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[elmca]

 Hi, like a lot of ladies here, I stumbled across the website, liked the look of it, so signed up.  I am 48, I have 3 kids ages 20, 17 & 10.  I started having menopausal symptoms just before and after my 10 year old was born.  I experienced hot flushes, lack of periods, felt quite tearful and lost my confidence.  I guess I was lucky to get pregnant with my much-wanted 3rd child. I was 42 before I had some blood tests which showed only that my hormone levels were slightly off balance - but the only thing my GP could offer me was counselling - probably because I got a little bit emotional in her office! I decided just to get on with things myself.  However, about 3 years ago when I was 45 I thought that perhaps I should speak to another GP about my lack of periods - no other symptoms other than feeling more emotional than usual (although I put that down to problems we were having with one of the kids at the time and the fact my hubby works away from home a lot) This GP immediately prescribed me HRT due to my age 'to protect me from osteoporosis'.  What she didn't explain was that I would have a period every 3 weeks - which for me lasted almost 10 days.  Well I couldn't cope with that after years of hardly ever having a period, so after advice from 2 more GP's - I stopped taking them. So where am I now?  Well I just don't know.  I feel fine - no hot flushes - not too many aches and pains - etc etc I do seem to get lots of spots now which is annoying - and I have had 2 recent attacks of cystitis (first time ever) - but I don't have periods.  A few months ago I had a very light period, which was the first in over a year, but nothing since.  I am worried that I am not getting off that lightly and this is 'the calm before the storm' - but I just don't know as judging by most of the postings I have read here I am not a typical menopausal woman.  My mum had a terrible menopause, so I know how bad it can be!  Has anyone else gone through similar?  Sorry for rambling on a bit 

elmca x       

[CLKD]

   I began my meno journey with intermittent bleeds, then less and less; followed by intermittent urine infections.  More recently I have had worse symptoms which fortunately my GP has been able to alleviate.  Browse round.  It is not called 'the change' for nowt but we are a friendly bunch here 

Reading the menu left of screen might help too!

[Evenstar]

Hi there, you sound a bit like me. I had a baby at 43, shes 8 now. I then started to have fewer and fewer periods with hot flushes etc inbetween them
  Then a few months ago I stopped having any meno symptoms what so ever and no periods ether.
  Like you, I'm wondering if its the calm before the storm but its good to hear of someone else having the same sort of experiences.

[Kathleen]

Hello Elmca. Just wanted to say that although we seem to be having a different type of menopause ( so far !) you'll get lots of help and information from the wonderful ladies on this site.
Welcome aboard.
K.

[elmca]

Hello Ladies and thanks for the replies!  It's great to know that there are others 'like me'  I did wonder if I would 'fit in' here not having major symptoms or being on HRT. I can see that there is a lot of great advice and information on the site.   

elmca x   

[Evenstar]

You seem to' fit in' with me that's for sure Nice to have you here, I was feeling a bit of a fraud myself not having symptoms

[elmca]

Thanks Evenstar 

[Hurdity]

Hi there elmca

Welcome from me too!

Well you are lucky not to have major symptoms! However as you are under 50 if you more or less stopped your periods some time ago then your doctor was right to prescribe HRT to protect your bones.

The point about this is oestrogen levels begin to decline during peri-menopause but fluctuate quite a lot during these years and then when they drop fairly low, periods stop - and then continue to decline for a couple of years after that and then stay low for ever!

So when you were 45 how were your periods?

You are considered post-meno if you have been without a period for a year and can then go onto period free HRT. The cyclical HRT you were prescribed should have given you a period every 4  weeks not 3 but it must have been horrible for it to go for 10 days. It sounds like you are not quite post meno if you had a light one a few months ago. However they might let you go onto conti even so. The reason for cyclical HRT while hormones are still fluctuating is that you should experience less breakthrough bleeding which can be annoying on conti HRT types.

It will definitely protect your bones since average meno age is 51/52 in Britain, so naturally you would expect to have higher oestrogen levels still.

Also the bouts of cystitis could be due to the beginnings of vaginal atrophy - the tissues get thinner due to lack of oestrogen so many women use vaginal oestrogens like Vagifem or Orthogynest, even if not full HRT.

There is a lot of information on this site in the menu on the left. Have a browse around.

Here's some info about the peri-menopause:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-perils-of-the-perimenopause.php

and on osteoporosis and early menopause:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/osteoporosis.php

If you want to reconsider, it is just a question of finding the right HRT type and there are plenty to choose from.

If you want any help with this there are lots of us on here with experience and information so please ask!

Hurdity x

[elmca]

Hello Hurdity and thank you for your lovely reply! 

The thing that confuses me (and that's not hard to do!!) is that, as I said in my original posting, I did experience menopausal symptoms in my very early 40's but this was basically brushed off by my doctor.  I haven't had regular periods since this time as the time between them grew from 31 days to 6 weeks, then months.  I used to keep a note of when I had them but to be honest I can't even remember when the last one was now (that's another thing - forgetting stuff!  ) - it was sometime in the last year and was very light. 

I was unable to use the contraceptive pill due to breakthrough bleeding, so wondered if that was why I had problems with the HRT.

I would rather not take anything artificial if I could manage without it.

I am aware of the risk of osteoporosis so I take my vitamins, have a healthy diet, exercise, get plenty of sunlight etc etc - just doing the best I can.

It's just this 'in limbo' thing - not knowing where I am on the meno scale 

I'll check out the other message boards and post further queries etc in the appropriate place!

Thanks for the welcome 

elmca x

 

 

[Hurdity]

Hi again elmca

I'm not sure why you are confused - I presume it was the doctor brushing aside your symptoms and erratic periods?

The length of the per-menopause is hugely variable between different women and I have read that it can last up to 12 years from as little as a few months.

I can understand you not wanting to take anything artificial - I feel exactly the same. This is why I use bio-identical HRT - by this I mean replacing the oestrogen and progesterone with compounds that are identical to those produced naturally in our own body. I also use a trnasdermal method (patch) of obtaining oestrogen so it isn't like taking a tablet.

Remember that menopause is a state of oestrogen deficiency which lasts forever and HRT is just replacing this. You have to have progesterone as part of HRT to protect your womb.

I would recommend HRT if there is no medical reason not to try it - to protect your bones - but you may well get a bleed depending on what type you decide on.

There is information about the different HRT types in the menu on the left, but I would recommend either a patch ( such as Estradot) or gel (Oestrogel or Sandrena) for the oestrogen with bio-identical progesterone.
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/treatment.php  (Oestrogen and progestogens are given in the menu)

As I said the doc may alow you to go on continous combined which means you would take progesterone all the time and theoretically should not get a bleed if you are pretty well post-meno. I use micronised progesterone (Utrogestan) which is a capsule taken orally - although several of us on here use it vaginally - (but not many would do this every day!!).

I don't think it is important to know exactly where you are on the meno scale - by the sound of things you are pretty far along the journey.

Even if you decide against HRT - I would definitely ask for Vagifem as I said below in my previous post.

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Joyce]

 

[Limpy]

Hi elmca

Welcome from me as well

This is a really good place to come for information.

[elmca]

Thanks again for the messages 

also links to the info which I'll have a look at.

elmca x