HRT

Sorry pressed too soon, and what age are you,recently read that someone aged 80 is still on it

It is HRT but a different type - it's a synthetic one which has substances that act like oestrogen progesterone and testosterone but is only suitable for post-menopausal women as it is a no-bleed type of HRT. if she still has periods then she should try a different type. This website has more information about different types of HRT.

I was on Tibolone (I was told it 'harvests' what ever is left of your own hormones') for about 10 years and all was fine until the GP in his wisdom changed me to something else and I had a bleed which required investigations.

Oh forgot to say my sister is now on Tibolone and is also fine and all symptoms under control.

I was on Tibolone and Dr stopped it because after 60 you should come off HRT
I believe there is no upper age limit now, and would love to go back on it,i felt so well and slept better etc
I still get hot flushes but not as bad, but i dont sleep much, often only 3 hours, and that is with taking nytol
My daughter does still have periods which are intermittant though,

Depending on how long since you stopped hRT valerie and how old you are now, it is possible sometimes to restart although oral HRT is not recommended due to possible stroke risk so patches are generally preferred. Also adding oestrogen at this point would be a shock ( but welcome eventually!) to your system.

How old is your daughter? If she is less than say 51/52 and her periods are infrequent then she definitely should start HRT. Have a look at the link on my last post where you can find out about the different types.

My daughter is 53 this year and her periods have stopped,i would recommend tibolone as i felt marvellous on it, but she will have to find one that suits her, but it is more than the others apparently, and i believe it will be harder to get

I've tried 2 types of HRT, one cyclical and one continuous. I didn't have any problems with the cyclical onE but didn't have any relief from hot flushes so the GP moved me into a continuous which has stopped the night sweats and flushes but seems to have caused so many other problems (not least almost continuous bleeding). GP says to continue as they will "kick in" eventually (I doubt it now) but now I am having to take tablets to stop the bleeding (which have the opposite effect of the bloomin' HRT) so all pointless. I have a referral and a scan coming up just to double check the cause of the bleeding after which I will probably have no choice but to discontinue the HRT. GP not helpful at all when I asked if I could try a different one.

gillybob - once you've had a scan and if everything is OK, then if you have a Mirena coil fitted this will stop the bleeding if you are post-menopause and then you take take oestrogen only HRT to stop the flushes and sweats.

Just wondering iof anyone is taking an HRT called Femseven Sequi patches,,my daughter has now been given this, but only 4 patches .and she was charged 2 prescription charges
If so how are they working for you?

If you (she!) join Menopause Matters forum you are more likely to get an answer on there. It is usual to have to pay two prescription charges for any HRT which contains oestrogen and a progestogen, unfortunately.

Really Volvariella, well i never knew that, from what i have read about the Femseven Sequi patches,the first 2 weeks are good, but apparently the second half which i think is the progesterone isnt so good, with heavy feeling legs ,and tiredness
Anyway she is giving them a try, and i believe they are even more expensive than Tibolone

I started on HRT when I was in my late forties, as my mum had osteoporosis. After a one-off - no oestrogen involved breast cancer in my late 60s - I was taken off it, and my health, both physical and psychological, has deteriorated ever since. I would re-start some form of it tomorrow if only I could. Oh, and I was on Tibolone for a while - no probs. HRT is a great bone protector, and I currently have a fractured vertebra which is agonising.

Just to clarify that - I think it is only cyclical HRT which incurs double prescription charge because there are two different types of tablet or patch. I think continuous combined HRT (and oestrogen only of course) only counts for one because all the patches are the same. This would be why they are more expensive than Tibolone which is one tablet.

Unfortunately some women do react to the second part of the packet of HRT which contains the progestogen - but many women actually prefer this type to the other patch available.

I was on it for 12 years and said they would have to take me off it "kicking and screaming". Then I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and had to come off it overnight. I thought it was great and if it wasn't for the cancer 3 yrs ago I would still be on it. If you do go on it just make sure you don't miss your mammograms! Good luck

I am on Kliofem. I am 76, started at 52 with HRT on the advice of a gaenacological friend before my periods actually stopped. (So the body is never depleted completely of oestrogen.)
I tried patches, - they fell off so tried then various tablet forms. I have been on Kliofem for about 20 years now and have no intention of stopping. One GP I had about 6 years ago,refused to give it to me and I consequently started having horrendous symptoms. Fortunately I moved and the new GP gave it to me on a a repeat prescription. Incidentally there is no family history of breast cancer.
My brother is a surgeon and 2 years ago ok'd his wife to go on HRT. NEW American research is saying that HRT is OK into old age. I still have tons of energy, and feel great most of the time!

