I meant that menopause means the cessation of periods - that's forever. The symptoms of fluctuating hormones do decrease as your hormone levels drop and stabilise but that then can bring other symptoms such as bladder and vaginal issues, lack of energy etc. more likelihood of heart disease etc. I just queried the fact that you are waiting for the menopause to be over. Maybe you meant peri-menopause to be over?
The stage I'm at is post-menopause as I am 66. I have been on HRT for the past thirteen years and things for me are good. Without HRT they are not so good and when I stopped it - reluctantly - was when I suffered a uterine and bladder prolapse which led to a hysterectomy. I would like to stay on it indefinitely. I started it because at the age of 53, when I was back to almost regular periods after nine months without, my sweats were drenching me every twenty minutes and it was becoming increasingly difficult to carry on with my job. It was not something I ever thought I would take though. I have found that HRT has not been any help, for me, in respect of episodes of anxiety or low mood.
Hi sed. Yes there are many women who don't suffer during peri-menopause and menopause but they tend not to come onto a forum like this so it's easy to think that everyone does have a bad time. Lack of oestrogen does give vaginal symptoms to many women who don't necessarily count this as having post-meno problems thinking that menopause means just hot flushes. I have a work colleague whose periods just stopped when she was 49. She is 62 now and suffering from insomnia, bladder issues and bad joint/muscle pain. Her enlightened doctor has started her on a low dose HRT and she is feeling so much better. She had not put her symptoms down to menopause never having suffered anything when her periods stopped. I hope HRT helps you over this tricky bit.
Taz x
