I'm almost 55, and I have questions. If you are post menopausal do you take hormone replacement? Any health supplements?
Like my mom and grandmother before me, I went into menopause with very little issues. No night sweats, insomnia, etc...though on ocassion I do still get a hot flash, but I've never had those very often.
Because of not having issues, I've not read very much about it, or talked to my doctor about it, as it seemed a non issue. My mom had been put on hormone replacement back in the day, and then they discovered it was bad for your heart so her doctor took her off of it and she never did anything else.
I've been wondering what the options are these days and wanting to inform myself. We all want to feel the best we can for as long as we can, and so I'm wondering what your thoughts are on this subject and what advice you may have for me.
Let's chat in the comments!
20 comments:
I will turn 52 in November and am still just as regular as I have always been. Since the age of 10. My mom had a complete hysterectomy in her early 30s and her mom died at a fairly young age so I really don't know what to even expect from menopause. It will definitely be a new adventure for me.
I had no problems so I haven't taken anything. I figure if my body isn't telling me I need it, why take it? I do know some friends who have taken natural products to help symptoms and a couple who had such severe symptoms they had to go on hormone replacement prescribed by their doctor.
I am 60 and went through the big M about 10 years ago. I did not want to take the traditional route of hormone treatment that my internist prescribed, so I sought out alternative options. I read Suzanne Somers' book on aging and I discovered bio-identical hormones. Hormones to treat the issues we suffer as women in premenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, also known as bioidentical hormone therapy or natural hormone therapy, is the use of hormones that are identical on a molecular level with endogenous hormones in hormone replacement therapy. It may also be combined with blood and saliva testing of hormone levels, and the use of pharmacy compounding to obtain hormones in an effort to reach a targeted level of hormones in the body. They are plant based, not based on horse urine, which is what is used in traditional treatment options. I began taking the compounded pills and applying the specially blended cream and within 3 months my symptoms were gone! Fast forward 10 years and I remain symptom free and proud to tell others about my journey and the success I have found.
I had a hysterectomy at 31 but my ovaries were not removed. Thus, I experienced symptoms of menopause at the proper time (whatever that is). I began having hot flashes in my mid-40s, and, although they are far less frequent, I still do have them, a good 20 years later. The only other symptom I have really noticed (probably since my mid-50s or so) is just a tendency to get more easily irritated and stressed. What I take for that is just a Super-B Complex, a stress formula. If I skip this for a few days, I notice it, but if I should go a week without B complex, everyone around me will also notice it!
Hmmm. Good question. I am 57 and had a hysterectomy in my mid thirties, but keep the ovaries. I have not felt the need for hormone replacement except for the constant UTI feeling. I tried the biodentical hormones but didn't like the way they made me feel. Kind of weepy and I had more migraines with them. When I stopped to think about it the migraines didn't surprise me because I could never take birth control for they gave me horrible migraines. I feel like I have a constant UTI and have a prolapsed bladder (self diagnosed, but pretty sure). I did decide to take a natural cream for the vaginal area (TMI---sorry!) IT has received some of the feeling of heaviness and I am doing Kegals constantly to try and strengthen that area because I don't want surgery and honestly don't want to take anything!
That’s so interesting Rhonda, that you still have your cycle. Mine stopped right around 50. I reading that so many women have had hysterectomies in their 30’s! Maybe by beginning to talk about it, we can all help each other!
I haven’t had any issues either, that I’m aware of. Maybe I should ask my family, 😉
That’s great information Steele, thank you! I’d forgotten about her book. I’ll see if my library has it!
That’s good to know! Thanks!
She has written several since, and I think more than one addresses the hormone issue, but her one on aging, sorry I don't remember the title & I am at work, gave the most information.
Is the UTI feeling due to the bladder or is it due to menopause? I think it’s not so unusual to have the bladder issue after hysterectomy. A friend of mine had issues with hers, too.
Had a hysterectomy in my mid 20's. Did ok until 30's and symptoms bad. Doctor put me on hormone patches at age 40 or so! Oh life was good-looked young-stayed small size-energy enough to go to college and become a teacher-love it loved it! Got Master degree at al ost 60 when he took me off of the hormones because of my history of strokes and history of Mother cancer! Let me tell you! I begged for those hormones and the first few years I tried everything! Weight gain-no energy-despite working to support myself teaching high school and college-no irritability but that is just not who I am-so I made a point to stay nice-little sleep-hot flashes-it was horrible horrible! I asked family doc for hormones but he declined also. I am now 70 and have no symptoms but muscle tone not great despite walking walking exercise!
If your doc will give you hormones take them!!!!
i'm 60 and on hormones .. i take half dosage and it seems to work. if i don't take even that then the hot flashes become my constant companion. i started 'M' at 42 after a hysterectomy. tried "natural" remedies - gave them a decent try -but when you're having 25 hurricane force flashes a day and that doesn't include night sweats, you want the Rx that works best. absolute misery. i refuse to make myself (and as a result, my dear
husband) miserable. my mother had flashes until her early 80s so the future does not bode well for this girl. my doctor is a close friend and i trust his judgement in keeping me on Rx. i do threaten him though so there's that. wink.
if you're not having issues even now...? wow - how WONDERFUL. i'll bet you won't be having issues in 5 years.
Good luck with it all - I had it early after chemo and did have a rough time with hot flashes My doc did give me some pills for that They did help. Take care. Cheers from Carole's Chatter
PS. Found you via LInda's sidebar .. Have followed her since before the grand quads were born
This conversation came up recently because two girlfriends stopped their hormones due to side effects. I was surprised to hear that doctors are still prescribing them. I'm not there yet, but it's on the horizon. I just turned 50 and I can feel it.
In 2007, I had a complete hysterectomy (they took uterus, ovaries and cervix) at age 51 due to endometriosis which caused bleeding so heavy I was extremely anemic. This put me immediately into surgical menopause. I used a gel that was made of plant based estrogens for about 6 years, but stopped because of an abnormal mammogram. (Turned out to be a cyst, but I decided not to start back on the estrogen.) I have hot flashes, but other than that, no real problems. I just had a bone density scan and it was normal, so I haven't really missed the hormone replacements so far.
I love Linda! We are hoping to met up when I go to Texas later this month!
Ladies, this is such good conversation! Thank you all for sharing!
I went through about 8 years of menopause awfulness. I was treated by 2 different Drs, tried 3 different HRTs and the 3rd one combined with an anxiety med helped enough I could mostly function but was far from good. I also tried so many herbal, OTC, essential oils and creams, diet modifications - none truly helped.
After 8 years, I finally feel like myself 98% of time again except for temperature hot flashes and cold spells.
It was really bad. I do wonder when I hear of a 50ish year old woman who does something “crazy” if they are suffering through menopause. Like the Kate Spade suicide.......
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