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Author Topic: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?  (Read 2061 times)

pricey

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Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« on: August 13, 2019, 08:53:49 AM »

Hello all,

I'm at the end of my tether. I'm now bleeding practically every day on Evorel 50. I'm also having some breakthrough flushes.  I'm miserable with it. GP trying to push the Mirena with Oestrogel. I really don't want the coil. Given the supply issues for Evorel and Femoston and Elleste Duet (all of which I've tried) I feel like I might as well quit. I might have less bleeding. I still think my cycle is kicking in despite being 54. I've been on HRT of various kinds since the age if 50. I don't know if this constant bleeding is because the levels of hormones aren't right, or just me. I have had regular smears and also a full uterine scan and there were no concerns,  so this really is hormonal.
So, if I do wean off HRT, what's the best way to approach it?

Thanks for your help xx
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westie

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2019, 09:24:40 AM »

Hi  Pricey

So sorry to hear you are having so many problems. I am new to the HRT lark so am by no means an expert. The only thing I would say is that with Oestrogel you do have the ability to Co troll the dose yourself which might help with the in balance of hormones that seem to be causing your bleeding.

As I say I am no expert and there are lots of lovely ladies on here who know far more than me. Am sure they will be along shortly to help you.

Big hugs

W x
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Taz2

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2019, 09:34:08 AM »

Hi Pricey. What progesterone are you using or do you mean Evorel Sequi or Evorel Conti?

Taz x
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sheila99

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2019, 09:37:51 AM »

Are you on a conti or sequi regime? If conti I would try sequi so you can get it in sync with your cycle. No reason to think you're meno because you're 54, I'm still peri at 57. I like gel because I can vary the dose and cycle length depending on what my body is doing. Why do you not want mirena? Just curious as I'm considering it for when I'm meno, while in peri I prefer to know when I will bleed. Sorry can't answer your question as I'm still on HRT.
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juliemargaret

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2019, 09:47:21 AM »

Hi pricey - bless you. I feel you. Im.same. peri and in alterbate day utro and had 6 bleeds since started  14 weeks ago. Im.on 2 half pumps.estrogel....are u on a cycle or  continuous? If conti could be same as me...and our own cycles kicking in..as well as breakthrough bleeds!! I was waiting until 1st septembet to try a cycle...which im.NOT looking forward to.

Sheila99....also peri.arent u...how are u finding sequi? X
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pricey

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2019, 10:12:28 AM »

Hi all, I'm on the Sequi. I've done my best to tie it in with my cycle,  nothing works. I don't want the coil because my sister had it and did really badly. We are so similar in terms of periods, menopause, etc, I don't want to risk it.

For those of you who use gel how do you know when to vary the dose and what progesterone do you use?

Thanks for listening xx
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Jari

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2019, 12:01:09 PM »

Hi pricey,

If you've been on hrt already a few years then I would definitely come off it. It doesn't sound like it's doing you any good.
I had a horrible time on the gel and ditched it after 2 months. It made me really anxious and couldn't breathe. Was advised to come off it immediately.

If I were you, given that you've already been on hrt some years, just half what you're doing over a couple of weeks and then stop... Give it at least 3 months for your body to realign itself and then see how you go.
I'm doing the menopause the natural way now and it feels so much better and natural. My body definitely didn't agree with giving it added foreign hormones..

You may well be through the worst part of your menopause now anyway so your symptoms will probably have calmed down a lot, but if you're adding these hormones you won't be able to know where you're at naturally.

Do you know when you had your last natural period? X
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pricey

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2019, 12:26:34 PM »

Hi Jari, thanks for replying. Yes my last natural period was a couple of weeks ago. Some months I only get a light withdrawal bleed, other months I get my period (I can tell) and two weeks later a withdrawal bleed. About 3 months ago the withdrawal bleeds started coming earlier, i.e. at the start of the combined patches. All in all it means the last two months I've bled more days than not!

 >:(

X
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Dotty

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2019, 12:37:58 PM »

Hi it could be that you are not absorbing from the patch and gel might be better.

The progesterone you can take with the gel is called Utrogestan. I use Oestrogel and Utrogestan and I have no problems.

You could come off hrt and find that you feel much better or you may feel a lot worse. X
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Jari

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2019, 12:55:13 PM »

Ok pricey, so you're still having natural periods.. so still in peri..

I think, if I were you, considering you're not getting along with hrt and you've been taking it some years already, I'd give your body a break.

Just come off it and make a diary. Get a notebook and each week, make notes as to any changes, better or worse.

Give it at least 3 months for all the foreign hormones to get out of your system and then a good 6 months to really see what stage you're at. It would be good for you to know that and then decide what to do. You may find that the symptoms are no-where near as bad as years ago when you started hrt, which would be great and you could leave it all behind you... xx

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sheila99

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2019, 01:46:36 PM »

Can you tell when you've ovulated and are starting your own production of prog? If you can then try starting the hrt prog at the same time. My periods have have always been 5-6 weeks so I start utro when my body starts (mucus followed by sore boobs for me). If no signs (as I miss some cycles now) I start it at 4 weeks to give me a 6 week cycle. The only time I had a 28 day cycle was in early-mid peri. It sounds as though either you are having short cycles or you body is out of step with the hrt cycle. I find life much better when they are in sync! I started on evorel too and had problems because there is no flexibility with cycle length.
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pricey

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2019, 03:26:23 PM »

Hi Sheila,  yes i can tell when I'm ovulating those months that I do. The Oestrogel used as you describe sounds like a plan, although whether my GP will agree ...
But I'm still tempted to come off and at least see where I am. My worry is I work long hours as a support worker and if the withdrawal is hard I will struggle. That said, I'm struggling with erratic but persistent bleeding ...

Thanks for weighing in with ideas x
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sheila99

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #12 on: August 13, 2019, 07:21:59 PM »

Perhaps try half a patch and see if you feel better or worse? Your decision of course but I think you might need more oestrogen not less as you're getting flushes. I came out in a rash under the patch so had to change to gel and I'm so glad I did. On patches I bled at any time of the month, sometimes twice a month but it was always normal 5 day bleeds rather than continuously so perhaps not the same as you? Forgot to say if I bleed before I've finished the 12 days utro I stop using it so the hrt stays in step.
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pricey

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2019, 05:59:00 PM »

Thanks Sheila. I've wondered about oestrogen levels. I like the sound of Oestrogel but not sure I like the sound of utrogestan. Is there an alternative progesterone route?

Xx
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sheila99

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Re: Please help! Should I come off HRT? If so, how best to do it?
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2019, 09:54:11 PM »

Provera or mirena seem to be the other options. Provera can suit people who don't get on with utro but utro has the advantage that it can be used vaginally. You can get a distorted picture on here because you hear from people who have trouble with it, most are absolutely fine.
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