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[GeordieGirl]

Hi,
I've just spent countless hours reading some of the (very useful!) posts on here, so finally thought I'd dive in...

I'm 48 and having had the Mirena coil for the last 8 years, have just found out I'm post menopausal. A real surprise as I had no hot flushes or indeed any of the other side effects I'd thought I should be getting.  In August last year I went through a very stressful time at work and have had problem sleeping since. My hair has also thinned and I've put it all down to stress, having now realised I'm through the menopause I'm wondering if that's the reason instead. My sleeping still hasn't returned to normal, and my hair, which has always been very thick and bouncy, is now thinning around the crown and edges.  My memory has been quite poor too.

Now realising these effects could be a feature of the menopause rather than the stress I'd attributed them to, I'm weighing up whether I should try HRT.  It's the sleeplessness that's the main bugbear, I run my own business and it's difficult to function properly when you're up for hours during the night and then sleepy during the day.  I've read the very long 52 page thread on this forum (very informative) and must say I'm erring on the side of giving it all a go, though probably with a pill will low progesterone in case of further hair loss.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello before I start posting further, at such a confusing time it's good to find such a wealth of knowledge and a friendly community :-)

GG x

[CLKD]

   you are in good company!

We have a thread about memory loss, 'doing stupid things' and 'there's a strange woman in my house' 

[GeordieGirl]

Thanks CLKD.  Before I realised I was post menopausal, I actually worried I had onset Alzheimers - it's quite a relief to realise it's hormonal.  I'll search out the thread now before I forget :-)

[honorsmum]

Hello GeordieGirl,

How did you find out you were post menopausal?
Has your doctor suggested HRT?
Hopefully, you have a sympathetic one who is happy to chat through your options with you. I think the advice on here would be to try HRT, in order to protect your heart and bones and help with any symptoms you are struggling with - but I'm sure someone a lot more knowledgeable than me will be along to answer your question soon. 

[GeordieGirl]

Hi Honorsmum.
A blood test showed the levels of FSH (?) were conclusive. The doctor didn't suggest HRT though she did take out my Mirena coil and said if I had any problems to go back. It had been in past the sell by date anyway so unlikely to be doing much, I guess it probably helped see me through any major symptoms though.

I'm fairly sure I'll try HRT having read this forum. I have recently been treated for a benign breast cyst so hope that won't be an issue, having read up on it it looks like progestrone may actually help deter cysts.

Such a confusing area though, and so many diverse and contradictory views from the professionals. It's reassuring to read people's own personal experiences.

GG x

[BrightLight]

Hello, I recently stopped having periods and fsh levels suggest post menopause. As I have discovered, nothing is definitive and periods could come again but things are winding down.

I don't really have hot flushes either but I have had the sleep issues and hair issues and like you, I put it down to stress, I also work for myself. At the moment the hair shedding has reduced (its shed twice in the past 18 months) and my sleep is improving. I actually remember dreams and feel like I've had sleep when I wake up, for ages it felt like I had not had any, even though I had (?)

My hair is growing back, I think, annoying short growth that is annoyingly fuzzy but welcome if it means my hair might thicken up a bit.

As your GP suggests, I would also see how you get on over the next couple of months, maybe things will settle, if its all too much then you have options for that as well.

[GeordieGirl]

Thanks Bright Light - are you on HRT or weathering it out?

I've actually no idea how long I've been post menopausal but am now wondering whether a number of things I'd attributed to stress or just getting old (memory) have no been symptoms. The sleep thing is wearing, I can count on one hand the number of times I've slept through over the last 9 months.

I've made an appointment to see the gyaeny doctor, she's got a lead time of 2 weeks so it's giving me a bit of time to read a little further first. 

