Natural menopause anyone?
Posted , 18 users are following.
Hi ladies
Its me again.
So had 10 years peri hell and im now officially post meno.
Blood tests confirmed ovaries have shut down.
Ive gone through all this with no meds.
Are any of you ladies post meno and doing it with no HRT?
Ive had 3 different opinions from 3 different doctors.
The last one telling me if i dont go on HRT i will have broken bones and higher risk of heart attack!!!
He said i could be on it fot 10 years im 51 at the moment.
I really dont want to go on HRT but he has made me feel like if i dont its gonna be awful.
I said to him so after 10 years if i can be on it and find the right one i then have to come off. Then what?
Im feeking bad enough already with all these symptoms and now accrpting the fact my ovaries have defo shut down. Its a strange feeling even though i knew it already.
Im confused and now second guessing my decision to go without HRT.
After all it doesnt suit everyone. I had terrible problems with thr contraceptive pill all my life and has to get sterilised in the end.
What are your thoughts ladies x
3 likes, 38 replies
aly48544 michelle97919
Posted
Fully understand Michelle IV plodded on until I was 56 and felt exactly the same and there's breast cancer in my family.
But I thought long/hard and spoke to friends on and off it and for me I decided it was right...and I have a 82yr old friend that's still on it so if it keeps working this well for me who knows lol xx
michelle97919 aly48544
Posted
This is very true. If it works use it i say. I actually didnt know you could be on HRT into your 80s.
My doc said preferably 5 years but 10 max.
Its a mine field x
debra16694 michelle97919
Posted
Hi Michelle -
I am 61, post meno 6 years and really didn’t start experiencing horrible symptoms until about 2 years ago. I equate that to having had to be the sole caregivers to my two ailing parents for 10 years and after my Dad passed in 2016 (mom in 2014) I just crashed & burned - I couldn’t really function - I still am trying to figure out was it the horrible blood RX I was put on, menopause or AFS? I actually think it was a combo of all of it.
For me Peri consisted of flooding periods & horrible insomnia, but in post menopause I can literally say I have had ALL 66 symptoms & then some. I think my body was under such stress for 10 years that it is just now phasing thru menopause even though I lost my period 6 years ago. As of last October my hormones were very low, but balanced & my cortisol high probably the reason for my horrible anxiety.
My GP has suggested antidepressants & anti anxiety medication numerous times...I do have an RX for Ativan for emergencies. I went to a naturopath that suggested BHRT, but I am very sensitive to many RX’s & I decided against it - then when things got really bad for me about 5 months ago I went to a hormone specialist (Gyno) who told me she would never put me on HRT at my age of 61 because I was too old to start. So you see, it’s no wonder we are so confused about what to do...we have all these different opinions from Drs & frankly, I don’t want to be a guinea pig - I haven’t managed well thru this journey...had many missing days, but I have done it naturally & that’s all I have - I try to spend a lot of time on self care, acupuncture, massages & doing the things that bring me joy...it hasn’t been easy, but I am trying. My mom lived to be 96 without going on hormones & I know had a horrible menopause journey without ever having a broken bone! I hope that I can soldier on thru this not-so pleasant journey & come out on the other side soon - after my not so great experience with a bad RX med, I am not so anxious to put more toxic chemicals into my system -
I must add that I have friends who are on BHRT & plan on never coming off of them that they have worked so well for them, you have to just do what is right for you & your body -
There is a wonderful article in this months AARP magazine that talks about how the medical community has failed woman in menopause - if you can get a copy of it, it’s worth a read - Good Luck on your journey -
michelle97919 debra16694
Posted
Bless you for your reply. Im praying i can get tbrough naturally by finally taking care of myself and putting me first x
Nancy2121 debra16694
Posted
Thanks, Debra! Btw...that article can be viewed at aarp.org. I just found it when searching aarp articles menopause. Good read!
debra16694 michelle97919
Posted
Hi Michelle - Yes, I truly believe that the caregivers of the world are the ones who suffer the hardest thru this time in our lives - we have either never learned or have forgotten how to take care of ourselves & put ourselves first...it’s simple for some people, but difficult for others - I never knew what the word “no” meant & when I finally started saying “no” to family & friends, I know it rocked everyone’s world. I have finally started to put my needs first. This time is an adjustment for us physically, mentally & emotionally - Take care!
