My Perimenopause Diaries: HRT, naps and self-trust

Dear Diary,

What an extraordinary week it’s been… It began on my birthday, when I gifted myself three ear piercings. It was less about adornment and more about marking the beginning of a new cycle. I like the word initiation… and happy 47 to me 🙂

I was about to go all mystical… let’s focus on Peri… though, really, it’s all part of Peri.

The doors that open and the ones that close; the beginnings and the endings; decisions to be made that feel like jumping off a cliff; messages arriving through different people and places that, when you pay attention, become an important piece of your own puzzle…

Now, shifting focus, I want to talk about something that’s confusing me. It’s a personal reflection: the contradictory information around supportive tools for perimenopausal women, especially HRT.

There are professionals who advocate for it 100%. They make perfect sense when you listen. And there are other professionals with completely different views, and they also make perfect sense when you listen.

I know women thriving on it; to some it’s life-changing; others who’ve come off; some who can’t take it; some who’ll never take it; and others who are now considering it, like moi.

This is confusing!

So far I’ve been Team No HRT, but I’ve started looking into it, especially due to an existing medical condition and new symptoms flaring up out of nowhere. I also consider the health challenges in my feminine lineage, and any predispositions I may carry. Then I think the deep work I do is not what my ancestors did, and that, for me, affects how I meet perimenopause. For example, I never saw my mother rest during the day. Never. She would push through and make sure all her responsibilities were fulfilled to absolute perfection. By contrast, if I need to stop, rest or nap, I will do it, and if all I can do is a good-enough job, then that’s good enough. (By the way, I believe sleeping pods should be compulsory in workplaces, don’t you think?)

I also have hesitation about depending on any kind of medication. It’s not that I’m against the medical system (my dad is a surgeon, and I deeply honour the profession), but I also know how women are severely underserved in medicine.

Perhaps the frustration is louder because I’m currently reading the extraordinary book by the renowned Spanish physician Dr Carme Valls, Mujeres invisibles para la medicina (Women Invisible to Medicine).

Let me take a little pause to gather myself, because I am feeling the anger rise…

OK, I am here now.

Back to HRT… I haven’t decided yet what to do. The contradiction feels like a firm invitation to listen more deeply to my body and my intuition, and to continue researching. This is such a personal journey and a personal choice; no two are alike. What I know is this: I trust myself, so whatever decision I make, it will be the right one.

And I got new reading glasses… to celebrate a new vision. That sounds a bit cheesy… anyhow, they’re so chic!

Until next week,

Lara 🌹

A loving note: I’m sharing my lived experience, not advice or a recommendation. If something here inspires you, please research, honour your intuition, check local laws, and seek qualified professional support. Any brands I mention are simply personal favourites; I’m not paid, gifted or affiliated. If that ever changes, I’ll label it clearly. 🧡