I am 57 and have just stopped taking HRT after 7 years a...
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I am 57 and have just stopped taking HRT after 7 years and am plagued with hot flushes and pins and needles in the fingers. I can find plenty of guidance on the menopause and why to/ not to use HRT, but nothing offering information on what happens when you stop HRT! Help!
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8 likes, 336 replies
cindy75995 Guest
Posted
Hi ladies,
I am just going to jump in here.
I don't want to scare the hell out of all of you, but here is my sad tale...
I am 65 and I have a rare vascular disease,(Neuro Behcets) that I take PREDNISONE FOR. I was on hrt and my life was fine. ( Menopause started at 47).
In 2010 I got a blood clot in my lung, ON WARFARIN EVER SINCE. My GP immediately stopped my hormones. Period! I was miserable!!
All GP's know -is blood clot=HORMONES BAD!!
I did many hours of study.
First. The WHO (women's health organization) study that said, stop the study, women on hormones are having heart attacks!! Has been proven it is/was a flawed study by many scientists.
2014 broken left shoulder, 2015 - 4 broken pelvic bones from a ground level fall that still hurt awful. Hello, osteoporosis. I am wrinkled like a prune, vaginal atrophy, no sex drive,( I couldn't have sex if I wanted to, with vaginal atrophy. For my pelvic exam they use the speculum, for virgins.)
The new study shows women on blood thinners had less strokes, heart attacks, etc.
Estrogen and progesterone
and testosterone reduce inflammation in the brain, they cross the blood-brain barrier. Also helps inflammation in joints.
Testosterone shots, pills or gel = is how you " Get your Groove back". (No man will be safe from attack!)
I am back on hormones, plus half a pack of testosterone gel I rub on my abdomen ever day.
My neurologist put me on them again.
I am on oxycodone for pain, it wasn't working for my broken pelvic bones. Testosterone, effects the morphine (pain receptors) in the brain, I need pain meds less often.
Ladies, be your own best medical advocate. Be your own judge of what is best for you. If one doctor says, no. Find another doctor.
Hormones shold be tapered off of slowly. Never stopped suddenly.
Only you can decide what is right for you. I told my doctor I had vaginal dryness. I told him,"it is like pouring kerosene on your testicles and lighting it. " Extremely uncomfortable! I GOT MY POINT ACROSS! Male doctors don't own a vagina. They think vaginal dryness is the same as dry skin. (Well, that doctor knows it's not!!)
To prevent osteoporosis, eat calcium rich foods, weight bearing exercises and pills or shots to treat and/or prevent osteoporosis.
I am not a doctor, I have no medical training. I did my own research and presented it to my doctor.
BE PROACTIVE, TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR BODY AND YOUR LIFE.
My best to all of you,
Cindy
julia23547 cindy75995
Posted
Hi Cindy, many many thanks for this...I'm so sorry but I did laugh at how you had written some of it. But very sad to read the age we live in, us women are still having a difficult time. I also do my research and there is a fair bit out there. I was put back on HRT yesterday after having nearly 2 weeks off it, but the GP who I do not normally see (yes a woman) did suggest I start cutting the dose in half...then half again. She said about blood clots, and heart attacks, honestly you don't know what to do for the best. So I'm going on how I feel. Needless to say I won't be seeing my normal GP(a man), I'm going to stick with this lady. I've never been advised to cut my dose, I can't say I'm looking forward to it, but I'm going to do some reading around this. Are we supposed to live in misery?? I don't really remember a time of complete contentment. I know real happiness comes in drips and drabs throughout life, but I just want to be a little content. Is that really too much to ask for. I've had depression most of my life...still suffer and sick to death of all the tablets. Do any of them work long term? I start on some, feel better for a while, then they stop working, just like that. Anyway Cindy, thank you for your experience. Regards. Julia
vanessa43442 cindy75995
Posted
Hi Cindy,
I am 64 I was useing a bio identical estradiol gel for about 6 years,I do not have a uterus I felt good ..however when I was 60 I was taken of the gel due to age and the risks for that age and above,I believe all the test in regards to heart health ect were done on non bio identical
hormones, I went back to my ginocolergist for a talk about this last mounth I told her how I was feeling ( bad) since my 4 years without the hormone,she referred me to a female cordioloigist who specialisers in female heart conditions to see if she says it is ok to go back on the transdermal
estradiol or not ? I see her next Monday.
