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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies

I understand that some of you are considering giving up HRT and wondered how you plan to go about it. Also  does anyone know how long before our system is completely free of HRT? I assume it's about three months but I'm not sure.

I'm asking ladies because I've had the same symptoms for ages now despite HRT and wonder if I'll be better off without it.

As always any comments would be gratefully received.

Take care everyone.

K.

[Anjia]

I have tried a few times to stop HRT but each time after about two weeks the night sweats and flushes return what I have found is anxiety is not so bad it's so bloody annoying I hate the anxiety but being woken up with night sweats I have to go back to it just can't win .

[Rosie63]

Hi Kathleen.  I've tried to give up on a number of occasions as I've found the side effects are as bad as the symptoms at times.  Unfortunately, the longest I've ever managed to stop for is 10 days before I start to feel poorly again.  However, as we all know, we are all different and you might find you are ok if you decide to stop.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Rosie63 x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

Anjia and Rosie63 - I feel your pain ladies.  Why doesn't HRT reduce all the problems instead of selecting some and not others and then adding some of it's own. No wonder we consider giving up on it. It's interesting that you both noticed a return of symptoms quite quickly when you stopped HRT so I will expect a similar response if I bite the bullet.

Birdy - I have tried a few types of HRT but not all so there is hope lol! Unfortunately although my GP is very helpful he isn't very knowledgeable. Thank goodness for this forum and the wonderful ladies who populate it.

Wishing you all well.

K.

[Smokey1234]

Hi Kathleen

I had to stop without reducing gradually, due to me having an  operation some years ago,I was pleasantly surprised to find I was ok for the three months I was off it, but returned to it after as I was wanting to protect my bones et as I was only 45. Not sure it would be so straight for me now 8 years on, as once I forgot to put correct dose on (gel) and found I got symptoms of nausea!

I was told by the hospital it was 3 months for it to come out your system..


Ann x

[Jari]

Hi ladies...I took hrt only for 2.5 months ( it gave such awful side effects so I came off it ) and it took about 2 months to return to how I was before, with the flushes etc, so it stayed in my system about the same time I took it, not that that would be the same for all, but I’d say a couple of months before out of system.

By taking estrogen hormone, you’re obviously rising your estrogen levels, so when you stop taking it, these will decline again. That will happen whenever you stop taking hrt, because you’ve increased the estrogen in your body with hrt.

I’ve decided to go with my body’s natural decline in estrogen as I feel that by unnaturally rising it, we just have to deal with the decline later on. Unless of course you want to take hormones forever.

X

[Michelle46]

Hi Smokey
How much gel do you use each day?

[Spangles]

Hi,
I haven't tried giving up HRT but a few months I halved my dose, after about a month I started to experience hot flushes, increased anxiety, dry skin, poor sleep etc. After two months I put my oestrogen back to 50 instead of 25 and kept my utrogestan at 100/12 days. Within 4 days the flushes had stoped, sleep was better. I haven't had a bleed for 3 months but the doctor is fine with this due to my scan results. However I got a bleed at the weekend and it's nocked me off my feet, my anxiety is through the roof and I really feel low. I'm sure it's the hormones playing up as I felt so much better without the bleeds. There doesn't seem to be a better way, I'm so fed up and frustrated with it all.
Spangles
xXx

[Charlie62]

Hi Kathleen
I am in the process of reducing my hrt. I'm nearly 57 and using everol conti patches. For the last 3/4 weeks iv been halving the patch mainly because I have hair loss & the norethisterone maybe to blame (?) I changed to patches last year as the femoston conti wasn't helping with anxiety. As well as reducing the patches i have started on citalopram for the anxiety as that was bothering me the most. To date I haven't had any significant menopausal symptoms return. I will be reducing to a quarter patch from next week. Fingers crossed all goes to plan.

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Thank you all for contributing to this thread and relaying your experiences.

It's interesting to note the length of time it takes for any HRT to completely leave your system. Knowing that makes it a lot easier to judge how we feel when we are back to square one.

I suppose everyone has a symptom that causes them the most distress and anxiety seems to be high on the list.  It is certainly number one for me.

Thanks again ladies and I'm grateful that you all took the time to respond.

