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[honeybun]

That we are made to feel guilty or weak if we take/need HRT.

Is it the medical profession, the media or other women who make some of us feel this way.

We have had an influx of new members recently due to the This Morning programme.
Welcome Ladies.

One if the things that stood out for me was some of the attitudes to HRT. One described it as "sinister". Another good few referred to as " resorting" to.

I don't understand where these thoughts are springing from. Is it the flawed studies of the past because surely it can't be the current information that is causing this.

Another new member is advocating exercise, which is great for fitness but does nothing for fading hormones.

I respect the fact that using HRT is a very personal choice and would never force my views on anyone

But why oh why is it deemed to be weak and how can we get the word out that it is not weak or giving in to something.

Any thoughts anyone.


Honeyb
x

[Suzyq]

Hb I think it is fear! Mostly related to that large flawed study! Even doctors still believe the results of it (not all!!) so what chance have we? I was very scared but my specialist really took the time to talk me through the very minuscule risks! Also he warnings on every single packet of hrt are a bit off putting.

[CLKD]

It is the same with mental health issues …………

Fear-based.  Not wanting to seem lesser than our peer group?  Teens have it bad but at our age do we worry more about what other ladies think, how they (might) be getting through this time of Life, whether we are coping less or more than others.

For years I didn't tell anyone that I was taking ADs because I didn't want people to know; now I don't tell them because it ain't nowt to do with anyone else 

[Joyce]

Well we talk about anything & everything on here. The effects of HRT, the effects of not using it along with many other medications that some of us need. But talk about it out in the open, well that's a different story altogether. Hard to believe in this day & age really.

Ridiculous that it takes famous people for it to be discussed on TV.  So many stories of unsympathetic GPs. I realise that some are lucky to have GPs who listen, but far more dont.

Its time the medical profession all sang from the same song sheet & truly listened to what us ladies are telling them. If they were more approachable & read the up to date findings, maybe less of us would be so wary of asking for help.

 I had an old boss who struggled trying to come off HRT, she would come to work, flushing & sweating, but other staff members had little sympathy, some of whom were in the same age range. They said it shouldn't be brought up! Now that's in the last 10 years.

Ok off my soapbox now.

[libbyloo]

Interesting Cuba girl. Reading the fascinating information I'm reading here. I've been around many women over the years, my mum my gran, they didn't mention it. Sadly mum was only 53 when she died, of sudden cardiac death, but I wrack my brains to anything she said. I never heard her mention it. Is this a common trait do you think. Women have in general been just getting on with it suffering in silence? Libby loo

[Anjia]

I so agree with you on this since being on hrt this last year I cant believe the negative comments I get about taking it,oh it can give you stroke ,you get fat,blah blah blah!This from friends who smoke about twenty cigs a day! I take  no notice now and think carry on with your ignorance while they moan about every ailment they have.

[honeybun]

We need support not criticism. Dr Currie is involved in bringing the subject out of the shadows.

It amazes me and has for many years that most of us started the meno journey with no clue what it could involve. Almost every other aspect of life and health is openly discussed so why not this as 50% of the population go through it.

It makes you feel that when you stop being of child bearing age then your usefulness declines and we should just put up and shut up.

It really is the most frustrating thing. Hopefully those of us with daughters will tell them what they could expect in the same way as we prepared them for puberty. Even our sons could be more informed and threfore a bit more understanding.

Ok off my soap box now.


Honeyb
x

[KatieLiz]

I must admit menopause was something I didn't want to consider until the time came but I was really shocked by the lack of available advice and menopause clinics that I just assumed would be available to me.

I presumed I would be advised to go on HRT but then found I had to research it myself and make my own decisions and even when I had decided I wanted to try it, I felt at my surgery that this wasn't the normal course of action, although I wasn't refused it!

I wanted to say these are my symptoms, whats the cure!  I wanted advice but instead was offered information that basically told me if I wanted to gamble with the possibility of getting strokes, cancer etc. I could go ahead and take HRT and as long as I was happy with the risks, then they would prescribe it.  No wonder women feel scared!

It least I was advised to look at this site and I'm sure most GPs direct you here.  It does amaze me though, that when you are a younger women, they have no hesitation advising you to go on the contraceptive pill which gives you a higher dose of hormones when you have plenty of your own, but when you really need the benefit you are made to feel you should just put up with everything as it is 'natural'!

I read in the paper yesterday about lots of women over 60 are treated for high levels of anxiety and wondered if this is because they have had stop HRT! 

[Galadriel]

I remember having an angry outburst a few weeks ago at the lack of decent information on what happens to us during the perimenopause/menopause.

I had a rare 'deep and meaningful' chat with my mum, who never said a word to me while she was going through her transition. I told her about all the weird and frankly frightening things that have happened to me and she basically said 'Yes, I had that too!'

I wouldn't have been half as scared to death if I'd had some idea of what might happen, so I've made a point of telling my teenage son and daughter what's going on and what I'm doing about it. Forewarned is forearmed!! ,steps off soapbox>

[Joyce]

I'm back on my soap box again. 

People with long term illnesses get medication to help them. Now I'm sure many of these medications cannot be good for us, but are necessary to keep us going. Surely the same could be said for HRT. If we need it, we need it, end of.

My son strangely is more sympathetic than my daughter. I'm trying to warn her, but she doesn't want to know. The nurse in her thinks "so, it happens, get on with it." I will try & be sympathetic when her time comes, honestly.

Quietly skulks away.......... 

[oldsheep]

I've had women say to me that they "wouldn't dare" taking HRT and was I mad. There has been a lot of negative publicity in the press. Shock news sells.
A lot of people don't understand how ill some women get with menopause. Other women - especially ones who have few symptoms - I've found the least sympathetic. They're not stoic; they're just not as symptomatic nor having their lives ruined by menopause.

[peri]

I feel exactly the same girls.  There is such ignorance about hrt and that includes some GPs.  I agree with katieliz noone bats an eyelid about going on the contraceptive pill but there are actually more hormones in the pill than in hrt, yet when you really need it there's such a lot of scaremongering.  Well there may be risks to taking hrt but there are also risks to not taking it!  I work out in the community and my most common calls are old ladies who have fallen and broken bones because they did not get any protection going through menopause if they had have done they wouldn't be suffering now, it's a massive problem and such a shame.  I choose quality of life and for me that means hrt 

[Joyce]

Somebody should make this topic available to the medical profession!

Excellent topic HB!

[honeybun]

Thanks CG.

It's a subject that maddens and saddens me in equal measures. We are so unprepared for what happens and that is simply wrong.
If we were more educated and supported it would not have been so damn scary.
When I first arrived here I truly thought there was something very wrong with me. I have learned so much since then but it should not take a forum to do that.

I doubt whether things will change much in the foreseeable future and that is a very sad fact.


Honeyb
x

[Ju Ju]

No, HB, bringing this up is making a difference. It starts with all of us and we can start ripples by posting on here, being open with friends, disregarding uninformed prejudices. Attitudes do take time to change, but they have to start somewhere. We are not victims.