One for the ladies....HRT, Perimenopause

[nikki1111]

Ladies, is anyone perimenapausal and taking HRT? If so how are you finding it, has it helped? I have the option of going into HRT but I'm concerned as I'm overweight and worried about blood clots etc. For now my GP is increasing Sertaline as it's my mood that is being affected. Very very low, depression, crying every day, I also hate how I feel and look.

 

[Leadinglights]

I feel very guilty as I have got away lightly, having had a total hysterectomy, no ovaries nothing left at 32 and was told yes you will get menopausal symptoms. I was given oestrogen tablets but they made me feel queasy so I tried the patches and they usually ended up anywhere but staying on my skin so I gave up. Nearly 40 years later I'm still waiting for any symptoms. Seeing what other people go through I consider myself very lucky.
I know other people who take it, do think it is the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[rebrascora]

I was fully menopausal when I started HRT a year gone Oct and had suffered for 5 years with really debilitating symptoms prior to that. I have the patches and they have revolutionised my life!! It still blows my mind that a small clear bit of plastic stuck to my skin for a few days can make such a massive difference to so many aspects of my life. I was surprised at how readily my GP prescribed them as I had expected to be refused at least the first time of asking, (it was harder to lay hands on the actual HRT because of national, possibly worldwide shortage) but I had lost my excess weight due to diabetes diagnosis and low carb diet and I am otherwise pretty fit so I guess they decided the risk was minimal. I am supposed to have my BP checked every so often which hasn't happened so much during the last year but I get it checked at least annually for my diabetes review and so far so good. I now cut the patches in half and just use half a patch every few days instead of a whole one and that seems to work OK for me. I tried stopping but menopause symptoms started pretty much immediately.
Obviously my situation is different to yours but just want to say what a huge benefit I found it to be.

 

[nikki1111]

I feel very guilty as I have got away lightly, having had a total hysterectomy, no ovaries nothing left at 32 and was told yes you will get menopausal symptoms. I was given oestrogen tablets but they made me feel queasy so I tried the patches and they usually ended up anywhere but staying on my skin so I gave up. Nearly 40 years later I'm still waiting for any symptoms. Seeing what other people go through I consider myself very lucky.
I know other people who take it, do think it is the best thing since sliced bread.

You don't know how lucky you are! The depression, rage and my hair thinning is very very scary.

 

[nikki1111]

I was fully menopausal when I started HRT a year gone Oct and had suffered for 5 years with really debilitating symptoms prior to that. I have the patches and they have revolutionised my life!! It still blows my mind that a small clear bit of plastic stuck to my skin for a few days can make such a massive difference to so many aspects of my life. I was surprised at how readily my GP prescribed them as I had expected to be refused at least the first time of asking, (it was harder to lay hands on the actual HRT because of national, possibly worldwide shortage) but I had lost my excess weight due to diabetes diagnosis and low carb diet and I am otherwise pretty fit so I guess they decided the risk was minimal. I am supposed to have my BP checked every so often which hasn't happened so much during the last year but I get it checked at least annually for my diabetes review and so far so good. I now cut the patches in half and just use half a patch every few days instead of a whole one and that seems to work OK for me. I tried stopping but menopause symptoms started pretty much immediately.
Obviously my situation is different to yours but just want to say what a huge benefit I found it to be.

That's good it's worked for you. I think probably HRT will be the way to go.