Menopause Symptoms & HRT: A Guide for Women Approaching 50

Question
There are no experts under this topic, I hope you can help.  I am 49 years old.  Have been on birth control for about 20 years.  15 years ago, after my last child, I went into perimenopause.  So stayed on the pill(there have been many) for that reason.  Never really happy with the way I felt but was told there was nothing better.  Now I'm considering hrt because I was told I'm jusr about there my count was 25 from my last blood work.  My labido is completely shot(even whose that when I was on the pill!).  It is putting a strain on things. Will hrt help?  Do I also need protection?  Or is there something else you can suggest?
Thank you, Vicki

Answer
Hi Vicki,
I'm afraid there are no simple answers.  It sounds like you're not on the pill now.  You need protection until you go a year on your own without a period (the periods caused by the pill don't count).  HRT in itself probably won't help your libido.  Sometimes it can be combined with testosterone which may help libido.  Frequently loss of libido has nothing to do with hormones.  You probably need someone really good to work on the hormone aspect, and possibly sex therapy as well.