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[toffeecushion]

What happens when you stop taking HRT, doesn't the menopause hit it again?

[littleminnie]

I hope not.  Otherwise 

[CLKD]

May do.  Depends on how far along the Journey you are 

Maybe keep a mood/food diary?

[toffeecushion]

Surely at any age stopping HRT would have the same effect as a natural menopause

[Pollie]

My best, uneducated guess is that if you stop taking HRT after say age 60 or 65 those symptoms that are due to fluctuating oestrogen such as hot flushes will be gone (in most people)

Those symptoms caused by persistent low oestrogen, such as VA, will I think remain.

The thing is I do not know, nor understand, which is which !

[Dancinggirl]

I'm sorry if this depresses you but I afraid nobody can tell you how you will feel when you stop HRT. The problem is you can't know how long meno symptoms will last whether you take HRT or not.
I'm 59 and tried twice to do without HRT - the first time was for 3 years and the meno symptoms didn't get any better. The second time for just a year.  Both times I was very post meno - I was probably post meno from the age of 43 but I was on HRT at that time.
I think it will vary from person to person and what your lifestyle is at that time. I think if I don't have to work then this will allow me to cope with the symptoms better.
As Pollie says, things like vaginal atrophy and bladder problems are likely to return or possibly worsen.
I don't think we were designed to live as long as we do now and the lack of oestrogen for 30 years or more is an issue.
DG x

[Hurdity]

I agree with the others.

The main point about stopping HRT later is that you will be post-menopausal. Therefore there are no longer the hormonal fluctuations (of oestrogen and progesterone) that initially cause the most distress during the per-menopausal years. Progesterone and oestrogen remain at the levels they will stay (approximately) for the rest of your life (some oestrogen is produced by fat cells so weight changes will cause a little variation).

And yes you're right Polly -  oestrogen deficiency is for ever and some symptoms/conditions will only become apparent in later post-menopause - such as VA, bladder problems, osteoporosis, heart problems etc - but it is unlikely that the onset of some of these will be attributed to oestrogen deficiency, even if this is a contributing factor.

As others have said some of us are more sensitive to changes (a reduction) in oestrogen at whatever level. For this reason alone and thinking long term I am glad I started off at a medium level of oestrogen ( even though I would prefer it to have been higher) because many women seem to react to any reduction rather than a particular level in itself.

There is a research paper which showed that for those women who are sensitive and whose flushes will return - tapering off slowly made no difference to the outcome (of flushes or not), although obviously the return was not as rapid (ie not as dramatic as Stellajane says) with the taperers. The study was not long term though - only about 9 months I think (from memory).

Anyway even if symptoms such as flushes do return at say 65 if one stops then - well depending on when menopause and symtpoms started - let's say 52 - you will have had 13 years free of symptoms, as well as 13 years of added protection against long term conditions! You can't take that away!! let no doctor try to persuade you otherwise.

I am quite prepared to experience hot flushes again when I stop (not sure when that will be - as long as I can tolerate a bleed and if my health does not make it impossible or inadvisable) - but at least I won't be working (I am now).

Most women now have to work until 66 or even 67 before getting their pension so long term HRT users and bleeders will become more widespread in years to come.

Hurdity x