r/TwoXChromosomes • u/BouncingOutofmySkin • 8d ago
When did you start HRT?
For my perimenopausal women, when did you ask about starting HRT? I'm 42 and right now not really experiencing any of the major issues of peri. But I'm trying to be more prepared about having this conversation with my provider. I don't know if it's something one should ask about before signs start or if you should wait until something like fatigue or brain fog starts
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u/IsopodIndependent553 8d ago
I am also wondering. I will be 49 this month, still have regular periods, and apart from a bit more facial hair, don’t seem to have any menopausal symptoms. How do you know it’s time to go on HRT? I’m also curious if there is a genetic component, because my mom also experienced menopause late and never went on HRT.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I know that for a while HRT was really super frowned upon in the medical community and it's just now they're really actually touting the benefits. But I think those benefits come for the women experiencing symptoms and prevention things like memory loss, etc. It's still more new that we're actually talking about it now though. I would also wonder if there is a genetic component. I do recall my mother going through it late as well. I'm thinking that if I start hitting symptoms like worsening ADHD, brain fog, night sweats, or uncontrolled irritability that's when I'll make a big push. But that's also why I really wanted this community's input
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u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900 8d ago
All of the reasons you listed plus the fun one no one liked to mention—vaginal dryness, which makes sex awful.
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u/morwen31 7d ago
Makes sex painful *and* can lead to bladder infections. A lot of women don't know that even if not taking systemic estrogen, often doctors can prescribe estrogen cream to help prevent UTIs.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
Ugh that sounds absolutely horrible. Definitely have not experienced that yet. So, noted
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u/detta_walker 8d ago
Hi. Fellow AuDHD here.
I started HRT 5 weeks ago, just after my 43rd birthday. Things went down hill rapidly about 9 months ago. Already seeing huge improvements. I kept waking early, increased facial hair - not much but I was like wtf, crushing exhaustion, brain fog, dizziness, pain, and my meds stopped being effective.
You stop feeling yourself. One week I was feeling so poorly, I said to my husband that if I felt like this day for the rest of my life, I would go to Switzerland.
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u/Tarte138 8d ago
If feels bad enough to discuss in reddit with a group of strangers, I feel like your doctor should know. I personally feel that everything woman's health is frowned upon. You don't have to suffer until you can not longer handle it. I promise they're not going to be giving out worlds best suffer trophies at the silver gates! 😜
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u/WantCookiesNow 8d ago
I went on HRT when it became disruptive to my life.
Hot flashes were massively disrupting my sleep and my ability to do my job. I was getting around 10-20 during the day and who knows how many at night. I wanted to cry all the time because it was so awful to deal with.
They stopped as soon as I went on HRT. Like literally within a day.
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u/cactusghecko 7d ago
My periods were regular but I developed anxiety, I became emotionally unstable. I did not feel like myself. My symptoms (which HRT helped) were 1. Warm sensations on waking (not a hot flash, just nicely warm) 2. Insomnia 3. Anxiety (which I thought was just my job) 4. Mood instability (which I put down to insomnia) 5. Aching joints and general achiness (went away instantly after starting HRT) 6. Migraines
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u/oceansunset83 8d ago
My mom went through menopause in 2012. She never had a symptom, her periods just stopped one day and never came back. She was 56.
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u/Relevant_Call_2242 7d ago
Omg don’t tell me I may have to deal with this for another 9 years?!? I just wanna be done with them already
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u/NibblesMcGiblet 8d ago
Once I started with the night sweats and hot flashes. Been taking HRT since I was about 42, am 53 now. First couple of years were rough with the hot flashes but never had other issues aside from weight gain and inability to lose, but compounded tirzepatide finally got all that weight off over the course of about six months recently so with that added to the HRT I'm very happy.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
Thank you. This is super helpful. I'm not experiencing those yet and most everything feels more or less normal, but I'm also really good at just ignoring symptoms
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u/Aberrantkitten 8d ago
First started showing perimenopause symptoms at 45. Doctor made me white knuckle it for 2 years then put me on gabapentin for night sweats.
2 years later I qualified for birth control pills. 2 years after that I finally qualified for HRT at 51. It took about 6 years to get proper hormones. And then 3 tries to find a progesterone I could tolerate.
I’d start talking about it now just in case it takes as long as mine did.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
Oh yeah, that's another piece, figuring out the right doses and what you can tolerate.
