I feel so good on HRT, I’m taking it for ever!
GOOD Health asks what is the truth about HRT. I have been taking it for 20 years and it has saved me from the unbearable side-effects of the menopause, which were ruining my life. I am a confident, outgoing 63-year-old who has been lucky enough to enjoy excellent health. Until recently, I owned and ran a successful business for 25 years. However, when I was 42, I began to suffer for the first time in my life with insomnia, hot flushes, memory loss, anxiety, depression, indecisiveness, loss of confidence and mood swings. These debilitating symptoms had a big impact on my family life and business. I went to see my GP, but frustratingly, he wanted to prescribe me antidepressants — as so many doctors do to menopausal women. I refused them as depression was only one of my symptoms. I knew that something was going on with my body that wasn’t normal for me. It was the surgery nurse who discovered the cause after I asked her for advice. ‘I know you are relatively young, but what you are describing are perimenopausal symptoms,’ she said. ‘I think you should have tests done.’ The results proved she was right: my oestrogen levels were practically non-existent. My options were to do nothing and go through a full menopause within two years or have hormone replacement therapy. After taking HRT for only three weeks, the light in my life was suddenly turned back on. The normal me was back and my symptoms had disappeared. Over the years, there have been various controversies about HRT and my GP has suggested I should consider stopping taking it. However, unless my consultant advises this, which he doesn’t, I intend to be on HRT for ever. It helps to keep me young, sane and firing on all cylinders. JENNIFER O’BYRNE EVANS,
St Clement, Jersey.