HRT and Constant Scaremongering - I can't keep up with it all!

Women's health
1

Hiya Ladies

Now as you know, we on this site can be a, how can I put it, sensitive bunch(!). We have the daily grind of wondering 'What does today hold for me?' - and it's hardly Groundhog Day as one day is NEVER the same as the next!

At the moment I am completely med/HRT free for any Peri symptom I present.  I ache like a 90yr old most days but, having taken lots of fantastic advice from my 'sisters' on this wonderful Forum, I have given in to taking a daily dose of Menopace Original, in an attempt to get the ball rolling and see what 'route' may work best for me. It's probably mind over matter, but I do feel a bit better generally for taking them (oh, and for drinking more water. Thanks for that advice girls!).

I have very strong, personal views on the use fo SSRIs for Peri symptoms, but I can see that many ladies have used them for many years (family members included here) and sing their benefits for the better of quality of life they have gained through their use. I just don't think I warrant them any time soon, but no doubt if things got really bad for me, I know that they will be available to me.

I struggle with wanting to go get some HRT started, with my attempts to 'go it alone' - or at least with the occasional help of some Bioidentical Progesterone Cream. And that's only when I remember to use it!

I'd say, having read lots of posts, I am definitely Perimenopausal, but maybe my symptoms at the moment are very, very mild compared to the majority.  I'm hoping its not the calm before the storm, but don't kid myself that this is it:  I'm still bleeding regular as clockwork and at 54 truly believe that I'll be one of those unfortunates who will suffer a late Menopause.

My mum and sisters were all virtually into full-blown Meno by my age.  I can only assume I must have been very good in another life!

My point I'm raising today is more a debate that a question.  I love a bit of news, and read it on-line every day.  I've read some very positive articles regarding Menoalready this year........until today.

Now I think of myself as a bit of a hard nut, nothing much fazes me, if someone upsets me, woe betide them etc etc.  But today's HRT Scare for the Day is.........a link now between HRT use and Ovarian Cancer, no matter how long you have been using it!!

Sorry girls, call me a cynic, but has someone got it in for us women??!! 

I'm 54, have never had a major illness in my life.  I don't smoke, drink, take prescription - or recreational, although I sometimes wish I did! - drugs.  My only vices in life are that I swear like a trooper (out of earshot of the young, elderly and infirm!) and I eat crisps like I have shares in Walkers!!

But I sometimes feel that I'm in the 'wrong place, wrong time' for most things. By the time I'll really need HRT, it'll probably have been withdrawn on health grounds!

I figure we've all got to go sometime.  At the moment I believe by even THINKING of starting HRT I run the risk of a stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, blood clots, and now ovarian cancer.  But are they not a daily threat to me anyway?

I'm not foolhardy, and will consider all options available to me, but this daily bombardment of 'if you take HRT you're going to die from this, that and the other' gets a bit, well, boring! 

I know there are plenty of ladies who have gone the whole 'natural' route and good luck to them. But I also read here of so many ladies whose quality of life has been dogged by this bloody Curse, and have got great support from HRT.  I will only take so much before I concede and give into HRT, because I believe the later I start taking it, the longer I can enjoy my relative 'youth' or what's left of it!  I don't want to put up and shut up, go without sex and all the fun that comes with that (nah, not thinking boring '50 Shades' here at all!)........and then try and get some of that back when I'm in my 60s and probably looking and feeling like I'm 90, and by that time my ol' man's past it too!

For someone who's considering starting HRT, I need just a little reassurance from my 'sisters' on  here. 

But one thing I must ask:  has anyone actually known ANYONE who has developed ovarian/breast cancer, or had a heart attack or stroke that has been DEFINITIVELY LINKED to taking HRT???  

I know lots and lots of friends and family who are taking prescription meds (some for many years) who admittedly do have some side effects of their meds, but NO-ONE who has developed more life-changing side effects. 

My lovely, late mum took very strong meds to combat TB in her bones.  But 'Old Age' got the better of her, not the kidney failure that the meds could cause.  I rest my case.......!  I want to go down fighting like her; doing the white knuckle rides in Orlando aged 72 and singing and dancing until her late 70s before the hip replacements go the better of her (3 in total).  You would never have known that she had suffered really major illnesses in her life: a true lover of life xx!

