MWNUK have launched The Muslim Women’s Manifesto! Download your copy here
Three women on their HRT journey
2
By Umma (MWN Hub team)
Women are being let down by lack of support during and after menopause. According to The Menopause Charity, only 14% of women are on HRT in the UK.[1] The fear of HRT increasing risk of breast cancer and blood clots has outweighed the benefits of it. Even though, recent research indicates, for most women, the benefits of HRT offset any risks, there seems to be a culture of misunderstandings. [2] To initiate conversations around HRT, I reached out to women aged 45 and above, asking if any, would share their menopause journey. Three women, all active and from different backgrounds agreed to share their story.
Their stories draw attention to the need for improving medical training that does not ignore nor misdiagnose menopause symptoms as depression.
Anisa is a 50-year-old postmenopausal Indian woman. For her, HRT was the springboard that led to making healthier lifestyle choices.
I've had a relatively healthy adulthood. Free of any illnesses and long-term medications. In my mid-forties, I started having aches and pains, and mood swings. I found I was crawling out of bed quite often with weak knees and body aches; and I also got quite emotional at the slightest trigger!
I thought it was a bit early for any of these issues, I put it down to a bad diet and weight. l didn’t initially recognise the symptoms for menopause, as it wasn't debilitating, but it really did affect my day-to-day routine. When some friends were having a conversation about the menopause and their symptoms, that I actually felt like I had self-diagnosed the problem....it sounded like I also had menopause symptoms. So, I made the decision to consult with my GP on what help I could be offered. When I described my symptoms to my GP, they explained I would need to have a blood test and would follow up after the results.
I was offered HRT patches, which I would stick to my body twice weekly. I used these for about a year and my symptoms were virtually gone. I no longer had the weak knees and aches; the mood swings were very rare and I was very happy with the results.
I stopped using HRT last year because I changed my diet quite drastically. I felt eating the right food would probably make a huge difference to my health. These simple dietary changes, helped me with weight management and I feel much more energised. At the time HRT was the springboard for change. I'm glad I tried it and I would really advise women to trial it.
Living with horrid symptoms like hot flushes, mood swings, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, problems with concentration and memory, and much more doesn't have to be suffered in silence. I have had a good experience with HRT and thousands of others are too.
I wonder, if there’s a Postcode Lottery for HRT because I can’t seem to persuade my GP that I might need it!
Maryam is a 49-year-old perimenopausal Pakistani woman who suffers from mood swings and irregular periods. She had approached her GP about her symptoms, but was brushed off with a prescription of anti-depressants.
I’m very active and I think I’m healthy too.
I have heavy, irregular periods and terrible moods. Just before my period starts, I know to keep away from people because I become very sensitive and I can sometimes get irritable.
I spoke to some friends about my issues and was advised to speak to my GP about trying HRT, as I could be perimenopausal. I wasn’t sure about the treatment myself because I heard it can cause cancer. But I was still willing to have a discussion with my GP because I was fed up of my moods and heavy periods. My GP, however, thought I needed to go onto anti-depressants and I refused those because I didn’t want to become addicted to those!
I don’t think I have depression, but more like women’s issues!
So, I’m still living with the problems without any help from my GP. I wonder, if there’s a Postcode Lottery for HRT because I can’t seem to persuade my GP that I might need it!
HRT proved to be a game changer - almost immediately my mood and brain fog lifted and my energy levels increased.
Annie is a white British woman in her 50s who insisted to her GP to be put on HRT. It was the game changer that enabled her to improve the quality of her life. After 8 years had to stop taking it, as she got diagnosed with breast cancer. For her, HRT is part of a solution that can help better manage the menopause symptoms.
I’ve noticed that over the last few years people have started talking about the menopause and HRT more openly, but I think it still isn’t talked about or understood enough, so I’m really pleased to be able to tell my story and hope it’ll help others.
I started to experience menopausal symptoms in my mid 40s: mood swings, low mood, anxiety, negative thoughts and even intrusive thoughts; but didn’t realise at first what it was. I had little motivation to exercise and had achy joints, problems with my knees and feet (plantar fasciitis) and generally felt old.
It was only when I heard a couple of friends talking about the perimenopause and HRT that I clicked and decided to ask my GP if I could try it. By then, I was 47 and my periods were few and far between. I was sure my GP would agree that I was perimenopausal, but she said she thought that it was my anxiety causing my irregular periods and booked me in for blood tests. The tests didn’t show anything conclusive, so I had to be quite forthright about wanting to try HRT. I knew at this stage that it had to be either that or anti-depressants (which I’d never been on before) because I was feeling so bad.
HRT proved to be a game changer - almost immediately my mood and brain fog lifted and my energy levels increased. The aches and pains disappeared, I began to sleep really well and felt ‘normal’ again for the first time in years. My relationship with my husband and children improved and I became a much nicer person to be around.
For the next few years I felt really well, began to run regularly (completed a half marathon aged 54) and joined a cycling group. I became involved in various campaigns and community groups and tried things I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do before.
After 8 years on HRT I developed breast cancer at the end of last year, so unfortunately had to come off it and some of the symptoms returned. But from being on HRT, I had become quite fit and so was able to recover relatively quickly from a mastectomy and reconstruction earlier this year.
Looking back, I feel fortunate to have heard those 2 friends talking about HRT all those years ago because I feel my life could have taken a very different turn without it - I don’t like to think about it really. They say suicide peaks in women at around 51 years of age - a very worrying fact.
HRT is only part of a solution and of course isn’t for everyone. But it is an option worth considering, if symptoms become debilitating, even if it is only for a short time. The HRT I took was body identical and made from yams. It was provided on the NHS by my GP.
[1] Hormone Replacement Therapy
[2] https://www.themenopausecharity.org/2021/10/21/what-is-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/
UR
Join Our Movement
Raise your voice and get connected