Stopping HRT

[LongtimeLurker2]

I've been on HRT since June this year and I'm age 42. Initially I started on Evorel 50 until Sept this year when the patches were increased to 75. I've been taking Utrogestan 2 a day on days 1-12 throughout.
I also have the Vagirux pesseries and estriol cream which I am finding good to ease my symptoms down below.
My question is really if I wanted to stop the patches and utrogestan how to go about this. Although I feel some symptoms have been helped generally I'm still not feeling great and now starting to bleed when on the utrogestan ( day 1 this month). I'm wondering if I was too quick to start HRT. I'm always bloated these days and have put on weight round my waist quite dramatically. I'm thinking of just keeping on with the pesseries and cream and then try a herbal approach and see if that's a better way for me.
Does anyone know the best way of stopping HRT from this point onwards.

If you want to stop then you can just stop. No need to taper down.

I'm just concerned about any side effects that might bring, also on day 6 today of Utrogestan so should I stop that mid cycle?

Talk to your GP about stopping and they'll advise.

If it's the bleeding bringing you down you can take continuous progesterone, have you tried any other brands or approach? Or spoken to your GP as some women react better to gels.

When I stopped to understand HRT and my crazy fast weight gain I did taper down by cutting patches etc, I never actually stopped fully as I started to get the awful hot flushes and felt so much worse than I remembered, so I'm current putting up with my tubby stomach.

@LongtimeLurker2 If you are not post menopause (which appears to be the case) it's okay to stop any time. If you were having very few natural cycles or using sequential HRT post meno, it's usually advised that you complete the cycle so you have a bleed, then stop. This is to ensure the womb lining sheds.

For the sake of 4 days, you may as well complete the Utrogestan (10 days is enough) .

You've not said why you're on HRT. If you're having very few natural cycles and in peri, it's worth thinking about carrying on (and getting the type and dose adjusted) because peri at 42 is early and if your periods stop before 45 that's early menopause (and comes with risks to your bones and heart health) and HRT is advised anyway.

The other point is that in peri, especially as you've only been on HRT for 4 months, breakthrough bleeds are quite common because your own cycle is overriding HRT. There are other options such as using Norethisterone as the progesterone (it's stronger) and may well control the bleeding.
This comes as a separate tablet to be used with any form of estrogen (GP may not be familiar with this) or as a patch or tablet form of HRT.

@greenrollneck Using continuous progesterone in early peri doesn't work usually. It's only supposed to be for women over 54 or with no periods for 12 months . The dose is too low and breakthrough bleeds tend to happen.

Thank you for all for reply's.
I initially started HRT as I was waking in the night, feeljng anxious and the occasional hot flush. Prior to this I had been very dry and irritated down below.
I suppose my worry Is I've started get too soon when really had I had better advice I'd of started on the pesseries and cream for the issues I was having and looked at maybe magnesium and dietary changed to help with other symptoms.
I do have access to a " menopause specialist " via my doctors however she's hard to get appointments with and although sympathetic she never advises how to deal with things. I feel like I research and go in with a query she nods and prescribes. Last time I went in I came away with a higher dose patch ( 50 to 75) which I feel has bloated me up drastically. I wonder if I'm so full of hormones that I don't know if I'm coming or going so perhaps need to go back to basics and see how I am. I feel young for all this and am struggling.

A 75mcgs is high and to be honest, you shouldn't have been put on that so soon, after just a few weeks on 50mcgs. It takes at least 3 months for HRT to 'settle' before switching doses.

What you're suggesting sounds about right. Stop the HRT apart from vaginal estrogen, improve your diet/exercise/ healthy living and see how that feels.

The big question is are your periods still regular (ish)?
If not and they become further apart (like only having 3 or 4 a year) you should consider HRT for bone health.

But start low- a 25mcg patch or 1 pump of estrogen gel.

Last time I changed my patch ( Sunday) I put one of my 50's on as I felt the 75 was too much. Normally I change tonight to new patch. You've said about continuing with Utrogestan for next 4 days to get ten days in, what do you think I should do re oestrogen patch. Would you just remove tonight or half one for the next few nights then stop or taper that off slowly?

You may as well not bother with a new patch.
You don't need to taper off- you've been on HRT for such a short time anyway.
Tapering off is sometimes suggested for women using it long term.

Thank you, I do appreciate your contribution to my questions you're always so helpful.

Can I ask how you got on? I’m feeling the same after a much shorter time on hrt and wondering if I should have just stuck to the vaginal Estrogen for those problems. I’m 41 so also wonder if this is too soon. I’m really disliking the utrogestan too.