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[stellajane]

I'd really like to hear your positive experiences, though I realise most people who have them will already have moved on.

Was there anything you did/took to ease the transition?

Did it in the end turn out to be a lot simpler than you'd anticipated, or was it horrendous?

[Jari]

Hi stellajane. I did not take hrt for very long, but I have only had a positive experience since coming off it.

I'm not sure how much it matters whether you've taken it for a long time or not re the transition.

I came off mine overnight and then everything just got better and better.

I take a multi for women over 40 (viridian) and omega 3 vegan capsules. Also magnesium in the evening. Again Viridian.

Are you off it yet? Are you stopping gradually or over night?

[Hurdity]

Hi stellajane - you might want to also post in the main section as I imagine there will be some very helpful posts about how to come off and how people felt with different ways of doing it. I am also interested in this as I am sure I will try to come off once more at some point as I get more and more fed up each cycle with the progesterone and the bleed - not fun in your 60's as you know. We've both been doing this a long time!

The only time I tried to come off it was a sudden stop - basically ripped off a (Evorel) conti patch (my first after trying to change to conti HRT after cyclical HRT) in disgust because I got a migraine the day after I started it, and it was the progesterone withdrawal migraines from the cyclical HRT that led my doc to suggest the conti. So I went from 50 mcg to zero. Nothing for a few weeks but the symptoms just crept back - the flushes began to appear, and then the night sweats and then I got symptoms that I hadn't had before starting HRT - like lower back ache and pelvic pain. Also the menopausal acne/rosacea/hot itchy patches or whatever it was started coming back on my cheeks. Really not pleasant - all of these symptoms disappeared when I went back onto it.

Also when I tried to reduce (from 50 to 37.5) after doc suggested my dose was too high after I turned 60 - again after a few weeks even this small decrease led to my getting warm and restless at night so I went back up to 50 and all was OK again. I've never given it long enough to see if the symptoms subside or not - mainly because I was working in a demanding role where I needed to be on the ball and give out lots of energy, so mopping my brow and flaking out just didn't come into it. I'm retired now but still that state of being does not appeal - even going through it for say 9 months!

I really dread the thought of stopping and don't know when I'm going to take the plunge but I may wait until I'm 70 if I live that long. Whatever happens I plan to do it very gradually starting with reducing the testosterone (but also can't face the thought of all those aches and pains again) and then the oestrogen - and I will be glad to see the back of the progesterone.

You are brave for taking this step so all the best with it. Be sure to let us know - and in the main menopause board where more members will see your posts! I will be very interested to read how you get on!

Hurdity x

[Jari]

I was taking the gel too, though only 2 months.

Have you already stopped taking it? It's about the lowest dose I suppose so the level will take a shorter time to balance I imagine?!

My hot flushes did return after about 2 months but I was expecting that. They are no-where like they were before though.

I also have reduced my weight so I am not sure if that has anything to do with it.

My bmi was at the higher end of recommended bracket and is now less. Still getting that down a bit more. X

[bear]

Hi stellajane,

I cannot contribute much to your thread, I had been on Estradot patches and Utrogestan for just 4 months, enough to get suicidal though. I stopped it immediately and foggy head and awful thoughts went away in a couple of days, very fast response to hormones I suppose! I hope you are way past the hormonal withdrawal syndrome window (caused by downregulation of the oestrogen receptors genes) and will be just fine.

BeaR.

[Sparrow]

I can't help as I have never been on HRT, but good luck on your journey.

[Alua197]

Hi
I had an horrifc forray into peri and ended up on all sorts of poisons that nearly killed me. I weaned off the hrt i had been taking for over 4 years just over 5 months ago. I weaned for 3 months by cutting my pills down. All drugs that affect.the brain should be slowly reduced imo. Well i was petrified but i am fine. I have had one severe hot flush and get some hot feet on occasion and some other symptoms that come and go. I stopped the hrt as had terrible anxiety and depression and also was getting frequent migraine with aura. I have not had one migraine since being off and the anxiety has reduced by 75 percent along with the depression. I am all for hrt but i do think there are a lot of ladies that are made worse by hrt. I have talked to a few in person. I think for me initially it worked wonders but then it actually made me worse. You are on a super low dose so hopefully the transition will be easier. Xxx

[Rosie63]

Hi Stellajane.  I remember you replying to my post on the same subject earlier in January.  I wish I could pass on my positive experience of trying to give up but unfortunately, I only managed 16 days before I started to feel unwell again.  I'm really struggling with the whole HRT thing because I find the side effects from taking it are as bad as the symptoms when I don't take it.  Sometimes I get really scared because I can't face years ahead of feeling like this.  I was on Prempak C for many years with no problems so I just don't understand why I haven't been able to find something else that suits me over the last 2+ years 😞. I wish I could just get my hands a month's worth of Prempak so that I could see if they still worked for me or whether I would have been like this anyway !


