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[Katherine]

CLKD, maybe it’s the magnesium in the bananas that helped.
When I started taking magnesium my banana cravings away 
My bananas have to be right too … ripe.
My cat has been a surprising source of comfort during these hormonal changes. I sometimes feel like cats know when we need them. X

[KarineT]

Hi Katherine,

To give you a more positive outlook, Oestrogen declline is permanent but the symptoms shouldn't be.  When I was late peri at 48, I really panicked because, with the severe dizzinness I used to experience. I really thought I had a neurological disease and that I was going to deteriorate quickly.  I had all the tests under the sun and everything was fine.  I never thought that the menopause could make me feel so unwell.  I thought menopause was just hot flushes. I had regular bouts of anxiety & low mood together with stomach & joint issues plus cold flushes rather than hot flushes.  But I'm nearly 3 years postmeno and things seem to be easing off.  Lets hope it continues to improve and it doesn't get worse.  I have decided to stay positive about this. I know a good bunch ladies who are well into postmenopause and they are doing fine. Not everyone of us will get VA, osteoporosis and a host of other 'oestrogen defficiency-related' health issues.
Surely, any disease that we may get cannot be linked solely to a lack of oestrogen. To me, it's more to do with ageing and it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman.  As for HRT itself, I've never been on it as I prefer to do things as naturally as possible and I don't want any side effects.  I think that HRT can relieve symptoms in most women and that's a good thing but, at the same time, it cannot reverse the natural decline of oestrogen, which happens in the background and, perhaps, supplementing one's body with artificial hormones might delay things.  This could be the reason why some women have their symptoms 'come back' when they stop HRT.  I really don't know why some women have no issues with the menopause while others do and it seems unfair.  It would be interesting to have an insight as to why some women struggle with the menopause while other don't.  Could it be in our genes?  Who knows?

Karine

[Katherine]

Karine, thank you for your message, this is exactly what I have been worrying about - I thought if I am giving my body body identical hormones then how does my body adjust to the decline in the hormones my body makes itself. How does the body know that the hormones I am putting have not been made by my body. I thought it must just prolong the issue and I thought I would rather just live with the symptoms than mess with my body’s natural processes. I always said I would never take HRT and I tried to stop them last night and it was awful. I don’t think I could hold down a job and run a house on very little sleep or poor quality light sleep or when I’m so fatigued. I still don’t fully understand menopause as there is so much conflicting information around. I’m not sure what I am going to do in the long term. I need to discuss it with my GP. I hope this all makes sense, it is the middle of the night! All I know is the progesterone made me feel much better last night (I probably got a shock because Of the sudden contrast between being on HRT then not ) and I just want to feel ok right now. It was a nice surprise to find your post just now and every different perspective I get from the ladies on here is helping me gradually build up a picture of the situation and hopefully with time I will become clear on what’s best for me. X

[dangermouse]

Just to add that progesterone withdrawal is very severe for the first few days so that is why it made you felt much better retaking it as you interrupted the withdrawal. I think you need about 7 days off of oestrogen (and progesterone slightly less) to get back to normal.

[Nas]

It would be reassuring to know that the debiliatating sympoms some women experience during menopause, have a definite shelf life. Sadly, not even that is guaranteed.

I also cannot understand how some women seemingly sail through, whilst others are at deaths door half the time.

I still maintain the argument, that women are not biologically meant to live beyond menopause. Instead, we find ourselves trialling this hormone, that hormone and a bit of the other, for good measure. Nothing we take, will ever replace our levels pre meno levels: instead, we are left to mdudle through, trying to find some symptom control, to allow us to sleep, work and function (often at great financial expense!)

I would give up HRT in a heartbeat, if it were not for my bladder going crackers. I mean, no amount of vagifem or ovestin sorts out the constant weeing. I have to take systemic HRT and for that, I am so annoyed. Reason, because I have experienced so many side effects, bleeding etc etc.. I actually dislike taking HRT. In truth, I am not even looking at long term health benefits of HRT. More, just to avoid weeing 100 times at work!

I think menopause as a whole, is very misunderstood. But I am SO envious of women who are just cracking on with life, without having to deal with awful symptoms.

[QueenofReds3]

Great post Nas. I am with you with this. I wish I did not have to take HRT, I have tried natural remedies and had breaks but I am sure that some can sail through or get by on a couple of symptoms but I feel like I am thirty years older and can barely put one foot in front of other when I stop . I have a endocrine related medical issue and I am sure this does not help. I have decided to take up weight lifting as I have heard this helps, I will do anything if it helps.

[KarineT]

Hi Katberine,

I am glad that you liked my post.

Where are you on your meno journey?  Are you peri ot post?

