Suddenly stopping HRT

[HeatAndEat]

Has anyone done this?

What happened to you?

Or what could happen?

I took my patch off last week and haven't replaced it.
I've been having a problem with continuous bleeding/flooding for some months
I'm off for an hysteroscopy soon, suspected womb cancer.
However the first gynaecologist said my bleeding was because I'm fat.

GP prescribe provera to slop the flow, it didn't work, now I'm trying norethisterone.

I wondered if by taking the patch off I could see where my natural cycle was since I was still having regular periods when I started HRT about 3 years ago. I'm 53. And maybe the oestrogen produced by my body ( and all my fat cells?) will be reduced.

I've Googled but I'm going round in circles

Quite different situation but I stopped suddenly after a decade on HRT. This was due to very high blood pressure. Ironically I read that doing this is bad for your heart but this was Drs advice so took it.

It took a while for symptoms like flushes to return (but not as severe now) but apart from that I would say that in my experience just stopping was OK. Mentally I actually feel a bit better, less anxious. Not ruling out returning to HRT again though, will see how things go. But no period since doing this so looks like menopause now, which at 55 is no surprise.

Sorry to hear about your situation, sounds very difficult and hope you find out more about what is going on and get a resolution soon.

If it's a continuous type of hrt, you can just stop.

If it's a cyclical type, giving a bleed, you need to wait till the end of the cycle so that you have finished the progesterone.

I know you are concerned as I replied to your previous post. Bleeding is very common in early meno, and it's rarely cancer. Even if it is hyperplasia (thick lining), there are 4 types, and only one type, with abnormal cell changes, is cancer. Even then, it's very curable and with a huge rate of success. (Just to try to offer you some comfort!)

If you have been on HRT for just a short while, stopping overnight is fine.
It doesnt seem to make much difference to flushes etc whether it's stopped quickly or tapered off.

However there is some recent evidence that shows there can be a rebound effect with blood fats, and possible CVD issues, after being on HRT for some time and suddenly stopping. So for that reason, many drs would suggest coming off it slowly, if it's been used long term.

@Greenbather, thanks
And @JinglingXmasbells thanks to you again.

I wondered if anyone had any experience with bleeding/clots after stopping HRT?

I suppose I will find out what my issue is at sometime in the New Year, bound to be delays because of Xmas.

I stopped after just under 6 months. It happened because I'd misunderstood the need to keep to the dates to get all my repeats (in France). I hated the breakthrough bleeding, more painful, swifter onset etc.
Once I stopped I didn't go back to hot flushes, which was why I started on it. All doctors I've seen since - mammographies or smears have said 'good' when I said I only took it for 6 months, though never said why.

I just stopped, but was short term (a few months)
my anxiety dropped in a couple of days, and previous issues with sleeping and hot sweats seem mostly managed with menopace. No real noticeable issues with stopping abruptly.

I have been on the oestrogel and utrogestan tablets for 8 months . Nurse said yesterday that I can come off them straightaway without tapering off - so fingers crossed! My moods have been much worse being on hrt 🥺

Good to know you can come off them straight away as I'm at the end of my tether with the bleeding (started after I switched from gel to patches). HRT hasn't done anything for me so I'd rather go back to normal! Has anyone had bleeding, come off HRT, and bleeding stopped? I'm just paranoid (doc appt next week)

Have you seen consultant yet, @HeatAndEat ?

Yes @starlilly88 I stopped and no more bleeds, or periods. I must've stopped ovulating whilst on hrt though.

@lljkk

Thankfully biopsy was clear
I do have fibroid though and that will be removed eventually.

I'm still off HRT and OMG I miss it so much!

Was taken off it overnight by my cardiologist following a heart attack. Wasn’t actually too bad, I was petrified!

So why haven't you restarted, since you miss it so much?

I need the fibroid removed first. I'm now on medication to suppress the bleeding.
I'll be back on HRT as soon as possible. It's marvellous stuff.