Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Keep On Swimming]

Is that like saying "How long is a piece of string"? 

Is there a cut off point where they say, "Right, no more for you!"?

I'm just curious, because there doesn't seem to be a standard rule. Most women stay on it for a very long time, right?

Thanks.

[CLKD]

Piece of string ....... depends on your Health Authority as well as the GPs personal beliefs.  One can stay on HRT for ever if it suits and eases symptoms.  Over a certain age some HRT regimes may need to be discussed at length to decide if risks are likely.

[Ljp]

Ideally for life! We will never make oestrogen again post menopause, so will always suffer the effects of low oestrogen without HRT

[CLKD]

I don't suffer.  Yet.  I think that mine dropped more gently than some experience, it seems for the time being to have reached it's own level.  Once dropped though and periods stop: some symptoms may continue.

[VanillaLover]

I’m hoping that post meno I will be able to stop it.

Sometimes I feel normal during the “month” - I say that loosely as they’ve gone so haywire it’s hard to tell any more. And sometimes I have every symptom under the sun.

 I strongly suspect for me it’s the fluctuations that are causing the problems. I skipped a period for the first time ever over summer and felt OK during that time - not amazing but stable. No big swings.

I’m hoping that’s what will happen when my hormones stabilise finally. Fingers crossed!

[sheila99]

The nhs used to have a cut off point at 60 but now there is no age limit. I intend to stay on it forever.

[Mary G]

As long as you like.   Once you are settled on an HRT regime that suits you there is no reason to stop.   I'm now on what I call a low dose, maintenance regime.

[Taz2]

You used to have to stop HRT after five years which was awful for many women. I have been on it for fifteen years (aged 68 now) and intend to stay on it for the rest of my life if possible. I am lucky in that I've had a hysterectomy so I don't need progesterone which lowers the breast cancer risk. Although once post meno the more emotional symptoms - mood swings etc - do die away (mostly) the lack of oestrogen within the body will continue to be felt by some women and it is now known that oestrogen is important for our overall health. I have friends who have never been on HRT, as they didn't suffer much in the way of hot flushes, mood swings, depression, but now don't put their tiredness, dry skin, bladder problems down to menopause at all as they think that was "years ago". Everyone is different of course.

Taz x