Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Noheroicsplease]

Hi,

I'm a newbie here. I'm 46, haven't had a period in about 7 months. And my last period lasted only 36 hours (used to last 7 days).

I have no hot flushes/sweats, but I have long dark days of the soul, where misery seems to swoop in and not leave; I'm snappish, have low libido and I'm exhausted. My sleep is really broken, and has been for months. I have a young son and I can feel every fibre of me being tested at the moment.

I exercise a lot, i am super careful about food. I don't drink. I take Vit b, magnesium, calcium (I have osteopenia), and just started with Ashwagandha.

I keep toying with the idea of HRT to help the emotional side/sleep.

I did try Bio-identical hormones way back (very low dose of testosterone/progesterone as results showed almost none of either) and it didn't do much for me - well, I don't know, maybe it did, who can say? I was still having periods).

I am thinking about either taking progesterone again, or doing a low dose of HRT but I'm scared of the latter, as I'm only 46 and the road might be long. I don't want to start too early.

Any thoughts? Your advice would be welcome. thanks x

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM Noheroicsplease
Do read up all the info on this site to get clued up.  If your periods have stopped then you need to get a blood test to look at FSH and oestrogen levels and you will then probably need proper HRT.  The important thing for you is to get some oestrogen to protect your heart and bones beaseu you are a bit young to be oestrogen deficient.  Progesterone is simply to protect your womb lining building up and in the peri stage this can help but once your oestrogen levels drop, it is oestrogen that you really need.  A combined HRT which has oestrogen and progesterone in a sequential regime will be best at this stage - don't be scared of this - it's what you need.

You don't say where you are?  Are you UK based?  DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi Noheroicsplease

  from me too!

Yes I agree with Dancinggirl that HRT would be beneficial as you are heading for an early menopause. You can get bio-identical hormones - ie the same compounds as produced in our own body (as opposed to compounded BHRT) on NHS as estradiol ( in most HRT types) and micronised progesterone (Utrogestan).

I agree you do not need progesterone alone.

The info Dancinggirl was referring to re different types of HRT is found under TREATMENTS/HRT PREPARATIONS top green tabs.

It is very important to start early if you have an early menopause - research has shown you do have higher fracture risk etc due to osteoporosis so you should get started as soon as possible, Any risks do not start to count until at least the average age of menopause which is 51. Look at the table here: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.php

There is no point spending these important years of your life in misery, with sleep deprivation, worrying about being on HRT for a long time. It is now that is important for you, your health and your son - please do have a good think about it

Please ask again if you need any more help. We will support you.

Hurdity x

[Noheroicsplease]

Thanks so much. For some reason, I assumed I should start later.

There is breast cancer in my family - my grandmother - which is one of the concerns, I guess???

I have looked at all the treatment options but there's so much info, and out of context, it's overwhelming.

I'm in the UK, yes.

Thanks both

[Dancinggirl]

Breast cancer risk kicks in at 60 if still on HRT.  If your mother or sister had BC that may be a concern but for you the risk of early onset osteoporosis and heart disease without HRT is a bigger risk. 
If you have dabbled with the so called bio identical hormones that are available as alternative to prescription HRT, these can be just as risky for BC, possibly more so, as they are not regulated!!!
The bio identical HRTs available on the NHS are properly tested and therefore safer.
Trying a low dose of HRT e.g. Femoston 1/10 for 3 months to see how you get on would be good - Femosten has natural oestrogen and a gentler progesterone that suits many women very well.

Do give it some thought - hopefully you can discuss things with your GP and give HRT and try.  DG x

[Charlotte ...]

Hi,

I'm a newbie here. I'm 46, haven't had a period in about 7 months. And my last period lasted only 36 hours (used to last 7 days).

I have no hot flushes/sweats, but I have long dark days of the soul, where misery seems to swoop in and not leave; I'm snappish, have low libido and I'm exhausted. My sleep is really broken, and has been for months. I have a young son and I can feel every fibre of me being tested at the moment.

I exercise a lot, i am super careful about food. I don't drink. I take Vit b, magnesium, calcium (I have osteopenia), and just started with Ashwagandha.

I keep toying with the idea of HRT to help the emotional side/sleep.

I did try Bio-identical hormones way back (very low dose of testosterone/progesterone as results showed almost none of either) and it didn't do much for me - well, I don't know, maybe it did, who can say? I was still having periods).

I am thinking about either taking progesterone again, or doing a low dose of HRT but I'm scared of the latter, as I'm only 46 and the road might be long. I don't want to start too early.

