Post-menopausal protest

15 years!! I don't mind the hairy chin syndrome as it's controllable. The sleepless nights are totally debilitating. No more hot flushes is good news. Loss of libido is disappointing. Grey hair costs a fortune in time and money. No weight problems and I can now eat anything I fancy.

It does get better ..... Very slowly.

Hi Tippy is there any chance it's Rosacea rather than acne

Charly, no you don't have to have periods with HRT. I did for years and then was told there was a kind where one doesn't have periods. Have been using it for years. I have two girls who both say, looking at me, that the minute they need HRT they will use it.

I advise doing your own research, Google etc, so you know a bit of what you are talking about and are up to the minute. Research is varied, a few years ago my female GP doctor advising me gave a lot of information and told me to decide what I wanted. There are pros and cons and it's a personal decision. I probably should follow my own advice and update myself and see if any new informative books are worth reading. Regarding research, see who has paid for it. Drug companies are obviously suspect, they will only publish pro results, but lots of info out there. I shall carry on forever, having also taken medical advice on that!

I'm sorry you have all these terrible symptoms, I myself, hardly had any noticeable symptoms.However, if you really can't deal with go and get help, I've heard HRT is fantastic.
I put down my lack of symptoms with walking, I do at least 5 miles a day.

It's the first I've heard of not having to shave your legs after the menopause! My menopause started at 50 and I'm now 66 and still have to shave my legs (all the way to the top!) and armpits. I'm currently having laser treatment for upper lip hair. I was on HRT for about 3-5 years (can't remember exactly) then the doc, not my regular one, there are about 10 at my surgery, said to come off as there was now evidence of increased breast cancer. She told me to come off entirely and not gradually and I felt awful. I returned to see a different doc and he said a lot of women have gone back on because the risk for them is better than not being on it, as they felt so awful after stopping it. I have awful insomnia and feel very tired all the time and my skin has deteriorated and is less plump and more leathery, not wrinkly fortunately, although good for my age as I've always looked after it and moisturised etc. I am also forgetful and anxious. Having read people's comments on here I may return to the doctor and see if I can go on a low dose of HRT. Thank you ladies!

Fifteen years on I'm still suffering from night sweats, and in a nanosecond can switch to freezing cold.
Still plucking hairs from my chinny chin chin but thankfully only from one side now.
Cold comfort I'm afraid.

I took HRT on the advice of my GP to help prevent loss of bone density (I have RA so a prime candidate for osteoporosis) Seven years later a new GP said I should stop immediately so I did. The latest research suggests the risks were over stated and benefits under stated. I wish I'd kept taking it - for many reasons which post menopausal women will understand.

I've had the most uncomfortable, sleepless night. One hot flush after another! When will it end? I'm 12 years down the line from the menopause. My mother only ever had hot feet, that I could cope with. What went wrong with me.

Sorry ladies, but the hot sweats never cease for a lot of us! My doc gave me a mild antidepressant that has a side effect of reducing the hot sweats as she wouldn't put me back on hrt. They used to rule my life as I had to consider which clothes wouldn't look wet after I had one and make up was a waste of time as it just ran off my face. I was becoming a recluse as I would start dripping sweat everywhere and anywhere. I still get them but now they are manageable and much less severe

Tippy I'm also wondering if you have Rosacea rather than acne. Your GP could prescribe Finacea gel - I think it's a POM treatment, so you won't be able to just buy it. It's brilliant and, speaking as someone who has adverse/allergic reactions to just about any creams or lotions, I can highly recommend it! The other thing I've done is gone gluten free. The all-round improvement to my health and skin is amazing.

Tippy I sympathise. I had something similar arrive literally overnight while I was on holiday. Rosacea was ruled out, not sure why, I was sent for comprehensive allergy testing which didn't provide the magic answer so struggled on for years until I saw a GP who had been trained in dermatology. He diagnosed Sebhorrheic Dermatitis, prescribed and it cleared within a couple of months. Any recurrence has, so far she says with her fingers crossed, cleared very quickly. Worth asking if it could be that?

