Hello,
I'm new to the forum, so here' a little intro:
I'm 58 and have been period free for c7 years. My menopause was seemingly straightforward, with only a few hot flushes and night sweats. I also developed Female Pattern Hair Loss, but daily use of Minoxodil reduced this, plus I have (or had!) very thick hair, so the visual impact was minimised. Soon after menopause I was disagnosed with a brain condition called a Cavernoma, which is basically a bunch of abnormal blood vessels that may leak (and re-absorb) blood. Whilst this doesn't need treating (unless I get new symptoms) I think this may have taken my eye off other menopause symptoms that I had (e.g. low libido, loss of muscle mass) and pushed them to the back of my mind. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 3 years ago, and am on weekly Risedronate, with a review scan in the next few weeks. Other than this, I'm healthy - good diet, exercise, don't drink much and have a heathy weight.
Fast forward to the past six months, and I now feel like an old woman!! I have zero libido (it's never been high), I suffer from low moods and lack of interest in the things that I used to love doing and my hair loss has accelerated to a worrying level. I avoided contactng the Dr as I assumed that I was far too old to consider HRT, but my husband is worried and wants me to 'get better'. So, I plucked up the courage and contacted my GP surgery. The Practice nurse has arranged blood tests to rule out any other factors, then suggests I discuss possible treatment.
So, my dilemna is whether to try HRT or not (asssuming the GP will consider it at my age). Does anyone have experience of it helping with hair loss, as I've heard it can actually cause it! Also, will it help with my mood and libido? I've started reading up on it, but none of the things I have read mention hair loss.
Any thoughts or personal experience would be gratefully received, as I want to be prepared for any discussion with the Dr.
