Forced off HRT at 60?

Not related to Hrt, but I knew I had pleurisy, I had it once before. I asked for a home visit , 1st ever. Spoke to a GP and said forget it, I'll go to hospital! Within half an hour a young doctor called, I was too weak to walk, I had left my door unlocked. I shouted come in and he asked what the problem was. I told him that I recognised the pain very easily as its not one you forget, like Shingles. He examined me and then confirmed my self diagnosis. I felt so poorly, but gave him some advise - before you judge a patient, read their medical history! Told him I would put his attitude down to inexperience and that in future don't make snap decisions! I felt I had every right to tell him, the same applies to HRT! Always get a second opinion and then ask for a consultant ref. If he/she is not sympathetic ask for a second opinion. Gone are the days when Dr's and GP's are seen as Gods. They are human like us all, they should not be allowed to dismiss patients based on age alone!

 

I am on my third patch of Evoril Sequi after being taken off them and replaced with Evoril 25 (whatever they were I should not have been put on those particular ones as a way of reducing my dosage - this was due to a young lady doctor saying I should come off HRT because of my age. I was on them a month by final week of the month I was having worse hot flushes than ever.  Vague feeling of disorientation, weepiness and irritableness alongside of brain fog) Anyhow as I mentioned I am now on my third patch of my usual HRT above that I have been on for twenty years and the difference is remarkable.  Hot flushes gone. Sleep fine. No weepiness, No Fog. No disorientation.   Once again I am able to get on with my new business with a clear head.   The proof of HRT is in the pudding and doctors - especially very young doctors need to realise this.  The second doctor I saw (very anti HRT noticed that I had been given the wrong reduced dose patches. Told me I had to go throught the menopause at some point and that he woudl send me to see a Gyneacologist and give me three months supply until then.  Goodness knows what the Gyno will do.  It all seems a waste of money and time on both mine and their sides.  

I'm 58 and was absuptly taken off my Prempro (after having been on it for 18 years) in January when I began bleeding after not having had a period for over 10 years.  No "weaning", just told by my GYN to stop immediately and have a pelvic ultrasound.  The exam revealed mild/moderate thickening of the cervix. I was given a medroxy/progesterone to thin the lining . . . bottom line, "no longer a candidate for HRT".  I was perimenopausal in my late 30's (as was my mother) and was pleased to start the HRT and see an end to the hot flashes, irritability, etc.  I loved being on HRT the entire time as estrogen clearly "extends our youthfulness".  I never experienced weight gain, and loved the vitality and benefits of younger looking skin, hair and an amazing sex life with my husband.  Well, almost four months to the day of discontinuing the Prempro, literally overnight, my life changed dramatically . . . and not in a good way.  The hot flashes were back with a vengeance, and my libido went down the drain.  This has made me a very cranky, sad woman.  My husband in his determination to "fix this thing", has tried 4 new products and has the patience of Job.  It's hopeless, and I'm beside myself with the loss of our amazing sex life.  I feel completely "desensitized" physically and am willing to do almost anything to get it back.  My GYN refuses to prescribe testosterone (despite women's claims of increased libido) because she says the side effects are "horrible".  Has anyone found anything that works????

Hello HRT Pioneer!

I have weaned myself to one pill every other day, so far so good.  It took me 4 months to get to this point..... Now I will wait another month and am unsure of where to go from here?  Half a tablet every alternate day?  No point in asking the doctor as he will say to me " oh one day you will just forget to take them"!!! Really???  My heartburn isn't as severe as it was prior to reducing it, but I am so afraid of the moods, anxiety and depression and BRAIN FOG!!! Did you suffer with those symptoms prior to HRT?           

I am 66 and have been on Livial for over 10 years. About  4 years ago on advice of my doctor I weaned myself off H R T. It was a disaster I sweated so much that my hair was constantly wet . I saw another doctor in my practice who allowed me to go back on it. About 6 months ago I started taking it every other day. Okay at first but started sweating again so went back to taking it every day. Still sweating like mad so saw another doctor in the practice , she thought it was down to stress as my father had died recently and prescribed Beta  Blockers . What  I wanted to ask, is there anyone out there who still sweats while taking H R T. By the way I  have had  Endometrial  Cancer

I am with you, groovygranny....at the end of the day it is quality of life! If I was told that taking HRT (I am not on it yet, but may have to be after a recent TAH) will I was into my 60's would knock a few years off my life, I would just carry on as normal. I don't want my senior years to be full of feeling awful, so I would go for it. As Matron says, maybe one of the other Docs at your practice would write you up a prescription?

Groovygranny, my choice would be to stay on HRT , if I could. I took them for 27 years & at age 59 had kidney cancer , now dr says I can never be on them again . Let me tell you it is no fun . Hot flashes are horrible . Last year it came out that Paxil helps with hot flashes so that's what I take everyday, & it does help .

Good licky !

I was on Livial for 10 years and out of the blue iy stopped working . A doctor in my practice told me it was stress as my father had died recently. I did'nt think it was, I was put on Beta Blockers. As you can proberly guess all the tablets did was give me palpitations and cold feet. I still sweated like mad so went back to see another doctor in my practice , she thought it was'nt hormonal but changed me to Elleste Duet . Within 2 days the sweating had stopped and I started to be my normal self. I think you have to go by your instincts .I am 66 and still working part time and will continue to do so while I can take H R T 

Started menopause in early 50's and after two years gave up and went onto HRT patches which worked extremely well.  Got to 61 and was told that I had to stop immediately because it was dangerous to continue.  So came off and Menopause started again immediately with hot flushes several times a day and early mornings - horrible.  Am now 65 and still suffering, not to mention stiff joints, roseacea and general dryness.  Really horrible.  Have requested to go back onto HRT but doctor will not allow this and prescribed Clonidine instead which is considered extremely risky for the over 65's so refused this.  Do any of these doctors and specialists know what they are doing?  Am sure if they were women suffering with this ghastly phenomenon it would have been sorted by now! Anybody been put back on HRT after 65 so I can compare?  Article in Telegraph front page last week states it is perfectly safe and all research is flawed that suggests otherwise and then the Mail has another article which states that Breast Cancer risk trebled - Who on earth do you believe?