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HRT, time to stop?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Nannyrose
Nannyrose

i had hysterectomy with BSO 2 years ago, been on Evorel 50 patches since. I am now 52 yrs old and my gynae has told me I need to come off them now? She says I don't  need oestrogen now as I would've gone into menopause if I still had my ovaries. I really don't want to stop, I felt like an 80 yr old before i started having them. I have heard you can stay on them as they're good for women with no ovaries, so why is she adamant I stop them? I presume she's never had the same op and gone through what we have?  I'm worried about heart disease if I have no oestrogen. Any thoughts? 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • wendy12420
    wendy12420 Nannyrose

    Posted

    Hi I too had both ovaries removed last year aged 51 surgical menopause is no joke and is often much more extreme than normal menopause, I've been on Everol 100 since and can't face the thought of coming off it, I had no quality of life after my operation and HRT was a life saver for me. My consultant is happy for me to stay on it til I'm 60, and he told me that taking estrogen alone carries almost the same risk of breast cancer as a women not taking it.I would see another consultant that understands surgical menopause as your consultant clearly doesn't !! Good luck it's your body and you have the right to make that decision 

    • Nannyrose
      Nannyrose wendy12420

      Posted

      Hi Wendy, I had read and also heard that some women are still on it in their 70’s, I started taking my patches 6 weeks after my op, my gynae made me wait until then and I felt like an 80 year old, I was going to bed more for the menopause than for the op! Every bone in my body ached, I honestly thought I was on my way out. I started on evorel 25 but that had no effect, so my doctor upped it to 50 and I felt fine since. My doctor ( who is young and male) wants me to come off it and so does my gynae, ( had to go to see her due to pain on my scar which could be adhesions) that’s when she asked me if I’d come off them now as my body don’t need oestrogen now!! I just said NO! I looked at her and thought to myself “it’s obvious you ain’t had the op as you’d know how difficult it is”. She reckons fat in our bodies produces a small amount of oestrogen and once I was 52 I would ve had the menopause anyway and ovaries stop working, I ve read that they don’t, always releasing a little throughout our life, didn’t know this until after mine was taken. I wish I had argued to have kept my ovaries, she is adamant we don’t need them!! I was so upset after I’d had them taken away, reading that without them it can cause heart disease so hrt seems the only lifesaver at the minute. Thanks for our time to reply 
  • julie89512
    julie89512 Nannyrose

    Posted

    Hi.

    iv been on HRT for 15years, a combined one.

    had a total hysterectomy at 42 and Iv no plans on coming off it.

    and my gp is happy at the mo for me to continue.

    a lady who I know is 72 and still on it.

    Should be your choice.

    good luck 

     

  • kathleen10268
    kathleen10268 Nannyrose

    Posted

    Having been through what I went through for the past 20 years before getting back on HRT, I would say to find another doctor.   I was ready to just die, as badly as I felt, and now have the implants and am feeling much better.  I don't know where some of these doctors get their information, but molst certainly not from personal experience!!!  Why do they feel that since we are done having babies, that we don't need to feel human anymore?  I will never understand how a profession which is supposed to consist of people dedicated to helping others can have so many people in it who don't care at all.  I think they only want the money, and to avoid any liability at all costs, no matter if they help anyone or not.  Just my thoughts after being treated the way I was for so long.  Like it is a bad thing to feel like you want to be a sexual being again?  I was treated like that was not a good thing, and I should just accept it that I am old and worn out and useless to anyone anymore.  Got a different doctor and feel much better now.

    • Nannyrose
      Nannyrose kathleen10268

      Posted

      I also felt ill and old until I had hrt, I really don’t fancy reducing mine let alone stopping them completely.  I even asked my doctor for an endrocine consultant ( one that specialises in your hormones) but he said I needed to see my gynae, obviously I have no luck there! I wish someone would take blood tests to see where my levels are but there don’t seem to be anybody out there to help. I feel fine on what I’m using now and really don’t want to stop now 
    • kathleen10268
      kathleen10268 Nannyrose

      Posted

      Something that doctors seem to forget is that they work for us, not the other way around.  You may want to remind them of that.  ....or change doctors.  I hope you find a good answer.
  • sheryl37154
    sheryl37154 Nannyrose

    Posted

    I am 66 and have been on estradiol for 26 years after having both uterus and ovaries removed and I am NOT going off them.  I was put on to the oestradiol pellets immediately.  Menopause symptoms do not go away for some of us.

    From what I have read estradiol only protects us from heart disease and transdermal is the best protection against cancer of the breasts.  As well, cancer of the breasts and our ovaries are connected, so we are much safer without ovaries.

    It is the combination of oestrogen and progesterone that causes the problems.

    It is terrible when our drs do not do the research and practice on myths.

    Find some supporting evidence (medical research papers) and give them to her.  Look for "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Dr Christiane Northrup in your library as well as books on menopause by Dr Sandra Cabot.  Their studies will support you.

     

    • Nannyrose
      Nannyrose sheryl37154

      Posted

      Thanks for your info, I am definitely not coming off them, I'll fight if I have to. Should be my choice not a doctors whos never gone through all this. Thanks 

  • gailannie
    gailannie Nannyrose

    Posted

    Nanny, if you have found something that works well for you, you feel good, and they aren't causing a problem, STAY ON IT FOREVER!!    Go find another doctor, if you you have to.  But don't give up your HRT.  

    If you want to test the waters, you could cut down some on the patch strength to see how you feel.  Even if you are going to follow her advice and go off, don't quit cold turkey.  Slowly taper and give your body time to adjust slowly.  

    But the recommendations have now changed from previous thoughts.  Age isn't the only factor, and many doctors feel that it's best too stay on your HRT for life, if you are doing well with it.  Look at these forums, there are plenty of women in their 70s who say they feel great and look 10 years younger.    

  • tracy12090
    tracy12090 Nannyrose

    Posted

    Hi I agree with you my life wouldn't be worth living. I hardly felt human without HRT and like a 70 year old at 49! I am back to my old self on HRT and will definitely fight to stay on them. My mother had a hysterectomy at 39 and is still on them at 76 she's reduced them but can't come off them and her Dr is fine with it and she's fit as a fiddle, more like a 60 year old. Keep insisting if it works for you.!

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