My labs came back and my T3 and T4 levels were damn near perfect. That same night I had devastating hot flashes. At 2am I emailed my doctor, saying that I had seen my lab results and knew my thyroid levels were good, but was still getting crazy hot flushes pretty much all day long. Since the hot flushes started with the other thyroid symptoms (and since Dr. Google confirmed hot flushes were a symptom of hyperthyroidism), I assumed they were caused by the hyperthyroidism and felt frustrated that they had not resolved. I explained I was emailing before she checked in with me about the lab results because I was leaving for a trip on Friday, and didn’t have a lot of time to communicate with her before then.
There were other reasons I assumed the hot flushes were associated with my hyperthyroidism. Not only did they start with the other symptoms, but after four weeks of taking the thyroid medication they had all but vanished. It was only when I halved the dose that they returned. Also, I had seen other lab results suggesting I was fully menopausal (post-menopausal?), but I thought hot flashes were something you got ON THE WAY to menopause – that they were a perimenopausal symptom I should be done with by now.
Bwahahahahahaha! Silly me.
She called me back this afternoon. We decided to go down to 2 pills of my thyroid medication instead of 3, so not entirely halving it like we did before (I appreciated that because splitting the pills was pretty much impossible). Then we talked hot flashes.
She confirmed I am in menopause. This felt revelatory, because it feels like a statement doctors are unwilling to make about me, I assume because I’m in my mid-40s and my wonky reproductive system denies me the signature guidepost (twelve months without a period). I must say, I was really appreciative of her just flat out saying it.
Then she explained that 44 was young to be fully menopausal. She said that our bodies were designed to have those cycle hormones until the age of 50 (or around there), and it wasn’t great for my heart, brain and bone health to be without estrogen for so many years.
I admitted that I had read the same thing, but that my OBGYN had dismissed my concerns, saying that if I were in my 30s she’s push HRT, but not in my 40s. Now, to her credit, I was solidly in perimenopause at the time and perhaps she thought I’d hang out there for the rest of the decade. I’m not sure what she would say if she knew I was menopausal now, just shy of 45.
My endocrinologist explained that she is certified (this may be the wrong word) to treat menopausal women, and had just been to a conference about it two weeks ago. I was thrilled to hear this, as I have always felt my OBGYN (who I otherwise really like), has been somewhat dismissive of my concerns around the effects of being in perimenopause so young (osteoporosis is something I’m especially worried about) and I appreciated being able to talk to someone else about it.
I voiced my concerns around my mental and emotional health on MHT, citing mood swings and a general inability to manage my emotions during previous stints on birth control, and she assured me that the dose she was suggesting was less than anything I would have received with birth control. She even offered to start me on an even smaller dose, but when she mentioned that the full dose would probably resolved my hot flushes in a matter of days, I said, I’ll start with that.
So tomorrow I’m picking up Estrogen patches to wear for three day intervals (but always I believe) and Progesterone pills to take at night. The progesterone might even make me sleepy?! What a lovely side effect that I would embrace enthusiastically.
I have to admit, I’m still a little shell shocked that I am doing this. I was convinced the hot flushes were a symptom of my hyperthyroidism and not menopause (and she said they could have been triggered initially by it, or the Graves Disease might have been connected to the menopause or something else because our female bodies are not even remotely understood by Western medicine – emphasis mine, she worded it more diplomatically) and I’m still a little shocked that I’m taking this step. But! I appreciate her response to me being fully in menopause by 45 (is this post menopausal, I’m so confused. If perimenopause is what you experience leading up to menopause but post-menopausal is when you’re definitely in it, is menopause a thing you even experience? If so when?)
Anyway, I’d love to hear about people’s experiences with MHT (Menopause Hormone Treatment)/HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Why did you take it? What did you take and for how long? If you’re no longer taking it, what are your thoughts in hindsight? I guess I’m just wondering what your experience had been, if you don’t mind sharing it.
I think I posted a similar comment before but I have been on HRT for around 2 years now and it has been life changing! I was down to sleeping roughly every 3rd night, hot flashes and mood swings while also having terrible periods and all of that is sorted now. I wasn’t even aware of the other benefits re bone health, heart health etc when I started. I use Oestrogel gel, testosterone gel and have a Mirena coil fitted for progesterone. The coil was the only element that was tricky as it migrated on two occasions which was confirmed by ultrasound but even with that, I’m still happier having it than not and my quality of life is just so much better. Re the menopause/perimenopause/postmenopause definitions, menopause refers to a single day in your life, which I think is the day of the one year anniversary of your last period. Before then, you’re in perimenopause and after that, you’re post menopause based on my reading.
