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[Bomber]

Hi everyone
Have now been on HRT for about 3 months and I can honestly say it has been transformational.
I was suffering with relentless and severe nausea, burping,acid reflux,terrifying anxiety, insomnia,frequent night sweats, painful joints and even tinnitus. It all started for me 5 years ago when I was 47 and missed my first period and I decided to do the Meno. naturally because of the breast cancer risks. Despite frequent visits to the GP, copious hospital tests and loads of pills (which only ever helped somewhat) no one ever suggested I might try HRT which is something I feel quite angry about now. My quality of life for the last five years has been very, very poor.
A chance read of a Daily Mail article interviewing about 6 top female doctors about how they are managing the Meno. revealed that they were all on HRT !!! To cap it all none of them were reporting symptoms anything like as debilitating as mine. My mind made up. I booked to go to my GP that day, got the patches and started, lest I get cold feet.
My transformation has generally been gradual over the last 3 months, but now I experience only occasional nausea and acid which is helped if I take the odd Omeprozole tablet (I was on 4 a day !), the burping has all but gone, anxiety completely gone and almost immediately I started HRT,insomnia gone, night sweats intensity massively reduced, but less frequent although still fairly regular(but I can handle these), painful joints massively improved and tinnitus gone for the first time in about 2 1/2 years.
I cried my heart out after the first 6 weeks on HRT when I realised all my symptoms were finally subsiding. I cried for the nearly 5 years of my life that have been so awful and so difficult when they could have been very good for me, my husband and my two kids.
I don't know whether doctors are so reticent to recommend HRT because as a society we have become so much more litigious or is it due to their ignorance about the Menopause. Of course there are some women who may not be able to take HRT and for them I truly sympathise. I had reached rock bottom and wasn't sure how much longer I could have carried on living such a poor quality of life and I needed HRT.
I post this in the hope that it be of help to others struggling like I was.

 
         

[CLKD]

Thanks for the update.  It is awful when we feel poorly and often don't have the energy to keep asking questions and pushing for answers.  Particularly if GPs aren't au fait with menopause treatments and the risks.  When I had depression it was all I could do to crawl to the surgery …………

However, it is up to the patient to discuss all options because not all cancers are affected by hormone treatments.  This is true of all chronic conditions.  We have to decide after the discussion whether it's quality over quantity of life - I had oestrogen receptive breast disease in 1995 but would have fought for treatment - when I had vaginal atrophy the symptoms could have driven me over the edge but fortunately my GP is informed and supportive.

Have a browse round ……. let us know how you get on!

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Bomber
Your story should be posted on every GP's wall.  It is so sad that women suffer unnecessarily because many GPs are not better informed.
I am so delighted to hear you are feeling better.
  DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi Bomber - so glad to hear you feel better after starting HRT  . I'm sure other women would be interested to know which type you are on as well, as we often have negative stories about side effects and the good news isn't posted quite so often because women who have found a great solution probably don't need the advice from a forum like this! Had your periods completely stopped when you started HRT?

Hurdity x

[Briony]

A lovely, inspiring post. Thank you (from another burper!) xx

[jedigirl]

Thank you for your post! I too am suffering from the symptoms you have described and feeling mostly better than I was now I'm on HRT. Don't think I'm on quite the correct regime for me yet but your post has inspired me to keep trying. 

[Essexragdoll]

Hi Bomber, I too have reached the end of my tether with all these meno symptoms and have got a Dr appointment next week to get her to prescribe HRT, so I would be interested to know which HRT you are on and were you still having a period, prior to starting it ?

[Dancinggirl]

Essexragdoll
AS I suggested in your post, Femoston is a good HRT to try first so whatever Bomber has been taking doesn't mean it will be right for you. We are all different so that is why there are different HRT preparations.  There is a danger that women often think they are not on the right HRT type and constantly change  - do remember what suits one women won't suit another.  If you find after 3 months you are getting nasty side effects, like bad PMT, then it is worth trying something different.  Many side effects settle down after about 3 months. Also the speed that meno symptoms subside varies from woman to woman but it is always good to start on a low dose then increase if you are not getting enough relief. All I can tell you is that Femoston seems to suit more women because it has a kinder progesterone.
Good luck and keep us posted.   DG x

[Essexragdoll]

Thanks dancing girl I have made a note of femoston and will be asking my Gp for them next week. I was just interested to know HRT other ladies are using.

[Kathleen]

Hello Bomber.

I enjoyed reading your post and I'm glad that HRT has been so beneficial to you. The limited knowledge of GPs is understandable though frustrating but is it really asking so much of them to do a little research ? Ten minutes on a forum like this would provide them with a huge amount of insight. We can but hope and in the meantime we need to keep ourselves informed. Knowledge is power and all that.

Wishing you well.

K.

[bev567901]

Bomber, great news & I am so glad you are feeling better. I was the same nauseous person as you where & it is a hard slog to get what you need. It's great to hear a positive story & all the more so for your wait. Let's hope other ladies here can look back on our individual posts see how we where & how we are now & not have to go as long to get things addressed. I hope things carry on for you & you are looking forward to Spring !!!! B xxx

[Bomber]

Hi Ladies
Many thanks for your various replies.
My periods were finished, but I have a Mirena Coil for Progesterone and Everol 50 patches for Oestrogen.
Best of luck to you all.
Angela