Me too. 12 years since menopause - was on HRT for 5 years for appalling mood swings; was suicidal/murderous with nothing in between.
Still have hot flushes at night, don't have periods, mercifully! Have lost: - memory, body hair, "bendiness", sweating (mostly), memory, body secretions (almost entirely), libido, memory... Now got facial hair [wax it], wrinkles, sleeplessness, invisibility, being patronised [poor old thing!], etc.
I suppose it all goes with getting older - don't like it much, No-one told me it would be like this, and if they had, I don't think I would have listened.

I started going through the menopause in February 2003 and it just goes on and on and on...and it has been a living nightmare. Constant hot flushes that are unrelenting, poor memory and confusion, disturbed sleep, enormous lack of confidence to name but a few of the issues.
I have tried so hard to deal with it without intervention but it has been impossible and sought help in 2010 but symptoms becoming worse again recently. Saw a lady doctor at the GP's last week who is happy to try out hrt despite the fact that I'm 63 now, but only after I have had surgery which I need. Apparently the gynaecologist will not undertake any ops even if ithe patient is on low dose oestrogen only hrt.
So I am trying a different medication until such time as the hrt is a possibility. I had a hysterectomy at 36 because of awful problems with periods and had a few happy years between that and the onset of menopause. I think though that this is much worse because it is constant and relentless and I am totally worn out.

It's the hairy face that upsets me! I can tolerate the sweats and boy do I sweat!

I'm now wondering if my hairless legs and arm pits are caused by something other than the menopause seeing as most of you seem to be still waxing or what ever.
Maybe more to do with the very thin hair on my head ??

No nina I'm just the same but have never had problems with thin hair. Mind you I never did go in for heavy-duty waxing etc so never had nasty regrowth.
Never had facial hair at all.
Just been lucky I think.

Thank Goodness for you Gransnetters, now I feel normal again !!
I cannot believe just how the memory can be affected post menopause.
I too can forget peoples' names. It is so embarrassing and indeed worried me. Now at least I realise why. Looking forward though to the day that I can finally relegate my Epilator to the bin and have silky smooth legs without having to rip the hairs out every 3 weeks leaving my legs looking like a newly plucked chicken for hours on end.?

Flush flush
Sweat sweat
Who what where
Hair
Insomnia tired insomnia
More flush, wet hair
Lovely red face and spots
Quilt flapping all night like a wave
Snoring like a goodun
Not quite the sexy beast I used to be!

LOL Menopaws!
I empathise ladies I do truly.
No facial hair but hair that was curly and thick is now frizzy and thin.
Speaking as one who was always cold I am now boiling hot most of the time and especially at night.
My pleasing plumpness is now probably obese (If I am honest)
However I did get what could be described as acne for the first time ever in my late forties. I cured this with zinc (both supplements and creams) and taking a good probiotic.

I have to add that I have not slept longer then 3 hours at a time now for years.I am up and down all night.This must be a menopause thing too.

Oh Leesa it's a real pain isn't it? Like you, I never sleep longer than 3 hours, at most, before suddenly being wide awake and having to get up. It doesn't seem to matter how tired I am when I go to bed or how early or late I go either. I long for the days when I could crash out for 7 hours again and wake refreshed.

My hot flushes returned after a hysterectomy last year at 64. Luckily they are not as bad as before. I've also lost most body hair, just have chin hair.

Is there any real alternative to HRT? i am willing to try almost anything.

Granny piper, you may well get recommendations of "natural" alternatives to HRT but if you think about it oestrogen is what your body is missing and it is completely natural for all women.

I had an easy menopause at about 55/56 but do suffer from chin prickles, though always needed to be careful re overgrown hair on upper lip, eyebrows, pits and bits as had thick, dark hair. No eyebrows to speak of now, let hairy pits/bits and upper lip less problematic but chin has taken off instead!
Some hot sweats at night but not unbearable or every night.

I feel I have been very lucky..difficult to know what is directly due to being post-menopause and what is inevitable ageing! Never had HRT. Wondering if I should have!!