I am wondering if hormone therapy (BHT) is right for me if I am not experiencing any ill effects of menopause? I'm 52 and haven't had a period for about 14 months. However, I do not have hot flashes, night sweats, and in fact feel very good.
That is terrific you feel well! Just because you have no period and are over age 51 doesn’t mean you are in menopause. You may be anovulatory - making estrogen, but not a regular ovulation, and thus making no progesterone and thus not bleeding. (Meanwhile, endometrial uterine tissue could be building up!)
I would recommend you see your women’s health physician and get an FSH, estradiol hormone levels and a vaginal exam to look for signs of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. If you are in menopause with no symptoms, we would recommend a baseline bone density within 2 years of menopause, if this will affect your decision about BHT (bio-identical hormone therapy), or at least by age 65 as osteoporosis is so common.
Half of women flash, half do not. Half of women lose bone, but not all women. And at least 50-70% of postmenopausal women develop some vaginal atrophy, which may or may not be symptomatic. You may be one of the lucky postmenopausal women without problems. However, some women enter menopause, feel great and are only in their late 50s or early 60s, but develop some hormone deficiency symptoms as their ovaries and adrenal glands further age, so it is important to get periodic check ups.
All My Best,
Speaking of Women’s Health nurse
June 16, 2019 at 8:23pm