H.R.T. love it or hate it?

[sheddie]

I have been on patches in the past but gave them up when got side effects, but I know it can give some people a new lease of life.I decided that the menopause is very like puberty, it is just something you have to go through and no two people are alike. Very often my OH woke up with my patch on, think it did him good! lol :D

[Crocus]

I was on these patches for quite a while, but cannot recall any side effects. I'm very much in two over these patches and at this stage I don't use it anymore. Just decided to stop using it and instead of using 2 a week, I started to use only 1 per week till the last one. Now I get flushes all over again, although not as bad. So now what do I do. Do I go back to the gyneacologist or do I just 'live' the flushes out? I just don't know.:confused:

[eleanor2]

the doctor talked to me about hrt.but i told her i wasn't interested.want to try everything natural .i will wait and see.i am just setting out on the menopause trail dont know how bad it is going to get.

[sheddie]

I'm just living them out crocus and looking at it that I'm just passing through this stage of my life.The more you fight it and read every bit of information I think you can convince yourself you have every side effect going.I don't think our Mum's had a choice do you? X

[Crocus]

No, that's true, they didn't have a choice. xx

[Katelb]

I took HRT for 8 years but in tablet form,a dual pack,and I have to say that I had absolutely no menopausal symptoms at all;I stopped taking them about 12 years ago and I feel that they helped in more ways than one ,bone density ,osteoporosis etc. and I was lucky because all this was undertaken with the help of the gyneacologist for whom I worked in a private practice.
You are right though sheddie,we are all different and react in different ways to the natural events involved with our ageing.I have to confess that I have heard mixed reports regarding patches and I was never tempted to try them.If symptoms are tolerable,then it is best to grin and bear it,but speaking personally,I don't regret taking HRT for the 8 years,and I didn't suffer any side-effects,and I like to think there may have been some long-term benefits.

[Crocus]

Hi Kate, for the bone-density, osteoperosis I think it helps quite a lot. But what about the reports stating that it can be the cause of breast cancer etc. I've developed swollen glands under my left arm which were removed during an op and fortunately there was nothing wrong at the time. At the moment I think I feel another of these swollen glands again, and will have to go to the surgeon and possibly have another op. Not something I'm looking forward to!

[Katelb]

I agree Crocus, there are some risks attached to all forms of HRT but during the time I was taking it,I was carefully monitored for any such side effect.
I can appreciate your concern about your gland swellings but I suspect it is all part of the menopause as you are experience it.I have come across this happening to other patients and in all cases it turned out to be a benign nuisance more than anything else.

[Healing Hands]

I cannot take HRT due to breast cancer in the family, although I wish I could just to see if I feel better. So I am going cold turkey over this and just like you sheds letting it all take it own course, as you said our mothers and grandmothers had to cope.

I will be glad it is all over though.

[Redstart]

I took HRT for nearly two years because I was bleeding almost all the time but hated it and so stopped to see what would happen. I then had a period, 11 months without, another period, and that was the last one.

The menopause is like banning your head against the wall - nice when it stops!