Anonymous wrote:I think nature is always better, so if your body goes through menopause, without many problems, HRT might not be needed. For so long women did not take any hormones and they went through menopause.

And for so long a woman's risk of heart attack and strokes skyrocketed after entering peri and menopause. No thanks, I'd prefer to protect myself from that

I prescribed MHT as part of my work and I am also not a good candidate for it based on medical history so I have 1 foot in each world of this decision-making. I think it’s great that the research has evolved and we understand that it can be prescribed safely and can really help women with some side effects. Unfortunately, like all things that get picked up by social media, I think it has become wildly oversold and also has become a source of confusion for women over the age of about 30 who now want to subscribe every thing they experience in their body as “being in peri.” Symptoms of concern should always be fully evaluated, if your doctor wants to do that it doesn’t mean they are ignoring them. And MHT has pretty good data supporting its value for managing hot flashes but much more limited for other things. I can’t tell you how many women get started on it expecting it to solve all their problems and then it doesn’t and they want to keep tweaking their dosages and come back frustrated over and over again because they had expectations of these medications that aren’t being met. So you need to be smart about it, consider one of many tools in the toolbox available to you for aging in a healthy way. It may not work, it may not be able to be prescribed, or it may be really helpful. All scenarios possible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

This. Resist being influenced. Menopause is a normal, physiological phase of life. Use HRT if it’s a really hard phase for you, otherwise carry on as you are doing.

See, I think this is super condescending. "If it's a really hard phase.' just because menopause is normal doesn't mean we have to suffer through it.

If you choose no HRy, then good for you...that is such a super valid and personal choice.

But don't reduce people who use it on being able to not "resist...." Resist what, exactly? Seeking medical care?

In the 16 weeks I have been on estradiol, here is what has changed for me:

I no longer wake up absolutely soaked in so much sweat I have to change the sheets every night.

My brain fog has lifted.

My near crushing and life affecting fatigue has lifted.

My sex life...drive and vaginal dryness..are so much better.

Then there are the cosmetic, superficial benefits: I've lost a little weight, my skin is way less dry and crepey.

It is such a personal choice to take it or not . But don't call it a phase (it is years!) and treat us like dumb lemmings who can't make independent and informed decisions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not on it. 56. Athletic and look young for my age. I had some annoying symptoms (more joint/shoulder pain, different body parts), but no sleep issues and no hot flashes.

It all disappeared as soon as I was 1 year passed last period (a few months ago) and I’ve had more energy than ever.

Feeling looking great with no HRT.

Same. I have a healthy diet and have always exercised, cardio and weights 6 days per week. I added magnesium supplements, that cured any sleep issues.

I don’t have any issues. I struggled the one transition year with some shoulder and then lower back pain—but as soon as I hit the full year without a period I felt the best I have in years. More energy than ever.

I’m worried if I did HRT the hormones would mess me up. I never did good with hormonal birth control—bloating, moods, etc. so I prefer to not take any HRT.

We have strong bones and hearts in my family—no cardiac issues or osteoporosis or Alzheimer’s. So I’m not worried about taking it for those issues.

NP and I’ve suffered from severe migraines since I’ve been a teen. They have been better controlled in the past 10 years with daily migraine meds and an IUD. BC and hormone regulation has always been needed since they have been directly tied to my periods.

I’m 50, and they drastically dropped these past couple of years since I’ve been going through and in menopause. I am not planning on taking HRT unless it’s really needed for other reasons. The IUD comes out in a couple years and maybe, after menopause is done, I can finally be without migraines for the first time.

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

This. Resist being influenced. Menopause is a normal, physiological phase of life. Use HRT if it’s a really hard phase for you, otherwise carry on as you are doing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

OMG !! Yes! Wait 10 years it will change…

I totally feel like our generation is being set up as guinea pigs for HRT. The marketing push is INSANE. I'm 52, still have a mostly regular cycle, and have minimal symptoms at the moment. I'm hoping that I can eek this existence out for a few more years until we have some better and larger scale data on patch-based estrogen/oral progesterone combinations and dosages. I think the current vibes-based approach to dosing is likely to be found to be not optimal. We should have data showing what a minimum estrogen dosage to ensure heart/brain/bone health vs. vasomotor symptom control is and we don't at the moment. The science is just not that great.

