World Menopause Day (WMD) is held on the 18th October every year. Its purpose is to raise awareness of menopause and highlight support options available.
I think WMD is a great way to draw attention to menopause, but let’s not make it just one day or even a month, let’s make it a permanent fixture. After all, as most of us know, menopause itself is not just about one day.
This year’s theme is Menopause Hormone Therapy, although most people are more familiar with the term Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
So, what do I know about HRT?
Here’s the medical bit (from a non-medic). Its role is to replace some of the hormones that ovaries stop producing which are estrogen and progesterone. These replacement hormones are taken in the form of gels, patches, sprays and tablets. Testosterone can also form part of this regime.
For me that explanation feels like the easy bit. There are so many stories, so many opposite opinions, it can feel very confusing and when we are already feeling cognitively challenged it can be even harder to arrive at a decision.
I do believe the concept of HRT is perfectly logical – replace some of the hormones we are losing.
However, it is true to say for some it can feel that straight forward, but for many of us we will spend a lot of time looking at the pros and cons, weighing up the benefits. Asking questions. What happens if it doesn’t work? Are there any side effects? Is cancer a risk factor?
The medical consensus, as I see it, is that for most people the benefits will outweigh the risks.
However, this is a personal choice.
There are people who say HRT is transformative and has made THE difference to their lives and managing their symptoms. It has given them their life back.
There are others for whom this is not the case.
Some people choose not to take HRT because of their medical or family history and it doesn’t feel like the right decision for them.
I repeat this is a personal choice.
Navigating menopause symptoms and finding the right individual solution is a process requiring those affected to really understand their own symptoms and explore what is the best option for them.
My biggest piece of advice is to take this opportunity to step back, prioritise you and do your research.
Part of this process could be a visit to the doctor and if that is the case, if you have done your research, you will have relevant and factual information to deliver during your 10-minute consultation. You know you best.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong, we are all different and whether we decide to take HRT or not it is usually a combination of lots of different support that works. Nutrition, movement, sleep, and managing stress are areas that we would benefit from paying attention to.
It would be even more beneficial to consider menopause as a good time to take stock, take a few steps back and use it as a time to select new, healthier habits, or indeed maximise our existing ones. HRT can be part of that consideration.
This works for me.
We know it can feel difficult to find the right solution. If HRT is something that you wish to understand more about, we work with Dr Ferhat Uddin (Meet the Founder – Liberty Health) who runs our masterclasses on HRT. You can find all the details on our services page or get in touch with us to arrange a call.