Stressed about HRT review

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

I've been on HRT for about 6 years (am 54). Have managed to avoid seeing doctor for a couple of years, medication working fine, feeling ok so felt there was no need to review. My surgery are now insisting on a review before they will let me have any more repeat prescriptions. I can't get an appointment for 2 weeks and I'm stressed now because I feel like they're going to try and get me to come off it. I had a lot of problems getting it prescribed in the first place so my surgery aren't exactly very well informed or forward thinking about menopause and HRT.

Any advice or info to go armed with in case they try and talk me into coming off it?

Have managed to avoid seeing doctor for a couple of years, medication working fine, feeling ok so felt there was no need to review.

All drugs have to be reviewed annually, regardless of what they are. So your GP has been a bit negligent not to call you sooner. This won't be because it's HRT.

With HRT they might do a BP reading and just check you're feeling okay.

I wouldn't interpret a review as anything negative.

if you do need to 'convince' them, you can ask why they are suggesting you stop when a) benefits outweigh risks of women up to age 60 and b) the risk/benefit is equal after 60.
There is no time limit on HRT.

You're also very 'young' and started HRT early at 48 (I was almost 53.)

In terms of 'risk' the clock doesn't start ticking till the average age of menopause which is 51.

OK thankyou that's helpful.

Regardless of how long you've been on HRT your dr is supposed to discuss the risks of benefits then leave you to decide. (Clearly there are some absolute no-no's but you'd know of those yourself.)

This is the same if you are 54 or 84.

There was an interview with the former newsreader Jan Leeming recently, where she said she was still on HRT. She's 82 and started at 48.

She said her GP warns her every year about the cancer risk and she replies that she's knows/ accept that but will choose quality of life. She went on to say she'd had a bad fall recently and was told that without being on HRT she'd probably have had a lot of broken bones.