HRT

Signposting a link pasted below 

How did you get on Sparkly?

I went on HRT a few years ago because of the hot flushes waking me at night, and it took a little while to get it right but I did get rid of them.  Being able to sleep was the most important thing, and the HRT helped me with that.  I have fatigue and brain fog at times still but it's hard to know if that's from anxiety, menopause or something else.

My medication is a patch called Estalis Sequi (don't know if it's the same in the UK, I'm in Australia) and I only have a half patch (I told my dr it was too strong so she instructed me to cut them in half with scissors!

 The website my dr referred me too is https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management

I hope it's ok to link to that - I think it is.  One of the most helpful bits of advice about HRT I think is start low, go slow and review often.  

I regret to say that I didn't make it to the appointment Helen, which I was meant to have attended last week. I ended up falling asleep shortly before I had planned to start getting ready for it and didn't wake until a few hours later.

Fatigue and brain fog are symptoms that affected me long before I became menopausal. When there is an overlap of symptoms, it can be impossible to be sure of the cause, so I can certainly relate to what you say. 

Thank you for the web link. There is a UK website called Menopause Matters, which is similar:
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/

Oh goodness Sparkly - now I think I remember reading about how you missed your appointment soon after I joined this forum, and didn't put the two things together in my mind.  Sorry for reminding you of it.  Though I suppose you're preparing to go for another one?

Yes the combination and overlap is very difficult.  That's why it took me so long to realise I was autistic.  It turns out I have anxiety which is probably largely caused by the autism, and the anxiety makes me tired, and sometimes depressed for short periods.

It was having kids that helped me uncover the autism.  And then it was time for perimenopause.  Goodness.

Well at least there are a few of us here who can share our experiences with you.  I'm 54 and now sort of through menopause.  I must say I was determined to think of myself as over it after 12 months without a period.  I was very happy about that.  I realise you can't just say you're done with menopause but I think feeling happy about it helped me a little bit

There is no need to apologise for reminding me of my missed appointment, and you are correct in thinking that I still intend to go down the HRT route.

I consider myself fortunate that perimenopause did not cause me any major issues. I went from having my regular monthly cycle, to several months in a row passing without a period. When I did get a period, it was significantly lighter and only tended to last a couple of days. I thought it was fantastic, particularly because I was being spared from the misery of monthly menstrual cramps. Yippee! 

It could be coincidental, but I'm convinced my dad's death was responsible for putting an end to the perimenopause stage, as 11 months later I was under no illusion that I was most definitely menopausal. That's when I found myself having hot flushes and sweats multiple times a day. Gee, thanks Dad! I do question if the timing of his death was intentional... Having spent years observing how the menopause had affected my mother, maybe the knowledge that I would most likely end up turning into a bat-sh*t crazy, mood-swing-prone female was just too much for him. 

I don't know what things are like in Australia, but there is now a big push in the UK to educate people about the effects of the menopause, and how debilitating the symptoms can sometimes be.

PS: I agree with you and everyone else here that there isn't enough information about the effect of menopause on autistic women.

PS: I agree with you and everyone else here that there isn't enough information about the effect of menopause on autistic women.

There is no need to apologise for reminding me of my missed appointment, and you are correct in thinking that I still intend to go down the HRT route.

I consider myself fortunate that perimenopause did not cause me any major issues. I went from having my regular monthly cycle, to several months in a row passing without a period. When I did get a period, it was significantly lighter and only tended to last a couple of days. I thought it was fantastic, particularly because I was being spared from the misery of monthly menstrual cramps. Yippee! 

It could be coincidental, but I'm convinced my dad's death was responsible for putting an end to the perimenopause stage, as 11 months later I was under no illusion that I was most definitely menopausal. That's when I found myself having hot flushes and sweats multiple times a day. Gee, thanks Dad! I do question if the timing of his death was intentional... Having spent years observing how the menopause had affected my mother, maybe the knowledge that I would most likely end up turning into a bat-sh*t crazy, mood-swing-prone female was just too much for him. 

I don't know what things are like in Australia, but there is now a big push in the UK to educate people about the effects of the menopause, and how debilitating the symptoms can sometimes be.