I think its safe to say that I'm in one of my 'Debating' moods today, so handing me news headlines like this was not a good thing!

I'm off now for a packet of Cheese n' Onion Crispslol!!

Sx

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Hi - Yes it was bad news about the HRT. Its so hard to know the right way to go! My Sister has been on HRT (low dose) for 15 years, she started when she was 35, always had problems with her hormones & thankfully she is ok! I think if you do decide to go on it having regular check ups & blood test should show if any changes occur?? Sometimes I think they are out to scare us to stop taking it because its a cost to the NHS but maybe I am a little paronoid? I sadly cant take them as I have high blood pressure but I must admit since taking thesethey  tablets have taken away the anxiety & sweats I had! Everything taken is a risk! anyway good luck with your choice XX

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Hi Shaznay

Oh hun, i had a natural ten year peri, but now just age 50 and post meno, i use ovestin estriol ovules vaginally for dryness. And cream for outer bits, i dont use much or as much as they suggest but all my ' sitting on a hedgehog' feelings have gone, so i am happy to use that, and a Gyno suggested it, and my it does plump things up 😃

Remember hun, there are many HRT' s

Some better than others, patches by pass the liver as not pills and are transdermal delivery.

Gyno is best if you decide to use in the future, its all personal choice.

I never took HRT as wanted my menopause over and done with, HRT ostpones it and when stopped the peri and hormone decline begins all over again, so if ladies know this they can decide if they want that.

I also couldnt take HRT as i had endometriosis and hours of laser treatment to remove in my thirties, and three aunts who used HRT and got breast cancer, my mother never had HRT because of this and shes now 84 years old ..

We always take our vit D and Calcium to boost bone health.

But i now use estriol vaginally as the dryness was do annoying.

You will find your own path and make your own decisions, my advice is see a Gyno and ask what type of HRT is what exactly and get a full understanding of what it contains, some are equine ( pregnant mares urine) and if i was offered that i would run for the hills.

Enjoy your crisps 😃

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Thank You jayneejay

Firstly, I have to say I'm sorry to hear about your 3 aunts.  You must be, as I would, guided by your maternal genetics. 

My mum would be 95 now, so a fair bit older than your mum, but she'd have loved HRT to have been available to her because of her poor bone history.  My mum was a very forward-thinking woman:  I think that's what she was, especially when she used to tell us 5 kids how she'd wished the Pill had been available in her day!  She had a fantastic sense of humour, gawd bless her.  But I honestly believe she would have advised us girls to have whatever improved the quality of our lives. 

At the mo I feel really alright. I cannot see the point in taking something I really don't need, although i know things will only get worse.

I'm really glad you're sorting things out for your 'Lady Garden' - I've always loved a bit of lube, so will definitely go that route as and when (which I suspect will be sooner rather than later, alas).  No point being uncomfortable, I say.

I take it you're in the US??  We in the UK don't seem to get as much time with our (NHS) GPs to discuss different types of HRT etc. Think that's why most of us self-educate on this wonderful site!). 

I really don't want to feel rotten at 54+  Unlike you, I do think I'm prepared to 'postpone' if necessary, but would really, really love to go the more 'natural' route. However, foremost in my mind is my bone health, and HRT might be advisable for me with my mum's history of TB in her spine and elbow (48yrs apart - bloody disease!), and her 3 hip replacement ops post-Menopause.  

Thanks again.  I always read your posts as they're more than informative. 

Oh, I'm going cold turkey on Monday:  I'm going to stop eating crisps as part of my health kick! Wish me luck.

S x

 

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barbara, you sound like my kinda gal, especially with the dig at the NHS!! 

Yep, I hadn't  ruled that out, as us dried up ol' bags are part of the 'ageing population' they keep mentioning and yes, regular meds (be they HRT or whatever) take money out of the system......the very one I've been paying into since I was 17!!  (Ooh Err, here I go....!)

I was only just getting over the fact that butter is NOT bad afterall - maybe I should stop reading the news!

Funny you mention about high blood pressure. My next sister up (62) has been taking meds for her blood pressure since her late 30s.  She's been on HRT for the past 7yrs and loves it.  She does have very regular check ups, and they have 'suggested' she wean off of them.........that was very brave of them as she's not having any of that! 