Menopause is A FREAKING DAY! That sounds like out of a Reductress bit. Hilarious. Thank you for sharing your experience. I do remember you sharing it before, but having it here is super helpful. I hope my experience is as positive.
I haven’t taken it, but I do plan to when I need it, if that makes sense! And yes our adult endos here definitely prescribe it (I’ll probably go through my OBGYN who I love bc I don’t see an endo for anything else, but definitely many do prescribe/manage hormone replacement including the adult endos where I work!!!)
Thank you for sharing your plans. I appreciate it. I guess it makes sense that adult Endos manage this stuff for patience because it’s all so interconnected. I’m very pleased that the person I randomly ended up with does it, and that I like her so much. I feel very lucky.
I don’t have any personal experience with this, but I do know people who do HRT and they love it. There are definitely some great reasons to keep that estrogen going, especially since you’re young to be in menopause. I hope you have great results- let us know!!!
I’ll take secondhand success stories! Honestly the more positive things j hear the better. I hope my experience is also positive!
I stayed on the pill until I was through it all, so I guess I did that kind of HRT. It worked well for me, but clearly it would not for you if you didn’t do well on the pill before. I hope good sleep is there for you soon. Once I went off the pill, everything went to hell. My sleep, my waistline, my skin, all of it. But I’m too old I think (59) for HRT at this point, so I have to suck it up. Bah.
So you stopped the pill because your doctor said you were too old? Just curious to know around what age they recommend you stop (I think I also heard 60 at some point…) I’m not staring down 60 right now, so I’ll cross that bridge later.
I don’t remember how old I was when I stopped the pill, but it’s been a while…somewhere between 50 and 55 I think. My sleep has settled down, I sleep pretty well now. For a while I was waking up at 2 or 3 and would be awake for HOURS which was really miserable.
After early menopause at 41, I’ve been on HRT for 8 years—estrogen patches and micronized progesterone at night. I’ve avoided some of the joint pain, wrinkles and other side effects the estrogen drop has had on many of my (especially older) friends. My doctors have recommended I stay on HRT for many years to continue to enjoy all the protective benefits (cardiac and so many others). I am grateful that my diagnosis led me to HRT, as it is not offered to many older women who could benefit from it IMO.
Also, PSA for all in menopause or even perimenopause: consider asking your doctor about a topical estrogen rx cream (which is not considered HRT). Can greatly reduce UTIs, dryness, irritation and more with little to no side effects. I will probably continue that rx forever, even long after I go off HRT. Don’t know why more doctors don’t tell their patients about it (at least in my friend group).
I think I’m doing the exact same thing as you, Estrogen patch and Prometrium at night. So you’ve heard Esteogen patches can CAUSE joint pain and wrinkles? That is so interesting. I would have assumed the opposite. This is all so new to me, I appreciate hearing what others have experienced.
May I ask why you are doing the patch+progesterone instead of the actual pill? My endo might have offered me actual birth control which I categorically rejected. Were you also offered straight up birth control?
Not ARC but I think she’s saying that the joint pains and wrinkles are associated with the drop in estrogen. I don’t think either is related to HRT – my understanding is that it’s the opposite.
Welcome to my team of early menopause. You were given good advice above.
USE ALL THE HRT YOU CAN AS LONG AS YOU CAN!!!! DO TOPICAL HRT AS WELL IF YOU CAN!!!! DO IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN!!!!! I have a friend still on HRT patches who is heading towards 70 not 65. JUST DO IT!
REALLY MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER. SO GLAD YOU HAVE A GOOD ENDO.
Early meno means lots more opportunity for pelvic floor problems too! AVOID THEM! HURRH FOR HRT TREATMENT. Steady state hormones for the win.
HUGE HUGS!!!!!!!
Hello all, My mother died of hormone positive breast cancer. That is, it grew when in presence of oestrogen and progesterone. I am afraid of having the genetic predisposition to that kind of cancer. I am now in the peri-menopause but I am not planning to get HRT because of that. After years of sleeping disorders, I now found the solution to that with Quviviq (Daridorexant). It works very well !
That is tough.
IF you wish to, ask the doc for genetic testing and find out your risk level. Some people find it helpful, some don’t want to know. Hopefully you did not inherit higher risk. IF you did inherit the risk there are some things you may choose to do to reduce risk.
Any good doctor will check history very carefully before doing HRT etc.