Have any of you lady's been on or are useing bio identical estradiol ?
Take Care Vanessa.
coming
itasara vanessa43442
Posted
vanessa43442 itasara
Posted
itasara cindy75995
Posted
vanessa43442 itasara
Posted
Hi I am reporting back after my consultation with the professor last Monday .
She told me that if I would like to go back on the Bioidentical transdermal esrtodiol
to se if it will help relieve my symptoms improve mood and so on,I may do so with a maximum of 3 years.She did explain to me that's the will increase increase my risk of blood clots or strokes Ect ..
so now I have the go ahead I am trying to way things up.
my main problems are not sleeping through,I do get some hot flashes but fuzzy thinking lost my zest feel deflated and down and so on,brain fog, aches not so confidant these days.
My hair is very thin I have male paten hair loss started in my late 30.
The professor did explain to me that perhaps a lot of what I am feeling is just part of getting older the estradiol is not a youth fix.( and not without risks at my age)
She tried it herself for a few mounths but came of it she is now 61 looks wonderful eats well
Gos early to bed runs exercises,try's to be happy that is her way forward and I must say I admire her for it.
Now I must decide,let me know what you are all thinking on bio identical estradiol .
ps although my uterus was removed age 30 ( due to endometriosis )I do still have one ovarie, the Profesors said the ovaries still make some estradiol( be it less than before) and testosterone which the body needs.
Regards Vanessa.
rebeccabeals Guest
Posted
elsie23713 rebeccabeals
Posted
Hi Rebecca, is it me you are asking? If so then yes, I am still off them and won't be going back on them because of the risk of cancer of the uterus. I am not suffering too much thank goodness, the hot flushes are not very many and not too frequent. I haven't experienced any tummy troubles so not sure what that may be. I would see my GP about that as I can't see how stopping your HRT has caused those symptoms.
Regards Elsie.
sandra72861 Guest
Posted
Hello,I have been on hrt for 25+ years, using different doses. I have been in on Estrace and now the patch. I decided two month ago that I would go off hrt "cold turkey ". Thinking I have been on it wayyyy to long. I did not discuss us this with my gynecologist. The first month and half were fine...I thought, wow this is not to bad, I can cope with this. Well the last two weeks has been a nightmare. Horrible hot flashes..all day, and night sweats all night. Headaches, heart racing, diarrhea, upset stomach, joint pain and weight loss. I just couldn't cope and decided that my quality of life was more important so I am using the patch again . Not sure how long it will take to get my body back on track...soon I hope. I have made an appointment with my gynecologist and see if I can ever come off this stuff. I am an active 61 year old. Walking, cycling, pickleball are hugh part of my life. I will never try to come off again without speaking to my doctor first. Not sure if this post will help anyone..just thought I would share my story. Three days back on hrt and I am still having all the horrible symtons.
it will take to get my body ba
eveline75634 Guest
Posted
Your story made interesting reading Sandy, thank you for posting it.
This HRT condition leaves us in a lose-lose situation, no matter what we try.
I did some research after my patch just dropped off, and located a forum on
another HRT website about poor adhesion causing patches to fall off.
Just another problem to add to our misery of HRT.
Also I read that if the menopause began early, at say 35 to 40 years of age,
as mine did, then we need not take into account the next 20 years on HRT because
that was just replacing what our bodies should be producing naturally.
