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[Hurdity]

Hi poppins

I presume you have looked at ways you can reduce your blood pressure naturally?

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20046974

Only you will know if any of these factors could be contributing to your blood pressure reading or indeed whether it was induced by your less than sympathetic consultation!

I presume you have also seen this:

Hypertension   
    Blood pressure should be measured and, if high, should be controlled prior to starting HRT. Blood pressure measurement should be repeated 3 months after starting HRT and is then usually checked at annual review. There is a very small risk of conjugated equine estrogens causing a rise in blood pressure which resolves on cessation of treatment. In the presence of controlled hypertension, HRT is unlikely to worsen control; some recommend using transdermal (patch or gel) HRT.
    Sage should be used with caution if hypertensive and St.John's Wort should be used with caution if taking antihypertensive therapy.

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossH

At the moment you are still in the window of opportunity (age under 60 and within 10 years of menopause) where starting HRT may not be harmful to the heart and may even be beneficial.

"It is very likely that there is a “window of opportunity” whereby, if HRT is commenced early, it may be beneficial not only for control of symptoms and prevention of osteoporosis, but also prevention of heart disease but if commenced later when disease of the blood vessels has developed, further damage may occur."

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/risks.php  Scroll down to cardio-vascular disease.

There is no reason to stop a year after you have started and if your blood pressure is controlled there should not be a problem. There are increasing stories of women on here who are starting HRT later than menopause because of continuing debilitating symptoms severely affecting quality of life.

If your unsympathetic GP will not continue to prescribe beyond a year, then perhaps there is another in the practice who understands the current state of play and latest thinking/recommendations from the British Menopause Society, or failing that - there may be a menopause clinic nearby that you can ask to be referred to?

Hurdity x

[juliamd]

Thank-you Hurdity, thats brilliant info, i will take a good look at those links.
I am pretty sure my blood pressure was up cos of the doc, she did in fact acknowledge it had been somewhat heated lol
I will be checking it at home regularly.
I am still not sure but slowly beginning to think i will give it a go, hey who knows it might not do any good or it might not suit me and I would never know if I dont try.
I just cant bear the thought of it all coming back whenever i come of, but still I suppose if I was lucky I may not be working by then and it will be easier to manage.
once gain thanks for all your replies   

[carrs]

Yes, seeing the GP can send the blood pressure up - white coat syndrome. I get it even if I am not nervous. I think GP's are starting to believe that people can check their own BP's accurately?

[Taz2]

I just need to say that in my case it was the menopause clinic who advised me to stop HRT at 60. My GP was happy for me to continue for ever until she received the email from the meno clinic. This was a couple of years ago now when I was almost 59.

Taz x

[juliamd]

Im going to give it a go, another night of sweats and waking feeling groggy, and reading those links have helped make up my mind