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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!

[i:3f4831d826]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:3f4831d826]

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  • loretta63638
    loretta63638 Guest

    Posted

    Did you gradually wean off your HRT or did you just stop abruptly?  I am weaning off very slowly, 3 months no HRT on Sunday, then 3 months later, no HRT on Sunday, which is where I am at now, leaving me to take the HRT M-F.  So far I am fine, hoping the slow process helps the symptoms of coming off them will be minimal and I will be able to deal with them.  I find it interesting you have pins and needles after stopping them, I would experience that throughout the duration of taking them every so often.???  How long have you been off the HRT?
    • marlene23048
      marlene23048 loretta63638

      Posted

      I think I might have to take your route as well. I am trying too quickly I think. So far I've tried justt talking nothing on one day and the rest just took my pills. Then I tried doing it by 2 days just take a half a pil and the rest normal. I felt quite good with that but I did had weird symptoms where my legs and arms hurt and feels like sleeping. Did that for 2 weeks and this week I decided to do 3 x 0.5 this week and 4 x 1 but today my legs are hurting and tingling and I think that is because of the hormones so maybe I really have to take it slow. How are you now Loretta?
    • loretta63638
      loretta63638 marlene23048

      Posted

      I am still at 1 pill every other day.  See my gyn Aug 14th, may or may not tell him I am weaning as it really doesn't matter, he doesn't have much to say other than "one day you will just forget to take them and stop"!!!  ha!

      So, hoping to get another full year presecription and then will adjust, I probably will go to cutting one of the days to half the pill for awhile and see how I do.  I am keeping it to at least 2 months before making the adjustment as I seem to react 1 month or so after I reduce the dose.  This girl is coming in on a very soft landing, if not I will beg to stay on them for life!!!  Right now every other day I feel fine. xo

    • christine75704
      christine75704 loretta63638

      Posted

      I too have been advised to stop HRT by various 'young'' doctors.  I am 62 and have tried at least 3 times to come off the HRT, firstly by a doctor who told me to go completely cold turkey which would. Be easier.  This I did and after 1 week I was absulutely in despair. Terrible night sweats every 20 minutes, also in the daytime and completely wet through.  The last doctor I saw was an Asian doctor of about 25 (female) who told me that my symptons were probably all n my mind.!!!!!!!!!  As I know you will appreciate this completely annoyed me.  Although I would dearly love to come off the HRT, no-one has offered a glimpse of an idea of how we ladies may do this, without feeling utterly wretched and sometimes suicidal.  I too have decided to do a very controlled with
    • loretta63638
      loretta63638 christine75704

      Posted

      Interesting. Did they advise how to stop taking them? Did they prescribe you more HRT ? Please keep me informed how you are doing should you try to wean off again? Best to you!
  • ner80645
    ner80645 Guest

    Posted

    Hello, I am 67 years old and have been on HRT for about 15 years. I tried to stop a few times but all symptoms came back. The hot flushes were terrible. I am still working and I can't efford to stay there with much younger people when I look as if I just got out of the shower. My sleepless night returned, my skin and hair looked bad and I was a miserable person. My doctor told me that if I stop taking the hormones the bleeding could start again. Did anyone had a problem with bleeding after stoping HRT? I could not deal with this again. 

    Good luck to all is us women.

    • RVF
      RVF ner80645

      Posted

      Hi Ner

      I think it very unlikely that you would get bleeding at aged over 60.....did you try to come off very slowly.   I had a break of 6 mnths after 12 yrs and cut the patch - weaning off took 10 weeks.   At 66 yrs i'm on it for my bones as have osteoporosis and cant take the meds for that.

      Do talk to a gynaecologist if no satisfaction from GP or even a Womens clinic.   Good luck.

