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[JoannFran]

Good morning everyone, happy Friday.

Just wondering if anyone on here had stopped HRT cold turkey with any success? (Or not). I feel like it’s not ever really worked that well for me (with the exception on Testosterone which I will keep using).   Thought it might be best to have a break from it and see if I actually need it or not (or maybe I just need a lower dose).  At least that way I’d know what’s actual peri symptoms.
Thank you so much x

[CLKD]

Morning.  Who is over seeing your current regime?  It may well depend on why you began HRT as well as how long you have been using it.  Which symptom did you want to ease initially?

[sheila99]

People have done it both ways and it doesn't seem to make much difference to whether they can stay off it or not. How much are you on? Personally I'd go for lowering the dose and see how you are. The other potential problem is whether they will continue to prescribe testosterone if you're not on hrt.

[DottyD68]

HRT has never been the magic bullet for me and although it did/does alleviate some symptoms starting in perimenopause is like a lottery. Trying to get the balance right while your own hormones are wildly fluctuating is like playing darts in the dark.

I found I'd get a reasonable balance fir a couple of months then things would change yet again, so was constantly tweaking it.

I decided to come off it for a trial period to see where I was. I gradually reduced it over a few months and actually felt my best with 1 pump of gel and 200 utro 14 days.

The 1st month off HRT I feel fine,/good however symptoms soon came back in month 2 and 3 until I couldn't bear it any longer. I'm still not sure if they were the result of a stressful time of caring for my F-I-L at end of life and the run up to Christmas which I never enjoy.

I started a new regime of Evorel 50 conti (due to my age - nearly 56) although I'm still not convinced I'm officially at menopause. Many of my physical symptoms are settled at the mo but low mood and anxiety are proving hard to deal with.

I think it was a useful exercise to have a break from it.

[Emma]

See our page Stopping HRT:

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/stopping.php

[Kathleen]

Hello JoannFran

I stopped all HRT a few years ago to see where I was naturally. I did it gradually as I thought that would be gentler on my system.  After stopping everything I felt about the same, no better but no worse either. However as the weeks went on various issues that I had forgotten about reappeared. The thing that made me want to try HRT again was the emotional stuff. I would literally burst into tears at random times and I began to avoid people because I was embarrassed.

I believe that HRT is helping with that a little but I still experience mood changes and tearfulness every day. I am post meno and on a lowish dose to avoid bleeding.

I still think it is a good idea to see how you are without HRT as you may not need it anymore but perhaps prepare for a bumpier ride if you do it cold turkey.

Take care.

K.

[Penguin]

I think whether you can stop it cold turkey will depend on how high a dose you are on currently. Personally I wouldnt advise that approach.
I am just stopping for a reset but was only on one pump. I reduced to half a pump for 8 days and am now two days into no E at all. So far I only have sore finger joints.
 Last two times I tried to stop from a low dose I gave up after a week or less, so it may be worth doing some kind of taper and see how you feel.

[CLKD]

Many seem confused about whether they are 'into menopause'.  Peri-menopause are those years when The Change begins: periods may wax and wane; hot flushes, anxiety, aches and pains as hormones dip. 

Menopause is literally the last period - we are advised 2 count 12-18 months after the last bleed, however light it was, to decide if we are into menopause.  Some may continue with symptoms so continue with HRT if it's helping.  Others like myself, don't have symptoms apart from 4 some, vaginal atrophy 

I understand that some regimes can cause breakthrough bleeding. 

[Northerngirl]

Hi, I've tried both ways and to be honest the result was the same....I'm ok without HRT.
This last time I went cold turkey due to bleeding and thickening of the womb, I knew I'd be told to stop due to investigations so I just stopped. I was probably more emotional than usual but I was also anxious with everything that was happening.
After nearly 5 months now...I will never go back on it. I don't think I ever got the combination right anyway, so never felt great on it ...some things improved but some didn't.
Everyone is different aren't they and what suits one doesn't necessarily suit the other. Like DottyD68 says it's not always a magic bullet.
You can always go back on HRT if you need to.

[JoannFran]

Thank you all so much. That’s so helpful. I’m on 100 patches and 200mg utro for 2 weeks (plus the testosterone, which I get privately anyway so that won’t be a problem to carry on with).

I think I’ll reduce to 75 for a couple of weeks and then down to 50 (and if it’s horrendous I can always go back up).

It hasn’t been the magic bullet for me either unfortunately and I’m starting to think that I’m feeling worse now than I did before (could also need more but I’m reluctant to increase as I seem to be very ‘reactive’ to estrogen. And before HRT I was always best when on my period (im guessing because the hormones were the lowest then).  Xx

[sheila99]

Good strategy imo. This way you'll also find out if you feel better on a lower dose.

[Penguin]

Gosh yes defo taper down in that case. Same here actually, I always feel better when I stop the progesterone and get my bleed. Both high E and then the massive dose of utrogestan that is required effects me. 16 months and I've not been able to get it right.
Good luck, keep updating as you reduces I've just started flax and sea buckthorn oil powder on my porridge to give me some natural E and help prevent dryness. So perhaps add some natural things in as you reduce?

[CLKD]

It mayB that you don't require such a high dose.   Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.

[DottyD68]

The difficulty starting HRT during the perimenopause on a sequi regime is that you never really know if your expected monthly bleeds are periods or withdrawal bleeds from stopping the progesterone for 2 weeks.

I started HRT so that my own periods synced with the withdrawal timeframe. This synced for the first few months and then started getting bleeds (albeit quite dry dark bleeds) during the progesterone 2 weeks. I assumed that these were "breakthrough" bleeds (i.e. my own cycle overriding the HRT) but discovered latterly that they could be caused  if I wasn't absorbing the progesterone - which was a new one on me. I last had a bleed in August (so less than 12 months ago) but don't know if that was my own or the HRT. The medics are very keen on the "you are 55 therefore you MUST be menopausal therefore you MUST be on a conti regime". I am not so convinced and I know there are a few "older" perimenopausal ladies on here too.

The "one size fits all" approach to HRT is so far off the mark and in my experience most GPs don't have the time and knowledge to look at personalising it for each individual. We all know our own bodies and I have taken the approach to try and learn as much about it as possible and find what helps best. I am still learning 

[Taz2]

See our page Stopping HRT:

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/stopping.php

Thanks Emma

Taz