Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: Issy023 on March 09, 2015, 01:49:35 PM
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Hi. Am a new member and would greatly appreciate the opportunity of being able to be in touch with others, who, like myself have been on HRT for over five years and who want to remain on it longterm.
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:welcomemm:
Lots of us on here that having been using HRT for a long time.
Browse around and ask whatever you want.
Lots of support here.
Honeybun
X
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:welcomemm:
If you do a search for member 'Hurdity' you will find her detailed explanations. Also, using the menus, top of screen may be useful.
Do you have any specific worries about long-term use?
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Thank you for your response.
No, I have no specific worries other than being made to feel highly unusual in wishing to remain on HRT. At present my GP is, extremely reluctantly, agreeing to continue prescribing it for me, on the basis that I have experienced some loss of bone density and the hrt is obviously beneficial in this respect. I worry about getting my GP to agree to continuing longterm. Can they stop prescribing, against my wishes? I am extremely well and happy on HRT and have been so for the last six years. There is so much bad press about HRT and very little positive talk!
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The short answer is "no" they cannot work against your wishes.
They could advise but ultimately the choice is yours.
Your voice should be the only one heard when you wish to continue.
Unfortunately most doc's are very closed to this view and forget this.
Some on the forum have even had to change doctor which is ridiculous.
Anyway if Doc starts on this 5 year thang again just state that "the BMS advises again any arbitrary limit on how long we should use HRT. I feel well and I feel its protecting my bones better than not having it"
Don't agree to any reduction in estrogen content either as you should be on a medium HRT or above for bone issues.
:-*
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Hi Issy023
I am 59 and I've just gone back on HRT after having a one year break. It is such a relief to be able to sleep and have some energy again. I had an early menopause so I have been on and off HRT for over 20 years now. I had a break for 3 years after all the scares back in 2002 - then I had another 4 years with a mirena and oestrogel. Last autumn, after my year off HRT, I went to see a private gyane to ask advice and though he wasn't particularly pro HRT he did think I should try HRT again to enable me to carry on working. I am using Oestrogel with Utrogestan which is thought to be the safest combination particularly for the long term. I am hoping I can continue until at least my retirement in 7-8 years. I know a lady in her 80s who is still on HRT and she is amazing.
The newest guidelines do state that HRT beyond 60 is possible as the benefits often outweigh the risks for many women provided there are no health issues. A change to transdermal HRT post 60 is advised.
DG x
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Hi Issy023 :welcomemm: from me too
I'm another long term HRT user - I'm 61 and have been on it for 8 years now and my female gynae GP is happy for me to continue (although my main GP suggested I came off it because I was 60 so I went to the gynae one!).
As the others have said - those recommendations are 5 years are out of date and based on the findings of the Women's Health Initiative Study an the specialists do not now specify and end date if you are otherwise medically OK. Here is the paper where it was all set out http://min.sagepub.com/content/19/2/59 - perhaps your doc can read it :)
Have a look at the info on this site on balancing risks and benefits:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.php
You will see that under 60 the benefits generally exceed the risks and until 70 they equal them. How old are you and what type of HRT are you on? Also if you do cotninue HRT beyond 50 ears or the avergae age of menopause - it's important to make sure you are reducing disease risk in other areas of your life - re diet, weight smoking, alcohol, exercise etc.
There is a lot of information on this site so do have a read and ask us anything and hopefully someone can help you! :)
Hurdity x
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Thank you all so much for your responses. It is SO nice to be in touch with others on the same wavelength as myself!!
I am 61, in excellent health, non smoker etc.
I started taking HRT primarily due to my mood swings - probably more than six years ago now, and for the last three or four years have been on Premique low dose 0.3mg/1.5mg tablets.
I obviously need to do some reading - I shall definitely read the Womens Health Initiative Study, and I also need to read about Transdermal HRT as I am not sure what that is. (unless it is patches, which I tried but couldn't get on with)
Barring the unexpected, I would like to remain on HRT for the forseeable future. Life without it would be a misery! ::)
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Hi again
Transdermal HRT means patches or gel. There are combi patches ( containing oestrogen and progestogen) but you need to take a seperate progestogen with gel. Although this would be preferred in older women, I'm sure there are many in your position who have continued with this type of oral HRT post 60, and if it works for you I would be reluctant to change as this could cause some disruption and side effects.