With trying to withdraw from HRT, well, it seems that with a slow withdrawal
over some months, the residual eostrogen is gradually being used until no more is left, and then our brain is sending out the message "where's my eostrogen" and giving us awful symptons.
I will not be trying to withdraw from it ever again,. I have starting using patches again, but it will be around two to three weeks to feel the benefit.
I have already outlinhed my story of woe in an eariler post, it more or less tallies
with the other ladies.
I hope you will feel 100% better soon.
Best wishes, Eveline
itasara eveline75634
Posted
I wonder these days if I opened a can of worms by going on HRT to begin with. I never thought I would be in the position where I would not be able to get off of it. I don't know that yet for sure but I started yesterday going back on HRT and I am going to try every other day as I mentioned before. What I wanted to emphasize is that I am a singer and not sure if it's the estrogen that has kept me going all these years or not. I also have another vocal problem, bowed vocal cord which I discovered a couple years ago when I went to an ENT because I wasn't happy about the way I was singing. This could be caused by getting older or could be caused by hereditary problems or who knows maybe neurological ones? I know it was a change from the past. So going back on HRT maybe even another every other day for now waiting to see if that helps at all in my singing quality. I did notice after 13 weeks off HRT that my speaking voice which is low anyway ( despite my soprano singing voice) was even lower more compromised lets say. It's trial and error on my part for now.
valerie68393 Guest
Posted
Good Luck to all you ladies......I had a hysterectomy in 1995, I am 66 years old and have been on hrt since the hysterectomy and now out of the blue my doctor has refused to give me anymore prescriptions for hrt ....no notice no weaning off nothing............I was so depressed but have now found a source online, where medically registered gp's in the uk look at all the facts and if they approve send you hrt ....I got three months supply for £29.99 including postage.....their office is in London and I have spoken to them on the phone to verify the are bona fide and checked with the GMC that their numbers are true........so if like me your gp refuses to repeat your prescription give me a shout.....I should add, I don't smoke, I am 5.6" and 9.3 stone have normal to low bp and physically ft.............
eveline75634 Guest
Posted
Hello Valerie
I think that male doctors should have a good dose of HRT withdrawal sysmptons before they cut off a persons medication just because they think we are too old to continue with it.
I was most fortunate with a lady doctor who was 100% for HRT in any form. She even set up a special HRT clinic at the surgery so that when we needed a new supply, we simply phoned for a nurse's HRT appointment, who just took blood pressure, a quick jump on the scales, and hey presto, produced a readymade prescription for a doctor to sign.
After 40 years on HRT, and thinking it was time ton stop (again),I tried to come off it, but the terrible symptons won every time. Now I am back on the patches. I am supposed to cut them in half and apply twice a week, as I only need the smallest amount, 0.625 estrogen (plus progesterone) but I have found that one patch a week does the trick.
Estrogen is beneficial to every part of the body, skin, hair, teeth, organs etc. and most importantly, to keep your bones strong. So it should also maintain your vocal chords in tip-top condition.
There have been a lot of scares in the press about cancer years ago, which has now been proved to be unfounded. Thickening of the womb lining will be prevented if progesterone is added to the estrogen.
In your case, it is certainly worth the outlay for the "private" prescription, and I would have no hesitation in doing likewise.
So good luck to everone.
Eveline
itasara Guest
Posted
I wrote below somewhere but here's an update. I went back on HRT, sequential Premphase, and decided to take one every other day to see what happens. Since I don't get hormone inducedperiods anymore I am doing this on a trial and error basis. Once I get to the second part of the month, if I continue to get the kind of painful cramps I got when I quit a couple months ago but I guess I won't have any choice. However the hot flashes continue so far after a couple weeks or so we're not quite as often or as bad but still bothersome. Some days I do feel like I'm singing better and my speaking voice on some days is also improved. This was an individual decision I made. I told my gynecologist about this and he said let me know what happens. That's where I stand at the moment.