I am 57 and have just stopped taking HRT after 7 years a...

Thank you ladies for sharing.  I am 59 and have been on HRT pills at least 10 years and I would like to stop.  I am scared about the hot flashes, loss of libido, night sweats........eeekkkk.  But you gals give me hope.  I would like to hear some more about maybe switching to the patch and cutting the patch down.  I workout 2 to 4 times a week with cardio and weights and I feel great but I want to stop the pills.  So please talk to me. 

 

Hi Julie I have sent you a private message in your inox

hope it helps

Hello Julie, I am 58 and have also been on HRT for about the same amount of time.  I have started to wean off 3 months ago, I skip taking one on Sunday initially and now 3 months later just stopped taking another one on Saturday, I will wait another 3 months to see how I am doing, and then skip Wednesday..... I am following the directions of Dr. Love on the internet.  How are you making out?  Please keep in touch.

Hello Jsjue, I am 58 and have also been on HRT for about the same amount of time.  I have started to wean off 3 months ago, I skip taking one on Sunday initially and now 3 months later just stopped taking another one on Saturday, I will wait another 3 months to see how I am doing, and then skip Wednesday..... I am following the directions of Dr. Love on the internet.  How are you making out?  Please keep in touch.

Hi, I've just noticed this thread and your posts about stopping HRT.  I'm on a low dose HRT and have been for 3 yrs.  I had a HRT review with the doctor yesterday and she suggested I come off them gradually.  Wean myself off over 6mths.  I can't say the HRT has helped my sweats at all but it did help my mood swings and I actually came off anti-depressants when i started the HRT.

What I would like to know is how did you feel after reducing the HRT?  Have you noticed your symptoms get worse, better or are the same?

I'd love to know how you are doing.

Elaine.

Hello Elaine I haven't noticed any change thus far with the exception of an occasional start of a hot flash during the night not enough to wake me completely or break out into any sweat. Lasted a few minutes and passed. I am only down to 5 pills a week Monday through Friday. Taking one pill away every 3 months. 2 months more and I will skip Wednesday midweek and see how I feel will keep you posted mid January. I am taking it very slow. I will adjust as necessary if I begin getting symptomatic such as anxiety or depression which was very severe for me prior to the Hrt I will cut pills in half if taking a full pill away is too much. My concern is what happens to some women who wean off well and months later after stopping have problems ? That is a real fear I have.  When are we able to breathe a sigh of relief? Anyone ? 

I like how your doc has it weaning so slowly. Mine was much quicker and I was a nut. When I get ready to wean off, I'll follow your schedule

Hi, Thanks for your advice.  I'm wondering if I reduce by one pill a week like my doctor suggested, will it bet too fast do you reckon?  She said I may experience a bit of bleeding when I miss a pill.  You have certainly reduced very slowly!!  To be honest I don't feel the HRT does me much good anyway.  Is yours a high or low dose loretta?

Elaine x

GM Elaine, I am on the higher dose.  Originally on the low dose, but continued with symptoms, so my OBGYN increased the dose.  His advise is to just stop taking them and see what happens, if you have symptoms you need to continue to take them.  I have done much reading as I am sure all of us women have on this and I think it makes more sense to reduce slowly as we don't loose our estrogen abruptly unless you have a hysterectomy where your ovaries are removed. So going slow and hopefully steady makes more sense.  Keep in touch let me know how you are doing.  Best to you.

Update Elaine, I have changed my weaning process per another ladies suggestion on here, I have cut my pills in half, taking half every day since December 16th, have been ok up until a few days ago, I have a bit of anxiety kicking in, and some night sweats....I planned on cutting my pil to 1/4 every other day, keeping it at half days in between, BUT,NOPE, I am nervous to do so, so I am waiting awhile to see how my body adjusts to the levels I am at now, usually will show symptoms 3 weeks after reducing from what I understand. I will assess and try reducing it in another month, I think if we reduce slowly our symptoms should be bearable.  I also started taking One A Day Womens 50+ multivitamin hoping this helps, so many single vitamins I am confused as to what to take, thought this was better than nothing!  Hope so!  How are you doing?

Hi again,

Well im taking one hrt tablet every third day and im about to reduce to one tablet every fourth day. The only thing ive noticed is gradual weight gain - nearly a stone! Mine is the lower dose hrt. Is that what you're on?

Im on multi vits, cod liver oil capsules and extra B vits besides Starflower capsules. Im literally rattling!

Wish i could shift this weight though. When i started on hrt i lost over a stone without trying! Must be my hormones.

Keep at it. We will get there in the end

Hello Elaine,

I gained weight while on the HRT, may have been a coincidence as I also became more sedentary!!!!   I am hoping coming off the HRT I would reduce in weight???  Lol!  

I am on the higher dose of HRT, so I believe the 1/2 dose I am taking is comparable to the low dose?  1mg Estrodoil and 0.5 Norethidrone is the prescribed original dose.  So I am taking half of that.