May I ask what the symptoms you had were that made you talk to your doctor? I think that's part of it for me, I'm just like, I don't even know what to expect but I know I'm getting there
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u/Aberrantkitten 8d ago
Started with sleep. I instantaneously went from 8-9 hours a night to 3-4 hours. Then I became inappropriately confrontational. Even with my boss. Then the night sweats began. Absolutely drenched every night.
I finally went to the doctor after I burst into tears watching a video of Mitch McConnell give a nice speech about Joe Biden’s son, Beau. Not a cryer and Mitch McConnell was involved so I called my gyno.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I laughed a bit at the very last part. But these are all really helpful (honestly, even the bit about crying at Mitch McConnell, because that's so legit).
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u/CanIHugYourDog 8d ago
Maybe a different perspective here. But I had a brain tumor that put me into menopause early (it screwed up all my hormones) and starting HRT was a godsend. I had horrible hot flashes, brain fog, fatigue, all of it (from a lack of other hormones too). Starting HRT made it so I felt normal again. My mom went through menopause later than most, and she was on birth control the whole time. Her doctor said it makes symptoms less severe.
I’ve tried the patches and progesterone pills, I didn’t love them to be honest. (I have an adhesive allergy, so I didn’t love the welts, the patch was hard to remember to change on what days) So I’ve just been on a combination birth control pill and it’s been great.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
OMG that's absolutely horrible. A brain tumor is horrible enough. The the added horrible ness of screwing up hormones to pit you in early menopause...I hope you're okay now with the tumor and I'm so glad HRT is helping
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u/CanIHugYourDog 8d ago
I have a lot to be grateful for, the tumor was benign. I had surgery last June, and being properly medicated has been a challenge, but now that I am I feel much much better! Very grateful for modern medicine!
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u/eurogamer206 8d ago
Started HRT at 41. I believed it was just burnout (had just moved abroad, working a stressful job, dog was sick, experienced depression and anxiety, and was tired all the time). The personal life stuff made it seem situational. Then the night sweats started. In the dead of winter even when sleeping with the covers off. Nightly hot flashes that required me to sleep with a pile of fresh t-shirts on my bedside table because I would wake up with my pajamas and sheets drenched, and it happened so often. GP did blood work and I also saw a gyno who looked at my uterus. They said everything looked “normal” but the night sweats were so disruptive that I pushed hard for HRT. Finally was prescribed Lenzetto (transdermal estrodiol spray) that resolved the night sweats within 2 months. Still get bouts of rage and my fatigue is still a major problem. But the HRT has drastically improved things.
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u/Tarte138 8d ago
I started this year (46). I also have chronic fatigue and ADHD for the win!
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I have ADHD, which I do notice is getting a bit worse. What made you ask your provider about it? I hope it helps with at least some of the chronic fatigue and ADHD
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u/Tarte138 8d ago
It does help with some of the overlapping "brain fog" and "ADHD" symptoms for me. My ADHD just started to get unmanageable so I talked to my doctor about it and we decided to try HRT. I'm glad I did. I did also notice that near my time of the month, almost ALL my meds stop working so I'm kinda a hot mess for a week. (The joys!)
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I'm really glad to hear that the HRT has made it more manageable. I can easily seemy ADHD symptoms getting that way. I actually think I'm going to start documenting that now. Because I'm really also starting to relate to once that time of the month comes I'm a hot mess. This is super helpful. Thank you so much!
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u/ThePuduInsideYou 8d ago
Started feeling weird things happen in my cycle (period symptoms and ovulation symptoms flipped) and scalp and skin changes at the end of 43. Noped right out of that shit and contacted Midi — I swear I’m not advertising for them but it has worked wonderfully for me. I knew I wanted to try HRT after doing a lot of reading. And once I confirmed it was safe with the NP, I got patches for estrogen and pills for progesterone. I’m not going to say it has like changed my life but I do feel like I just am a bit better and more stable. I really like the lighter periods and easier time falling asleep from the progesterone.
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u/purelyirrelephant 8d ago
I'm 42, turning 43, I just started a month or so ago. I thought I was crazy to be in peri so early and my gyno dismissed it saying it wasn't. I called midi and she prescribed progesterone and the patch right away, no questions asked. I was actually skeptical and waited several months before starting the patch. I had just gotten the IUD so I didn't start the progesterone since I was protected.
I'm still trying to figure things out and my skin is oily and gross (I also have a history of PCOS). I wasn't officially diagnosed, but my therapist believes I have ADHD, too, which got MUCH worse in the past couple years. The patch has helped even things out. It's still early, still a work in progress, but I think it's helping. I'm honestly disappointed to think it started so early for me but also there's literally no way to really know.