Any thoughts? Your advice would be welcome. thanks x

I went through the insomnia ( still am ) and swithered over starting HRT as everything else was manageable, in the end, it was a diagnosis of osteoporosis that made me decide to start three months ago. You are quite young, so I think Hurdity's advice is very valid.

[Noheroicsplease]

Thanks, Charlotte.

Yes, I suspect Osteoporosis is around the corner. My mum has it quite severely, my older sister has it too (not severely). I do a lot of activity/sport which helps it, but I"m rubbish at taking calcium, so I suspect it's in the post.

What HRT are you on, if you don't mind me asking?

[Charlotte ...]

I'm  oestrogel and utrogestan plus testosterone, we'll see how it goes, I didn't really plan on using HRT, but my hand was forced

[Hurdity]

Thanks so much. For some reason, I assumed I should start later.

There is breast cancer in my family - my grandmother - which is one of the concerns, I guess???

I have looked at all the treatment options but there's so much info, and out of context, it's overwhelming.

I'm in the UK, yes.

Thanks both

The sooner you start the better if you are having an early menopause... do ask any questions about the different types of HRT and we can try to help - I agree that the information at first is overwhelming!

Hurdity x

[Noheroicsplease]

Thanks so much, Hurdity.

So I just spoke to my doctor. My FSH level is nearly 90. LH 40. SHe doesn't expect me to have another period - something that made me feel quite sad, in a strange way :-(

Anyway. She said that HRT would be a good idea given osteoporosis in family, early meno, but also realised it's hard to consider when I don't have physical symptoms (yet).

She suggested taking oestrogen separately, but possibly fitting mirena coil for progesterone? Any thoughts?

I'm really nervous about weight gain. Does the coil do this? Is there any particular HRT that does? I realise that the imbalance of hormones contributes to weight gain - I've seen this happen this year - but I've just about got that under control.

Thanks all.

[Dancinggirl]

Firstly HRT does not mean you will gain weight - when we hit menopause our metabolism slows and it becomes easy to gain weight anyway, so we simply have to eat less.
The Mirena is a good option as you are less likely to get side effects and after the first few weeks any bleeding or spotting usually stops altogether.  If you were to go for combined pills or patches, a sequential HRt should be prescribed and this will mean a monthly period - you have to have been a year without periods to have a non bleed HRT regime. However, with the Mirena you don't have to take progesterone orally (which can bring side effects) or worry about having bleeds.  Your GP sounds quite clued up suggesting this combination.  Once the Mirena is fitted you can use oestrogen as pills, patch or gel - most of us prefer patches or Oestrogel.  You need this oestrogen at your age so definitely go for the Mirena with oestrogen - you'll be amazed how much better you feel within 2-3 months. DG x

[Hurdity]

Just to add also that although you may well not have another period due to your high FSH levels and your recent period history, no-one can say definitely because FSH levels vary so much and especially can go into the post-menopausal range during peri-menopause:

A normal level does not exclude early menopausal transition and a raised level does not exclude continuing ovarian function. One raised level should therefore not be relied upon as a reason to stop using contraception since egg release can still occur late in the menopausal transition.

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/diagnose.php

If you have a Mirena then you might still bleed and if you are desperate to have a bleed then you can always go onto sequential HRT as Dancinggirl suggests.

If you really want to know if you would have had another period before starting HRT then you will have to wait another 5 months!!! However in view of your age it is much more important to start HRT than to prove your doctor wrong and wait in hope  !

Don't be sad - much better to concentrate on making sure you are in the best place healthwise from now on and take positive steps to improve anything you need to!

Hurdity x

[Noheroicsplease]

Thank you both so much, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. x

[Dorothy]

Why wait till you get symptoms?  If you are going to suffer from osteoporosis or VA for example, by the time you have symptoms, a lot of the damage is done!  As Hurdity says, the HRT risks don't kick in until you reach the average menopausal age anyway.  (I'm 41 and there will be HUGE trouble if my doctor tries to take mine away before I reach 50!)

[Taz2]

Thanks so much, Hurdity.

So I just spoke to my doctor. My FSH level is nearly 90. LH 40. SHe doesn't expect me to have another period - something that made me feel quite sad, in a strange way :



Thanks all.

Hi Noheroicsplease - welcome from me too.

Just to say that at the age of 52 my FSH result was 178 and I was told that I would never have another period but I went on to have them for another two years before going on to HRT due to horrible sweats and other symptoms. The FSH test is notoriously unreliable for determining quite where you are in the menopausal journey.

Taz x