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[Chris19]

I'm a new member and have just stopped taking HRT after about 9 years.  I stopped taking the tablets a few days ago and feel terrible.  I have a constant headache, tiredness and occasional shivering.  What have others experienced coming off HRT?  Does anyone have any advice? 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM Chris19
Going cold turkey can be tough but in my experience it doesn't matter whether you go cold turkey or try to gradually reduce. The headaches usually get better within a  week or so but the body will be craving that oestrogen so ti dozen take time to adjust.
Why have you decided to come off HRT?
Dg x

[Chris19]

Thanks for the welcome and for your response which is reassuring. 

I decided to come off HRT as I was worried about the increased risks of cancer.  I have lost friends to breast and ovarian cancer, neither of whom was on HRT, so it's close to my heart.  I'm 54 and have been on HRT for about 9 years with no problems, in fact the reverse.  I am having the best time of my life and was happy on HRT and never had any problems. My doctor advised me to come off due to the risk factors.

[Taz2]

Hi Chris19.

If you were doing well on HRT it seems a shame for you to stop it to be honest as it can have many benefits. What risk factors did your GP give you? Lots of GP's are not that clued up on HRT and it can make a lot of difference to quality of life for a lot of women. Although you have been on it for nine years the years before 51 don't count when talking about risk as you were merely replacing what should have naturally been yours before the natural age of menopause which is considered to be around 51. I'm almost 63 and have been on HRT for eight years. My GP has reluctantly agreed to keep prescribing it (in patch form) as when I came off it I felt so ill that I lost so much enjoyment from life. Have a good look around our threads and the information under the menu at the top of the screen.

If you begin to suffer vaginal dryness, by the way, then you can have a topical oestrogen product prescribed by your GP which replenishes the vaginal tissues and makes things more comfy again. Some also suffer from cystitis type feelings as they go further into menopause which again can be caused by lack of oestrogen.

So sorry to hear of your friends cancers.

Taz x 

[Chris19]

Dear Taz2
I had to leave work today as I felt too ill to carry on.  That's a first for me and it felt like an admission of defeat and a dent in my professionalism.  Thanks for the reminder about the years before age 51.  I don't think I'm going to put up with this for long and will go back to my GP if it carries on and investigate alternatives.  I want to feel like me!

[Taz2]

It's a tremendous shock to your body to be suddenly deprived of oestrogen. What were your symptoms orignally which caused you to start HRT?

If you are feeling so low please don't leave it too long before going back to your doc. Someone will be along soon with much more knowledge than me but I can remember how I felt when I came off for a year. It is not a failure. Nature may think that after menopause women don't need to continue with a useful and enjoyable life but I beg to differ!!  This is from the menu at the top of the screen http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/benefit.php

Please let us know how you get on.

Taz x 

[Dana]

Thanks for the welcome and for your response which is reassuring. 

I decided to come off HRT as I was worried about the increased risks of cancer.  I have lost friends to breast and ovarian cancer, neither of whom was on HRT, so it's close to my heart.  I'm 54 and have been on HRT for about 9 years with no problems, in fact the reverse.  I am having the best time of my life and was happy on HRT and never had any problems. My doctor advised me to come off due to the risk factors.

I think the crux to your issue is exactly what you said about .... "I have lost friends to breast and ovarian cancer, neither of whom was on HRT" .... so that's proof right there that HRT doesn't necessarily cause these problems. It's one of those things that if you're going to get it you'll get it, regardless. So why torture yourself, when you've already said that you felt great while on HRT. Life is too short, literally. There are no guarantees that what you are feeling will actually get better. A lot of women are still experiencing symptoms into their 70s. I'm friends with some.

Anyway, what risk factors? It sounds like your doctor isn't up to date with the latest research. The reality is that there are far more benefits to being on HRT than not. It's well recognised now that there should be no cut off date for HRT. Keep taking it and enjoying your life. If anything untoward happens, it was probably going to happen anyway, but at least you had a good time while you were here. We've all got to go sometime, but you certainly don't want your final years to be full of misery.

