Menopause Support Group
Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age. It normally occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, when the body begins to slow and stop the production of eggs, estrogen and progesterone production decreases, and menstruation diminishes, eventually stopping altogether.
Does anyone have any experience with hormone replacement therapy?
Any thoughts or experiences would be helpful.
I fought taking HRT for many years until I finally reached the point when I gave in. I was given, of course, the lowest dosage possible, which seemed to ease the symptoms, but then they kept coming back. The doc raised the dosage to medium, and I had a blessed year of relative normalcy, with a bad day only here and there.:
Then this past September, something happened: deep depression, fatigue, body aches, headaches, digestive discomfort, dizziness....for the entire month. Since then, it's been mostly bad days, despite raising my dosage again, this time to medium-high.
In short, I'm still playing with HRT. ...in fact, at this point, I'm considering anti-depressants.
But you might be different. The damn thing about hormones is that we are not all affected the same way. I personally had a brain injury in my early 20's resulting in a seizure disorder. When menopause hit, I got all but 2 of the 35 symptoms, most possibly because of my already existing brain problems.
But you might start HRT and have it work immediately (although it usually takes at least a few weeks for things to balance out). I'd talk to your doctor about the pros and cons given your health record and your family history. Also consider how bad your symptoms are and how many of them you are having. For example, if they are few and mild, you might consider not getting HRT. But if your whole life grinds to a halt and remains that way for years, like mine did....well, like I said, talk it over with your gyn.
I hope this helps, and may your path be smooth and chocolate-covered!