I read the thread on how long to use bioidentical hormones and found it very interesting. Those who posted seemed quite happy with their results.

I don't use any hormones and I'm about six years post - other than hot flashes, I had a pretty easy time of it until two years ago. Now things have leveled out again, although I do still get hot flashes.

I feel pretty good most of the time, have never smoked, don't drink at all, try to eat healthy, and since I don't drive, I walk a lot. I take only basic vitamins, nothing else. I'd say I'm pretty happy with my life right now.

I must admit, when I read "Women are not meant to live without hormones," I gave it a lot of thought. I settled on the idea that women weren't meant to live without their hormones during their childbearing years, of course, but maybe, as their role and lifestyles changes post-menopause, they can eventually manage without them. Also, I think today we know so much more about how to stay healthy, there are lots of ways to keep those body systems going longer.

It's just another choice we make. What's right for one person, is certainly not right for soemone else. Nevertheless, anyone happy with the way things are going without hormones? Just curious.

Thanks,
Helen

I agree that it is a personal decision whether or not to use any hormones or drugs during this time. I never used any hormones either and I had some pretty rough months during the thick of it - somehow it just leveled off. I have not had a hormone test in many years but I suspect I am lacking in in most of them at this point but regardless, I am pretty healthy and active none the less.

I disagree with the statement "women aren't meant to live without hormones" - I am more of the mind that some women can't tolerate the symptoms of menopause without them. Most of my friends and collegues have never taken them and we are all in pretty good shape for a bunch of crones

None of us can walk in another's shoes and each of us has a very different journey and a unique biology and I respect that. Personally every time I have tried a med it has eventually bitten me back in a big way so I now avoid them if I can.

Regardless of the road anyone takes it is important to remember that nothing can replace good nutrition and excercise - for me that is the best medicine.

Interesting thread Teach....

CIC

This is a good thread. I'm still in peri and tried BHRT on and off for the past 4 years. It did not help me. So I guess I could say I'm better off . At least my pocket book is LOL.

In the book The Female Brain, the author indicates that our brains actually stop needing estrogen. So yeah, I think our bodies need hormones until meno, but meno is a natural transition and we live many years after.

That being said, if hormones had helped, I'd still be on them

I think that its not that we necessarily need hormones forever-its just a really rough ride when they are on their way out.
Our bodies don't really require much estrogen once our childbearing days are past. Its just adjusting to the change which causes all the hot flushes and imsomnia etc. If we have no choice but to ride it out-as in my case -then eventually our bodies do adjust!
I was not able to have HRT when I had my surgery for endometrial cancer three years and it was hell on earth for a good two years after that! It was like peri x 5
Over the past few months I have begun to feel so much better and my hot flushes have almost gone. I actually cannot tolerate estrogen now.
It is thrilling to think I am free of it all.
I do however use a little testosterone because I really do think we need that unless we want to turn into little old ladies before our time. I definitely think in small amounts it is a great hormone for keeping us feel energetic, upbeat and of course sexual! Luckily for many women at menopause testosterone doesn't levels don't drop that much. I only need it because I have no ovaries. I plan to use it always!

janet c

I never really knew much about all of this hormone stuff other than my mother took Premarin back in the 70s-80s. I have one doc saying I need progesterone and another saying the opposite. All I know is what I read here and it seems like one big confusing merry-go-round so I have decided to follow my intuition and steer clear for now.

I'm 1.5 years post and I will knock on wood when I say I feel rather normal. At least it's a new normal. No hormones for me. I don't think it ever got that bad that I felt it was needed.

I have had anxiety, heart palpitations, minor hot flashes (which I find rather funny) and still have night sweats.

I did change my diet to try and eat better although I've never been one for tons of meat or fried foods of any kind. I wish I would eat even more vegetables and fruits but I do the best I can. I exercise but not as hard as I could. I'm lazy!

Truthfully people are surprised when I tell them my age (in a good way) but I don't like looking in the mirror. I wonder who that is when I see my aging neck.

I am peri for the last 4yrs. No HRT for me.

I could have written this post, including the neck part!

I did think about it when my anxiety was thru the roof, but I have a family history that wouldn't allow it. About the time my anxiety was becoming VERY challenging, my symptoms got less and less and I was managing fine without hormone replacement. Now post, the anxiety is for the most part GONE.

