After a second nasty experience, not with HRT but with stopping it, I thought it wise to warn others of the possible debilitating side effects by relating my experience.
After suffering the ghastly mood swings, sweats and everything else associated with the menopause for several months, I decided that quality of life was perhaps better than quantity, and decided to try HRT. I started on Kliovance 5 years ago and immediately felt 100% better. I have been happy and healthy, fit and active for those five years. In spring 2011 my GP advised that I should think about coming off HRT as, with my family history (my mother had breast cancer although it was successfully treated and when she died 18 years later, it had not recurred), it could be detrimental to stay on it for any longer. I was unaware of the need to decrease the dosage slowly, and stopped overnight. The results were catastrophic. Within weeks my joints were so painful I could barely walk, by the summer I could not lift a dinner plate without extreme pain.
We were beginning to plan on moving our bedroom downstairs and I was feeling despondent to say the least. I visited all 5 GP's at my local surgery and all denied vehemently the fact that it might be connected to the cessation of HRT. I was given Ibuprofen and told it was arthritis - something 'older women' just have to put up with (I am 60 years old). After a particularly painful day, out of sheer desperation, I decided to try going back onto HRT - I had nothing to lose at that point. Within days I felt slight improvement, within three weeks I was back to my old self - no pain at all.
A lesson learnt I thought, but I was still aware that I should not be taking HRT at all after such a long time, so I decided to have another go, this time taking a more gradual approach. I waited until November and started by missing one every other day for several weeks, then missing two days, then just three weeks ago I progressed to missing three days in between. Apart from the odd flush, I felt well, until 14 days ago when I developed an excrutiatingly painful perianal abcess.
I immediately suspected the lack of HRT again, but - again, my GP said it was not connected, so I spent a week on powerful but ineffective antibiotics. I was in such pain that I ignored the GPs advice and five days ago,went back on my Kliovance every day. I am already noticing an improvement. Ironically, on my second visit to the GP two days ago, I was prescribed eostregen cream - I asked the same question re HRT connections, and I was told that yes, it was related and I should keep taking the Kliovance as I was clearly not suited to being without it!!
So that's it - I am in for the duration - nothing will persuade me to miss even one day from now on! Not only am I convinced that quality of life is so much more important than quantity, but I shall always question my GPs decisions in future - they are clearly not infallible.
I do hope this helps others who may be facing the same situation.
