Nancy - Interview 09- Menopause

Age at interview: 59

Brief Outline:

Nancy sailed through menopause in her mid-40s with no symptoms. Diagnosed as being at risk of osteoporosis, she took HRT for 10 years. A recent mastectomy has made her wonder about the possible link between long-term use of HRT and breast cancer.

Background:

Nancy is a teacher. She is married with three adult children. She started the menopause at age 45 and had her last period at 47. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

For more clips from this interview click here.

Nancy checks the stories in the media about HRT with her doctor.

There were quite a few stories in the media about HRT and over time about it not being so good, about there being some health risks 

 

Yeah.

 

Were you aware of those stories?

 

Oh yeah, I read them all. Yeah.

 

And how did that make you feel about being on it?

 

Well, I wasn’t very happy about it. If I’d known there were alternative treatments for the bone density I probably would have preferred to switch to that. Because you have to really weigh risks up carefully I think. I certainly don’t base my judgement on what I read in the newspapers because there is some incredible rubbish written in newspapers. If I read a story in the paper I usually check it out against other things on the internet. I talk to people about it, I talk to, well I mean I would talk to the GP about it and the practice nurse. I also talk to friends who are in the medical profession and see what they think about it. So I wouldn’t just base a decision on something I’d read in the paper because I think most of the stories are there to sell papers really.