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[ann58]

My GP wants me to come off hrt. I have had Mirena coil for almost 4 years with estrodot patches.
I am reducing the estrodot gradually and today dropped from 50 micrograms to 37.5 I feel really tired and a bit weepy tonight. Could it be the lower dose making me feel like this after just 10 hours?

[Tinkerbell]

Why does he want you to stop?

When I missed a dose of Estrogel recently my symptoms hit me!!

[ann58]

He said because I have been on it for 4 years and I am nearly 60 I should be stopping it.

[Hurdity]

Absolutely no need to stop HRT at 60 - this is old news! Provided you are otherwise healthy and there is no medical reason to stop you can carry on as long as you want to. I definitely would not want to be on a lower dose than 50 mcg ( I am mid 60's and I have always been on this dose officially though for the last few months increased by adding a wuarter of a patch because I take teststerone too). Please do not reduce the dose if it is making you feel unwell and go back to your doc saying you do not wish to reduce. As long as you are following a healthy lifestyle and reduce your cancer risks through increased exercise, maintaining healthy BMI, good diet (low sugar/processed foods, not too much fat, lots of fresh foods), reduce alcohol, no smoking - then you will be doing the best you can for yourself for futre years, and the 50 mcg oestrogen dose will continue to help protect your bones and heart.

Hurdity x

[Tinkerbell]

I was hoping you would come in and answer this post Huridty as I was sure that current guidelines were that HRT could be continued after 6O.

[ann58]

Thank you for your replies. My gynecologist told me that I could continue as long as I wanted as it would give me a better quality of life. (He prescribed it originally). One of our New, younger Gp's phoned me a few weeks ago and said "I have noticed you have been taking hrt for nearly 4 years and you are almost 60, do you know this can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer, you need to come off it.
She sent me into a panic as I suffer with anxiety anyway. My anxiety was much worse before hrt.
I don't smoke and don't drink alcohol, I eat healthy food and my bmi is fine.

[wombat62]

I hope you can continue if it improves your life!

I saw an older gyne some years back and he said if a lady is in good health and has all the check ups then he had no issue with continuing hrt for ever! There are risks for everything, even drinking a few glasses of wine a week is supposed to raise the risk for BC and yet most ladies do that without thinking about it. I'm sure for some people there is an increased risk because of their genetic make-up but you really aren't going to know it until unfortunately it happens to you.

Equally lack of sleep due to restless hot nights is also detrimental to your health so I think you just have to weigh it all up. Maybe you could get a letter from the gyne to show your gp? Good luck...

[ann58]

I am going to call my doctor in the morning and tell him now is not the right time for me to be decreasing the dose. I really can't cope with side effects at the moment. I really appreciate all your replies as you have made me feel better about my decision to stay on longer.