When to expect I can stop taking HRT?

[Liz1tummypain]

Apologies in advance if this comes across as laziness. Hope anyone can give me some comments on this.

I've been cutting back on my HRT for perhaps about 9 months now. My GP has told me to look into patches and all the fancy new types , I'm 55 and have been taking low dose HRT, -elleste solo - now for approx 5 years. Had a hysterectomy, not a total one, just the womb removed in my mid-forties. I've been cutting back as I explained on the phone to the GP but she seems to think I should keep on taking some but with a new type. I'm in two minds. How long on average do women keep taking HRT please? Any views or related experience would be fab!

I think the only way to tell is to have a trial without it for a month or two and see if your symptoms come back. If they do, you may want to stay on it for another year or two.

@confusedlots thanks so much for that. That has got to be the way forward. Bravo! Thanks so much :)

Someone might come along with better advice than me! But I think it's hard to tell if it's the HRT controlling your symptoms or if your symptoms are naturally reducing. And the only way to really find out is to stop the HRT and see what happens.

I intend to never stop taking it.

@Liz1tummypain You've got two threads asking this?

If you have had a hysterectomy, presumably you take only estrogen?

Reason for asking is the risks (long term) that may be linked to using estrogen/ progestin, don't apply to estrogen-only.

My advice is you do some reading around the pros and cons of estrogen-only hrt. Flushes and sweats are one thing it helps, but longer term lack of estrogen does affect the bones and heart.
HRT does prevent osteoporosis, reduces heart disease, bowel cancer and possibly dementia.

If you want to stop, it sounds as if you are doing it the right way.
Are you using a pill, patch or gel?
Whichever it is, the advice from drs is to stop slowing over 3-6 months, by cutting back. That means dropping the number of times a week you use it.

It will probably be 3 months or so before you get symptoms if they are going to come back.