Cass63 michelle97919
Posted
Hello Michelle,
I have elected to go all natural, with the exception of Estrace cream twice a week for dryness. In 2011 after my complete hysterectomy my gynecologist advised me to start HRT. He gave me all the scary statistics of not taking anything, basically tried to scare me into taking them. So I tried for about 1 month and I was even more symptomatic on the HRT, it was bad. Like you I never could tolerate oral contraceptives when I was younger. The one thing that stayed in my mind also was my Mom’s experience on the HRT. She started in her 50’s and took them around 10 years then started bleeding and had to be taken off. She immediately had full blown menopause symptoms in her mid 60’s. She is now 72 and still has some bad days, not as many but still some. She always told me had she known this would have happened at the time she wouldn’t have ever started HRT because it only delayed the inevitable for her and she had to go through it anyway at a later age. Therefore I have chosen to ride it out. I am 55 now so I am praying that things will start to settle down some for me soon. Definitely been a scary journey and one I am praying will be over soon. Prayers going up for you 🙏🏻 GOD Bless
Indifferent Cass63
Posted
Finny2018 michelle97919
Posted
Hi Michelle - I also had a very tough time trying the birth control pill years ago - hubby and I used condoms most of the time until he had a vasectomy. I've always been sensitive to medications, vitamins, supplements - you name it.
A good friend of mine was a Pharmacist for years and she said the top 3 prescriptions she filled were blood pressure meds, statins, and synthetic hormones. Fast forward many years later, and she had to have a hysterectomy. Naturally she thought "I'll just go on those hormones". Beforehand she did a ton of research and decided she would NOT do the synthetic ones due to the risks- only the bio-identical.
Since I am so sensitive - my pharmacist friend recommended I try the non prescription progesterone cream that you can buy at the health food store or online through Amazon. As of now I've been using for this and have noticed marked improvements. I don't think I plan to use if forever...but I had anxiety, depression, and numerous physical symptoms for the first time at age 49 and it was very rough.
For me? ; The decision to try the cream came out of a place of despair because I could not function - it was debilitating. My Pharmacist friend was the one who shared that SO many of her clients benefited from progesterone cream alone for the emotional symptoms - I am going to give it 3 months; I'm keeping a chart each day of my symptoms.
I can SO related to your hesitancy on it. I am in the same place. Take care!
mrs_susan74280 Finny2018
Posted
Finny2018 mrs_susan74280
Posted
Hi MrsSusan74280 - I have started with the Emerita Pro-Gest. I will try this for 3 months and then get my saliva tested again to see if my levels have improved. The other 2 creams I considered were Anna's Wild Yam Cream and Progesterall.
pinkcatfairy michelle97919
Posted
Im three years post meno and have probably every symptom! I take a good multi vit for over fifties and that seemed to help my anxiety and painful joints, due to family history i cannot take hrt x
michelle97919 pinkcatfairy
Posted
Thanks so much for your response.
I am going to look for a good multivitamin for over 50 this weekend x
Yellow88 michelle97919
Posted
I feel for us all but congratulate us all so much!
michelle97919 Yellow88
Posted
Your are most welcome. Its a difficult and confusing time knowing what to do for the best x
mauiblue michelle97919
Posted
Hi there as you can see it is quite a strong group of arguments and both sides have their logic it's all very personal and even if one would want to do it sometimes they are not able to just because they feel so lousy on it.
My Philosophy is to go natural but if one can't then they should do whatever they need to do to feel better and that's all there is to it.
These have been the hardest times of my life hands down.
I'm with you.
Xoxo
michelle97919 mauiblue
Posted
Yes i agree with you. It is a very personal decision.
And hands down this has been the hardest time of my life x
anat0280 mauiblue
Posted
Thank you for your answer. How do you live your daily ? I mostly in bed and find it hard to walk....
Bless you for better days
Ana
michelle97919 anat0280
Posted
Ive had a long 10 year peri so ive had many different and horrid symptoms.
Had days when i thought i was dying.
In fact it still happens now. Im post meno now.
I think ive learned to carry on regardless.
At the start i was terrified i didnt know what was happening to me.
I am still struggling anxiety being my worst symptom.
Im praying it settles soon as i am now post but i dont know tbh whats round the corner.
Im trying hard to take one day at a time.
Im not ruling out meds but at the same time i really want to stay natural.
Push through most importantly read positive thinking books and stay positive as much as you can.
That is the hard part. Stay off google that was a downfall for me x