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[Spangles]

Hi Ladies,

A while ago I tried to cut my HRT dose by half but ended up Gourdon back up as symptoms returned and anxiety hit the roof. I've tried again but a different way this time. I stopped the Utrogestan in early August and to be honest I've felt great, the next move is to stop the oestrogen. The last patch I left on for five days before changing yesterday. I feel awful today really out of sorts and anxious, having not felt like this for a couple of months it quite hard for me, I just have that feeling that something bad is going to happen. I'd like to be HRT free because I really think I feel better without it. I'm unsure now weather to carry on or try to ride it out?
Any advice greatly received and I do know the dangers of not taking utrogestan.
Thank you
Spangles
xXx

[DownDillie]

Hi Spangles,

I don't have any advice but I'm guessing that having oestrogen with no Utro will indeed make you feel well - for me, it's the Utro that seems to cause all the trouble.

I'm interested in following your progress because I have considered coming off HRT myself, primarily because I'm not feeling great on it lately.

I think the problem might come in later months - I believe that often coming off HRT is fine for a while, but then all the previous symptoms return with a vengeance. Don't suppose that applies to everyone though - hope it goes well for you 

[Rosebush]

Sending you a big hug Spangles I have been trying to leave my patch on longer due to shortage, ie change fortnightly instead of weekly..odd as i got to day 10 and felt my head was much clearer and only a few extra hot sweats day/night, thought maybe i could stop all together, got to day 13 and all started to change, and by day 16, had to put on new patch, my sweats went manic every 30mins during the night and every hour or so during the day, not sure maybe due hormones, but i felt shakey inside, concentration much worse, this eased off by day 3 of new patch being on, but my body still seems out of sorts, really having to push myself to get out of bed each day, fine once up though.....could be my age?

Last time i tried to stop i got to day 21 before putting on new patch, so my symptoms appears to be worse as i get older!! 

Spangles will you keep posting to let us know how things are going for you, well done with how far you have got already..xxx

Just to add to what Stella has said, 2 of my friends stopped HRT in March, and are still not back on it, both like myself their main symptoms were hot sweats, one is fine one is struggling this month, so we all differ.xxx

[Joney]

Hi Spangles, I stopped 4 weeks ago so it is early days but it has been fine. I did have a headache for a few days but that wasn't too bad and I kind of expected something and flushes have come back but very mild. I have started having some VA symptoms though so may start treatment for that. All is all it hasn't been so bad at all and I hope this continues to be the case. You can always go back on it if being off HRT doesn't suit you.

[Tracey E]

I came off HRT 15 days ago and none of my hot flushes have returned. Tbh I feel exactly the same energy wise as I did on HRT. No withdrawal symptons, so far so good!

[Spangles]

Thanks Ladies for all your great comments.
The results from my last scan in July indicated that my lining was very thin, (I had an ablation 7years ago), so I'm not too worried about my lining getting thick at the moment. I stopped the Utrogestan on 8th August and haven't had a bleed since😃 As they were forced bleeds, I was suffering to the point where my legs were so painful, I couldn't walk and this was costing me days off work. I'll see how I get on and keep you all posted, and good luck to those of you who are also trying to stop.
Love
Spangles
xXx

[Spangles]

Hi ladies,
Just a quick update. I'm still oestrogen only at the moment. I've been a little up and down with anxiety and morning dreads and a few negative thoughts. Other than that I feel fine. I do feel like I've got pmt at the moment, my calculations tell me I would normally have a bleed in a day or two, I've not had a bleed since stopping the utrogestan. I still have some evorel 25 patches, so I'm going to use one of those today instead of a 50 patch. I'll see how I go on the lower one. I really hope I can stop hrt properly this time, especially with the inevitable shortages on the horizon.
Spangles
xXx

[Nairn]

Hi Spangles

I'm currently on week 8 of stopping - if you look for the recent thread which mentions cold turkey there re quite a few posts.  The dryness and hot flushes are back with a vengeance! As I was oral tablets then I needed to stop it all

[Spangles]

Update:
Still been a little up and down with mood, some anxiety.
Today the anxious is very high, upset stomach, nausea, shaken legs etc.
However I have been to a funeral but didn't get emotional so maybe this has something to do with it.
Have been on just 25 patch instead of 50 for past two weeks.
My energy levels seem a lot lower too. Very dry mouth too.
Really hope I can do this, it's not easy, especially the way I feel today, I feel like my mental health is poor today, really hope it gets better.
xXx

[KiltedCupid]

Spangles - it's not easy, I've had some really rough days over the past year or so. I didn't deliberately set out to stop or reduce but my E levels got so low on non absorbed gel that every attempt to increase left me feeling worse. Confused? I certainly was. I used to use 3/4 pumps of gel so when I realised I wasn't absorbing I switched to a 75 patch. Wow! Felt like sh1t! Gradually reduced down the doses and also changed patch brand until I landed on 25 dose. Sounds simple but it really wasn't, there were many, many awful days and  I removed the patch and went hrt free for a couple of weeks, felt better then just couldn't function when levels got really low. I now know I'm on the bare minimum dose for me as I start to get very mild night sweats and big dip in mood when the patch runs out. I'm ok with that because it means I can use minimal prog and feel good when patch is working at full speed.

My advice would be to stick to the 25 dose for as long as you can and stabilise on that. If you feel you can halve that then have a go. I believe there's a bone protection patch in the US called menostar which is around 12/13 dose and requires prog only once/twice a year, possibly none at all. That's what I'm aiming for.

Good luck.

[Spangles]

KiltedCupid hi,
That sounds more tolerable, I expect when I put my repeat prescription in questions will be asked as to why I'm requesting a smaller dose. Then I'll get a ‘talking to' for not taking the progesterone, but hey it's all about me right.
I've definitely felt better on the lower dose, although when the anxiety hits, it hits bad.
Thanks for your reply
Spangles
xXx

[KiltedCupid]

Just checked on menostar and it's 14mcg dose on a weekly patch which requires 14 days prog every 6-12 months. I'm ok with that!

It's not available here but I'm sure you could find some sort of agreement with your doc and if you offered to have a yearly scan yourself.

It's something to consider if you want to drastically reduce rather than stop entirely.

[Spangles]

So how do you get yours?

[KiltedCupid]

Oh I don't use menostar, I'm still on 25 patch but will try to reduce down eventually. Will see how it goes. I'm on Fem7 patch so it's weekly anyway. Will keep gradually snipping bits off and see what happens.

[Hurdity]

Hi Spangles
Sorry to hear about your return of symptoms - but please don't feel a failure if you find you have to return to a higher dose  - your body will do what it wants to do!! I am mid 60's and still taking HRT (dreading stopping actually so will put that off as long as possible!)....

Even after an ablation if you are not taking any progesteorne at all it would be an idea to request a scan if you can get one - just to see how your uterus lining is doing?

Hope you feel a lot better soon and your plan works! Can't remember how old you are?

Hurdity x