Hi Cookie,
Doctors can do and say stupid things as easily as the rest of us unfortunately.
We don't want to keep knocking out kids forever, but we could do with strong bones long term, dementia protection long term, cardiac protection long term, the ovaries are not a one trick pony.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel well, but we are channelled into thinking women have to be ill a lot more than men are and that it's our lot to endure it, in the same way we always endured painful periods and excruciating childbirth, we ought to endure everything menopause throws at us because it's as natural as birth and death?
The random dumping of large amounts of hormones into the bloodstream that characterises peri-menopause will come to an end, but the body will still not have enough of it's own hormones after menopause. My 84yo aunt still gets hot flashes. HRT's not just about getting you over the first few years by which time you'll have accepted this is all you can expect from life!
Just remember, women are vitally important to humanity and that includes older women, we are the moms to the entire human race. We wiped their bums, now we say, "Listen to us, we need HRT for the rest of our lives or you'll be wiping our bums sooner than we'd all like."