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[thetimeofmylife]

Hi everyone - just joined and hoping you can all help me in the future months.  I'm 61 years old and have been on Premarin 1.25mg since my hysterectomy 24 years ago.  I have had no problems at all during this time and HRT suited me very well.  My Doctor informed me a couple of months ago that now is the time to start coming off HRT - Eeekkkk! - and we have worked out a system that we are both happy with and so far, so good!  I've had a month of Premarin 1.25 taken on alternate days to the next dose down Premarin 0.625mg.  Everything has beenas normal except a very blotchy red neck...?  Any ideas anyone?  I am now on month 2 and taking Premarin 0.625mg everyday for a month.  I've been taking this dose for a week and have started with a few headaches which is something I don't normally suffer from but other than that (and the blotchy red neck!) I feel more or less the same.  I've to go back to the Doctors at the end of this month for alternate doses of 0.625 with the lowest dose and so on.  I wondered if anyone had any experiences of weaning off Premarin?  Look forward to getting to know you all.

[KatieLiz]

My mother in law is still taking HRT 1mg (can't remember what) since a hysterectomy in her early forties. She is now 67 and has no intention of stopping HRT - I think her GP thinks this is the best safeguard against osteoporosis.

Welcome to the forum!

[Evenstar]

Hello and welcome xxx

[bramble]

Hello there. I was on Premique medium dose for about 4-5 years when my doc suggested I try the lower dose (0.3mg) one prior to stopping. I was on the 0.3mg one for about a year and then I started reducing the dose very slowly. Started with missing one tablet out of every four, then 1 out of 3, one out of 2 then took 1 tablet every 3 days and 1 tablet every 4 days then stopped. Each time I made a change I waited for 6 weeks before making another change. Everything I read said that slowly was the key and my doctor was quite happy for me to do it my way. There has been no return of symptoms at all since I stopped - a few weeks of broken sleep every time I made a change and the odd feeling of being quite warm at night but nothing major.
I think after such a long time on HRT your doctor is making too many changes too quickly. I would suggest staying on the medium dose (0.6mg) for about 3-4 months before coming down to the 0.3mg dose, again staying on that for 3-4 months before dropping to 1 out of every 4 etc etc.
Good luck,
Bramble

[Joyce]

I used to be on premarin many moons ago, but switched to gel. Changed to patches a year ago and now on lowest dose estradot. Due to other things which have happened personally in recent weeks GP says not to come off completely at this time, which I am thankful for. I guess everyone is different, but to be honest I would happily stay on my current dose if they allow it. Too scared of the flushes, sweats etc I encountered last time I came off HRT.

[thetimeofmylife]

Thanks ladies. It's always good to know how things affect other people.  Bramble - I think I may take your advice and stay on 0.625 for the full 3 month pack before dropping down to the lowest dose. I always said I would never come off HRT as it worked wonders for me personally and I literally felt like a new woman after my op and going on Premarin.  My main worry about coming off is I have mild spondylitis of the upper thoracic spine due to years of being in a 'desk' job and I'm a little scared that coming off HRT will make it worse and I end up with the dreaded 'hump' .  My Doctor has agreed to regular bone scans so I'm pleased about that. Did you or cubagirl have the blotchy red skin on your neck when you reduced your dosage?

[Taz2]

Has your doctor considered putting you onto patches which are seen to be the safer option over 60? I am 59 and have tried to come off slowly but the symptoms always come back within three months or so. My doc and the menopause clinice have explained that pill HRT would put me more at risk of stroke over the age of 60 but that patches are safer - although obviously still carrying risk.

I hope that you continue to do well on your weaning off but if, like me, your symptoms do return after around twelve weeks of no HRT then it may be worthwhile asking about a patch regime.

