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[Pennyfarthing]

Have been on HRT for several years now and the nurse thinks I should go onto a lower dose.  been on Climesse 2 mg for ages and she's putting me on Estradiol/Norethisterone 1 mg.  I have a couple of months of Climesse to use up then I'll start those.

I can feel I've put on weight so she weighed me yesterday and I said I didn't want to know or look and she just said I'd put on 1 kg since she last saw me a year ago.  that doesn't seem right to me but she reckons it is.  As I was leaving she said the lower dose might also help me lose a little weight.  What do you girls think?  maybe she was just being kind. 

[Limpy]

I don't think she would lie about the amount of weight you've put on.
1 kg is hardly anything to gain, especially over a year. She has no need to be kind!

[peegeetip]

Once I started on HRT path my weight suddenly stablized

I think most of us would be delighted with 1kg in a year

As I mentioned in another thread, reduced dosage HRT is for ladies coming to HRT later.
A lot of the time this is the medical people trying to wean us off 
If its working its not really the nurses problem or place to get you down to a lower amount.

Moving you when you are stable to a lower dose will likely have one result - return of symptoms.

If things are not broken and your happy with your quality of life stick with the current solution.
There are plenty of posts about others reducing their amounts for no reason other than a "thought" from a nurse or doc.
Thinking it might do your good is a far place from actually doing you good.

If your happy, maintain your current solution. You don't have to reduce if you don't want to.

 

[Pennyfarthing]

Once I started on HRT path my weight suddenly stablized

I think most of us would be delighted with 1kg in a year

As I mentioned in another thread, reduced dosage HRT is for ladies coming to HRT later.
A lot of the time this is the medical people trying to wean us off 
If its working its not really the nurses problem or place to get you down to a lower amount.

Moving you when you are stable to a lower dose will likely have one result - return of symptoms.

If things are not broken and your happy with your quality of life stick with the current solution.
There are plenty of posts about others reducing their amounts for no reason other than a "thought" from a nurse or doc.
Thinking it might do your good is a far place from actually doing you good.

If your happy, maintain your current solution. You don't have to reduce if you don't want to.

 

She said there was more of a risk of breast cancer on higher dose and she tried to get me to go lower last summer and we agreed I'd stay on this dose for another year.  Thank you, I will look for other posts.

I was delighted with only 1 kg weight gain over a year but I can feel in my clothes that it's more than that.  I think she might need a visit to Specsavers!!      When I feel brave I will step on my own scales and will compare it to what my Slimming world book said this time last year. 

[honeybun]

I have been reducing my dose steadily over the past year or so and except for a couple of short blips I have been fine. I'm now on a half patch so really on a small amount now.
It's been a slow and steady reduction to where I am now and I feel no worse for it at all. I'm 55 and started patches at 49.

It's worth a try and you can always increase again if needs be.


Honeybun
X

[Hurdity]

How old are you Pennyfarthing? I agree with peegeetip but perhaps if you are older (near 60 ) then think about changing to a patch if you want to continue with HRT in the longer term.

Also re weight gain - weight isn't everything - if your clothes are not fitting you so well it could be either loss of muscle and increase in fat - which overall would show a lower actual weight increase on the scales because muscle (of a given size) weighs more than fat of the same size. If you have cut down your exercise or your metabolism has slowed for whatever reason - you may have lost some muscle - and this gradually happens as we age for a variety of reasons ( including endocrine changes).

Another reason could be changes in fat distribution - depending on how far into menopause you are - you could weight the same or only a little more, but have an increased waist size as you head more towards an apple-shape. Again this is typical - but exercise and toning can help a little.

Hurdity x

[Pennyfarthing]

How old are you Pennyfarthing? I agree with peegeetip but perhaps if you are older (near 60 ) then think about changing to a patch if you want to continue with HRT in the longer term.

Also re weight gain - weight isn't everything - if your clothes are not fitting you so well it could be either loss of muscle and increase in fat - which overall would show a lower actual weight increase on the scales because muscle (of a given size) weighs more than fat of the same size. If you have cut down your exercise or your metabolism has slowed for whatever reason - you may have lost some muscle - and this gradually happens as we age for a variety of reasons ( including endocrine changes).

Another reason could be changes in fat distribution - depending on how far into menopause you are - you could weight the same or only a little more, but have an increased waist size as you head more towards an apple-shape. Again this is typical - but exercise and toning can help a little.

Hurdity x

I am 61.  The HRT nurse was saying I could go on this lower dose for another year and then they wean you off it so you're taking it every other day and so on. 

I'm just fat!!     I did lose nearly 2 stones a couple of years ago but very gradually its crept back on again.  I walk 1.5 to 2 miles very briskly every day and I cycle when I can.  all my clothes feel tight and I can see in the mirror that I've gained weight.  I left SW in the Spring and haven't weighed myself since!!

[honeybun]

Please don't dismiss the idea of successfully decreasing your dose. It is very possible despite what some may say.
I would think that the smallest maintenance dose you can be on whilst maintaining symptom control should be the goal for all of us.

Good luck with what you decide.

Honeybun
X

[Limpy]

PF - You lost nearly 2 stone.
You may have gained 0.157 stone (1 Kg)
That is insignificant.
You are walking, briskly 1.5 - 2 miles every day, you are doing a lot for yourself.
If you want to decrease your HRT so be it, but don't rush into cutting it if you are unsure.
Whatever you decide, patches may give you more control about controlling dose amount

[Pennyfarthing]

No I lost nearly two stones but have regained it all plus another kg.

[Joyce]

I reduced my HRT over about 18 months or so. I used my last patch just over 2 weeks ago. GP has given me Clonidine to help with the flushes/sweats. I tried Clonidine once before but it didn't work. I'd come off HRT cold turkey that time.  Some days I have a number of flushes/sweats. Yesterday only had a few & today only a couple. I'm hoping my weight might come down a bit too, but I'm exercising so that should help also.

I lost nearly 2 stones 2 years back & I've put on just over half a stone again. That was due to lack of exercise more than anything. However, I'm keeping an eye on how much I'm eating as well as taking exercise again.

[dazned]

I too am gradually reducing my hrt with a view to stopping altogether to see what if any symptoms are present. So far have halved it so far no noticeable effects have reared their ugly heads but we will see.

[Dana]

Please don't dismiss the idea of successfully decreasing your dose. It is very possible despite what some may say. I would think that the smallest maintenance dose you can be on whilst maintaining symptom control should be the goal for all of us.

I agree. I'm planning on trying to reduce my medium dose to at least a low dose too. I'm tired of the whole progestin/progesterone/period thing, because I don't do well on a continuous regime, so my plan is to reduce by one tablet a week very slowly over the next 6-12 months, and then see where I am then. At the very least I hope to settle on a low dose, or maybe a tablet every other day, but if I'm really lucky I might be able to do without it altogether, or maybe just 1 or 2 tablets a week.

It's been 5 years since I started this whole HRT merry-go-round and I'm fed up with it. HRT is great if you can settle on a continuous method that works for you, but I definitely don't want to continue having periods for goodness knows how long, or having to take any kind of progestin or progesterone long term.

[kenny]

I have just posted on here about reducing my HRT, were you recommended on a time frame to reduce it, i think i may have been reducing mine too fast in the past, hence awful headaches.

[esspeeuk]

If you want to go through the menopause then fair enough but I am concerned that many of you are allowing yourselves to be persuaded by others onto a path that can cause misery.  I have told my specialist that I intend to continue taking oestrogen for the rest of my life and she raised no objection.  After 26 years on implants (with only minor interruptions) I cannot conceive of a post menopausal existence.