Wishing you all well.

K.

[Night_Owl]

Hi Kathleen

After c10+ long years of trying to find the right HRT (under guidance of Chelsea & Westminster Meno Clinic) I gave up last October (thought it would be easier then than in the heat of summer) and came off everything - including Vagifem.  I never felt that great on HRT anyway - highly progesterone intolerant and in spite of trying a range of progesterones over years, none of them suited - Utrogestan 100mg vag-route, 6 weekly for 10 nights still gave hideous systemic effects / depression / made VA worse, irritated bladder - and I never felt that great on estrogen only.  I'm now 57 and had an early meno at 44.

The sequi regime and fluctuations created by it was worsening my migraines and I couldn't take any conti progesterone or Mirena/Jaydess due to intolerance - and I loathed creating a cycle and having a withdrawal.   From this I know that my biochemistry is highly sensitive to even *miniscular fluctuations*.

Last month, I tried a re-load of Vagifem that triggered awful Telogen Effluvium (scalp tingling, hair loss) and migraine - the fluctuation the tiny amount of estrogen created upset my system.

9 months on, just starting to feel I *may* be coming out the other side, flushes/sweats/insomnia are slowly diminishing, sleeping through the night, more energy - think it will take *years* for things to settle and for my adrenals to produce some estrogen.  I feel taking HRT stops the body from adjusting, finding its equilibrium.

It took about a month for the HRT to leave my system but I was only on a low dose 25 Estraderm patch. 

I take Magnesium Taurate, Vit E, Vit D, Fish Oil, B Complex and some others - and a recent addition that may sound a bit bonkers but seems to really help - is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Big bonus:  I never have to take the hideous Utrogestan again - I only have to see a box in the drawer to shudder!

The regime of Utrogestan/Oestrogel that seems to be promoted as the cure-all by the likes of Vorderman / Frostrup  certainly does not suit everybody.

K, would you consider a trial period off HRT, see how you fare? 

[Kathleen]

Hello Night_Owl

Thank you for your very interesting post.

I am definitely considering taking a break from HRT to see how I manage although of course I'm terrified that  I'll feel worse. HRT has never been that great for me either but perhaps I waited too long (I was 3 years post meno and 57 when I started it). Or maybe I never took enough oestrogen and too much progesterone. My consultant suggested that I may be progesterone intolerant but unfortunately I needed to take it in some form.

I'm pleased that you are beginning to feel better and I hope this continues for you.

Thanks again for your comments and take care.

K.

[Cacarosa]

and a recent addition that may sound a bit bonkers but seems to really help - is Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Well I'm afraid that's only a placebo. If virgin olive oil did something for meno, we, Mediterraneans would be having much better menos than everyone else in the world, since we all consume olive oil daily in great quantities our whole lives. It's very good for many other things as population studies have established (cardiovascular health and cancer prevention specially) and not that good calorie wise, but is has not hormonal effect at all. Olive oil is tasty and very healthy and we Mediterraneans have less cancer and less cardiovascular illnesses but it does not give us superpowers. Also those benefits are associated with the Mediterranean diet as a whole and not exclusively to the olive oil. I don't think it would be easy to adhere to a Mediterranean diet in England, since I have seen most products we consume are not available at your supermarkets or are too expensive.

And if you take it in pills as a supplement (as I've seen it's sold in "natural" shops in England) that tiny dose is unlikely to make any difference.

[Jari]

I'm wondering if a too high BMI can increase hot flushes and night sweats and joint pains?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone with these symptoms, how is your BMI?

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Jari -  your point about a high BMI causing hot flushes etc is interesting. I must admit I always thought a low BMI would be more problematic because fat cells contain oestrogen therefore larger women would have more of this hormonal available.  I look forward to reading any responses.

Cacarosa - do I understand from your post that women eating the Mediterranean diets have just as many menopausal symptoms as women on a Western European/ American style diet?  I've read that  Japanese women report far fewer problems but researchers are unsure of the reason. It may be diet or they may be discouraged from reporting menopausal difficulties for cultural reasons. The impact of diet and lifestyle is certainly an  interesting topic.

Take care everyone.

K.