HRT or NOT!

Can you tell me ? Does hrt make you gain weight . I sweat night and wake up feeling I'm suffocating , but I can't afford to gain any more weight .

I had a hysterectomy in my early 40's and was on HRT for about 15 years and my doctor made me come off it - have not had a decent night's sleep since - not to mention the aches and pains, and the odd hot flush etc.............am now 72 and really wish i'd stayed on it. I tried loads of different herbal pills, but nothing was that helpful Don't give up the HRT unless you absolutely have to I'd say - weigh up all the risks.

I agree with the above comment that women used to die before they hit the menopause. And they had done their job of child bearing years .Now we are living to 90 and we want to still enjoy that and feel great and sexy .! Nature doesn’t seem to care or take care of that . We have to take control .

I am on so many pills what is another.
Having said that I didn't have HRT when I went through menopause .
If I needed it I would have probable taken it

I’m 60 and have been on HRT for 8 years . A 2mg dose which I only found out recently was quite high .? I have felt great on it but have always worried of the risks . I’ve tried coming off a few times but never feel that good . HRT makes me sleep like a log , plenty of energy , keeps me slim and firm , confident. Libido good . But I’m so confused ??‍♀️. One side says it’s good for your heart bones etc etc the other is I could have a blood clot Stroke. I really don’t know what to do . I think it’s the stroke risk that worries me , there is no going back from that .HELP. I’m thinking of paying for a private consultation as my Docter just prescribes it without even taking my blood pressure x

Harrigran, as for female hormones depleting for a reason, please inform us what the reason might be? People live longer now and female hormones used to last until say 45 or 50, when in the old days that was the length of your life. Now we all live into our 70s or 80s and female hormones are artificially given to us, and perhaps in a thousand years women may have natural hormones for far longer and not need HRT.

As for the menopause I did get some spotting for the first year or two but as far as the menopause and its symptoms went I have never experienced it. Best to discuss all female questions with a lady doctor.

Not, definitely. The female hormones deplete for a reason why would you want to reinstate them. Some cancers are hormone related and topping them up could put you at risk.

I have been on HRT for more than 15 years. I feel OK with it and it doesn't seem to be dangerous anymore. Not setting myself up as an example, though, because my son is a doctor and when he found out 2 years ago that I was on it he was very worried and told me to stop. I am 78. I had a medicine review and was not told to stop taking it. I have not told my son and he has not asked. Maybe there is a slightly increased risk of breast cancer but life is full of risks and if you don't get breast cancer you could still get another type of cancer.

My understanding was always that HRT just postponed the menopause. Tough as it was to cope in my late 40s, no way did I want to endure that in my 70s.

Is it not just a tunnel to be got through, and we come out the other end?

I'm 72 and definitely want to stay on it for the rest of my life! When a male doctor once refused to prescribe it any more, I saw a female doctor who said " Oh for goodness sake - Men! How do they think the Queen would do as well as she does without it?'" (She was the male doctors wife!) For me its quality of life now. I'll worry about the rest if and when the time comes.

I'd sooner take HRT and be comfortable rather than risk free and miserable. Without it, I become a very different person who is tearful, paranoid, and with very low self esteem. I used to be like this with PMT and it wrecked relationships so I have no desire to go back there!

I started taking HRT in 1991 following a hysterectomy and oopherectomy. I have taken it since then apart from a brief break (my decision) a few years ago. I lasted about 2-3 months and found the menopausal symptoms unbearable. My GP prescribed it again and she said providing I don’t have any contraindications I can take it for the rest of my life. HRT is safe and I’m willing to take that extremely small risk of breast cancer. Please go back to see your GP because there’s o need to suffer.

I have just had my prescription renewed by my doctor. I am 72. Last year she was very reluctant to prescribe but this year was extolling all the benefits to me. She said the latest advice is that there is a tiny increase in risk for breast cancer but against this is protection against heart disease, strokes, dementia and osteoporosis. She thoroughly recommended staying on it.

I attended a menopause event recently and was told that HRT is much safer now than it ever was because patients can be given bespoke treatment that can treat individual symptoms, rather than giving drugs that treat all symptoms at the same time. Apparently they are safe to use for women who've have breast cancer or at high risk of bc. I don't take it myself but it's good to know things have moved on from previous HRT. I do understand all your symptoms. They sound very difficult to live with and I don't think you should be scared of seeking your GP's advice about going back yo HRT.