Hi bubbly and welcome to MM
You are quite young to be in meno - have your periods stopped completely or are you still getting the occasional bleed? If you are getting meno symptoms but still getting erratic bleeds then HRT could help - a low dose in peri meno can alleviate symptoms and if you have young children you still need to be 'on the ball'. If you have been diagnosed as post meno then, at your age, some HRT until you are at least 50 would be highly beneficial for your bones and heart - it would also prevent the early onset of vaginal atrophy and bladder problems.
If you are scared by all the negative press regarding HRT then it's good to find out the truth about some of the benefits so you can make an informed decision.
Do read up all the info on this site and get back to us with questions. If you GP isn't up to speed it's well worth getting really clued up so you know what to ask for. Keep posting DG x