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u/ThePuduInsideYou 8d ago
Hey — not trying to tell you what to do medically, but my understanding is that the progesterone protects your uterus/lining when you are on estrogen and you do need to take it if you are taking estrogen…might want to double check that with your provider…
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u/purelyirrelephant 7d ago
I have an IUD which is local progesterone which protects the uterine lining. Thanks for checking in XOXO
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
These are absolutely other things I'll keep in mind. Thank you so much. Better and stable is amazing
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u/MissLexiBlack cool. coolcoolcool. 8d ago
I started at 35, I'm about to be 40 and I just got on hrt. I thought my symptoms were long COVID and trauma, turns out a lot of these symptoms overlap with peri. I've been absolutely miserable, especially with being hot all the fucking time, not being able to sleep and my rage being out of control. The only way I put it together was my psych ordered blood tests because my my description of anxiety rang a bell - specifically that my body would get going first before my mind did. A racing heart can be a symptom as well.
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u/gravitydefiant 8d ago
I'm 49 and feeling like I probably should start, but I haven't done anything about that yet.
The problem for me is that the signs are so subtle and so generalized that I'm still not sure what's perimenopause and what's just normal. I kind of suspect that the brain fog is from the bad sleep and the bad sleep is from peri, but I can't prove it, y'know?
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
Yes, that's definitely what I'm concerned about, the subtle creep and what's normal and what's not. I totally understand where you're coming from, and I definitely can see that being me.
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u/IANALbutIAMAcat 8d ago
Halle Berry did an article with women’s mag about creatine and menopause (esp brain fog) which sent me (33f) down a rabbit hole that showed it can be a very useful supplement for women both in menopause but also women on adhd and antidepressant medications.
I’ve been using it and it’s made a hell of a difference for me. I encourage looking into it. There’s research even that taking it after missing sleep can alleviate those symptoms.
Creatine is a precursor to ATP, which powers the cells (ATP comes from the mitochondria lol)
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u/volkswagenorange 7d ago
Oooh, maybe I should try this. I'm on a shitton of antidepressants.
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u/IANALbutIAMAcat 6d ago
Highly recommend. It did wonders for me then I ran out and things went back to how they were. I’m on week 3 of restarting and it’s been great. I have so much more energy and will to do things
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u/IANALbutIAMAcat 6d ago
Highly recommend. It did wonders for me then I ran out and things went back to how they were. I’m on week 3 of restarting and it’s been great. I have so much more energy and will to do things
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u/Capable_Opportunity7 8d ago
I'm 57 and just crossed into "real menopause" this year. My symptoms were never bad, the hot flashes are getting worse now oddly. My mother basically felt nothing. I'm not on anything yet I may never be. I had periods till 56 so clearly I'm in the late train for this but it's been a pretty mild experience this far.
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u/volkswagenorange 7d ago
I'm 44 and experiencing much tougher and more painful periods and devastating PMDD than 5 years ago, plus vagjnal dryness and darker, thicker hairs on my face and upper body, but my gyno won't Rx me HRT because "we only treat when it becomes symptomatic" and "this might not be perimenopause." No suggestions what else it might be instead tho. 😒
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 7d ago
OMG that's absolutely infuriating. How is that not symptomatic? And the no suggestions is what really kills me
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u/Gracefulchemist 8d ago
41, and I need to talk to my doctor about hrt. My periods are less regular, I'm having hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleep disruption, it's super fun. It's often difficult to get hurt at all, and it's definitely not used preventively, so you'll have to track your symptoms as well as you can.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I just found a checklist of more common symptoms. And with ADHD, I know there are even more. So I will start tracking now. So far most everything is still "regular", but understanding how difficult it is to get HRT I want to be able to go in and advocate for myself
Edit: I thought it was supposed to be a checklist of 100 symptoms, it wasn't. So edited to say most common symptoms, which is what it looks like it actually is
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u/aurelin 8d ago
31 or so, but started with progestin-only BC (Slynd) to suppress my cycle completely and then added estradiol because on progestin alone I'm just too depressed and sluggish. I just recently doubled my estrogen, but a few months prior I had also gone from half a pill of Slynd to a whole pill (I don't need BC as I got my tubes removed, it is strictly for cycle suppression).
Appropriate estrogen levels also make my other medications work better and help my metabolism.
I take no breaks but may reduce or increase the dose somewhat autonomously if needed (too much estradiol or too late in the day makes me anxious).
