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[Hurdity]

Well where to start responding to some of these posts....Kitty Bee I'll answer you shortly but first need to say something about menopause....

I can't imagine that menopausal symptoms can last 40 years.  The menopause is permanent but its symptoms are not.  This is because our body eventually adjusts to a lower level of hormones.  If it adjusted itself during puberty, why couldn't it adjust itself after the menopause?

Please KarineT and Folklass do read about menopause symptoms, oestrogen and HRT!!

There is a difference between 1) menopausal symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations, which can subside, 2) those symptoms which are triggered by hormonal fluctuation and do not, and 3) the potential long term consequences of an oestrogen deficient state caused by menopause, which starts at menopause itself and continues for the rest of your life.

There have been numerous surveys looking into the first and these are well documented. Some of the symptoms are temporary but sadly for a sizeable minority of women they continue for the rest of their life and these women fall into the second category.

There is no knowing in advance which category you will fall into so when women become peri-menopausal and if they suffer symptoms, women are faced with a choice to try HRT or not - if they are able to.

Some women then decide to stop once they are sure they are post-menopause and symptoms may or may not return.

All women (unless very fat in which case more oestrogen will continue to be made as estrone which is then converted into estradiol in the body I understand) will eventually become oestrogen deficient and the extent to which this gives rise to long term adverse health consequences depends partly on genetic, longevity, as well as lifestyle measures.

The well-known consequences are vaginal atrophy or GSM as it is now known, osteoporosis, cardiovascular problems, but can include low mood and other problems. The British Menopause Society and this website too as well as that of DR Louise Newson, have a lot of information. Of course not everyone will suffer all of these but if you live into your 90's the longer you can stave off bone-thinning for example, the better.

In fact the adverse ill-effects of not taking oestrogen for those who go through an early or premature menopause have been stressed in many publications and there is research to back this up. Without wishing to be alarmist, I do recall reading that such women are at an increased risk of all-cause mortality (probably not quite the right phrasing) if oestrogen is not taken.

I agree, unless you keep fiddling with different types and/or doses of HRT, then you might have symptoms for as long as you live 

Folklass I don't know what you're talking about? Most women who take HRT long-term have strived to find a dose and type that suits them and are then stable because their own hormones are.

To me, VA is a secondary condition of the menopause which affect some women.

Taking HRT is well and good but I'm sure that at some point GPs won't want to prescribe it to women over 65.  What do you do in this case? Do you approach an unaffordable menopause clinic to get it if your GP won't prescribe it to you anymore? 

Primary or secondary - VA is real and distressing and does not go away without treatment. Have a look at Maryjane's posts on here. She knows a huge amount about it and runs her own Facebook VA group.

As for the over 65's. Oy!! Watch who you're talking to or about!!! I am one! There are several of us of this age on here and taking HRT too! It's not up to doctors anyway. The current guidelines are for women to be able to take HRT as long as they wish too, having been warned of the known risks, and if they are medically not ill-advised to do so.

I will just reiterate the current BMS Guidelines here:

https://thebms.org.uk/publications/consensus-statements/hormone-replacement-therapy/

"Arbitrary limits should not be placed on the duration of use of HRT; if symptoms persist, the benefits usually outweigh the risks.

HRT prescribed before the age of 60 or within 10 years of the menopause has a favourable benefit /risk profile and is likely to be associated with a reduction in coronary heart disease and cardiovascular mortality.

If HRT is used in women over 60 years of age, low doses should be started, preferably with a transdermal estradiol preparation."


Hurdity x

[Hurdity]

Hi again Kitty bee

Your post got a bit hijacked and I had to answer some of the comments!

Re your blood tests. I can't see over the page now but I think you said you had had private thyroid tests? It is important to look at the values of the hormones tested and also did you have the whole set ie TSH, T4, T3 and antibodies to check for Hashimoto's? I know very little about thyroid function but Wrensong is an expert - there is another current thread about oestrogen dominance I think where this is discussed?

Depending when your last period was you may or may not be post-menopausal. As already said this is when 12 months have elapsed since last period. Whatever stage you're at you must be late-peri and I would strongly advise thinking about HRT. Before you have your phone consultation, do read up as much as you can on this website, the BMS and also Louise Newson ( My Menopause Doctor) so that you are better informed and if we can help further then just give us another shout!

Great news about the WeightWatchers. Even if you don't notice a change in symptoms you will be doing yourself a favour by losing weight ( if you need to) and having a healthier diet, whatevert you decide to do re menopause and HRT.

All the best and here's to an improvement in your health and well-being soon.

Hurdity x

[KittyBee]

Hello Hurdity,

Thank you, I will do some homework over the weekend.

The thyroid test I had showed results for TSH, Free T3, Thyroxine, Thyroglobulin and Thyroid Peridoxase. All within the normal range, although Thryoxine was towards the lower end of range.

[KarineT]

Hurdity,  I didn't mean to come across as discriminating to the over 65s. I was reflecting upon myself.  I am worried that, if I start taking HRT and feel that I still need it when I reach 65,  my gp will refuse to prescribe it and I will be buggered if I can't manage my symptoms (if they are still present).  That was all.

[KarineT]

Low mood on a long term basis?  If that's the case the body will never adjust itself to a lower level of oestrogen.  I hope this won't happen to me because I don't want to be permanently miserable for another 30 to 40 years.  Having said this, I spoke  to a gynaecologist who told me that one of his patients is in her 80s and is still on HRT because she cannot cope without it.  She must be in the minority.

[KittyBee]

Update: just had a phone consultation with a GP from our surgery - she must be new, I’ve not spoken to her before. She has recommended blood tests for thyroid and vitamins, and mentioned HRT - she told me to have a look at Menopause Matters for information.  She will be in touch in a few weeks once the blood tests are back, and we can go from there.

Also, I’ve just seen someone mention itchy insteps as a symptom - I wondered what the heck that was! Drives me mad some evenings.