If taking HRT only postpones the symptoms, I hope to have moved to another part of the country when she does eventually wean off of her HRT!! 

Well when my time comes to decide what to do, I'll probably give it a go.  But as they say, it may be a case of 'Suck it and See' to see if I get on with it, as I am a bit of a 'medication-phobe' generally. 

Oh, Decisions. Decisions.

Thanks for replying xx

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Hi Shaznay

no i am from UK but live in Southern Spain .. 

I pay for my health care here ..

i been having a bad time with back pain, ( not post meno) for 5 or 6 weeks i have had agony, had a CT scan to be told I had three disc bulges and some lesions, its been agony, but today i have a rash blistery on my ass cheek, weird as I had this at xmas and dismissed it, it went and returned, turns out i have shingles ... 😩😩😩😩😩

Havent been on much the last couple of weeks as felt so unwell, now i know why ... 

i too had a bag of walkers 😊 salt and vinegar

take care sweetie 

jay x

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Hi dear Jay I was wondering where you were  cuz you are on here a lot helping.  I haven't been on here a lot and when I came back you were missing.  Hope you feel better soon and you will be dear.  xxoo

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we all want to do the right thing for ourselves at this crucial change in our life. so that means the rest of our family at different ages are having a peaceful homelife.

we genuinly try to do our best for our kin when they are ill.thats what we're all about, but they dont understand about menopause.

when i try to study the internet, i realise different peo

ple are telling me stuff that thry dont really know about, so dont believe everything as gospel. 

i had bleeding fibroids when i was42 and driving buses,.wasnt very convenient.

ahysterectomy was arranged for 4 months later, but by then i was ok so never got thr beasties out.

so now i decide to go on livial, a synthetic hrt as i was keeping his nibs awake all night with my night sweats.

within 2 weeks i felt wonderful,all my skin glowing, randy as hell like never before and creaky bones gone.

i loved it. 20years i suppose i used it.

then i had digestive issues caused by a polyps.

had it out and surgeon said no more hrt which i stopped immediately.

after another 3 years the fun began.

fibroids regrowing, polyps,dreadful degiestivo problems,pi pi frequency

 and 3 years 3 months many tests but no action., i'm depressed.

first time around on polyp op took about 3months. not this tine.

the gynnos here in spain are completely macho, so i must be getting relogated to the bottom of the list every week.they say miomas are normaaaaaal.

i havent seen my grandkids in 3 and half years just waiting for that appointment.

if i hadnt stopped the ilixir of life i would still be having a ball.

you just cant have a ball when your 80.all the damage is done.

anyway you've had a perm and blue rinse by then.

we all want to stay young as long as we can so dare i start up again at 67.

people are dropping like flies here but i seem to be in good nick and never miss an opportunity to brisk walk.

i have been recommended coconut oil for dryness.read all about it as its very versitile.

you will know when you are ready to try the little darlings and hopefully get thr rights ones straight away.

but like everything there is a catch,

do your homework and make your choice. good luck sisters xx

men just seem to amble on into old age.

we can put a bit of slap on and high heels and recreate ourselves.. 

for that event we dont feel the pain or the depression because of the pain.

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Ughhh, Shingles. Poor You. Good sign your immune system's down

Back pain: there's nothing quite as bad. So debilitating. Hope the Spanish sun is helping you relax? No such luck here. Rained torrentially all lat night. Have a major housing development being constructed nearby. Traffic galore everywhere.

I bet you really miss the UK :-) ?!

Like you are jayneejay, I'd prefer paying for my Health Care, so I would get my healthcare specific to me. I know I can go the 'private' route for absolutely e erything, but i'd not want to still pay into our highly abused NHS!! (here I go.......!). Think its a 'Put p or Shut Up' if I don't put my hand in my pocket. But if I don't get offered much by way of HRT options with my GP, I may consider going private for that.

Good luck with the back issues and the Shingles: we're all feeling for you on here, for sure. X

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Hi Shaznay

thank you for your kind words..

no i dont miss UK one bit. 😃

its Spanish winter and abit nippy, sunny but nippy ..

have a great weekend my lovely 

jay x