If you are in excellent health generally, exercise well, are not overweight, have a good diet etc then you are low risk for cancers anyway, and even the absolute risks identified in the WHI study are very low.
Hurdity x
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:thankyou: Hurdity - pity some GPs don't 'get it' !
Issy - let us know how you get on!
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Thank you all so much for your input. :)
Should I perhaps be looking at changing from a conjugated estrogen to an estradiol based pill?
Also, my GP is prescribing my HRT on the basis that I need it for osteoporosis issues as I had an osteoporitic fracture two years ago - should I perhaps ask to be changed to a medium dose pill?
Has anyone any experience of changing? Any problems? Different side effects etc?
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Hi Issy
your on the right path.
If your had a fracture as you mentioned then you should be on a medium dose option or above.
Some initial studies are there for maintainance by lower levels but I'd go with the medium to doubly sure.
Obviously diet and vitamin d etc is important to cover that side of the balance too.
Its quite surprising how much we actually need per day to maintain things :)
As others have mentioned you should look to move to another estadiol based tablet.
Get comfortable with that then look to move try gel/patch/utro when your more comfortable.
No point changing to much too soon.
:-*
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Hi,
I was going to start a new post but I think this may be sort of related. Do those of you on long term HRT still have to see the Dr every 3 months? I have only been on Femoston 1/5 for three months, Prior to this my GP prescribed a high dose HRT which I only tolerated for 3 weeks before going back and asking for Femoston from the locum GP. She was reluctant to let me have the femoston as it it more expensive then Ellestre Duet. She said I may not be able to get it next time. Today I saw the original GP and said it seemed to be suiting me fairly well. She said she would "let me have it again " on an NHS prescription. Honestly - made me feel like I was asking for Heroin! She said I have go back in 3 months again. When I asked why the reason was to check my blood pressure and we don't like to keep you on HRT for too long! Even though I got what I wanted she made me feel a bit rubbish !
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:cuss: these GPs and their budgets. 'we' don't like to keep you on HRT for too long - who would 'we' be then and how long is too long? Recent reports tell us that it's OK to go beyond the 60 years previously recommended ;). It is unethical to not prescribe something that is available and recommended by NICE so telling you that 'not be able to get it next time' >:(.
3 months is usually to check that the patient is faring well and a BP check is OK after than ::) ……. no wonder our Surgeries are full :bang: …….. I would suggest that I sent an e-mail letting the GP know how I am on this regime ;-)
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Don't get me started again :hotflash: :beat:
GPS I haven't ever had so much problems with them as in the last year when our surgery was taken over by a medical company from Birmingham 100 miles away !
I probably be struck off they list before I'm finished ;D
It's all about money now I don't know what happened to that oath they used to take !!
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Hi,
I am new here so wouldn't dream of giving advice and I'm constantly searching for answers myself but just popped in to say I've been on oestrogen since I was 33, and I'm now 48.
I am having hormone problems now and seeing a gp Thursday xx
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Hi kimmyfish
It is not usual to have to see a doctor every 3 months when you are a long term HRT user - but I would have thought it was good practice initially - to see how you are getting on generally as CLKD says.
I think mine is every 6 months or maybe a year - I order my prescrptions online anyway and they never ask me to come in. I tend to go along to discuss things now and again anyway so they see then whether a review is overdue or not.
You have a right to the HRT you choose provided there is no medical reason why not and you can justify your reasons eg Femoston contains a progestogen most similar to our own progesterone and is least androgenic (like testosterone). They can't argue with that!
Hurdity x
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Even if you have a medical problem you can have HRT.
As long as amy problem is monitored and treated to control things then there is no reason anyone of us should be denied HRT.
:-*
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Here are the contraindications to HRT as listed on this site:
Pregnancy
Undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding
Active or recent blood clot or myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Suspected or active breast or endometrial (womb) cancer
Active liver disease with abnormal liver function tests
Porphyria cutanea tarda
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/contraindications.php
These are the sorts of medical reasons I was referring to - mind you I haven't heard of the last one ;D
Hurdity x