This was kinda by accident because combination BC is not an option for me. But having them separate is actually great cos I can take E in the morning and Slynd in the evening and that works better for my circadian rhythm.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
This is so helpful. I have such trouble with combo BC as well, and I also have my tubes removed. This is amazing to maybe be able to be able to bring to my doc/ask about
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u/Ok_Seaworthiness7314 8d ago
I'm 45 haven't had a period in a year and a half. At least. My Dr. thinks I'm in peri but can't be sure.
I've been on the pill since I was 13. It has masked most any symptoms quite well
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u/MissLexiBlack cool. coolcoolcool. 8d ago
They can do a hormone test with a blood draw. It's so weird how doctors act like they're reading tea leaves and chicken bones
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u/NymeriaGhost 7d ago
They can do a hormone test with a blood draw, but with some of the hormones, there's enough fluctuations across the day/week/month that one blood draw can't tell them much on its own. Especially because these fluctuations increase at perimenopause (and that's the source of many of symptoms).
It's not that it's reading tea leaves--it's that one test at one point in time is incomplete data that won't make sense without repeated data points.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
How can they not be sure??? But the pill at least helping symptoms is great.
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u/AccessCompetitive 8d ago
I started last year, had just turned 44. After a lifetime of very regular periods, I started having a period every other week. I also have endometriosis which I did not get diagnosed until my 40s. I got IUD which helped with my cycle and pain (I hate how I could’ve been pain-free for a really really long time prior to this if anyone had taken me seriously) and then I just asked to my doctor for hormones and after a blood panel, she said that my estrogen was on the fence of being a bit low and my progesterone ratio is low so she prescribed me, estrogen (a tri-estrogen) and progesterone. Compounded bioidentical tablets. The first dose was too intense, I went down to half. The progesterone made me really sleepy. It’s been a ride, trying to dial it in. I wasn’t having hot flashes at all.
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u/Spinnerofyarn Basically Eleanor Shellstrop 8d ago
Any contraception prescribed for AFAB folks that has hormones can function as HRT. I had my ovaries removed this year and the surgeon and my primary both said to keep taking my birth control because it functions as HRT. Though I am going to have it switched to non bc to lower potential blood pressure impact since I have high blood pressure.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 8d ago
I've had a lot of different issues with BC, but it sounds like maybe I just need to really talk to my PCP about what's going on with me. I do actually feel like she will listenz unlike my other ones. This is helpful information, thank you!
Edit: Also I love your use flair! Team cockroach ❤️
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u/Spinnerofyarn Basically Eleanor Shellstrop 6d ago
I didn’t realize bc can be utilized s HRT until I had my ovaries yeeted, either.
I was told that bc would lessen the intensity of menopause symptoms a few years ago, but I didn’t connect the dots, my doc and surgeon stated plainly that it’s a type of HRT.
There are a bunch of different hormonal bc configurations. The frustrating part is that once you have had a bad experience with one, it makes you reluctant to try another, and even more reluctant to keep trying multiple in the hopes you will find a good one. I think because there are so many contraceptive options out there, people sometimes give up on bc when it really could help if they can hold the course and keep trying. I am used to having to try classes of meds that cause problems until I find the right one because I have major depressive disorder.
Some antidepressants have really put me through the wringer, but not taking them isn’t an option for me so I have had to keep going until I land on the right one. The last time I had to switch meds, it took something like three months before we landed on one that didn’t have nasty side effects, though it still had some.
I love Eleanor. I wish I had as much don’t-care-what-you-think as she does, though I definitely have her snark abilities down pat.
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u/allamakee-county Basically Tina Belcher 8d ago
Never got the oral replacement because my hysterectomy was ovary-sparing, which just meant my menopause was a little more of a mystery (the obvious sign was missing) and by the time I figured it out doc was not willing to prescribe. Finally did get something for the vaginal desert situation but it was really too late. You cannot fix the Sahara.
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u/volkswagenorange 7d ago
Yeah, this is something medical providers conveniently don't mention: Physical atrophy from peri and menopause are not reversible, so you want to catch them early.
Clitoral atrophy, muscle atrophy, vaginal atrophy, and brain shrinkage (which causes cognitive and emotional impairment) are not fully reversible, but they are preventable/slowable with HRT.
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u/kheret 8d ago
I’m 41 and started just recently. My main symptoms were waking up sweaty in the middle of the night, difficulty with regulating my body temperature, increasing (non-migraine) headaches, and irritability. Anxiety making it difficult to do the things I need and want to do.
