HRT at 75?

They usually advise not to take it at or till that age - personally I think my life would be much better if I did, but the docs say No!

I'm 62 and been on a form of HRT (Tibolone) since my mid 50s. Every 3 months I see the GP to have B/P done and if that's ok I get another prescription. I did a trial without it for 12 weeks ( a foot operation) and was miserable- hot flushes all night very night. Not sure about the dewy skin- I think the fruit and veg and a blameless life give me that!! I'm staying on HRT for as long as possible. I understand American women just stay on it without problems.

It does seem to depend on your GP, one (female doctor) at our practice said come off it asap with absolutely no valid reason while the male GP partner said carry on!
I did stop taking it after about 25 years and only occasionally do I have a hot flush so I presume I'm 'past it' on that front.

I'm 64 and have had hrt for nearly 20 years, at my doctors suggestion I have stopped this week but if my I feel worse without I will be begging to go back to it.I know the risks but quality of life means a lot.

I am 69 and have been on HRT for well over 20 years. Every time I try to stop I feel awful and am unable to sleep for hot flushes. They are also bad during the day and I have to wear layers. I volunteer in a charity shop and once when I had been removing clothes my cardigan ended up with a label and ready to go out into the shop!
My husband prefers the version of me with HRT and hates me trying to do without it.

I took it for about 15 years and had a couple of goes at coming off - half a dose etc but felt so bad had to restart. The time I was successful I did it over a period of almost a year. I started by taking it or six days a week - I was on the single pill type - and did that for a month or more and then for five days a week. I spread out which days were the off days and I made my own detailed calendar to keep track.
When I finished completely I did still get the odd very short hot flush but not too bad and after a while they did stop.

I'm over 75 and had trouble with vaginal dryness after the menopause, often leading to urinary infection. So I've been using a localised hormonal med. for years. When in UK it was Vagifem, here it's a cream.
I go for breast xrays every 2 years, but it's so good to be free of the UTIs.

There seem to be things unsaid about all this. Why would one GP say get off it asap? Jenn mentions the risks - is that "just" more likelihood of breast cancer? And why did you decide to come off it, Bez?

Therein lies the problem. Different doctors give different advice and that is why we none of us know where we are on this.

I think it depends on the HRT. I'm on oestrogen only. A very, very low dose. Only one doctor has advised to come off if possible but several others have told me the dose is too low to increase the cancer risk but will help prevent osteoporosis. So I'm keeping on it.

I am also on Tibolone Teetime and have been on HRT for about 16 years now. I came off after 8 years and stuck it for a full 12 months but it was such a dreadful experience my doctor suggested I resume! I really envy friends who sailed through the menopause with not a backward glance. People don't realise that hot flushes are by no means the only effect for so many of us: night sweats, no sleep, vaginal dryness - unhappy DH, hair thinning, nails splitting, joints absolutely wrecked. No memory or concentration. Awful moods. zilch energy. Get it?
My GP is lovely. We meet up twice a year to check me over, we discuss the risks/benefits ratio and she renews my prescription having ascertained that I am making a fully informed choice.
There is a very good web site called Menopause Matters, run by a doctor called Sheila Currie. There you will find a very sensible source of advice.

flutterby sorry but I have only just found this thread again this morning and seen your question.
I eventually came off only because I had been on it for so long and at the time I knew of no- one who had been on it as long - about 20 years. My female GP had told me the numbers about the extra risk and it really is so tiny if it was published with as many trumpets blaring as the risk is highlighted people would laugh at it. I cannot remember exactly the figure but we agreed it was so tiny. Had I seen that there were people who had been on it as long or longer than me I think I would have remained on it. There is also a computer programme the doctor has which looks at all your data and calculates how likely you are to have a stroke etc and a the time I came up as very low - in fact come to think of it my other health blips have been since I came off the HRT!

My female GP took me off it 6 months ago stating I had been on it far too long (20yrs+) and by the time the first week had passed I could feel the difference,the night sweats started and the feeling of not being able to bother with some everyday things,I was so tired and became a right couch potato.
I spoke to our younger male GP about the problems and asked him to prescribe for me again and he said if my blood tests can back OK he would,my tests all came back fine and I have been back on it now for 5 weeks and feel fantastic.