HRT or not HRT

So, I've been extensively researching POF  - thought it was about time I gave some consideration to some other parts of my body...

I think that when I was diagnosed and in the months that followed, all I could concentrate on was the infertility aspect. Getting blood results and scan results that were all fairly shitty and then the challenge of finding a Consultant we felt we could trust completely took over. The fact that my body was slowly winding down in terms of Oestrogen production and that this would be having an effect on various organs in my body had not remotely occured to me. Now, however, I'm all over this fact...

First and foremost I have read and read and read. This in itself has proven tricky - not the actual reading, I'm good to go with that - but the quality and relevance of information available on the internet has proven somewhat shaky...
Here, however, is a Godsend, written by someone with POF:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Premature-Menopause-Book-Kath-Petras/dp/0380805413/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328304186&sr=8-1

I devoured this book from cover to cover and though it is American (so the blood levels discussed and processes of care etc are different), it is thorough, informative and very readable - you need to get it in your life!!
All of the research and Government Guidelines for Menopause relate to women who actually should be in the Menopause and there is very little around the long term side effects of taking HRT for 15 years. This book reassured me that since we are essentially replacing hormones that our body should be producing and that our various bodily systems rely upon these hormones to work effectively, we are in a different situation to women in their late 40's or 50's who use HRT to alleviate those pesky symptoms.

Also, the different types of hormone are discussed - for example, progesterone as opposed to the synthetic progestogen should be given to us with POF because as well as protecting the uterus, it will re-build the bone that we are currently losing - the oestrogen will help nurture that bone. Being at a higher risk of Osteoporosis, we should probably indulge in a bone density scan too so that we can be supplemented correctly with Calcium.
Our increased risk of Heart Disease is also a bit of a bummer and, again, our blood pumping friend is wondering where all the oestrogen is and our cholestorol levels have probably raised through no change whatsoever in diet - all of which needs discussing with a good GP. I would probably give the passages dedicated to 'vaginal atrophy' a swerve (I was horrified!!) for a while, there's only so much we can take in one book, methinks....

Armed with all of this (thoroughly bloody depressing) information, I made the appointment with my GP. You have no idea how relieved I was to learn that the fantastic Dr Wonderful had returned from Maternity Leave (the cheek of her...) and so I sat nervously in the waiting room trying to remember everything I'd read. Dr Wonderful was wonderful (of course) and sat and listened to me babble incoherently through my snot and tears, offered to sign me off work (thank you but no) and said that she would much rather get a Consultant opinion on treatment before prescribing anything. Oh. So, a bit of an anti-climax - best laid plans and all that - but hey ho, our appointment with the Consultant is in four short weeks, which will surely fly by...

DS asked me yesterday whether, if I had another baby, it would look like him. I smiled and very gently explained that he is 100% unique in every way and that there will never ever be another baby as amazing as he is.
That fact, at least, is something that DH and I are utterly sure of...