Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jube]

I want to stop taking HRT for a while to see how I feel without it. I've been taking elleste duet and then novofem for about 4 years. Is it okay just to stop ? Or should I wean myself off gradually ?

[Jube]

Can anyone help/advise?

[bear]

Hi Jube,

I can't advise on HRT specifically, but many other drugs are best weaned off gradually. I'm sure other members will help you as soon as they read your thread. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?

BeaR.

[Dotty]

Hi Jube

I think you can do it either way. I think I'd be inclined to do it gradually though x

[Sgtvhilts]

Yep,
I'd go with Dotty.  You can do it which ever way you fancy, like any meds.  If you wean off it will be no doubt a 'gentler' experience,but take longer.  No one can call it in terms of how you feel either way.
Me- i'd probably wean, by slicing bits of my patches, but then i might get fed up and just rip them off.

[Dancing Queen]

Due to the lack of HRT patches at the moment I decided to have a go at weaning myself off HRT. When I got my last box of patches I cut them in half so they lasted 2 months. Now they have finished I am about 3 weeks with no patch at all. All ok so far fi gers crossed. Good luck!

[Hurdity]

I agree with the others - wean yourself off. It's not at all dangerous to stop suddenly but your symptoms could come back with a bang and therefore appear more severe if you do. The last research I read a few years back showed that weaning of gradually or stopping suddenly had no effect on whether or not symptoms ( flushes and sweats?) returned - (ie if you are one who would have flushes for as long time without HRT then they may well come back) but how they came back ( or not) was affected so the research recommended stopping gradually if I recall correctly. I can try to find the paper or recommendation if you like. I think NICE also had something to say about this too? Sorry, a bit vague!

Hurdity x

[Jenna]

This is the information given on MM:

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

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies

I have been HRT free for about four months now. I can tell from my diaries that I am still experiencing the same range of symptoms that I had whilst using HRT but I believe they are less intense than they were. I never had really bad sweats but after a few weeks I noticed vaginal dryness problems and I've had a few nights where I've struggled to get to sleep. I've also had times when I've felt okay and even pretty good on occasion which is always a welcome relief!

I've decided to continue without HRT until I reach the six month mark and review then however I've added a non oestrogenic vaginal moisturiser to treat the VA.

Wishing everyone well.

K.

[Hurdity]

i don't think it is good advice to say that it isn't ‘dangerous' to stop HRT suddenly. Define dangerous. Hurdity, do you have any evidence to support your statement?
I have read that going cold turkey can increase your chance of heart attack.

Sorry Birdy I should have said "as far as I know" - I mean pretty much everything I say should have that qualifier! I haven't come across anything that suggests it's dangerous to stop suddenly - no evidence at all sorry  ! Please do post up the info you've read about and the link. This wouild be really helpful! You asked me to define dangerous but I didn't use the word so perhaps I should ask what you mean? It would indeed be worrying if that risk has been established and would need wider publicity.

Thanks for the link Jenna - nothing said on there about this, so if evidence accumulates that it can be dangerous to stop suddenly this would need to be reflected in the advice on this website I presume...

Kathleen - your post popped up as I was posting - pleased to hear your symptoms are diminishing but not good about the VA, nor the lack of sleep .

All the best and in haste!

Hurdity x

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I meant to say in my last post that I came off HRT gradually by stopping the Utrogestan first and then reducing the Oestrogel over two to three weeks. I didn't have any problems with spotting etc but as I said earlier I did develop VA so the HRT had definitely been helping there.
 
Hurdity -  thanks for your comments. I feel I can manage the VA at the moment but the tiredness is not great and probably not helping my mood swings!


Take care all.

K.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Stellajane - I know what you mean about somethings don't seem to change much at all no matter what you do! I was even wondering if my symptoms have become milder or if that is just wishful thinking. It was almost a relief to experience VA problems for the first time because that was undeniable proof that my HRT had made an impact and that without it my hormone levels had definitely declined further. Keeping a diary of symptoms is very useful but it can cause you to obsess about every little twinge especially if, like me, you are desperate to see some progress.

I think I recall you saying that all your symptoms returned quite quickly on the occasions that you gave up? If so maybe the fact that mine haven't fully returned to pre HRT days is a hopeful sign and one that will reassure other ladies who want to take a break from their HRT regimes.

Wishing you well.

K.

[Hurdity]

Sorry Hurdity, not wishing to fall out or owt, but you did use the word dangerous!
I cannot recall where I read that stopping HRT suddenly is potentially bad for the heart. It may have been Jane Lewis on the VA facegroup site.

LOL!! Birdy of course I wouldn't want to fall out - I try not to fall out with anyone if I can possibly help it while being vociferous when I feel the urge and necessity!!! 

Go slowly. I believe going cold turkey can be a bit dangerous. But I could be wrong.

However just to finally clarify - I used the word "dangerous" not because it occurred to me out of the blue to do so - but repeating back your words above  ie you said "can be a bit dangerous" and I replied that it's not at all dangerous!! I would still be interested in any info you can find on this!

Hello again ladies.

Stellajane - I know what you mean about somethings don't seem to change much at all no matter what you do! I was even wondering if my symptoms have become milder or if that is just wishful thinking. It was almost a relief to experience VA problems for the first time because that was undeniable proof that my HRT had made an impact and that without it my hormone levels had definitely declined further. Keeping a diary of symptoms is very useful but it can cause you to obsess about every little twinge especially if, like me, you are desperate to see some progress.

I think I recall you saying that all your symptoms returned quite quickly on the occasions that you gave up? If so maybe the fact that mine haven't fully returned to pre HRT days is a hopeful sign and one that will reassure other ladies who want to take a break from their HRT regimes.

Wishing you well.

K.

Kathleen - last time I stopped completely - which admittedly was 9 years ago now (eek!) - symptoms didn't come back immediately ie the next week or two but by 3 months they had all come back and worse (with symptoms that I hadn't had when I went on it - presumbaly because by that time I was post-menopause so had never experienced the whole range of symptoms). I was a mere youngsert at 57 then though so maybe it would be different now. However with osteoporosis in the family I want to continue as long as I feasibly can.

It is of course a personal decision and obviously stopping your 60's you will have had longer to experience the benefits of oestrogen and less time ahead to be in a hypo-oestrogenic state!


Hurdity x

[Joney]

I stopped cold turkey 3 months ago. A week or so of feeling a bit weird but I feel better off HRT. The only exception is some VA, like Kathleen, after a few weeks appearing like a UTI but with no actual infection. Vagifem seems to have sorted that out thankfully.  I'm 54 and was on HRT for a year. I think I may just be through the hormonal storm now and have been lucky that it didn't go on for years. HRT was right for me at the time but apart from the Vagifem I don't see a reason to take systemic HRT at the moment. If things go downhill though I would have no hesitation in starting it again.