Going back to your initial post, it can be scary and discouraging when you come across articles where they tell you that the menopause symptoms can last years or forever.  This only causes us to blame the menopause for everything and one might not consider that there are hereditary illnesses and age-related diseases.

Karine

[CLKD]

Menopause is natural.  Both my grans lived into their 80s having had 4 children each.  Both died in 1981/82.  HRT wasn't discussed.  We at least have options!

My Mum's sister lived until she was 80; Mum is 95 - HRT not discussed.  I do worry about ladies in Care Situations with VA 

Potassium in bananas 

[Nas]

I am with you Queen..
I too have had breaks,taken lower doses etc etc..BUT each time this has happened, bang.. life becomes hell with the baldder.
It is so consuming and stressful, I hate it.

I am determined to take some form of exercise, swimming, anything to try and feel better.

[Nas]

Menopause is natural.  Both my grans lived into their 80s having had 4 children each.  Both died in 1981/82.  HRT wasn't discussed.  We at least have options!

Meno may be natural, but nothing natural about the horrendous symptoms some of us endure.
Indeed, thank the drug companies for options! 

[CLKD]

Without a good GP who spotted my repeated urine infection-type symptoms: and was cross that none of my urine samples and been sent for testing at a Lab.; I couldn't have lived with those symptoms without appropriate treatment  .

I think that other conditions have ups and downs: diabetes, thyroid function : add hormones to that lot!

Group 

[Katherine]

Karine I still have regular periods, I’m 46, but I have physical and emotional symptoms of falling estrogen and progesterone. My gp says peri but it’s been pointed out here that if peri isn’t til your periods are irregular. I have for example hot flushes, light/ poor quality sleep, vaginal dryness, inflammation, no sex drive, an anterior prolapse since my late thirties, and low energy. The HRT isn’t perfect but better than the alternative.

Dangermouse, what you said about progesterone withdrawal made sense. If I did try and come off HRT I wonder if there is anything to make the withdrawal easier… anyway I’m staying on it for now. Are you taking HRT?

CLKD, I’m sure there is magnesium in bananas too, but will double check 
I’m glad that you got your symptoms sorted, aren’t good doctors the best! X

Does anyone have insane cravings for sweet foods? I want to lose weight but it feels impossible, I’m sure progesterone makes me hungry!

Nas, I agree that women aren’t really meant to live beyond their 50s if nature took its own course. I think in the 1800s women usually lived til their 50s. I would probably not be here without iron supplements as I got anaemia due to heavy periods a few years ago. So one way of looking at it is the HRT enables us to an extent to reduce any symptoms we may have which is a good thing. It’s not natural to take iron either, or have eye surgery or dental crowns but then we wouldn’t be without these things. So it is a dilemma, I can see it from all sides but I’m the end my symptoms and will dictate what I do…By the way Nas I would highly recommend swimming, I find just being in the water feels therapeutic. X

[JoJo42]

I don’t like taking hrt either. Nas and Queen - totally agree with what you have said. I don’t like taking any type of medicines and resisted hrt for very a long time because i was against hrt and it worried me so much, but then the symptoms got much worse not better and I didn’t have a “choice” in the matter any more. I couldn’t care less about any possible long term benefits of hrt and I have had to resign myself to the fact now that I’ll probably be on it (systemic patches, and local vagifem ) long term because it’s the only thing that controls the V.A regardless of any other issues.

I don’t blame the menopause for everything that crops up, but I do know this: HRT = all symptoms completely/ 90% well controlled; NO HRT = all symptoms return and out of control.
I too have done “trials without” hrt that have meant return of specific and awful symptoms that have then been difficult to get under control again so I think I pretty much know exactly what is meno-related and what isn’t/might not be.

My mum sailed through an early menopause no problems whatsoever. A friend my age stopped taking the pill age 50-ish and never had another period or any symptoms of meno at all. I’ve given up wondering about how long symptoms might last. I just have to accept the way things are.

[CLKD]

It is what it is.  Each of us are different.  Would you fight against other medications i.e. diabetic, thyroid function ........ 

HRT is that : replacement therapy : Try not to compare others with how you are feeling?  That'll get you where exactly?

[JoJo42]

Very true, CLkD. I wouldn’t resist any other meds for those type of conditions. I think I just I’ve found it hard to accept my situation, but that doesn’t help at all does it. My husband takes all kinds of meds for diabetes, copd, blood pressure, cholesterol, gerd and he doesn’t bat an eyelid - just accepts what is and keeps taking the pills and is well and happy without any additional issues of resentment or anxiety or care about what the rest of the world thinks. I suppose his conditions/meds are more readily accepted by society maybe. Dunno. I also think I’m the type of person who holds a massive grudge against all of my physical issues!! Hehe!