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[Blue Kingfisher]

Hi all,

I’ve struggled with HRT (you name it, I’ve tried it) for 10 years now. Enough! I’m so fed up with feeling awful so I just stopped it 8 days ago. I weaned it down to three quarters of a 50mcg patch but still felt dreadful and decided to just stop so I didn’t have to go on the dreaded progesterone again. So far, I’ve felt much better than I have in ages but, obviously I’m anticipating fairly horrendous withdrawal to kick in any minute. All that’s happened so far is night flashes and insomnia. This is getting worse over the past couple of days, admittedly, but I had this often on HRT too!

I’m not sure what to expect, how long withdrawal will take, how bad it might get etc! I’ve started taking sage tablets as I’ve heard that can help with the flashing but no doubt this will take weeks to kick in (if at all) and there’s probably loads of alternative treatments I need to look into.

Any advice from anyone else doing this/been through it would be greatly appreciated 

[Blue Kingfisher]

Thank you Poppytoast, I think I’ll have to work my way through the different supplements gradually to find out what suits me best by the looks of things….Black cohosh…..do you take this on its own or with sage? Good to hear you’ve managed to find some relief 

[Kathleen]

Hello Blue Kingfisher

I completely understand where you are coming from. I started HRT in 2013 and I have experimented a lot since but the magic never happened for me.

Our stories differ in that after weaning off all HRT in 2019 I ended up restarting as a patient of Newson Health. I was prescribed ever larger doses and about a year ago I gave up on that regime and decided to find the lowest dose possible.  I am now using about 50 mcg of gel and this is controlling the night sweats, hot flushes and vaginal dryness. I would love to come off HRT altogether but my few remaining issues are making me wary of trying again.

Ages ago a GP recommended Red Clover to me and I now wish I had tried that or other alternatives.

I have recently added some vitamin and mineral supplements to my routine in the hope that correcting any deficiencies will help balance hormones.Time will tell!

I hope you find something that works for you and I look forward to reading about your success on the Alternatives section of the forum!

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[DottyD68]

Hi Blue Kingfisher,

I tried pretty much every supplement going for 7 years before finally cracking and going onto HRT. It isn't the magic bullet but has helped me manage most of my physical symptoms to varying degrees. I still take some supplements namely:-
Evening Primrose (recommended to me by the breast clinic)
Sea Buckthorn Oil for dryness
Magnesium
Along with various vitamins and minerals.

Good luck x

[jillydoll]

Wild yam from Holland and Barrett.
My SIL wore by it. She’s never been on hrt.

Good luck. 🤞🏼

[Nas]

Another one here contemplating quitting hrt. I’ve decided to start today and try my health and her supplements instead. Time will tell how it’s going to fathom out!

[SarahT]

Good luck Nas!

Am still singing d-ream, but some days it's hard.... Keeping my chin up. Love the thought of no hrt but my cyclical moods are bad enough on it.  Maybe if my natural periods ever stop I can find myself  this alternative thread.😁

Wishing you well xx

[Nas]

Hey Sarah,
How is it going?
No idea how it’s going to work out, but today I’ve removed my patch ( it was giving me period cramps).

Going to clean up my diet, reduce sugar massively and try to do a bit of exercise!

Coil is going to remain in situ.. just in case I need to go back on the oestrogen!!

Here we go….🤞🤞❤️❤️❤️

[SarahT]

Hiya Nas,

Feel quite for you!
I swear having a half decent lifestyle can only help things. Mine's pretty good but always up for an overhaul...😅

Still having good days\bad days. Worked out using a mood diary that my worse times are very much cyclical, was g.p who said it is severe pms\pmdd which often made worse during peri. Helped to get a better understanding of why I crash so badly.
So ramped up to 100 patch hoping to stop my natural cycles, therefore stop the pms side.  Feels good to have a plan.

Got so much shi*e going on I can feel overwhelmed, so assessment for therapy next week. How mad is it that hormones can do this to us? None of us deserve it.
Despite all this,feel optimistic, making the best of it whilst feel vulnerable that it may all come crashing down.

Let us know how you get on? Rooting for you Nas. 😍😍😍
Xx

[Nas]

I think having a plan is a great idea Sarah..good on you and lets hope the patch increase works!
The cyclical crashes must be brutal..at some point though, they have to stop surely? You can't remain in peri forever.

I do wonder though, whether this is it now and we just have to find a way through? I mean, HRT can only do so much and my experiences have been very up and down with a huge amount of guess work.

It is a massive challenge all of this and one I am sick and tired out.

I want to get to a place where my hormones level out and I can see exactly what symptoms I am left with and whether I need the assistance of HRT.

Thinking of you Sarah..keep in touch xx

[SarahT]

I get what you're saying there Nas, only so much tweaking and changes can do. And come with side affects of course.

Maybe it is is time for you to go for it, with the meno supplement and the coil remaining just in case.

Could be like you say, remove the hrt, see what you are left with. Maybe your body is indeed in a stronger state then you have feared.

Yeah 56 and still peri. That bloody sucks I tell you.😵

Sending you so many good wishes,  Hugs as always
X

[Nas]

Yep I hear your Sarah. You HAVE to reach menopause at some point.  It will all level out I am sure, just hang on in there!

Dreading the next few days. Wondering whether the hormonal crash will descend or whether the bladder will go awol!! Wouldn’t mind having the mirena out but can’t risk it right now.   

🌷🌷🌻 xx

[discogirl]

I will be rooting for you Nas

Take care xxx

[Nas]

Thanks disco x

[Nas]

Oh god, I can feel myself getting grumpy already. Maybe not a good idea ripping the patch off so soon? Crap!