However, this is only my experience and you may find that when you come off of it, you will be perfectly fine.....I really hope so.  I will be interested to hear how things go for you so please keep us posted.

Good luck 🤞

Rosie63 xx

[Jari]

Stellajane, sorry you had a bad night. My hot flushes did return after a few weeks, but they have become less and less over the last year. I imagine the hrt drugs you were taking will need some time to get out of your system properly and then your body will need to readjust and your own hormones will need some time to hopefully balance. I see your sisters have had a rough time with this, but 'that's not to say that your hormones wont balance ok. ?! I do think you need to give it at least a few months though to get a real idea.

Alua i had a very similar experience. My body reacted very badly to the adding of the hormone mix. I would really like to know exactly what is in these drugs. On my packet it says each pump contains 0.75mg of Estradiol. After my bad experience I asked the next gynae I saw, how exactly is this made and she said it is plant based and mostly yams. I can not imagine I would have that reaction to yams. I would really like to know exactly how they make it and if it is just yams or if there is something else added. It is very interesting and I, like you have not looked back since stopping hrt.

[Rosie63]

Crikey Stellajane, your sister deserves a medal for suffering all those years but I guess she hasn't had much choice.  I have to admit I have thought about trying AD's. The doctor did prescribe Sertraline which I have here so that is still an option.  I just don't see how they will work though if it's lack of oestrogen 'that's causing my symptoms. 

Sorry to hear you had a rough night.  It sounds as though you could be similar to me in that it doesn't take very long at all for symptoms show themselves after stopping😏

Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.

Rosie xx

[Jari]

Hi Stellajane 'that's great you are determined to give it up at least 6 months. That should allow things to settle a bit.

I know what you mean, maybe I am allergic to yams! 

Keep posted how you get on and I really hope things will be ok for you this time! X

[Hurdity]

Alua i had a very similar experience. My body reacted very badly to the adding of the hormone mix. I would really like to know exactly what is in these drugs. On my packet it says each pump contains 0.75mg of Estradiol. After my bad experience I asked the next gynae I saw, how exactly is this made and she said it is plant based and mostly yams. I can not imagine I would have that reaction to yams. I would really like to know exactly how they make it and if it is just yams or if there is something else added. It is very interesting and I, like you have not looked back since stopping hrt.

Hi Stellajane 'that's great you are determined to give it up at least 6 months. That should allow things to settle a bit.

I know what you mean, maybe I am allergic to yams! 

Keep posted how you get on and I really hope things will be ok for you this time! X

Jari - I realise this is a bit off topic for stellajane's thread asking for experiences of stopping HRT those who have been on HRT for some time but just as an aside wanted to pick up on your point re what HRT contains and about yams.

All the added ingredients are listed on the leaflet as well as the dose of estradiol. The gel does not contain yams nor any residue of it. The estradiol used to make the gel is a pure crystallised chemical manufactured from whatever is used to start the process off eg yams and soy and it bears no resemblance to the original raw material.

Stellajane - hope your weekend was OK body temperature-wise...

Hurdity x

[Jari]

Thanks Hurdity.

It is interesting isn't it. My leaflet just says Estradiol which as you say initially comes from yams.

Given my breathing difficulty whilst taking it, I am really curious as to how they make the finished gel product to cause that reaction.

I am possibly allergic to whatever it is and from my leaflet, it says to stop immediately with breathing problems, chest pain and arm and neck pain etc. This is because it may be causing a blood clot so it is of course very important for people to know, should they get these symptoms, they must come off it immediately.

J x

[dangermouse]

Jari, it may not even be the fillers but the oestrogen itself.

Oestrogen is a stimulant and in its exogenous form it may simply overstimulate your nervous system which could cause both panic symptoms, which can feel as if you cant breathe, and/or be perceived as a poison by your brain.

The fact it's bio-identical can make it extra potent compared to, say, ethyl oestrogen in the pill. The purest drugs can have the strongest reactions!

I was fine if took the pill but when I tried Estradiol and Qlaira I felt poisoned and overwhelmed, even with tiny amounts.

[kdee69]

I just wanted to say, I'm loving this thread. I feel like I've landed here at exactly the moment I need. I'm on two pumps and I'm going to see whether I can drop to one , maybe one x1 day, 2 x another at first and then just one , then half etc etc. My flushes haven't really been bad , just a night time thing but the emotional aspect when not in it was horrific. Paranoia, anger,rage, depression and so on. I?ll be able to tell pretty quickly if they come back.