Age 61 and no more HRT

[Wowarentyoutall]

Been on Femoston Conti for 5 years with no problems at all (patches before that but I didn't like them ) now been told that age over 60 the cons outweigh the pro's of HRT as theirs an high riskof breast cancer so doctor has taken me off them.
Stopped taking them 6 weeks ago and the hot flushes/mood swings/insomnia have returned with avengeance.
Was recommended Black Cohosh and Sage neither of which seem to be doing anything at all, can anyone recommend anything that has helped them.

That's not true at all - many woman experience hot flushes well into menopause.
According to a recent study carried out in the United States called the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats will last between 7 to 11 years

Some woman still get them in their 80s.
Perimenopause is more liken 4 years on average.

I'm 65 and a few months. Currenlty have the Mirena coil plus take 1mg of Elleste Solo per day.

Have been allowed to stay on HRT in order to prevent osteoporosis.

My Mum is 78 and has been on HRT since her 40’s. She has her annual review and that’s that.

The hot flushes are part of the perimenopausal phase, they stop.
@LBFseBrom Is this your own experience?

I never had any peri symptoms but hot flushes and night sweats started only when my periods had stopped around 53. This isn't unusual.

Vasomotor symptoms can last for decades and forever in some women. This isn't my personal opinion, it's what I've been told by a consultant gynaecologist- specialist in menopause, because HRT is prescribed for women who need it through to their 80s and even older.

My GP said it's not at all unusual for women of my age (66) to still have hot flushes, insomnia and mood swings despite being more than ten years after their last period. Those symptoms are categorically not restricted to perimenopause. HRT also protects bones and can prevent things like vaginal atrophy and bladder problems. It might have been better if I had taken it earlier, but it's not too late.

I'd rather base my personal decision on a combination of my GP's reading of my medical notes and her understanding of the most recent research (she specialises in women's health) than on anecdotes about the individual experiences of random women on the internet.

I'm the same age had had to stop Elleste Conti due to heavy bleeding. Your regime sounds much better and I might see if my GP will let me try that. Not keen on Mirena though. I had a hysteroscopy last month and just passing that camera through was agony enough!

I was very worried about getting the coil fitted. They fitted that the same time as my hysteroscopy back in October - I'd had some bleeding on my previous HRT.

I was very nervous, but the gynae gave me a local anaesthetic into the cervix. The only discomfort was the speculum going in - that always gives me bother.

ETA The hysteroscopy didn't hurt either. I was astonished - I've never given birth.

After my apt with the nurse on weds , I got a message from my doctors surgery at 7pm last night saying ' Dr * has asked us to do a prescription for Hrt patches do you know which ones you're having ? ' Erm no lol now waiting for them to get back to me again 🙈

@Wowarentyoutall , your GP is not up to date with current research and nor are they au fait with the latest guidance. Personally I’d look for a new GP as yours doesn’t seem very good but do your research and go armed with it to insist on what you are entitled to. Doctors are now told that women can stay on HRT indefinitely so long as they are benefiting and the rubbish about breast cancer is from discredited research and from a time when HRT was made from horse urine, the modern stuff is identical to our own hormones. Important to take it transdermally though.

Well after my message from the surgery on 31st July where they asked 'which patches ' I still haven't got the prescription
Doctor ignored the messages from the office asking which ones, then it got referred to the 'on call doctor' who wanted me to do my BP for 4 days , did that , no response at all ( rang them 4 times and it was being chased up '
Now been told they want it to go back to the original doctor for him to deal with .
Just sent them a very stroppy email and now got a telephone consultation booked for this afternoon & he'll probably tell me I can't have them !
The hottest days of the year and hot flushes have been horrendous

Quote the NICE guidance.
No age limit on HRT, symptoms dictate if you need it, transdermal has no added clot risks etc etc.

If they refuse they have to give you a sound, scientific medical reason, not just being over 60 or their not approving ot HRT for older women.

One of the top meno gynaes in the UK (Prof Nick Panay) who contributes to all the BMS and NICE guidance is on video online and in an interview on HRT with Liz Earle where he mentions his own patients who are in their 80s on HRT.

3 months later the patches didn't work at, all , spoke to a different doctor who couldn't understand why I had been taken off tablets, went thru all the pros and cons with me and then prescribed me my tablets again ❤️ Result at last, apparently the doctor who insisted I could only have patches has left the surgery

Thank you for the update. As a 59 year old on Femoston Conti this is of interest to me! I am due a review just before I am 60.
What was the issue with the patches? What was your new GPS view on continuing tablets over 60? Are you back on the Femoston Conti?
Apologies for all the questions!

He said as I'd had no problems on femoston conti I could go back on them & have a check up every 6 months.
He did say the risks of breast cancer , blood clots etc were very low.
The patches did nothing for my hot flushes, I told him that I'd had to leave a restaurant in the middle of our meal and go outside to cool down. I also hated having to change them twice a week, and sticky glue they leave which can only be removed with baby oil.

I'll add that the last time that I saw the consultant for Fife - the expert for our area, apparently, he commented that women are now taking HRT for much longer. He inserted my Mirena and told me to see my GP about my oestrogen. I'm now on a tablet for that.

This is a old thread I have just started hrt I'm 64 how long before you feel benefits

I think I was about a month in when I felt better. I've got friends who felt better after a few days and others that took 3 months.

Are you in your 60 or younger feeling a bit anxious about starting hrt

Did you gradually come off hurt or go cold turkey? I’m late 50’s and have an annual
mammogram. My consultant tells me there’s no need to come off.

I started it at 52. I'm still on it (after a few alterations and adjustments) and I'm now 66.

I'm nearly 66 and still on HRT. My practice nurse tells me that the thinking on HRT has changed a great deal over the years, now that we know more about it.

There's a family history of osteoporosis and I'm taking the HRT as a preventative. My mother was bent over double with it, my maternal grandmother, a maternal great-aunt and a maternal great-grandmother (grandfather's mother) suffered from it.

Ok thanks just hoping this helps my whole body is so sore

I'll update as well on this older thread. I have recently changed from Femoston Conti to Evorel Conti as concerned about blood pressure. GP felt my spiking BP due to a Head cold and was happy for me to stay on Femoston. I was panicking and suggested coming off hrt. She suggested 'don't fall off a cliff' and put me on Evorel Conti patches and said think about it. A couple of weeks in and liking the patches. BP ok I think but follow up appointment later this week. If ok will probably carry on with the Evorel conti (though as I said, GP felt sinus cold more likely for BP spiking than Femoston!).

I am 79 and have been on HRT for 40 years and intend to continue it until I snuff it. No problem with my GP and have had no HRT related health problems.

Very encouraging!
Did you go through a range of hrt over the years?