I’m in menopause now and I love this phase in my life! I was very fortunate and had a relatively easy transition (night sweats, poor sleep and minor but noticeable brain fog). I did not use HRT or anything else. At about 30 years old, I had experienced my one and only ovarian cyst in Vienna while on holiday which burst and I ended up by ambulance in hospital with emergency surgery. The surgeon also discovered and removed extensive endometriosis. My periods had been the bane of my life since 12 years old. I would end up huddled in bed in pain with diarrhoea and a hot water bottle if I didn’t take medication immediately before my period started. If I took it too late it took a day to kick in. Yet no doctor ever investigated. Amazing what we women go through and how we adapt and deal with it. Often unnecessarily.