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Coming off HRT

Posted , 5 users are following.

aabb
aabb

I have been taking HRT for nearly 3 years but I was told by my gyno  that I have to come off it because I now have osteopenia. I decided to wean myself off the HRT over 4 weeks. I now have finished taking them. Can anyone tell me if I will have any problems now that I am off them? And how long does it take your body to know that it isn't receiving HRT?

aabb

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • froggy28
    froggy28 aabb

    Posted

    Strange I thought hrt would help osteopenia not hinder it. One if the main reasons I was put ON hrt was to prevent bone loss?
    • aabb
      aabb froggy28

      Posted

      The short story is that I have had endometriosis for years and years. Tried lots of treatments. In the end they couldn't do anymore laser treatment because of where is was so my gyno put me back on injections but I had no choice, he said, to be on HRT because of my age. This was nearly 3 years ago. So I did as I was advised. I loved having no periods and pain. It was amazing to have a better quality of life back. But last year I was getting little niggles in my pelvic area. Went back to gyno who asked if I had ever been sent for a bone scan, to which I replied no. He said I should have and sent me for a scan. It came back I have osteopenia so my gyno has told me I can't have anymore injections or HRT. I have also recently been told that some HRT's can feed endometriosis. I am very confused about it all because like you I thought that HRT was to prevent it.

      aabb

    • froggy28
      froggy28 aabb

      Posted

      Ahh I understand now as I too suffered from severe endo and went down the estrogen blocking hormone injection too (zoladex) at one point but I didn't have hrt to back it up at that time. Had one injection and felt so bad I preferred the endo pain and read about bone loss which put me off continuing. The injection is the opposite of hrt. Sometime low dose hrt is given to help. I've now had hysterectomy and oophorectomy and now take hrt to prevent bone loss etc. No endo pain for nearly a year... keeping fingers crossed that it continues. Has your Gp advised other options?
    • aabb
      aabb froggy28

      Posted

      My gyno said it could take my own body about a year to get back to normal. She said she can't tell me if it will give me bother again or not. Unfortunately I just have to sit back, wait and see! If I do have bother then she recommended the coil! Which I do not want. 

      Aabb

    • froggy28
      froggy28 aabb

      Posted

      After 1 injection it took 11 weeks for my period to start again so it will take a while. Good luck 😊
  • Jan999
    Jan999 aabb

    Posted

    I agree with froggy I can't understand why you've been advised to stop your HRT. Are you in the UK because if you are you should take a copy of the NICE Guidelines to your doctor. To answer your question though I stopped my HRT last year and within a month the menopausal symptoms returned with avengance so I'm now taking it again.
    • aabb
      aabb Jan999

      Posted

      I have left a comment for groggy regarding my problem. Yes I am in the UK. I dread more periods and pain but I also dread menopause symptoms that will be worse. I feel so confused and annoyed by it all.

      aabb

    • Jan999
      Jan999 aabb

      Posted

      Read the newly updated National Institute of Care Excellence Guidance (NICE) which are easily available online.  I had weaned myself off the HRT I had been on since 1991 following a hysterectomy and oophorectomy because the GP who readily prescribed it retired and I was unsure if any of the other doctors in the practice would prescribe it. However the symptoms were awful and I felt tired and moody so I armed myself with the guidelines and went to see one of the GP's. I told her my symptoms and without me having to ask she gave me a prescription. Within a week I felt so much better. As far as I'm aware HRT is considered safe for women who have suffered endometriosis.
    • aabb
      aabb Jan999

      Posted

      Thank you. I will look this up.

      aabb

  • Stickinsect
    Stickinsect aabb

    Posted

    I was also advised to go on HRT because of osteopenia. I had to stop it after 3 mon the as it was great for hot flushes but it made me start having regular periods and also nuclear level PMT that was there constantly. Never had PMT before but it made me want to rip people's heads off. Trouble is the hot flushes have come back with a vengeance. Maybe I didn't need both hormones. If I wasn't having periods what should I have been on?

    I'm only 44 but in last 12 months before starting the HRT only had 1 period. No surprise as with my other chronic illnesses ravenging my body it didn't come as a shock when blood tests showed menopausal.

    Agree with aabb, it can be a minefield of information and different doctors saying different things. I researched it best I could and am still left confused as to what I should do now.

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