I gained 25lbs!!!!  Is that a couple of stones??? Or a boulder?  Lol

I am hoping my BP will go down also off the HRT so I can stop the BP medicine they have me on as well!  Good Luck to us ALL!!!

Hi Loretta

Gosh you gained nearly 2 stones! Its not easy to lose either. Hrt lifted my low mood. I had been on antidepressants but didnt need them when i started on hrt. Must admit i felt like a new woman and even hubby noticed id changed for the better! Hope its not all down hill now im reducing the hrt.

Let me know how you get on. Good luck x

Uggh!  I know its hard to loose, I lost 40 lbs on weight watchers kept it off over 6 years, then grandchildren came stopped excersing and started eating their fattening food!!!  Plus was put on the HRT.... so I got to get my energy back and get myself moving again!!!!  Thanks for the response 2 STONES!!!  UGGHHHHH!!!! 

Elaine127,

update i I went back to my full dose 4 days ago. After 5 weeks of reducing symptoms, anxiety bad, low moods started..... A mess! Before I totally fell apart I went back to taking my dose as prescribed.  Seems like weeks down the road after reducing is when I experience all the reasons I was prescribed HRT.  On them for now or forever as I will not live with misery when I don't have to!   Hope you have better success! xo Loretta

Sorry you had a bad time weaning off the hrt. Its probably due to you being on the higher dose! Im doing well and down to one tablet every four days. Going to stop completely by the end of Feb. Only thing ive noticed is weight gain and my last period was a bit weird?! One minute im very heavy and gushing then i dry up for a few hours (so dry i cant even insert tampon) then i think ive finished only to start gushing again! That went on for 2 days and now i have stopped. Wonder if this is normal for peri?

I had to stop hrt due to having fibroids.

Stick with whats best for you Loretta.

Elaine x

Thanks Elaine. I was not prescribed HRT until one year without bleeding . Prior to that the ought peri menopause I was taking a birth control pill which controlled my peri symptoms actually I never felt better! I just finished reading the Danish report on HRT someone wisely suggested on one of our posts. Found it very interesting and very informative. I will use a my mother as an example she had breast cancer at 71, survivor ! Mom diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her earlier 80's , hindsight she had the beginning signs of it in her mid 70's , never took HRT! If you read the Danish report she probably would have benefited from HRT had she been prescribed it early on in her peri and menopausal years. But certainly HRT wasn't the cause. I am willing to take whatever if there even is a risk to breast cancer and not survive vs developing Alzheimer's and living 15 + years of the devastation to myself family and friends of living insidiously with Alzheimer's . Mom suffered , we suffered as a family, still divided 6 years later from the affects of this disease . Mom passed at age 91yrs with the last 5 years of nothing short of inhumane torture. May she rest in the peace of Gods arms . May us women find security in whatever we decide in this stage of our lives! Live long, be well as you do. I am very passionate about Alzheimer's and the devastation it leaves long after the life it finally takes . XO Loretta

Well Loretta I know exactly where you are coming from with the Alzheimer's as my mother has it and has been in a care home for 4 years now.  I cared for her for 3 years in her own home while she was in the early stages.  I'm an only child and I had to deal with it all myself.  It does devastate everyone....my kids were so upset besides me.  It's an awful disease.  Mum was diagnosed in her 70's and not long after she was diagnosed with diabetes too.  Mum never took HRT and just went through the menopause naturally.  I never heard her complain about any peri symptoms but I do remember her hot flushes and the sweat pouring down her face (that's what I get now!).  Perhaps if she had taken HRT it would have prevented her getting Alzheimer's but we will never know.  She's now 83, 84 in May and deteriorating rapidly.  Had a fall and fractured her hip last July.  She was always very wandersome and mobile but now just sits in the chair all day.  It's no quality of life.

I'm hoping I have some protection against these diseases even though I've been on HRT for just 31/2 years.  Not had much choice but to wean myself off due to the fibroids and they just grow bigger and thrive on hormones. 

So Loretta it's not just peri symptoms and HRT that we have in common!!

Take care,

Elaine xx

Elaine,

I am so sorry we have Alzheimer's in common, uggh!  All I can say is prayers to you and your mom, I pray that God has mercy and she suffers no more very soon, I pray that God gives you strength now and peace forever, you cannot do this alone, no one can!  You are right, we will never know.  I am sending you comforting thoughts now and for as long as you need them.  I am here PM if you ever need to talk privately.

xo Loretta.

Thanks for your kind words Loretta. I will PM you if i need to talk. Ive kind of got used to the situation now but its still so sad and distressing. At least you understand having gone through it yourself.

Elaine x

I have used the 5:2 diet to reduce weight after menopause. I recommend starting this diet gradually and taking about 150 calories every four hours to balance the blood sugar. It reduces my appitite on the five days I am not dieting and I feel more like my old self again.