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[Jackie_w]

Hi everyone, I'm Jackie, I'm 44 and today I started taking HRT.

I went to the doctors about 6-7 weeks ago as I had symptoms of the menopause (night sweats, losing a lot of hair and being very forgetful.  My mum told me it was the menopause but I didn't believe her because I thought I was too young.  However, the hair loss was bothering me, so I went to the doctors. My bloods came back with my FSH levels being 44, got another blood test one month later and it confirmed I was in the menopause not perimenopausal but actual menopause (so the doctor says).

I wasn't going to take HRT because the symptoms I had weren't too bothersome, the night sweats stopped, the hair loss calmed down the forgetfulness is still there, but the doctor told me it would benefit me taking HRT against heart disease and osteoporosis.  I don't have periods as I had an endometrial ablation 5 years ago because I was experiencing flooding, and my periods stopped

So that's my story.  I would love to hear other people's experiences of the menopause and also their experience of taking Prempak-C.  I'm kind of worried about taking it as a common side effect is depression.  I've had depression in the past and certainly don't want to go down that road again.  I did discuss this with the doctor, but she said she had never had any reports from her patients about depression whilst on it.  I'm also concerned about any weight gain, I'm trying to lose 3 stone and would like to lose quite a bit before my 45th birthday in March.

i look forward to getting to know you all, and hearing about your experiences.

Jackie x

[Kathleen]

Hello Jackie_w and welcome to the forum.

Well for many and varied experiences of the menopause you have certainly come to the right place lol!

I think your doctor is right to offer you HRT as the average age of the menopause is 51 and some of us still had regular periods in our mid fifties.

Lots of ladies will be along to advise you in the meantime take care and keep posting.

K.

[Hurdity]

Hi jackie_w

  from me too.

I don't think your doctor can say that you are definitely say you are through the menopause on the basis of blood tests alone as these are notoriously unreliable and vary throughout the cycle. As you don't have periods then it is impossible to say whereabouts in your cycle you are! The fact that your sweats stopped may well have been because your hormones went back to normal for a while - as they do during peri-menopause. Mine certainly did - I hought - great that's it end of periods, end of flushes and sweats! In fact I then had another couple of periods or so - expaining why the flushes and sweats had stopped!

However if you are through the menopause then at your age it is definitely important to take HRT for various health reasons and to help protect against long term conditions - heart and bones etc.

You have been given the cheapest HRT type and the most old-fashioned - consisting of horse oestrogens and a synthetic progestogen. It wouldn't have been my choice - but some doctors do still prescribe this type. Personally if taking tablets I would start with Femoston as the oestrogen is estradiol - bio-identical to the one in our bodies) and the progestogen - Dydrogesterone - very similar to progesterone (that we have in our bodies). Have you started taking it yet?

Re weight gain and menopause - you might like to read this:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/weightgain.php
Most women gain weight at this time anyway - nothing to do with HRT - and need to increase exercise and change their diet even just to stay the same. I've just managed to lose 8 pounds uin my early 60's and I've been on HRT for 8 years.

Also an article about peri-menopause:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-perils-of-the-perimenopause.php

Anyway good luck with the weight loss and the HRT and hope you feel better soon!

Hurdity x

[Jackie_w]

Thank you ladies for replying.  I was definetly shocked when the. doctor told me I was in th menopause, because I just didn't feel like I was.

I have started taking the HRT yesterday, the doctor has given me 3 months supply, then I have to go back and see her.  I'm really worried about the depression.  I am a foster cared and certainly do not want to go down that road, as the children need me.

I will have a look at the links provided Thank you very much xx

[momlet]

Hi Jackie

I'm new to this forum and HRT (5 months in) after a false start at beginning of year on Prempak C. I have to say felt awful on it. Bloated, sore boobs and PMS feelings and I stuck it out for 3 months. I'm now on separate oestrogen (oestradiol) gel and progesterone capsules for part of cycle.  So much better. I did try Climagest 1mg which has norethisterone for progesterone in second half and actually got on really well on them, despite norethisterone having bad reputation. Only reason I stopped them was change in bp and racing heart.  Anyway, Prempak c is the least like our own hormones using horse urine to extract hormones.  It's curious GPs tend to dish it out (think it's cheapest) when it's not v well tolerated by a lot of women.

There seems to be a bit of weight gain for me but it feels more like water retention.  I will up the excercise and bit less of the chocs and red wine!  When you find right treatment you feel so much better overall. I think it's worth the effort.

Best of luck, hope things work out.
Steph (momlet) x