Countrygirl, my GP surgery always said no HRT after 60, so the future has been a worry from day 1.  A few years to go yet, but I imagine their position has not softened recently.  Had many a tense discussion with my former GP (now retired) who told me outright she was anti-HRT, though she didn't need to, as her disapproval was obvious!  I had a lot of sympathy with her position and disliked going against her as she had been otherwise good to me & we got on well, but, as for so many women, my life was being wrecked by the menopause from hell.  Had she been similarly severely affected & over a long period of time, I imagine her view would have been different.  The thing I found most odd was that she seemed to know little about menopause & even less about HRT.  As she was the only female practice member in a town with only 1 surgery, I thought that surprising.  To say the least!  This widespread ignorance about menopause from those we have no choice but to go to for help & the opposition so many of us encounter, makes what is already a very difficult time so much harder, more painfully emotional & more stressful.  It simply should not be this way.  Thank goodness for those like Louise Newson who are working hard to raise the profile of menopause, dispel myths & advocate for the female 50% of the population (not a minority last time I looked), who have a right to expect the most effective & appropriate treatments during what may be several decades of our lives.