Menopause Chicks

It won't. You have a greater chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than all cancers combined.. Local vaginal estrogen has no increased risk. Even when the WHI (women's health initiative) falsely stated that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer. It showed an increase absolute risk of 0.8% and that was in women well into menopause taking synthetic HRT, and bioidentical is even a lower risk. Many things, lifestyle like smoking, drinking, stress, diet have a larger risk fro cancer. Many other prescription medications have more risks than HRT. Birth control pills and IUDs increase your risk also.

You could have symptoms you're not even aware are hormone related, depression, anxiety, dry eyes, frozen shoulder, joint aches, fatigue, brain fog, thinning hair, heart palpitations, UTIs, etc. HRT actually helps bone, heart and brain health.

Perimenopause is the up to 10 year period before you hit menopause. Menopause is 1 day, the day marking 1 year of no periods. The rest of your life is post menopause, but usually just called menopause. The average age of menopause is 51.

Thanks for the website recommendation OP. I have learnt a lot from
Dr Lisa Mosconi, book is The Menopuase Brain
Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris's book Estrogen Matters
Dr Louise Newson's book The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause
Dr Mary Claire Haver's book The New Menopause

I enjoy their Instagram accounts and podcasts (for those that have them)
Other Instagram accounts are
Dr Kelly Casperson, a urologist
Dr Carrie Jones
Dr Corrine Menn

I'm surgically menopausal after a hysterectomy 4 years ago. While I don't miss the periods at all, I have horrible hot flashes and can't use any hormones due to the type of breast cancer I had.

I also went through surgical menopause at 43. It's been 16 years. I didn't start HRT until about a year after my cancer treatment ended. My husband asked to go to my next doctor's appointment with me and brought up his concerns about how I was handling (or not handling!) the hormone fluctuations. It saved my marriage, probably my job, and likely my life. The brain fog was so bad I ran stop signs. I was paranoid thinking my husband was cheating and I was going to get fired. The hot flashes and night sweats were horrible. I stayed on HRT for 5 years then went off to see how my body was doing. I never had any issues after.

I do have dryness and my hair has definitely thinned. It's still thick by normal standards, but thinner than pre-menopause. Lack of female hormones definitely ages you, but looking my age is a small price to pay for being alive.

Same here. Breast cancer in 2021, womb cancer in 2023 (second primary, not a met). I have been hot flushes central due to the aromatase inhibitors I have to take to stop the breast cancer coming back. HRT is not an option. But sage, which is not a hormone and doesn't interfere with hormones, is helping me. It was recommended by a cancer doctor who is also a natural health specialist. There aren't many of those about.

I enjoyed "Menopausing" by Davina McCall ... lots of story sharing (she's a tv presenter in the UK and her audience sent her their stories), lots of reassurances, lots of "me too" but in a good way! And segments written by an MD, as well.