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[peegeetip]

Hi Freda

great that you've gained so much from the path you've taken. Hopefully the sleep patterns will return soon for you too. Often difficult to get back in the groove when we've had such broken sleep

Hi Brightlight

More recent surveys are saying earlier take up on HRT will enable better prevention to the items we've mentioned earlier (Heart and vascular protection, VA, urinary etc).

Waiting till near or just after Menopause may not have the added protection that starting in Peri seems to give.

The other options is to continue with the "free" contraceptive pill longer into our peri then move to HRT nearer the end of peri/start of meno to better protect us in the long term and help stabilize things over a long period of time.

People can stop or start whenever they want but I wish I'd been told about things earlier to make a more informed decision. Instead of rushing to try and fix damage already caused, which can sometimes not be realized till later.

There have been post from other ladies showing that once issues like urinary and VA arrives its often very difficult to resolve even when HRT is undertaken.

If we find ourselves still truly worried about making the decision on HRT then perhaps we should stop taking alcohol or smoking too whilst we consider what to do.
As mentioned earlier alcohol, smoking and other things are much worse for our health than taking HRT.

[BrightLight]

Peegeetip the thing is I am not worried about taking HRT as such, I am looking at my overall health and what I personally need to do to take care of it. Like you say HRT is not the only factor to consider. If I were assessing HRT as a prevention for bladder issues and VA then I can see this is a great option and thank everyone for highlighting these long term issues.They may or may not arise though.

There are other preventative measures for bladder and VA which I've started and will use as and when needed. If I hadn't read of these problems here I wouldn't have known, I'm grateful for that. Inflammation in the body is going to increase when hormones drop, hence all these problems, there are adjustments with excercise and food that might go someway to preventing bigger issues arising.  I'm going with this hypotheses for now

[peegeetip]

Hi Brightlight

glad you've made your choice for now.

We're here if you need us later

Just to clarify "They may or may not arise though.", your statement is incorrect.
This could give false hope to others.

With the end of peri then menopause and the lack of hormones, we will all see the knock on effects at some stage.
Its just some of us will take longer and be able to put up with issues better and be less worried by these changes and chronic issues. But these issues will occur.

I'm glad your eating well and exercising and we should all take something from that.

[jedigirl]

Thank you for your opinions!
I am hoping to be like Bramble when the time comes and reduce HRT so slowly that my body adjusts!! Am also hoping that as I am peri this is the worst part of the menopause for me and things will ease as time goes on. We can but hope!!

[honorsmum]

Is it really giving false hope to others, by saying that VA and bladder problems may not arise?
Are all women guaranteed to have these issues?

[BrightLight]

Hi Brightlight

Just to clarify "They may or may not arise though.", your statement is incorrect.
This could give false hope to others.

With the end of peri then menopause and the lack of hormones, we will all see the knock on effects at some stage.

With respect I think my statement is just fine I understand that VA is under reported and studies have mixed results as to how many women suffer with it and to what degree - 40% some say 75%. I think the important aspect of health promotion of this issue is to encourage women to be aware, seek help and know that estrogen cream can help the problem.  That seems to me to be the overall message 'out there' - not the message that all women will encounter issues and not all women will have symptoms that impact quality of life.

[Dancinggirl]

Vaginal atrophy is going to happen fro all of us - whether this will cause you problems that will vary for every women.  Urinary and bladders difficulties are common post meno - even with HRT there is no guarantee you will avoid problems but at least HRT can delay the onset or reduce severity.
I had a premature meno so I suspect it was more likely that I would have problems particularly as I only used a low dose HRT - I also had a break from HRT from age 49 to 53 which can't have helped things.
You are right Brightlight - Nobody knows the extent of the problems women have regarding VA and bladder issues as there will be many women too embarrassed to go to their doctors about it.  My mother was obviously so used to having discomfort that it wasn't until it became really bad that she finally went to her GP - to start with her GP just assumed she had a UTI and gave antibiotics. My mother returned some months later to report that the ABs hadn't helped, the GP examined her and then rushed her to the specialist - she had advanced stage Vulva Cancer!
Local Oestrogen can help and should probably be more widely prescribed to help reduce the chance of pain and infection but many GPs still think it is a short term treatment, however it usually needs to be used long term to prevent the return of problems once they have started.
DG x

[peegeetip]

I agree with DG on this part of the discussion.
Without estrogen parts of us will suffer, as I've explained the Brightlight earlier, its just a matter of time for each of us.

Unfortunately lots of ladies who seem to have no impact to quality of life may just be suffering in silence or propping up the huge trade in Incontinence products. Even in these modern times most of us don't like talking about certain "things".
Its bad enough we have to buy them during our pre-meno years but the double whammy is we then buy them post meno for our "wee" accidents.

There is No point giving people false hope that that it "might" not happen to them when without estrogen parts of our body just won't work the same as they did before. Worse we leave ourselves open to infection too.

This seems to be part of the problem with the Meno taboo, the "talking" around things and avoidance of the truth.

Even when talking about what Meno is, the water is further muddied when people try to talk down its importance as a condition and how it will affect all of us during the rest of our lives.

Then is it any wonder that a lot of us find it difficult and frustrating in trying to get help from even our docs etc.
Perhaps they too "think" we might avoid our physiological destiny without help

[Limpy]

Is it really giving false hope to others, by saying that VA and bladder problems may not arise?
Are all women guaranteed to have these issues?

It would be very good if these issues did not happen.
Are there any menopausal women who have remained totally free from these effects?

[Taz2]

There seems to be little information re how many women will suffer vaginal problems following menopause but it seems to be between 50 and 60%. http://www.womens-health-concern.org/help/focuson/focus_vaginaldryness.html

 I have three friends who are all in their sixties and none of them have any problems yet with bladder symptoms or vaginal dryness. They have good sex lives and have never been on HRT. Maybe I was just unlucky!

Sorry to read about your mum Dancinggirl. 

Taz x

[peegeetip]

Would your friends even admit it if they truly did have problems in those areas.
I certainly would not admit the truth if that ever became the subject of a conversation.
How would we even know if they had good sex lives and what that actually equated too.

 

  too

[BrightLight]

What is wrong with saying 'they may or may not arise' - it's true   I am feeling defensive, I am not here to speak absolutes, because I can't and have no place too and I am not averse to acknowledging what is called a 'taboo' subject. 

I think I am aiming for a balanced, open and positive view which seems to be seen as being 'wrong', in denial or somehow ill informed.  From what I gather not all women will experience bladder and problems from VA and if they do, there is a solution.  Why the negative frame of mind about this and my comments?

[BrightLight]

As I said - I think the focus should be promotion and encouragement to mention it and seek help. No more taboo.  Problem solved for women of the future

[peegeetip]

Hi Brightlight

no need to be defensive.
I just disagree with one small part of a line in your post.

I really like your last post also.

"focus should be promotion and encouragement to mention it and seek help" 

Thats all we are all doing too

But we have a slight difference in our perspective and view to the point I disagreed with.

 

[Limpy]

From what I gather not all women will experience bladder and problems from VA and if they do, there is a solution.  Why the negative frame of mind about this and my comments?

Brightlight,

VA can be treated, but it is tedious and messy.
Oh for the days when I could ravish my husband without always having to dash off and apply lubricant.
Similarly with bladder issues, they take some shifting.
There are solutions, but they take time and things are never the same again.

If there is a negative frame of mind, perhaps it's because mostly ladies who come to this forum do have issues with menopause, that's why we're here.