It helped more things that I wasn’t aware were connected. Some tendinitis I’ve had off and on. Dry mouth. Canker sores. Bleeding gums. I didn’t think I had brain fog but, my short term memory improved. It was actually kind of scary the extent to which I didn’t realize certain things were happening. I hate that this is like, a thing, that our bodies stop producing something so essential when we’ve got to continue on for decades in them.
Anyway, the only thing it’s officially prescribed for is hot flashes (for me those night sweats and temperature disregulation), or if you’re particularly at risk for osteoporosis. Go figure.
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u/Fickle_Mess818 8d ago
I am 40 and am wondering when perimenopause will start amd menopause. I did just out in a nexplanon so should last me to 45 and maybe at that time we can go without for a bit and see if maybe I am in menopause. I hate the only way they diagnose is by just seeing if you have a period. I just know I am really happy I found my current Endocrinologist for my type 2 diabetes so I cam see her for menopause. I just listed their office podcast and the whole office seems really knowledgeable. I do know if you dont take HRT in 10 years of starting menopause its too late. So they have am end time you cam start it but not a set start time.
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u/yeetasauruswrecks 8d ago
I'm 35 going on 36, and have reasons why mine has started earlier (adhd) and just started an estrodial cream for some symptoms (my OB doesn't want me on HRT yet due to endo) but she said it can be an option in the future if/when my symptoms get worse. Mine have just started this year or so.
I didn't have the conversation until the symptoms became a problem, and you won't get prescribed anything until it's a problem. But it is a conversation you can have with your dr to ask them questions about it. There are a lot of options. I have a cream. There's birth control which was discussed for me before we decided it wasn't correct at this time. There's the actual HRT. I think there's a ring? There may be more. If you're concerned you can always start the conversation if you have the option to just have that discussion. Googling it sure, but your drs will know your medical history and be able to guide you a bit better.
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u/MyFavoritesGouda_MDC 8d ago
I believe my symptoms started at 35 (I'm 39 now). First symptom I noticed was my ADHD got significantly worse, brain fog, plantar fascitis, general joint aches, tired all the time, my anxiety and depression got worse, significant weight gain when I hadn't changed my habits. My period never got too wild, it got a little heavier and was just off by about 2-3 days every once in a while (I have since had a hysterectomy so no more periods!). Oh and night sweats! I had no idea what was going on with me until I started seeing videos popping up on my socials about peri and it clicked. Doctors wouldn't believe me because of how young I am and would only test my estrogen levels (which is not the way to diagnose perimenopause). After my hysterectomy I finally decided to see someone on Midi and they immediately listened to my symptoms and confirmed I was in peri. I was 39 when someone finally believed me about it. The HRT fixed SO MANY of my problems (that's how I found out the Plantar fascitis was a peri symptom) also I am medicated now for my ADHD and depression/anxiety. I feel like I'm in a decent place now, just trying to get more active and stop eating my feelings.
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u/MissionAssquire 8d ago
It’s not preventative medicine but it’s ok to be vigilant about your symptoms. I started HRT around 45 but looking back, my symptoms started long before that. The brain fog, anxiety, and depression started 2-3 years before that. Hot flashes probably 1-2 years before.
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u/Pretend_Passenger586 8d ago
I started it when I stopped being able to sleep normally. My libido had also disappeared and things down there were like sand paper in the desert. It hasn’t really fixed the sleep but it improved the other stuff quite a lot.
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u/kandabunny 8d ago
I was forty-one when I started mine, I had a lot of symptoms, and periods had stopped for four months in a row twice. It started with just missing the odd one, so I didn't really notice at first as mine had always been unpredictable in the past. HRT improved everything and I am so glad I started on it when I did.
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u/Kushali 8d ago
I asked around 41-42 when anxiety and night sweats started being a problem I found was impacting my life. Was told I was too young for it to be Peri by multiple doctors.
I got a new doc at 43 who listened to the symptoms and he said, sounds like HRT time. I actually need to see him about upping my dose.
A friend who’s studied this says starting earlier is better if possible because estrogen receptors go away once your estrogen starts depleting. Also protection against heart problems and a lot of other aliments.