GG x

[BrightLight]

Hi, I'm not on HRT at the moment, I am 44 and advised that it would help protect against osteoporosis and heart disease as my estrogen will be 'missing' for longer than average (age 51 for menopause) Its such a personal choice though and a risk assessment for the benefits and risks of HRT are particular to each person. I do accept HRT has less risks than once perceived but for me, I am wondering about the decision because it may be, I've come through the worst. There are perhaps other options for heart and bone health that I can take more seriously now and  be happy I have had the worst of my body adjusting to new hormone levels. The stress of the adjustments in the past year isn't good for my health either. Swings and roundabouts.

If I thought HRT could give me back lustre in my hair and firmer skin I would maybe be swayed more, I don't think it does per se The decision doesn't feel clear cut for me, hence my 'watchful waiting' approach. Meanwhile I am changing skincare, diet and exercise and my general outlook plus the awareness of knowing my hormones were to 'blame' for not feeling myself for a while has really helped.

I think your decision to gather information and get informed before your appointment is great and hopefully you can make a decision together with your doctor.

The memory stuff- I've read that can go away or diminish when hormone levels get to a constant level, which can take a couple of years. Plenty of places I have come across that say please don't worry you have dementia

[CLKD]

Let us know how you get on with the Gynea.! by then you will have some notes to take with you. Keeping a food/mood diary can be useful too.

[GeordieGirl]

Thanks both :-)

My moods have been quite consistent (my kids just reckon I'm grumpy 365 days of the year ) and I haven't noticed much different apart from the sleeping, memory and hair but that could be because I wasn't particularly atuned in to what I could be looking for - I've probably just thought I had other things going on.

The hardest thing I'm trying to come to terms with currently is the psychological aspects of it all. I don't feel old, hopefully don't look or act old but this seems to be my body shouting out with a megaphone that I'm on the slippery slope. It feels incredibly ill fitting and uncomfortable at the moment.  I find myself looking at all my over 50 friends to see how normal they look - silly how the brain works!

GG x

[BrightLight]

I can relate to the psychological challenge. I too keep 'comparing', looking and wondering if anyone else can see 'I've aged'. I'm convinced its obvious.  I'm sure it isn't. Slight panicky feelings of 'what's next', but I think this is all part of the adjustment. I haven't had children but I know friends sometimes despair of the body and other changes after birth and somehow they adjust.  I'm sure the psychological adjustment will happen.

[CLKD]

Have you found yourself wondering who that old lady is looking back at you from the shop window and then realising ………. 

[Briony]

I've read the very long 52 page thread on this forum (very informative) and must say I'm erring on the side of giving it all a go, though probably with a pill will low progesterone in case of further hair loss.

Hi and welcome!

Just wanted to add that unless you know for sure the progesterone is to blame, try to keep open minded and be prepared to experiment. The reason I say this is that I went to great extents to get a low progesterone HRT formula, only to discover, a few months later, that I felt better on the progesterone phase and actually needed more! The key connection I made, surprisingly, was that my hair was miles better with progesterone (I had assumed it was the cause of my shower-blocking shredding!). The pattern I noticed was that my hair and nails both became noticeably worse when I stopped the 14 day progesterone phase - like a withdrawal symptom. This fits in with what some people notice after pregnancy when their hair starts to fall out. I also have friends who have noticed the same thing when they have a Mirena taken out.

Obviously we are all different so I don't want to make you think progesterone is the answer - far from it! - but I wish I had not made up my mind so adamantly before starting HRT as I have now had to switch things round a lot as a result!

This is very waffley - hope I am making sense!

xx

[GeordieGirl]

Thanks Briony. I think the problem is there is so much info out on the net but so contradictory too. I guess the best bet is to leave it to the professionals, although reading some of the stories on here about reluctant doctors does make me nervous about that too.  Having not had periods for almost a decade due to the coil, I'd prefer HRT that doesn't restart these so let's see what the doctor prescribes.

On the plus side, I really thought I was showing signs of dementia in forgetting the names of things or struggling with words, it's quite a relief to find out there's a reason for this. Here's hoping HRT can  restore my missing marbles?

For the psychological hurdle, I'm trying to convince myself I'm returning to pre-pubescent rather than being on the path to hang up my boots for a tartan blanket and knitting needles. 

GG x