your qualifications to give out indiscriminate, blanket advice on a public forum. You haven’t backed up your assertions with any references to evidence for your claims that not taking HRT will lead to multiple debilitating conditions.

Nor have you pointed out that there are small, but significant, risks associated with taking HRT.

Whether to take HRT should be a decision taken jointly by a woman and her doctor.

Espee, thankyou for your interesting information. I think you’re saying that an easy menopause, one which doesn’t require HRT, could result in serious health issues later on, and that HRT would have prevented such problems occurring perhaps years later?

Would you advise menopausal women to routinely opt for HRT in order to avoid future problems.? If women sail through menopause with no difficulty presumably it is then too late This seems to be a catch 22 situation. Is there any remedy once problems arise long after the menopause?

Esspee
Hysterectomy at 42, now aged 70 and can honestly say I have non of those at least not related to the menopase.
I do have arthritis, but that is connected to the wear and tear from a very sporty earlier life.
I am due to do my 4th London Marathon in 2022, if the hip holds out

Absolutely........I had my last period at 50 and kept taking pregnancy tests.....so naive as I never considered menopause...was relieved they came back negative and had no symptoms of flushes etc etc so perhaps living in the moment and not looking ahead was good for me.

Grandma2213

Interesting post. I wonder if there has been any large scale research that includes those that have the traditional problems and those that 'sail through it', though obviously it would probably be the former that are 'medically' recorded. I was one of the lucky ones and don't have many friends who have 'suffered' more than minor symptoms, either during or after the menopause. I have sympathy for those of you who have had such a terrible time but maybe that research would have a chance of finding out why there is a huge variety of experiences and find ways to help avoid the bad ones.

Yes. There’s this one. (American). About 50% of women experience no symptoms. There are variables which affect this, such as socioeconomic status. You are much less likely to have symptoms if you have a college education.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820128/

By the way, HRT does not protect you against osteoporosis. It delays it only as long as you take HRT, but then it quickly reaches the level it would have done anyway. Loss of bone density is a feature of normal aging and applies to both men and women.

I had a fairly symptom free perk menopause, my last period was 5 years ago and still don't have many signs of getting older. I still have my naturalist colour and have only just started to get noticeable wrinkles.

Last period aged 47. Few menopause symptoms as too busy...two children to bring up on my own, a mum with Alzheimer’s, full time very stressful job, working on Masters. Yep I did have a bit of a breakdown!

I had a trouble free menopause 20 years ago, my periods just got lighter and lighter then nothing for a couple of months but one day I got a terrible headache and had a very heavy period - I called it the Grand Finale. I didn't take HRT because I didn't want to gain weight, recently had a bone scan and it was fine - no problems. One advantage post menopause was that my life seemed a lot calmer - I was no longer a slave to my hormones!

Simple blood test at doctors will tell you if you’ve gone through it or not. I was only 40 and the doctor didn’t believe me when I told them I’d gone through menopause so that’s when they did blood test and told me I was right. No problems either ?

I also had no symptoms, nearly 60 before periods stopped.

To date all is good.

So lucky you are
54
I have had aches,joint aches no sleep hair loss.
Forgetfulness and a host of others
Finally went for help HRT
Couldn't remember my daughters date of birth it was awful .
Much better now though

Lucky you.hot flushes arrived a month later.don't count your chicken yet

My mother was still having periods in her late 50s, so I was surprised when mine stopped, with no problems, in my early forties. I wondered if it was connected with me always having short cycles of 24 days?

Im the same way. Very few symptoms. I kept waiting for the awfulness but it never happened.

I had irregular periods around 47, a few hot flushes, bit grumpy (but that's life isn't it) Periods stopped at 49.
I am now 58 and this year (after being influenced by Liz Earle) started HRT for my future health re bones ect. What a nightmare. Bloating, cramps, headaches, flooding periods that lasted for weeks. After 6 months I gave up as I had felt fine before. Ok I may in the future have problems from lack of Oestrogen but I want to live my life now.

I had very unpleasant 3-week periods (with '1 week off') for a about a year - accompanied by alternating outbursts of 'temper tantrums' and 'stupid sobbing' and went to GP for help. Was given HRT to 'regulate my periods', but after ONE MONTH I decided that I did NOT want the periods to continue. Stopped taking the HRT and just let it run itself out. Had my final period the week before my 50th Birthday ................ and then absolutely nothing at all. I had the occasional 'hot flush' with my sister watching me have one on one occasion - she said she could see the redness creeping from my cleavage, up my neck and then up my face. No 'night-sweats' - but occasional 'restless legs', when my other half got kicked in the back ;-).

Temperature gage still not right. Stress, anxiety and sometimes hot drinks can all make me hot and flushed even though I'm well past menopause. Otherwise only dry vagina which can be a pain, literally and metaphorically, but is perfectly dealable with. It's a fine path to tread between knowing all the things that you can suffer with and expecting that you won't.

Periods stopped completely at 47. Never had another, and never went through any menopausal problems. Sorry about that ....