[Dancinggirl]

Chris19 - Quality of life is terribly important.  If you felt good on HRT and had no health issues that prevented you continuing with HRT,  then if you find in the next few weeks the menopause symptoms are preventing you from working and leading a full life, then you should seriously consider going back on HRT. The non HRT alternatives are SRRIs/ADs which also bring side effects and it can be trial and error before you find one that suits you and they are difficult to comes off once started.  These SRRIs/ADs don't always reduce meno symptoms either.

HRT is about benefits versus side effects and risks - at yrou age the risks are very small and having 5 years of HRT in our 50s can actually prevent bone loss and heart disease in the long term.  I believe many studies have shown that women on long term HRT actually live longer.  There are risks with everything.
I know a lady in her late 80s and she was still on HRT at the age of 80 - all I can say is she is amazing, still working, mentally all there and she hasn't shrunk as there is no osteoporosis.
I'm 60, been on and off HRT for 25 years because of premature meno but the side effects of HRT e.g. problematic bleeding and cramps, have stopped me using it now - if I hadn't had these issues I would have gladly continued with HRT.   I am just using local oestrogen these days to help with urogenital atrophy. Now off HRT I have had to go part time with work and take life far more easily although I coping OK.

I don't believe HRT actually causes BC but if you happen to get BC then it won't help.

Hope you feel better soon.  DG x

[flutterby]

Hi Chris19 I came of HRT 2 months ago after being on it for 16 years, I'm 64. I had hardly any side effects on HRT and felt good. I always said when I retired I would come off it. When I retired in January I reduced from Evorel 50 to 25 and took Utrogestan continuously ( I had bleeding which turned out to be a polyps). I find my flushes and night sweats are mild. There a few othe
I had quite a few blips whilst on HRT due to media scare stories, pressure from friends but I stayed with it and I'm glad I did as now if I don't sleep very well I don't have work the next day.
I found patches were better than tablets. I do so hope you soon feel better Flutterbyx

[Hurdity]

Hi Chris19

  from me too!

I agree with everything that's been said re age and length of time on HRT and whether to stop.

I have also been on it for 9.5 years now (10 years in March) but only started it when I was around 54 - now in my 60's. I haven't retired completely yet either but not sure I will want to stop then - although having bleeds in your 60's is not much fun!

You didn't say which type of HRT you were on but at your age anyway it shouldn't matter. If you were on a 2 mg estradiol dose though, you would definitely notice if stopping suddenly - I mean who would not? Also if you were on a continuous combined HRT and only stopped a few days ago then your initial symptoms are partly down to progesterone withdrawal - especially the headache and tiredness - but these can also be due to drop in oestrogen.

I would hot foot it back to the doc armed with the NICE Guidelines on menopause (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations) and other info from here and get back on it.

Maybe a change in HRT type would be of benefit depending on what you were taking - but if it suited you then as the others have said - quality of life is so important....

Hurdity x

[Mary G]

Chris19, if you were happy with your HRT and it was working well for you then why stop?  Don't believe all the scare stories about HRT, they are on the back of outdated studies using outdated forms of HRT and have been discredited by all but a few diehards.  I have often said on there that now the EU referendum is over, HRT scaremongering should hereinafter been referred to as "Project Fear".

Oestrogen only HRT does not raise any breast cancer risk and combined HRT only raises the risk very slightly.  Some experts are now thinking that oestrogen only HRT DECREASES BREAST CANCER RISK.  Google it.

I'm sorry to hear about your friends but as you say, they contracted breast cancer and they were not taking HRT. 

Putting yourself through hell for something that is highly unlikely to happen is pointless.  You need to focus on all the positives of HRT and how oestrogen acts as a controller/protector for so many vital bodily functions.

I hope we have put your mind at rest.

[Chris19]

Dear All
Your posts have been enormously reassuring and informative.  I'm feeling better now but with on-going bleeding which seems to reduce then increase again which is frustrating.  I will wait a short while to see if other symptoms develop or decline but won't hesitate to go back to my doctor.  This time I will be armed with your advice and experiences and less worried about possible risk factors.

My overriding aim is to protect my quality of life which is the best it's ever been.  To be fair to my doctor, she did recommend this site, so I have some faith in her.