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[Peacegirl]

Need a bit of advice here. I weighed it all carefully before beginning HRT and I'm very pro but I'm thinking of stopping after 10 years on it (from age 49) but (other than a return of symptoms), what are the risks versus benefits? I want to stop because I'm finding it hard to manage all the supplements I'm taking along with my thyroid medication I now need (due to low levels identified from blood tests).
BUT
Will stopping nullify the benefits for my bones/brain/anything else? I.e. do I need it for life to ensure these benefits?

Thanks in advance for advice 

[Bobidy]

I just follow Dr Newsons advice that it can be taken for life (unless there is a medical reason not to).

I really want all the osteoperosis, heart, brain, bowel, diabetes etc protection. Basically we have oestrogen receptors all over our body.

Maybe you could swap the route with gel, patch etc to make it more convenient?

[Peacegirl]

Hi, thank you for sharing that. I?ll have a look for Newson's advice. I have been trying different things with the route/timing. It's also about for me the oestrogen interaction with normal thyroid function/meds which with the slow release of the oestrogen (and the body doing its own thing as it does 🙂) means I can't easily control 'what's happening so my hypothyroidism's just not being managed very well and Im just so ill much of the time.
 
I'm going to give it more thought though because I want those benefits you've mentioned too.

Thanks again

[CLKD]

What symptom was bothersome that caused you to use HRT initially?

If you stop you may have symptoms. 

Why do you require supplements? 

Have you seen an endocrinologist re the thyroid function?  Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary to chart current progress?

[Peacegirl]

Hi,
Serious night-sweats, depression, brain fog aching. I don't want those to return obviously.
I have low iron/b12/vit D which are co-factors with hypothyroidism.

Yes I saw an endocrinologist but as you may know, many people with auto-immune disease find it hard to get the dose/type of meds/timing etc right especially when the thyroid is still partially working. So it would be good if I could take one thing (hrt) out of the equation to help with consistency. I might just try and cut down and see what happens but I don't want to lose the benefits either. 

[sheila99]

I think you need to follow medical advice here but if it was me I would try reducing or stopping hrt and see what happens. At this point in your life getting your thyroid medication right is probably more important than hrt. Once that's OK it might be an option in the future to go on a low dose patch.

[Hurdity]

Hi Peacegirl - if you've been taking HRT for some time but now need thyroid meds too - then why stop HRT? If you are taking oral HRT then the thyroid meds might need adjusting but sounds like you're doing it the other way round ie starting thyroid meds while you're settled on HRT. There are other women on here who take HRT and thyroid meds - they might not have seen your post as the title doesn't mention thyroid but currently stellajane and Wrensong - so if they don't respond I'm sure they won't mind a pm?

Heavens at 49 you haven't yet reached the average age of natural menopause - so in your position I would want to continue this as long as possible and not stop ie keep the oestrogen flowing into your body - especially if you are post-menopausal? I don't know the stats on outcomes ie bone turnover following cessation of HRT and for how long the benefits are maintained but definitely not for life! Once oestrogen declines again bone turnover will increase. That's not to say you haven't already benefited though for the years you've been taking it.

Hurdity x

[Wrensong]

Hi Peacegirl, sorry to hear you are having probs balancing HRT with thyroid meds.  It's usually said that only oral oestrogen interacts but like you, I've found my thyroid meds have needed adjusting on transdermal as well.  That said, it should be possible to combine the two, but fine tuning while you find your best fit will likely require more frequent TFTs than the NHS is sometimes willing to approve.  Personally I'm persevering, trying to find a regimen that controls my menopause symptoms more effectively, but my thyroid is currently pretty well controlled on my current combo of T4/T3 & I'm lucky to have great support from a very good Endocrinologist who oversees both thyroid & HRT for me & is willing to work with me long term.

If your thyroid is still functioning to a degree as you say, I wonder whether this perhaps more than HRT interaction, could be why you are experiencing fluctuations in your thyroid hormone levels.  I was told years ago by my then Endo that those of us with some remaining functioning thyroid (me too) are the hardest to treat, the gland sputtering on producing in an erratic manner.  I certainly found peri & the initial years postmenopause very difficult, with life-wrecking symptoms exacerbated by the thyroid condition. 

I understand your feeling that stopping HRT could make the thyroid situation simpler & if that's what you really want you could try & see how you feel.  If after a reasonable time to settle from any withdrawal effects, your menopause symptoms are more problematical than your current situation, you could always go back on HRT. 

I would just say in terms of menopause symptom control that I've found my body copes better with the continual release of patches than with spikes from gel.  I know over time gel is said to build to constant levels, but I wonder whether those of us with thyroid conditions whose homoeostasis is chronically compromised, need our sex hormone levels to be very steady indeed for best symptom management & overall optimal health.

Will stopping nullify the benefits for my bones/brain/anything else? I.e. do I need it for life to ensure these benefits?

My understanding is that protective effects for bone decline once HRT is stopped, but I think the other benefits you mention are still somewhat hotly debated between those authorities in favour & those more cautious about risk!

I hope whatever you decide you soon start to feel much better.  Please let us know how you get on.
Wx