Print

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

[ive.had.enough.now]

Hello Everyone, My username just about sums it up really! I'm 57 and had my last period just after 50 or so. Naively I thought once that happened things would be sort of ok from then on –how wrong could I have been. For the last seven years I have been suffering (and I know you will all know I MEAN suffering) the most horrendous flushes and night sweats –not only do they not seem to be improving at all, lately they seem to actually be getting worse. I've had the other symptoms, sicky feeling, palpitations, moods, headaches, but these I can cope with, (even the three stone weight gain which I know is all my own fault) however the flushes and sweats are something else. I have not had a night's sleep since this all started and that adds to the worries as the papers are full of what sleep deprivation does to you let alone how it makes you feel every day. I've tried all the herbal, natural stuff, I've had acupuncture and I've tried the magnet in the knickers. About six or so years ago I had a dodgy result from a mammogram, two separate rounds of biopsies, thank God all was ok but because of all the conflicting advice re breast cancer and HRT I won't take it, and as you all well know if you don't want it there's absolutely nothing else to be done –except try some antidepressants that are supposed to help –with one of the side effects listed as sweating! This is ruining my life, I can't seem to enjoy anything, it ruins the times I spend with my grandchildren, it's just so continual, then I feel bad because so much worse stuff happens to people, but I've coped and coped and I just seem to be really down now. I just googled ‘menopause forum' this morning and found this, I know you've heard it all before but just wanted to get all this written down –at the moment I feel as though I've been in an ongoing battle for so many years and now, ok, I've lost –I give up, I surrender, I can't go on –but where can I go to hand in my white flag?

[KatieLiz]

With regards to the difference between getting breast cancer and taking HRT at certain ages there is about 1% difference.  Taking HRT can make you feel at least 50% better if not 90-100% better.

If you have never tried it you can always give yourself a 3-6 months trial period to see if it makes a difference, if not, then you can always stop taking it.

The GP guidelines are for you to take the lowest dose for the least time possible.  Maybe if nothing has made you feel better during the past 7 years, then maybe a trial period of HRT would be worth a go?

Its not nice spending your life feeling awful when there is an possibility of feeling better.

[Kathleen]

Hello i've had enough now (loving the name by the way).
Sorry to hear that you are having a rubbish time. I know what you mean about an ongoing battle, I'll soon be 57 and can't believe the variety of problems that crop up and the fact that there always seems to be a new one on the horizon. In desperation I started HRT almost three months ago and that did take care of the chronic anxiety which happened to be the worst symptom at the time.
I agree with KatieLiz that a trial period of HRT may be the thing to try now, you have nothing to lose and hopefully a good night's sleep to gain.
Take care and wishing you well.
K.

[Evenstar]

hello you poor thing. So sorry to hear about all your sufferings. I must agree with the others though and I would definitely give HRT a try. Not had to use it myself as yet, but I will be when the times comes.

[Bucky]

Hello there.
I have just found this site today.  I too have been suffering for years and have put off going on HRT. I am 51yrs and periods stopped when I was 46yrs.  Im due at my docs again in a weeks time ( she must be sick of the site of me and my tears and anxiety) and I am going to give the HRT a go out of sheer desperation!!! My doc has scared me to death over this HRT and it's side affects, but have come to realise I can not go on like this.  I cant work, I don't go out unless my husband is with me.  I make excuses to avoid socialising, just because I feel rotten.  Never know when the hot flush is going to hit, or the imbalance is going to show itself!! or anything else for that matter, and so it goes on and on. BP was a wee bit high last visit so was advised against HRT, but since BP has come down now. ( think it was just the anxiety that put it up! )......I have no choice but to go for HRT, have tried natural remedies and nothing helps.   

[ive.had.enough.now]

Thank you for your concern, I do take on board what you say about giving HRT a go.  I think my hesitation also stems from the fact that I don't take medicine of any kind unless I really have to (antibiotics for example).  If I have colds/headaches I'll try to get through it.  So to take HRT with all it's supposed or not risks would be a big thing for me, even though I'm going through hell at the moment (well seven years of moments!).  That in itself stops me too - I just think those seven years will have all been for nothing, I'll be giving in.  I know I'm beginning to sound like some sort of crazy martyr, but I'm not and I don't want to be, I just want an end to this, as I mentioned I've put on about three stone since this all began, that depresses me too, but because I feel so low I've just not got the motivation to do anything about it, I really feel as though I'm in such a vicious circle. 

[Bucky]

I think we do have to get to a point where we say enough is enough, more so when it's affecting our immediate family, husband and children.  I too don't take medicines unless I really have to ie: Nurofen! that's it.  I dont think my Doctor fills me with confidence either.   I have had horrendous periods during my life time and have put up with it and missed out on so much because of heavy periods.  Spent most of my late 20's and early 30's on fertiltiy treatment only to be blessed with amazing twins who are 17yrs now.  I would like some relief through my 50's so as to enjoy life.  I would love to get back to the workplace and feel normal for a change instead of feeling tired,  nauseous,  spaced out and hot! hot! hot!  What I cant understand is why having put up with so much misery over the years, my Doctor (female) would add to my misery by actually scaring me off HRT! Why! is it money or is it that she just does not comprehend the misery that goes with Menopause.  Now I feel that my decision to ask for HRT (next week)will not be the correct one due to the fear of side affects that she has installed in me.  I have read so much info, for and against and feel no further forward.  One thing I do know is that I cannot go on day to day feeling such misery.....but what is the solution!  exhausted worrying about it .....

[KatieLiz]

The way I look at things is that if you were diagnosed with low thyroid (which is a hormone) you would take thyroxine to help with your symptoms.  So if you have low hormone levels due to menopause ie estrogen and progesterone, then you would take hormone replacement therapy ie HRT.

I am nearly 53 and have been taking HRT for nearly 2 years.  It has helped me function as a normal person. 

You can stop taking it if it doesn't suit you but to not give it a go is depriving yourself of feeling better. 

[ive.had.enough.now]

But is that just ignoring the possible side effects, I am a natural worrier, I worry about everything, and the evidence is just so conflicting, one week it's one hundred per cent safe, the next week it'll be the death of you, we just can't be sure what to believe. Look at the difference in GPs here, Bucky's one trying to scare her off and mine almost trying to force feed me them and washing hands of me for refusing to take them.  I'm just having a really down period at the moment, it's all got too much, I'm lucky I have a supportive husband, well I'm lucky he's still here the way I am at the moment, it's just not having to cope with the one thing is it? There's kids, grandchildren, money, elderly parents, absolutely no sex life whatsoever, which is fine by me but I feel so guilty, I know I shouldn't (shouldn't I?), but my other half is so good I do feel bad, and all this while on the point of spontaneous combustion and no sleep 

[Taz2]

The way you are feeling, though, could be helped by HRT. During peri and meno  depression and anxiety are really common. The lack of sleep can make you feel dreadful. HRT can help with these. Why not try it - even for six months or so - to see if it can help you. In my experience if you are being badly affected by meno symptoms there really is  nothing else that can totally help. At the age of 57 you probably only have around two to three years of being prescribed it anyway so why not give yourself a break from these horrible feelings while you still can.

As for the breast cancer risk - I have lost friends to breast cancer who were not on HRT and one friend who was on HRT but her cancer was not oestrogen related. I see you mention anti depressants. The dose to relieve hot flushes is half the dose for depression and quite often there are no side effects from this. The other thing that can relieve them is Dixarit - a blood pressure medication - a friend is on this and her flushes have gone although she still suffers from other meno symptoms. She has put on weight though but a small price to pay for comfy nights and more energy.

Taz x