You are correct that Gen X is being set up. There already is enough data (!) showing the risk but like all media spins information is selectively presented and rewrapped for marketing. I wish I could say that I've never seen anything like it, but I have. It's so transparent here though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

OMG !! Yes! Wait 10 years it will change…

I am well beyond 10 years, and many more yearsm and still doing very well, same as most of my friends. I will say, of those that did HRT, many had breast cancer in their 60s, on her 50s, however they survived as of now. Everyone will come for me here with accusations of me lying, links to research, etc. Well, I am not lying, and I suggest that everyone read the research. All the research does show risk. One better really, really need it before starting it- it is not a given that it is a magic pill.
You being indoctrinated that HRT is a must or all kinds of things will happen, and it is just not true at all. I see it all over social media with the regular pundits doing their promoting. Cancer, however is still a risk, please do not assume it is not.

I’m so curious if someone has ordered Inner Balance. I don’t typically get “marketed to” regarding HRT, so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong or right with my algorithm. But I’ve lately been bombarded by Inner Balance, which best I can tell is a compounded progesterone and estriol cream to be used vaginally. Literally anyone seems able to get it, because it’s not really a telehealth service, and it seems your prescription ($200/month) starts once some of your details, including payment, are verified. Zero medical tests, no blood work, no medical relationship at all it seems.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

OMG !! Yes! Wait 10 years it will change…

I totally feel like our generation is being set up as guinea pigs for HRT. The marketing push is INSANE. I'm 52, still have a mostly regular cycle, and have minimal symptoms at the moment. I'm hoping that I can eek this existence out for a few more years until we have some better and larger scale data on patch-based estrogen/oral progesterone combinations and dosages. I think the current vibes-based approach to dosing is likely to be found to be not optimal. We should have data showing what a minimum estrogen dosage to ensure heart/brain/bone health vs. vasomotor symptom control is and we don't at the moment. The science is just not that great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not on it. 56. Athletic and look young for my age. I had some annoying symptoms (more joint/shoulder pain, different body parts), but no sleep issues and no hot flashes.

It all disappeared as soon as I was 1 year passed last period (a few months ago) and I’ve had more energy than ever.

Feeling looking great with no HRT.

Same. I have a healthy diet and have always exercised, cardio and weights 6 days per week. I added magnesium supplements, that cured any sleep issues.

I don’t have any issues. I struggled the one transition year with some shoulder and then lower back pain—but as soon as I hit the full year without a period I felt the best I have in years. More energy than ever.

I’m worried if I did HRT the hormones would mess me up. I never did good with hormonal birth control—bloating, moods, etc. so I prefer to not take any HRT.

We have strong bones and hearts in my family—no cardiac issues or osteoporosis or Alzheimer’s. So I’m not worried about taking it for those issues.

Yep. Hormones make me gain weight. I always lost weight when stopping the Pill. I had to on progesterone for insane bleeding and stopped it after 3 months—made me bloated, irritable and gained weight. Thankfully, when I went off periods stopped altogether.

I feel and look great at 56 without any.

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

OMG !! Yes! Wait 10 years it will change…

Anonymous wrote:Is there a down side to taking HRT?

Yes, and we all know that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a down side to taking HRT?

Cancer

+1000
Everyone is under the impression that some new science indicates no cancer risk from HRT and they could not be more wrong. The research has just been repackaged for the next generation who is terrified of aging, and I get that, but life is life. Osteoporosis will still happen - to men as well (!), wrinkles will still happen, if you eat like crap you will have heart disease regardless, and not all women have cognitive decline with or without HRT. It's just not true that not taking HRT will cause all these things.
Also- bioidentical does not mean safer. It is hormones like any other, it is just a marketing term.

If you are bent on doing it, try topical vaginal stuff as the only exception, but try other things first.

Nothing will happen. You will age like we all do. You will exercise, lift some weights, eat healthy, use moisturizer, etc.
HRT is not a fountain of youth drug and the marketing to the Gen X crowd is just spectacular to watch. If you are not having big issues, and most of us do not, just live your life. Hot flashes are common, but not life threatening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a hold out, but painful intercourse was the line in the sand.

Systemic HRT or vaginal inserts?

I use the inserts and that helps greatly. Also prevents ice for UTIs.

Inserts twice a week.