My mom never took a ounce of hormones her whole life and at 68 she is in fantastic shape. Looks 10 years younger than she is (we get mistaken for sisters all the time -- don't know what that says about my 48 year old self), is strong and healthy, both mentally and physically, and to top it off, her sex drive is better than it's ever been (she felt the need to share that with me...eeewww...LOL). I guess some women are better able to handle the chemical transition from lots of hormones to not so many better than others.

I think that you make two interesting points here. I am very heartened that you are a survivor, we need more stories like this. I note that you are 6 years post which illustrates what a long process this can be! Before I became aware of all this I think that I was under the mistaken impression that once my periods stopped, everything would be fine and dandy, Wrong! I think that, in women who suffer badly, remember that some just breeze through, it can be a two stage process. The first stage is the dismantling of the bleed process and once we have struggled through that, there is the coming to terms with the 'new order.' That is, living with a more gentle baseline hormonal profile. Until we fully get to grips with the latter I think that we will experience difficulties. It is clear that some bodies complete this process better than others.
I do believe that we should be able to manage without the roller coaster of hormonal upheaval which facilitated our reproductive capability. We may mourn the loss of our fertility but when I think back, all the hassle makes me realise just how much women go through, to be fertile. Don't get me wrong my children are my life and given the choice I would go through it all again to experience having children. I am just highlighting that those fertile years that we all crave, weren't always that great.
I am convinced that the 'change' that we are expected to undergo does not mean the end of our useful lives as women, I see it as a more gentle time when we have time to sit back a little and develop a new wisdom based on all our past experiences. That makes us very useful to society, not some spent baby machine that needs to be put out to grass. I also think that the body needs time and space in order to make the change successfully and if we do not offer it that opportunity, we may find ourselves in a lot of trouble. Someone once mentioned having to 'simmer' until the process is complete. Very wise I think! If Women wish to take the hormone route, well researched, safe and effective medications should be available to them. A lot of work needs to be done in that area. On a personal level, I would be afraid that taking hormones might prolong my time in the unpleasant stages, just putting off the inevitable adjustments that need to be made.
I am still on the journey being almost 2 years post but every now and then, I glimpse sunlight at the end of this tunnel and I keep hanging on to that...................

XIII

Tela, Ah, yes, the dreaded "turkey neck"! It has struck me, too--that and the flying squirrel arms and the jowly chin. And I work out 5 or 6 days a week! I am trying to live without hormones. Since I'm a person who is normally cold all the time, I'm not complaining too much about hot flashes.

Some women believe we weren't meant to live without hormones; to that I say, menopause is a natural occurrence in life, also, so in some way we ARE meant to live without hormones. But I would not deride any woman who does choose to use them, if her symptoms warrant them. It's an individual choice. I totally agree about the good nutrition and exercise. THAT is natural medicine!

I'm nearly two years post and never used hormones at all. I just exercised, changed my eating and rid toxic situations and people from my life. Having a sense of humor helps too.

Some ladies need and want the help, others don't and I'm in the don't category. Hopefully my daughter will fare as well as I did no matter what she chooses.

Wow XIII, I couldn't have said that better if I'd had all day to think about it! I'm 54 and have just really started to have the dreaded peri symptoms. Unfortunately, I had a bag full dropped on me all at once and it threw me to the mat temporarily. I've still got the flashes and some transient nausea and breast tenderness, etc. but it's nothing like it was two months ago. No period for 2 months now (I might note this is a drastic change from regular cycles I was having forever) and my hormone levels are all in the post menopausal range. I'm thinking I may be having an easier time of things because I was on BCP FOREVER after my son was born. My former GYN NP kept me on them because of the years of Clomid use during my infertility problems. Once I went off of them 2 years ago, I started having symptoms but still not too terrible. If it turns out that I have done with the periods for good I will have had an incredibly easy transition. So I guess it turns out I had the hormone replacement therapy without even knowing it but I'm glad I did. I'm thinking that it helped me tremendously and that I got an easier ride through peri because of them. I guess what I'm saying is that for me, knowing what I know now, I probably would have tried them. It's just good to know that they are there for women who really have terrible symptoms. I feel so badly for some of the gals writing these posts. I wish I could help somehow other than emotional support and letting them know they are not crazy and they are certainly not alone.