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quitting hrt

21 years ago

For those of you who have weaned yourself off HRT,how did you do it? Did you get a lower dosage hormone and do it that way,stop cold turkey,or just take fewer pills?

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Comments (9)

fangdangle
21 years ago
Marda, I have recently talked to two women, one a nurse who went directly off and started spotting but otherwise is quite happy with the results and started taking eve. of primrose for the mood swings.

The other one who is in her sixties (early) has just cut back to three times a week and is also happy.

Good luck to you
Stefanies_Mom
21 years ago
Hi Marda :o)

I have gone off HRT twice...both times I just stopped taking the pills. I didn't have any problems, but in speaking with my new doctor (one I love), she told me that this is not really the smartest thing to do. She said it was probably best to speak with your doctor, but if that isn't going to happen, then drop the dosage and slowly stop.

I recommend talking to your doctor about this. I made it very clear that I had tried everything I was going to try and asked for suggestions of natural products. I am taking Black Cohash, three times a day (with meals) and that seems to be helping with the hot flashes. I also just purchased a natural progesterone cream from The Vermont Country Store, but don't see any changes, yet.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing :o)

Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: Vermont Country Store
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This resumption of symptoms (esp. vasomotor ones like hot flashes) is not unusual when you stop hormones. Tapering off the pills instead of stopping them abruptly may lessen this effect. There are also many non-drug alternatives ranging from deep breathing to fans to dressing in natural fiber layers. Switch to all cotton bedding and nightclothes if you wear anything to sleep in. Leave a fan (ceiling if you have one) on overnight to lessen the number and severity of night sweats. Hot flashes tend to happen in spurts. If you tough it out for a few weeks you may find that they disappear on their own. Of course they may recur but knowing that they are temporary can make it easier to cope with them. Keep a diary of your hot flashes for awhile. See if anything particular - a food, stress, etc. triggers them and then try to avoid the triggers. I found that sugar/dense carbohydrates triggered major hot flashes and night sweats and avoiding those after mid afternoon helped tremendously. Exercise may help. There are many other practical non-drug suggestions on the Menopause and beyond web site. To get to it, go to google and use tishy and menopause and beyond as your search terms. Have you had a hysterectomy? Do you still have your ovaries? I ask because you mention only estrogen and not a progestin. If you've had your ovaries removed, your age might also be a factor in deciding whether or not to stop the hormones entirely.
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Hi Qinz, I'm very happy for you! I was forced on HRT about 5 years ago, when I had a horrible vaginal bleed, and needed a D&C. The doc had me on lots of estrogen to keep from repeat bleeding. When I tried to come off it, my Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue got soooooo much worse, so back on I went. 2 years later I tried to come off my combi-patch, and the same thing happened. I gave it 2 months, and I kept getting sicker and sicker. I don't get hot flashes. I have, in the past few years, lost alot of faith in the medical community. Money is at the root of all the decisions made, and not the best thing for us......... So, now I'm rethinking this combipatch. But.....I'm not as lucky as you.........I appear to get sooooooo much sicker with the Fibromyalgia when I try to come off it. I truly believe that our bodies get "addicted" to extra hormones, and it becomes almost like going through detox to get off them. I will start to think about trying it again. Good luck to you!
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I have had no post-menopausal problems including hot flashes. This was a pleasant surprise to me because I had such horrible periods and PMS and I had read that the two are linked. My emotional state is the best it has been in my entire life. That surprised me too. I think getting off the estrogen roller coaster was good for me. I also reconnected to my faith so it is hard to say what comes from what. I have finally been released from a lifetime of painful shyness. It is such a joy not to have to plan every outing, every vacation, and weigh job offers on the basis of "when is my period due and what facilities will be available" Spending entire days in the bathroom because the flow was so relentless are over. Lying in bed trying not to scream from the cramps is over. Becoming suicidal once a month is over too. I have taken nothing and am glad for it, but all of my friends are either on HRT or tranquilizers to handle their post-menopausal problems. I guess I am just lucky or maybe I used up all my bad karma on the 44 years I spent trying to deal with all that mess and pain.
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sunrisegirl
21 years ago
I stopped hrt on my own about 10 years ago. I stuck it out for about a year, but one day I counted 35 hot flashes and so I went back on it. After trying several different patented medications and several doctors I now take tri-est a druggist compounded "conjugated" estrogen and at last feel like a human being. Plus it is cheap!
ohiojudy
21 years ago
Sunrise, is tri-est the name of what you ask for? I went off premarin last fall, managed to get through most of the winter, except when people asked " are you ok, you're bright red?" but knew with spring I had to go back on, being bright red with sweat running down is not pleasant. Today a news story came across saying hrt is dangerous ....again, so I'm thinking of trying something else. Soy did not help at all .
Glassgoddess
21 years ago
Judy, I was going to tell you guys about that news story, but I don't know how to post a link. It was on my home page in the news. www.iwon.com. I think everyone should read it.
phyllis_philodendron
21 years ago
I have posted here in the past mostly for informational purposes, but I saw this article and thought everyone on this forum should know about it. I assume this is what you're talking about, Glassgoddess.

I wish everyone good health!

Here is a link that might be useful: Clinical trials halted
Glassgoddess
21 years ago
Yes it was! Thanks Phyllis.
cynthia_gw
21 years ago
There was a good article in the Washington Post on this study. That link is attached.

Use of statistics can be confusing and even misleading. For instance the phrase "100% increase in blood clots" simply means that of 10,000 women, 8 more would experience blood clots, or less than 1/10 of one percent. I need to give this some thought and look at alternatives, but plan to stay on HRT for another month until I've reviewed the research and will then talk with my Dr before I make my decision.

Here is a link that might be useful: HRT Study
Stefanies_Mom
21 years ago
Howdy everyone :o)

Just back from vacation and still feeling like a million dollars. I am very grateful to be one of those who got off the HRT merry-go-round. I realize it may be very good for some (no side effects) but for me it is better to be off of them.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hugs,
Sarah

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