    • mary03830
      mary03830 ner80645

      Posted

      67 yrs Hi I have been on norethisterone over 15 yrs I was put on the to regulate my periods which worked very quick I found it stopped me having hot flushes and night sweats.I was having periods up to 60 yr old due to norethisterone so I don't know when I started my menapause or when I stopped I was told to stop taking them as I was having ibs problems like my stomach looking like 9 month pregnant I started getting sweats and hot flushes bad so went back on them.a couple of years ago I cut down to one tab a day instead of 2 then gradually cut to 3 or 4 a week no problems just the ibs the last 2 weeks I didn't take any I put the sweating down to the hot weather then I have started with hot flushes and night sweats so fed up no sleep tired I can't remember how long it took last time for the tablets to start working or if they will dont think I can carry on much longer with being in agony with the ibs as well no energy and no sleep I don't know if anyone gets a warning before a hot flush I get an ache in my tummy then get hot flush

      Sorry about long message I did post one last night for first time but had no reply

      Thank you for reading this

  • chica
    chica Guest

    Posted

     started ith menopause at age 42

    i was told i couldnt take HRT a s i had fibriods.

    then i discovered synthetic version and thrived on them for many years.

    i had a polypectomy and after that, the surgeon told me to stop taking my   ' elixir of life'.i stopped taking them cold turkey,, wrong...i found i got another mini menopause. now 6 years later i,ve got painful fibroids and another polyps.ihave pain always  in left lower side,a dragging sensation and sometimes just like period pain.also indigestion and heartburn always w orse after eating and sitting watching tv.

    my gynnos only found prblems on right side but i tell then my pain is left side.

    has anyone experience of referred pain for this condition?

     

  • cathryn29090
    cathryn29090 Guest

    Posted

    I was recently taken off HRT without warning following a heart attack.  I had been on it for 8 years following a hystorectomy and have been told that I can no longer take it.

    I am suffering the most dreadful hot flushes and am soaking wet from the sweats most of the time. I have also had 3 urinary infections since coming off HRT (approx 8 weeks ago now) and am getting very little sleep.  i am lethargic and sinking into depression.  I have seen my GP who has offered no support or advice.  I feel far worse that I ever did before the heart attack and am seriously thinking about stopping the heart meds and resuming the HRT in a bid to feel more like my old self.......I hate this situation as no-one seems to be able to deal with this as a linked problem - I can't be the only woman that had a heart attack whilst on HRT - I seriously do not believe the two are linked.

     

  • Sheza1963
    Sheza1963 Guest

    Posted

    Went on at 29 went through menopause Been on hrt for 20 years had combined estrogen progesterone for many years last 2 years had patches and mire a for progesteron. Want to come off but scared as I'm now 51! Everyone says I look a lot younger maybe ire had something to do with hrt lol! Maybe quality of life is better that quantity??
  • Sheza1963
    Sheza1963 Guest

    Posted

    Mirena fitted a coil with slow release progesterone
  • marlene23048
    marlene23048 Guest

    Posted

    Hi there. I registered so I am able to post here because I do feel quite lonely trying to stop the activelle medication I have been using for 8 years now. My female doctor told me I should not have many side effects and if I had they were another cause. So I kept at it and instead of taking 1 pil a day I did 5 x 1 and 2 days I only took a half. Now I am talking a half 3 days a week. Only weird thing is suddenly painful legs and arms and 12 days ago my fingers were numb. They checked blood and all was good so she said I must have slept weirdly. Yes that is why and my legs and my arms were numb. yeah right doc Must have been a very weird sleep position. rolleyes. Anyway now only my thumb is still numb so I thought okay but today my legs and arms are hurting and feeling weird again so I thought could this not be from reducing the hormon therapy? Anybody else had the numbness or the tingling? Hmm I see it was 19 days when someone posted here.sad
  • Kazzyg
    Kazzyg Guest

    Posted

    Hi, I had a hysterectomy at 25 and have been on HRT since.

    I am now 48 and have no intentions to stop taking it as I think the world is a safer place when Im not a moody cow smile

    I think quality of life is much more important.

     

    • loretta63638
      loretta63638 Kazzyg

      Posted

      I could not agree more! I am also a moody mindless cow without my HRT!
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