Menopause Discussion > All things menopause
HRT--good or bad?
newstart:
Hi Sevenofnine
I agree it's a very personal choice - and it's something that I change my mind about several times a day! I still haven't been to the doctor's and got that prescription.
It's so difficult not being able to get one coherent line on this from the medical profession. Sometimes I wonder if there is a conspiracy from certain quarters to keep us off HRT in order to save money!
For me there are other considerations, in addition to the obvious ones of relief from constant sweating, disturbed sleep, vaginal dryness and joint pains etc. Like Hot2Trot I have to make a living and, in fact, am the breadwinner in the household. I have experienced panic attacks which come on after/with a hot flush and I have been absolutely unable to think or function. My work involves speaking in public and on a couple of occasions I have had to withdraw from situations which I just couldn't handle. This has been very damaging professionally and has lost me income.
Absolutely vital to me through my life has been running and other forms of exercise - it has been a great stress reliever and an absolute pleasure. However, I have just had really bad cartilege injury and I can't exercise - obviously this is meno related too.
The other things is that in my family (both sides - an aunt and a grandmother) there is a history of early onset Alzheimers and, although the evidence is contradictory, HRT seems to afford some protection against Alzheimers. (Incidentally, one of my relations was still having her periods until she was 56 and then the Alzheimers seemed to strike quickly after her periods stopped - although, of course, there may be another explanation for this.)
As Flutterby says, wouldn't it be great to know why some people 'sail through' and others suffer these symptoms? I imagine that having a print out of your genome would be extremely valuable - then we would know what our individual risk factors are. But that's a long way off, and, I suspect, will only be for the very rich.
Dilemmas, dilemmas!
Goodnight all,
Patricia
Cazikins:
I have to say that without HRT I really could not do my full time job. It has given me back my confidence, I can think clearly again & I am not afraid of going into work anymore. I have job satisfaction again which is vital for me.
My decission was a hard one. I did not want to try it but about 6 months ago I completlely lost it - big time. I worried about my health & state of mind & having lost my mum 2 years ago through dimentia didn't help. I had to think about my quality of life & I still had to pay the mortgage & the bills. Giving up work or taking a pay cut for a part time job was not an option for me. OK it might sound as though I was forced into choosing the HRT route & I suppose in a way I was, but I do know that it was the right choice for me at this time of my life. I could not go on for another possibly 5 years feeling like I did. I do think & worry about how things will go when I eventually come off it but I have to get through those 5 years first, so I take each day at a time & each challenge & problem at a time & that is how I deal with it - tomorrow is another day, & I will be at my desk dealing with my work schedule as well as I did 10 years ago. I sometimes wonder though that if I did not have to work then maybe, just maybe I could do without HRT.
Now let me go & check to see if I have won the lottery tonight & can retire early & get the mortgage paid off....
Err no I haven't :'( :'(
Cazikins
Taz2:
Hi Cazikins - you have posted exactly how I feel regarding HRT - I know that it is maybe only going to give relief for five years but at least I could have five more years of actually feeling ok and being able to function properly. I was having a similar discussion with one of the teachers where I work. Over the past two years she has gone from a vibrant, energetic, positive person to someone who is unable to properly plan her lessons, control the class and remember names. She is fighting to stay off HRT as her doc sees the meno as a natural process. It is upsetting to see such a change in someone and the staff who are pre-meno are at a loss to understand where their colleague has disappeared to!
My doc has asked me what makes me think I will be better able to cope with meno symptoms at 58 rather than 53 but I think that life is never certain anyway. I could spend the next four and half years battling like I am at the moment without HRT and then die of something anyway, or I could have HRT, enjoy the next four and a half years and still die but at least I will have had a good four and a half years :sunny: Have finished my HRT diary now so will be off to see GP again in the next week or so to have another "discussion" :poke2:
I'm glad that you are feeling positive and enjoying things again. I will think positive now. Actually, my best mate made me a little sign to stick on the fridge or car or somewhere - it says "Positive Thoughts attract Positive Things" - all I have to do is remember to look at it!!
Love Taz x :bounce:
Squirrel:
--- Quote from: Taz2 on August 16, 2007, 06:52:29 AM --- She is fighting to stay off HRT as her doc sees the meno as a natural process.
--- End quote ---
Well, so is death but we try to delay that as long a possible. :-\
Hot2Trot:
sleepless in london that has to be post of the month. Well said!!!!
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