Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: skkb on February 03, 2016, 12:35:41 PM
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We chatted, I stated my case on how dreadful the last year off HRT had been. He readily agreed that I should resume my HRT as previously which was Sandrena gel 0.5mg three days a week, as it was a very low dose, which I had been doing for years and it was enough to stop all my symptoms. He also said that a lot of his colleagues in the medical field also thought that the risks of HRT had been overstated, of course others will disagree......this is exactly why we ladies are so confused as to the best way forward. Reading the enclosed leaflet with any medicinal products whether prescribed or over the counter is pretty scarey. So he said to use the gel each day for two weeks to get it back in my system and then drop back down to my three days. I can only hope it works and I feel as good as I did a year ago!!
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:congrats:
Great news skkb and hope you feel better very soon!!! This gives us all hope!! What progestogen do you use?
Hurdity x :)
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Micronor which has always been ok for me.....hope my body is feeling happier in a couple of weeks time😊
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That's really good news skkb.
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At last you can move forwards! DON'T read the leaflet ;)
Let us know how you get on! Maybe keep a mood/food diary will give you an idea as to how it's working!
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Good idea....will do that and definitely NOT reading the leaflet 😀
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Great news!! :)
This is encouraging news as well, that doctors are willing to prescribe if we so wish to continue. Quality of life is what its all about.
Well done and hope you feel much better soon :)
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That's interesting Stellajane, how long do you take the estrogen for and then how long do you stop it for.....would like to perhaps try that myself at a later date. Yes I do take progesterone but don't have a bleed....not sure why, assume it's because it's a low dose of both estrogen and of progesterone!!
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skkb, that's very good news. It sounds like the penny has finally dropped with some doctors, perhaps they need to think more about all the health problems caused by low oestrogen rather than the overstated and unsubstantiated "dangers" of using HRT.
I'm sure you will feel better very soon!
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Quality of Life Girls: Quality of Life ;)
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Agree MaryG. My Mum hadca surgical menopause at only 42 and only took HRT for a few months afterwards. Fast forward 10 years and her then GP congratulated her on doing without HRT 'much better and safer'. Fast forward another few years and she shattered her wrist in a fall, and was left with limited mobility. And now she has heart issues, needing medication and constant monitoring. So hours and hours of medical time.
How is that 'better and safer' I ask?
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Hindsight and all that ……..
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GPL, it is not better or safer, is it extremely shortsighted and I am very sorry that you mother has paid the price for that shortsightedness.
As I have said on here before, many women think they are doing well without HRT because some, my mother and myself included, don't have hot flushes or night sweats. The problem is, oestrogen deficiency very often comes back to haunt you in later life.
Looking back at my blood tests results, I can tell you that my cholestorel levels are much higher when I am not taking HRT and also my thyroid levels become decidedly borderline. They both go back to normal when I am using oestrogen. This is just one small example and I haven't even got onto the bone density issue.
If the so called experts are trying to put women off taking HRT for monetary purposes, it will fail miserably - hip replacements, oesteoporosis and heart problems will cost the NHS a fortune.
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Goodness GRL and MaryG that's so interesting , I have often wondered if money could be the issue as most surgeries are on a tight budget but as you correctly state it could come back to bite them in future years in treating many symptoms in women derived from estrogen starvation . Would be nice to be a fly on the wall 50 ahead !!
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My last attempt to reduce the dose was in 2013 summer when I reduced to 37.5 mcg patch ( from 50) after some spotting but even this small reduction for 3 months caused a return of flushes so I'm certainly not prepared to put up with those while I'm working - or rather it's the sweats and resultant insomnia that is the real killer. For me 50 mcg certainly seems to do the job ( well I've recently increased to 62.5 and that's fine too :) ). I know I will be 63 in 3 months and probably should be reducing but there's plenty of time for that (hopefully!).
Hurdity x
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Oh Hurdity after the year I've had I can't believe that just 0.5mg three times a week is enough to get rid of my symptoms......I'm no medic but assume 1.5mg per week is a low dose and I'm thinking I will use it every day for a week or so to get the levels up and then return to my old regime . I will definitely, going forward, try an HRT break to see how that goes, but for now I'm looking forward to the estrogen loving my body again and making me love life again. Thanks for all your thoughts and encouraging posts.
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Why, with the new Guidelines, even consider reducing if HRT eases symptoms? That bus might be alone in the morning ::) so why 'waste' time thinking that you ought to try stopping? One doesn't stop eating/diabetic medication/exercise :-\ age is simply a number, it shouldn't determine who we are nor what we choose to wear; it shouldn't determine what we eat nor what GPs are prepared to prescribe! After all, if we are well we don't go to the Surgery and it costs the NHS less!
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I think it's valuable to share our experiences of coming off HRT even though we're all different! I am very interested to read about what everyone's tried and how they felt. I don't think there are many of us on here who are enamoured of having to take progesterone and/or bleed for ever, but we all want to reap the benefits of oestrogen!!!
Anyway - hope it does the job skkb - do let us know!
Hurdity x :)
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I am still trying to find the balance & I have fought taking medicine but hrt helps my bladder pain. I still have aches but I think they are hormonal emotionally based. It makes me Sad that if I'm stressed my whole body hurts. I wish I was hard