Taz x

[thetimeofmylife]

Taz2 - he never mentioned patches but did mention the stroke risk as I've had high blood pressure in the past although no longer on medication as it got back to normal levels this last 6 months.  Lost some weight and started doing regular walking every day which brought it down substantially.  I'll bear the patches in mind though if things don't go to plan.  Thing is, when you've had a hysterectomy early in life, 37 in my case,  it's all guess work as to whether you've come through the other side or not regarding menopause when you reach your 60's.

[Taz2]

It is difficult to know if you ever "come through menopause" to be honest. HRT often delays it so even if you are in your sixties when you come off the symptoms return. You could be one of the women who doesn't experience much in the way of symptoms anyway. If you started HRT immediately following your hyster you wont know whether you were a really bad hot flush sufferer for instance.

I started it due to the tremendous hot sweats, tiredness, muscle pain etc. and now when I try to come off the symptoms return exactly as they were before. My GP did explain this to me before she prescribed it but, in those days, I was due to retire at 60 anyway so thought I could just stay at home and sweat quietly to myself if the symptoms were still there. Now I have to work to 65 and the thought of having five years working without HRT fills me with dread.

Well done on walking to get your blood pressure down.

Taz x

[bramble]

HRT often delays it so even if you are in your sixties when you come off the symptoms return.

Not necessarily! My symptoms did not return when I came off it! We are all different and it is impossible to predict what will happen when you stop HRT. The only sure thing is to decrease the dose very gradually.

Bramble

[Taz2]

I did say "often" not "always"!

It's great that yours didn't return. How long did you take it for, if you don't mind me asking, and what age were you when you stopped. It's interesting to hear different experiences. I withdrew very gradually but it made no difference to stopping abruptly.

Taz x

[pixie]

Hi,

My friend was originally put on HRT because she started having very bad PMT and it was thought she had started the menopausal process at 45. Seven years later she came off it quite quickly. She noticed a few hot flushes but nothing untoward. She says that she wonders if she really needed it in the first place.

I am 52 next month. I started having sleep wakenings and hot flushes 4 or 5 times throughout the night when I was 49. my GP prescribed premique low dose for 3 months to 'give it a go'. I did get some relief from it, but otherwise, not much else.  As I was still perimenopausal at the time, I was concerned I was a drug for post menopause, so didn't tell my doctor, but just didn't go back for more. I then started taking soya tablets instead.  For the whole of the winter, it settled down, but then came back again in the Spring.
Then it all settled down again once my periods stopped in January.  Now I have had some gynae surgery - kept ovaries, but it has started again, the sleepless problems and hot flushes in the day. I wonder how much ovary they took when the cyst was removed!  Anyway my GP has offered it to me again, but we think it will settle down. I really don't want to go back to where I was, when I have already been through most of it - hopefully!! It seems to appear every Spring. I wonder anyone else has this, where you think its finished but then it starts again.

[Taz2]

I think that happens quite often pixie. One of my close friends is 60 and has never taken HRT. She suffered dreadfully from day and night sweats from the age of 52 to 58 when she finally felt she was "through it". Her sleep improved. She could start part time work again and her flushes had almost gone. Over the last few months all the symptoms have returned and she feels back to square one. Hormones are obviously very contrary beings!!

Taz x

[pixie]

It really does start up every April. It must be because things in life are starting to wake up, plus the bits have had a prodding from the surgeon!!
Has anyone noticed a much stiffer neck at night too?!

[thetimeofmylife]

It's the not knowing that bugs me too!  I often wonder if I needed it but I wasn't given the option after surgery.  It was a case of I had to as 37 was considered too young to start in menopause so I've never known anything but HRT since.  I'm lucky that I've never suffered night sweats although I do have hot flushes now and then but nothing too bad.  A quick dash to the door for some fresh air and within seconds, I'm back to normal. I do get what I call 'flustered' every now and then though!  I have days when I do the stupidest of things and it goes from bad to worse as the day progresses and a general lack of confidence about whether I've done things properly such as lock the door, turned the lights off, turned the oven off and the worst one of all - 'Oh no, where did I park my car?  It was there before, I'm sure it was!" and general panic sets in!!!