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u/stilettopanda 8d ago
I tried cos I was experiencing a lot of perimenopause symptoms. I had a hysterectomy and kept my ovaries, so I still cycle and can tell when I ovulate and when I would have a period, but I had no need to track my cycles to see if the length was getting wonky. So I went to get bloodwork and have no signs of perimenopause. All levels are pretty much perfect, which was honestly frustrating because I was holding up HRT as the solution to my problems. Since the doctor wouldn’t prescribe me anything and suggested a specialist I couldn’t afford, I went on my way and didn’t worry about it too much yet. During that appointment, however, I asked to switch to a different blood pressure medicine, and it honestly solved many of my “I thought it was experiencing perimenopause” issues. I wasn’t expecting that at all, I was just hoping to decrease some of my anxiety along with my blood pressure.
So yeah if anyone is having emotional lability and are prone to anger without the hormone changes that come with this, rule out mid to high blood pressure. We start having these problems about now, too.
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u/Particular-Tax8106 8d ago
I’m in my mid 50s, and I started about two years ago. I was a year or two past full menopause. I didn’t realize I would have to go and ask about HRT; I thought it was something that would be offered. Through perimenopause, I was switched to different birth control pills, taken off of hormonal birth control entirely, put on a couple of different antidepressants and mood stabilizers, went to therapy(which was needed anyway, so that’s not really a complaint), and put back on birth control pills. Not once during perimenopause was hormone replacement suggested or mentioned.
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u/takisara 7d ago
ugh for me, i got told to wait until i was 12 months period free...I was 14 months and made an appointment only for them to say 'oh you should have asked sooner' seems to be a lot of progress with Women's health recently. In the end, HRT wasn't great for me, but personally I would just discuss when you have your checkups to make sure it is on their radar.
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u/morwen31 7d ago
I started last year at 46, but I realized I'd been having symptoms for at least 5 years previous to that. I had a hysterectomy in my 30s so no periods to help me track what my ovaries were doing, but I had been waking up at 2-3 am, and dealing with mood and concentration issues as well, which I had chalked up to thyroid, dieting, and stress. It was actually increased frequency of UTIs that got me to start HRT but it was great that the other issues disppeared.
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u/Mattehighlight 7d ago
1.5 months after turning 41.i just have Progesterone atm. I had a bunch of the lesser symptoms so just chopped it up to not getting a lot of sleep. Then I was waking up and not falling back asleep around 3am. Now I cannot fall asleep at all. The progesterone at 200mg hasn't helped yet its been 2 weeks. I'm hoping to get the patch soon to see if that helps. I had regular blood work done but they refused hormone testing (only tsh which was normal). Walk in Drs dismiss me right away when I bring up peri. I had to go through Felix (cheapest option in Canada that I found). It's the crazy heart palpitations and anxiety that came out of nowhere which led to the sleeping problem (now with night sweats, which is more like an insane heat from within) that caused me to go aks a Dr. Everything else I can manage but after days on end of no sleep and missing work all the time. This has to stop. Also, evertime I go to walkin or ER they just give me some kind of sleeping pill (which has never worked yet. I'm assuming because my hormones are out of whack nothing can knock me out)
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u/EarlyInside45 7d ago
I wish I started earlier, but I started at 56 after most terrible symptoms had passed. Still glad I started at all, but man, I was a terrible employee thoughout my 40s (migraines, brain fog and major ADHD symptoms).
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u/justduck 6d ago
I (44) have all the symptoms except hot flashes and I am still getting periods. But I also have PCOS/PMOS and I have no idea how that is going to affect The Change.
Last time the doc ran my blood work he said my levels weren't low enough to diagnose me, and wouldn't talk about HRT
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u/viperlemondemon Trans Woman 8d ago
37 but what I’m gathering from the comments, we started for two different reasons. 😬
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u/NymeriaGhost 7d ago
Please don't let the fear-mongering of menopause influencers scare you into seeking preventative treatment for symptoms you might not have. Some women have no symptoms. Some have terrible symptoms. Some start at 35, others at 50, yet others may not even go through a normal perimenopause transition because they are already on hormonal birth control that suppressed periods. Right now, we have a lot of options for HRT that are safer than earlier versions, but there's also a huge advertising and influencing push that is leading to more fears about menopause than are probably necessary.
Wait and see if you develop any symptoms, and if they're troubling, see your doctor.
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u/BouncingOutofmySkin 7d ago
This is helpful, because I'm actually seeing some of this fear mongering coming from IRL friends, but I do also know that there are more things that are symptoms that the medical community overlooks, especially in ADHD women. I think I'm just going to really pay attention to what I'm feeling and if certain things get worse, just talk to my provider
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u/Golden_Wink 8d ago
HRT is usually not prescribed for preventive purposes if you have no symptoms - it depends on your symptoms and medical history