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[nearly50]

Hi just joined and am going to make another post asking about people's experiences of the 'beginning of the end' in the hope I'm through the worst of it.

I'm 49, been in perimenopause for 3 years I think. It's not been great but I haven't had to venture down the HRT road so not as bad as others. I've always said that if I can make it to work, I can do without HRT - don't know if it was the wisest decision, but it is the one I took.

Looking forward to reading people's experiences as I knew nothing about what menopause involved and was shocked that it involved more than being a bit hot now and again! I wish someone had warned me about the heavy periods as it would've save the panicked 'oh my god, I'll have to go to hospital' reaction to flooding.

[marras]

Hi nearly 50, and welcome to the forum. Good luck with your menopause and well done for finding this site where you will find a wealth of information and lovely, kind, supportive ladies. Hopefully, you will sail through, however, if you have distressing symptoms make sure you gather all the information on HRT to be able to make an informed decision. Not all, but many GPs just aren't that genned up on it. I started the menopause at 52 but had many peri menopausal symptoms before then. I struggled with horrendous symptoms for 12 years because I was so scared to go on HRT. Finally, at the age of 64 I saw a consultant privately and I've been on a low dose Estradot patch for the last two years and my lovely GP has agreed for me to have it on the NHS. I still get a few hot flushes at night but overall I wish I had done it sooner and spared all those years of abject misery and goodness knows what damage to my poor oestrogen starved body! 
I am sure you will get lots of replies from others with their experiences.

[Dancinggirl]

It is appalling that we are not educated about this part of our lives.  Menopause is still quite a taboo subject but this site is brilliant for getting info and sharing experiences.
Bottom line - we all experience it differently and we all deal with it in our own way.  Whether to use HRT or not is a personal choice and in my experience HRT does come with compromises - it's about the benefits versus the side effects. 100 years ago we were lucky to get to 50 so the menopause wasn't an issue - the meno is a modern problem and treatments for the symptoms are still far from ideal.  Society wants us to work till our late 60s and for many of us the meno symptoms do prevent us from working full time.
I do hope things improve for you in the not too distant future - one thing is for certain, your periods will stop at some stage. DG x

[Dorothy]

Hahaha!  Oh yes, those were the days when I too was innocent enough to think that menopause meant you felt a bit hot and then your periods stopped...if only...
 

I hope you find the forum really helpful.  It's been a life-saver for me - dread to think where I would be without it, as the knowledge I have gained from this forum gave me the courage and confidence to push for the treatment I needed.  (As well as convincing me that I was just going through the change, not dying from some rare and horrible disease!)