Sense of wonder

Jazzhands I think I know what you mean and it doesn’t worry me one jot. However HRT apparently has other benefits to offer.
Like you I have a “sense of wonder” but also wonder what going on it could potentially do for me.?

Sixty four is normally too late to be started on HRT. I believe that the guidelines currently are up to 10 years after menopause. You can see the stats in the risk tables in the NICE guidelines. A thorough understanding of the NHS guidelines is essential before any discussion on the subject with your doctor.

Testosterone is the hormone that is said to reinvigorate your sex life and it is not part of a normal HRT prescription.

I am not really sure what you are asking in your OP. Real life experiences? If it’s anecdotal info. you want then HRT has done wonders for my health. I have no intention of ever going through the menopause and my consultant (one of the top in her field) was all for that. I have been on oestrogen for 33 years. Comparing my peers those of us on HRT are all visibly younger looking, more vibrant and in far better health than those who chose not to use the medical advances which have been available for well over quarter of a century.

The symptoms that most women have heard of e.g. the hot flushes, and brain fog are really just the start. It is the long term results which tend to kick in after 65 or so which impact so badly on your long term health. I am referring to conditions like osteoporosis, incontinence, premature aging, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, UTIs etc. These can make the final third of your life a nightmare.

You seem happy about being asexual. Taking oestrogen, or oestrogen and progesterone won’t change that. My opinion is that desire is more linked to your brain. If you love and are attracted to someone you get joy out of sex. I cannot imagine life without that frisson of joy but we are all different.

If you and your doctor decide to try HRT my advice would be to take oestrogen as a gel, patch or implant - not a pill. With a pill you need a much stronger dose for it to survive the battle with your liver. I know nothing about progesterone as I don’t need it having had a hysterectomy.

If you had been more specific as to why you are considering HRT I could have been of more help. Feel free to PM me if you wish. Good luck with your doctor.

Thank you for your excellent replies.

I had my hysterectomy at 42 and have never had HRT. Surely it is normal for post menopausal women to think less about sexual things as we are no longer reproducing. It could be natures way of saying your childbearing days are done. I have done the Maiden and the Mother and am happy now to be the Crone.

Is it normal - I think I agree, but my friends are still very flirty etc. I haven't had a partner for 20 years and for the last 10 I've had no thoughts that way, but I still want to be fitter than I am, as I feel I am crumbling away physically and mentally, when I used to be so fit and bouncy. I'm a f/t carer for a family member with complex needs, and I feel that is my priority. If I'm not well enough to look after them, then I'm no use.

I am the same age as yourself and also a full time carer for my husband, I would love more energy some days but I don't think I would consider HRT. I was on the mini pill until my menopause at 50 with hindsight I think it made me struggle with my weight for many years because as soon as I came off it I was finally able to stick to diet and loose weight and although I am not thin I am reasonably happy with my weight now. I do take triple omega oils for my joints and heart though.

Thank you 62Granny. I'll have to look up triple omega oils. I'm zero energy all the time - see what blood tests reveal at same visit to GP.

Espee HRT may have been available for a number of years but it certainly hasn't been offered to everyone. I went through the menopause 15 years ago and went to ask my GP about it. She refused, saying it was only for those with the most severe symptoms, so I battled on without it. My sister, in another part of the country, had the same experience.

rubysong, I am sorry you and your sister weren’t able to get the medication you were entitled to. It may be that for medical reasons (eg.family history) it was contraindicated or your GP was poorly trained and prejudiced against it.
There have been many scares re HRT over the years but the NICE guidelines provide GPs with current best practice recommendations.
I have advised dozens of women through the years who were finding it difficult to obtain HRT and the great majority were eventually successful, sometimes by becoming more knowledgable than the GP or insisting on a referral to a menopause clinic. A few had to change their doctor.
In general the more determined women get what they want and are prepared to fight for but thankfully attitudes are changing as more of us take responsibility for our health.

I suspect that many perfectly youthful and active women are not on HRT. Menopause isn't a gruelling trial for many women but they tend not to go in about it as it's not very interesting or particularly thought provoking. It would be unwise to speculate on non HRT supported women based on the OPs peers.

The OP wants to go on HRT and is asking for advice and real life experiences. In that case my experiences are as valid as anyone else’s Aveline.

As are my own!

All of your posts are most welcome. Knowledge is one thing and wisdom is another. I was asking for both from you lovely Gransnetters and got both. So thank you all - I've learned a lot from your posts.

My experience is similar to yours Esspee and over the years I’ve had to stand firm in continuing to take HRT by saying I’ve done my own research and this is my choice. For me the benefits are manifold. I’m still very sexually active and the joy and wonder of life only grows ever deeper and more profound. Of course I’m not saying this is because of HRT but I wonder if I would feel this good without it, and I have absolutely no intentions of stopping taking it. If it’s good enough for the Queen it’s good enough for me.

How do you know that the Queen is / was on HRT Stormystar?!
Is this not akin to treason?!

Haha A little birdie told me ! But Yes cart me off to the Tower

Aha!
It was a loose lipped (loose beaked?) raven then! ?

Spot on Fan ?

Aveline

As are my own!

And mine. Everyone's experiences are different, and some women reach their eighties without osteoporosis, incontinence, premature aging, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, UTIs etc.

In my early fifties I was experiencing heavy and erratic periods (varying from six-week gaps to one-week-on-one-week off) I went to my GP to ask for HRT to sort things out. He (of course it was a man) told me to come back when my periods had stopped completely "and we'll think about it then" I never went back, but time cured the problem without medication. No osteoporosis, incontinence, premature aging, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, UTIs

Esspee

Sixty four is normally too late to be started on HRT. I believe that the guidelines currently are up to 10 years after menopause. You can see the stats in the risk tables in the NICE guidelines. A thorough understanding of the NHS guidelines is essential before any discussion on the subject with your doctor.

Testosterone is the hormone that is said to reinvigorate your sex life and it is not part of a normal HRT prescription.

I am not really sure what you are asking in your OP. Real life experiences? If it’s anecdotal info. you want then HRT has done wonders for my health. I have no intention of ever going through the menopause and my consultant (one of the top in her field) was all for that. I have been on oestrogen for 33 years. Comparing my peers those of us on HRT are all visibly younger looking, more vibrant and in far better health than those who chose not to use the medical advances which have been available for well over quarter of a century.

The symptoms that most women have heard of e.g. the hot flushes, and brain fog are really just the start. It is the long term results which tend to kick in after 65 or so which impact so badly on your long term health. I am referring to conditions like osteoporosis, incontinence, premature aging, osteoarthritis, vaginal atrophy, UTIs etc. These can make the final third of your life a nightmare.

You seem happy about being asexual. Taking oestrogen, or oestrogen and progesterone won’t change that. My opinion is that desire is more linked to your brain. If you love and are attracted to someone you get joy out of sex. I cannot imagine life without that frisson of joy but we are all different.

If you and your doctor decide to try HRT my advice would be to take oestrogen as a gel, patch or implant - not a pill. With a pill you need a much stronger dose for it to survive the battle with your liver. I know nothing about progesterone as I don’t need it having had a hysterectomy.

If you had been more specific as to why you are considering HRT I could have been of more help. Feel free to PM me if you wish. Good luck with your doctor.

Espee, my periods continued until I was 60 so although I'm 64 now I've been postmenopausal for only 4 years. I appreciate that was very late!
I'm potentially considering the combined patch in an upcoming GP appointment and I have the nice guidelines armed and ready if necessary, but I'm still hesitant