With BJ and HB on this one. It can feel like those who find HRT helps them dismiss those of us who can't or have decided for whatever reason not to take it are misguided in some way. I also have not been 'frightened away' but for medical reasons cannot take HRT. Nor do I believe in 'hedgerow cures' which it was also suggested those who are willing to try alternative treatments have been accused of doing.. ADs have helped me and have been shown to be an alternative approach but I wouldn't dream of suggesting they are a solution for anyone else. MM is just a sounding board for all of us trying to get through this time in our lives in the best way we can, it should be where we feel comfortable , able to pass on our experiences but never to suggest that others views are wrong or indeed that there is only one way forward.
It makes me personally feel very uncomfortable when posters seem to be 'battling' each other, let's all take a step back , enjoy each other's thoughts and experiences and look forward to coming out the other side of menopause.
Thorntrees
I do agree with you that people need to use what best suits them albeit AD's, HRT or alternative remedies, there is no one size fits all. Some many even chose to use all three, or any two of the three, and that's fine we all have to get through this as best we can.
However I still maintain that this is the only forum on the net where women who take HRT are not looked on as odd or stigmatised, maybe what goes on elsewhere is a bi-product of the 2001/2003 studies where those taking it halved overnight.
It does seem odd that after 14 years, two studies still have such a profound effect on many people. I guess the newspapers at the time got hold of it and scared the general female populace away from HRT in a huge way, and there has been a massive hangover effect from that, that still goes on today.
I'm sure it must have been very frightening for those who were using hormones at the time, especially if they had been on them for say 10 or 12 years. If my dodgy memory serves me right when HRT came along in the late 50's or 60's it was kind of hailed as a bit of a miriacle drug as in those that took it, it negated 85% of women's main meno symptoms especially hot flushes and night sweats - so in a way it was miracle drug as nothing had done that up to then.
If you go on other forums and mention you are taking HRT often the reaction is as though you are taking crack cocaine rather than a little bit of oestrogen and progesterone to keep you ticking over as your own depletes.
I do think that is why to some of the non users on here may feel users can be a bit evangelical about it, but users are probably very grateful that they have finally found a place they can talk freely about using HRT.
According to my GP it does work for 85% of women and often the reason it doesn't work for the other 15% is that can't tolerate side effects that occur during the first three months so give up or keep swapping brands, although it makes sense to change if something upsets you like giving you bad tummies etc.
I know none of that helps those who are contraindicated though because of family history of breast cancer or strokes.
We all have to do the best we can with what is out there, and try and be supportive of others.
