Weaning off HRT

[RatatouilleAndFeta]

Anyone want to do this together?

I've been on it for 1.5 years.
Have tried the spray, the patches, testogel, the vag oestrogen... I'm feeling anxious all the time and have put on weight. My boobs are like melons. I'm tired of thinking about it all the time!

Today I bought some fish oil. And I have the menopace tablets.
Going to try to swim every day and add in some yoga.

Majorly cutting down on carbs, sugar & alcohol.

Am a bit apprehensive about how much my joints ached pre-HRT, but
I feel like if I can lose the extra 3st I'm carrying, the joint aches might not require the HRT anyway.

Oh am going to stick with the vag cresm as it's very low and definitely has a positive effect.

Am weaning off, as I was on a 75 patch and had some 50's left over.

I'll post how it's going here every day.
Be lovely if anyone is thinking of quitting, and wants to join me?

😊

Bloated but trying not to dwell on it. I’m low carbing again to see if I can shift some weight.

My HP sent me for bloods to rule out anything rheumatoidal when I went for my last chat about HRT dose.

Joint aches were definitely the first thing I noticed improved when I initially started taking HRT in 2021.

They are back after 3 weeks off it too @Pollyputhekettleon

Also waking up with numb hands

The comfort I’ve got from this thread! Thank you so much, ladies! The absolute misery of it all is fierce. I’m 54 and 10 years in - rapidly losing hope that this isn’t a life sentence. Everyday I feel like I’m walking around wearing an 1800s diving suit and I remain fat as a fool, no matter what I do. I was a size 10 and now I’m an 16 with an enormous belly and socking great boobs. And sleep? Who needs that caper. I love my 3 hours a night. I get all my best thinking done between 2 and 6… The best gift tho is the constant reminder how every moving part of my skeleton works, for I feel it all courtesy of that scrumptious deep ache.

I’m under the Newson clinic and fighting their endless increase in Oestrogen. Currently on 50 patches (with a view to dropping to 37.5) and the Mirena coil. But I’ve been on 100 and 75s. It’s all gruesome. Today I reboot intermittent fasting and renew my vow to fight the urge of the binge that I’m sure is gifted courtesy of HRT. So fed up too of the “HRT doesn’t cause weight gain” rhetoric. It bloody does! Solidarity to one and all!

@PistachioGelato Me too! And tinnitus my lot too now. Both ears. Tonal. LOUD.

They seem to have a mental block about the concept that menopause can cause joint pain. That and I don't think doctors are very good at logic. If it's just a blood test, fine. But there must be such an incredible number of wasted consultant appointments and treatments for women who actually just need HRT, or some treatment for their symptoms for those who don't want/can't have HRT.

I know the same thing happens with tinnitus and heart palpitations. Even Oprah Winfrey had a load of expensive investigations into her heart palpitations and nothing was found, until she learned menopause can cause them, got HRT and they went.

They say hrt is good for osteoarthritis, yet denying meno causes joint pain. Mad really.
Hrt 100% causes weight gain! Ive not gained weight all through menopause until i went on hrt, nothing else changed, still go to gym, fast & count calories yet gained a stone! But cant grumble as at least im living life now whilst on it rather than to anxious ti do anything like before.

@TheGreenSketch - argh! So sorry, but you are right - the no weight gain is such a lie, reducing to 50 has totally changed my shape again - the overall puffiness has gone and you can see a waist again! Do be cautious about Newson i think now that while the awareness and advice is useful, they are pushy and a bit evangelical about the drugs.

As for the aches @Pollyputhekettleon will try and get bloods done, but also don't think I can stop the HRT because the joint pain will be unbearable whatever DRs say.

Can I ask what vitamins and minerals people are taking and what seems to work?

@PaperBlinds It gives me hope that your puffiness lessened on a lower dose. It’s my intention to be on 37.5 over next couple of months. It’s true that Newson are very happy to rx. heroic doses. I’d say they’ve changed a fair bit in the 5 years I’ve been under them. I take good quality Vit D and K2, iron, omega-3, magnesium glycinate for sleep. Alas my sleep is appalling, however I have the odd good night so I’ll stick with it. But this body I’ve ended up with has become totally alien to me over the last year or so.

@TheGreenSketch totally agree re: the alien body. I don't recognise myself either. Lack of sleep, aches, cramps and all this whilst trying to work and live. It's too much at times.

That's interesting as I was told the complete opposite by the menopause specialist nurse (who is only about 35 btw!). She said there is no risk in stopping and starting. What are we supposed to believe when they all say different things?!

I had a period after 6 months on HRT - having not had one for five years - new NHS guidelines are to stop HRT for 6 weeks to see whether it is responsible. GP didn’t say there would be any issues with this .

There's no risk in stopping and starting. Doctors are just not the best at communicating and are often clueless themselves. There is a risk in stopping, and staying off it for, say, 10 years or so, then starting again. The risk comes from the length of time your body has had no estrogen and the consequences of then reintroducing it. That would also depend on whether you're peri or already post menopause when you stop. Stopping for weeks or months then restarting isn't an issue for your health.

If I stopped for a month but then didn't get a period yet, is it on to start again before it arrives?

My joints are killing me & am on holiday next week so really don't want my period..??

@JinglingSpringbells

On a lower dose to begin with.

Thanks for explaining. I can see that now. It makes sense that if you stop and start when the estrogen levels are low, it could be problematic. I'm in peri so think I must still be producing estrogen and so far feel better for stopping hrt. I certainly feel no different in that I still have the aching but thankfully the swollen painful breasts have gone!

So I have been off my patches for at least a month now. Mood has stabilised but the hot flushes are occurring every day which I hate 😬
Boobs are more comfortable and don’t feel so bloated but I definitely haven’t lost weight!
Does anyone have any alternative remedies other than HRT for preventing hot flushes?

anyone have any alternative remedies other than HRT for preventing hot flushes?

A low dose of clonidine works for many women and can be helpful with sleep. Might be worth discussing with GP.

Thank you

Hi, I went cold turkey on coming off HRT 10 days ago, and was wondering how you are all getting on? Any regrets, do you feel better or worse?

I'm 54. I have been on 2 pumps (sometimes 3) of oestrogel (and a very elderly merina) since early March. I didn't really have any symptoms apart from insomnia, but I had that for years! My coil is due to come out, and I genuinely don't think I am sleeping better or feel any different 6 months down the line.
I'm tempted to get my coil out and stop the oestrogen at the end of this bottle and see where that leaves me, but I'm a bit scared 😱

@gingercat02 I'm in the same boat.

Honestly, I don't think HRT is doing anything for me these days. Sleep is shocking and moods, just up and down.

I may get my coil out too.

Plus I've got a fibroid which I think
Is causing me problems.

Such a tricky stage of life.

I was suffering so badly with flushes and insomnia so I restarted the patches. Flushes are less frequent and I’m sleeping better. I’ve booked a review with my GP to discuss the unwanted symptoms with being on HRT.

Sorry your hot flushes and insomnia came back 🙁How long after stopping HRT did they reappear?