i've been on hrt since 1995 when i was 48. i had a total hysterectomy because of ovarian cancer [thankfully no other treatment other than the hysterectomy.
i started with menopause symptoms two days after the op and was presribed patches. however i was allergic to them [ended up with a ring of rings around my middle] so i then went on to injections every six months.
these worked for several years but then i was advised that "they" were no longer making the injections so i had to go on to pills.
i'm on elleste solo 2mg tablets once a day and i've never felt better.
i'm now 70 and have no intention of coming off the pills unless i have to. i've consulted with my gp and she sees no reason why i can't stay on them.
i looked at the pros and cons and decided that i'd take a chance on developing breast cancer rather than suffer from osteoporosis like my mother did. i check myself regularly and always go for my scan every three years. i'm going to request one when i'm 73 as the nhs has said we can now request one ourselves.
i feel so much better in myself taking the tablets and know that i feel 100% better than my mother did in her day.

I have been taking Livial since my mid 50s up until now, (I am 71) apart from a break of about a year when I was advised by my doctor that I shouldn't be taking HRT at my age. I was so miserable during the year's break with flushes, night sweats and lack of sleep that I begged to go back on it. At the moment I have to go back to the doctors every 3 months to check my blood pressure and weight and I have recently found a doctor that understands my symptoms and prescribes it to me without any bother.

Am I unusual that I have never experienced a hot flush or been prescribed HRT? My periods dwindled to none existence between the age of 50/54 although between age 35 years and until my periods ceased I developed, on a regular basis, breast lumps which were fortunately benign.

Have read all replies with interest, but the ladies who are round about my age, still on HRT and who have not had a hysterectomy interest me the most. I know that the risks associated with ageing apply to the combined pill more than to the oestrogen only ones. But I am sitting here feeling stiff and aching all over, whereas before I stopped I was full of energy, slept well and didn't have the ever present threat of bladder infections and even new trouble with, up to now, dormant piles. I gather the last two are to do with thinning of the tissue in those regions. I was taking Premique Low Dose 0.3mg/1.5mg modified release tablets for years and they suited me so well. The thought of stroke does frighten me more than anything, as my mother had transient aeschemic attacks in her 80's leading to vascular dementia. However, my blood pressure etc. has always been good for my age and I always go for health checks. I have come off the HRT for short periods twice before, but went back on quite soon. The other problem was that the pill sometimes went out of production, although I could never find out why. Sometimes I think doctors would rather dole out anti depressants for women than deal with this by taking a stand on HRT. I would like to know if anyone else is still on that particular pill. And thanks for your comments - it does help to know that others feel the same.

I'm on Tibolone (at 58) and have been for about 6 years. I love it. I'd tried various others all with different problems and when the wonderful doc (who's now retired) decided I had finished the menopause he moved me to Tibolone and everything settled down wonderfully. Mood swings, hot flushes, general joint ache and general craziness all a thing of the past.

I'm now having a fight with his successor, who has decided in his out-dated, doctorly wisdom, completely ignoring the latest research that all his female patients should be off HRT by age 60.
Words. Fail. But I really hope the Karma fairy kicks him up his pompous ass educates him very soon.

I highly recommend Menopause Matters website too.

I was put on HRT patches when I started menopausal symptoms at 48 after having had a hysterectomy at the age of 28. All went well until I had my first mammogram at the age of 52 and breast cancer was diagnosed. So off HRT immediately then. That was 21 years ago. Now my daughters in their early 50s are suffering with hot flushes etc but have been told by the doctors that they cannot take HRT due to my breast cancer which was hormonal.

For those of you who have GPs who don't keep up with current best practice regarding handling the menopause I suggest you read the "NICE guidelines on the menopause". Just google that phrase.
Once you are familiar with the recommendations you are armed with the official recommendations on clinical excellence for NHS practitioners. If your doctor has different views then he/she is out of date. I have been told that just mentioning NICE guidelines (say nice as in nice wine) in conversation has an electrifying effect on medical staff. If you still find resistance to prescribing HRT ask to be referred to the nearest menopause clinic.
Last week I had my 56th oestrogen implant (I get them twice a year) without which life would not be worth living. I see one of the top specialists in the country and she sees no reason why I shouldn't be on HRT until I die.

Very encouraging to read about other women still taking HRT into their 60's and 70's as I am ( mid 60's). Grankind as far as I know Premique low dose is still available although personally I would not want to be taking this type in my 60's or 70's - especially due to stroke risk although for women who haven't ever stopped taking it (oral HRT) and are otherwise healthy it seems to be less of a problem? I totally agree that some docs seem more comfortable with anti-depressants when HRT would be more beneficial overall. There are other types of HRT - for example patches or other tablets that are gentler. You can find them all on Menopause Matters website. Unfortunately not all docs seem to recognise NICE Guidelines but always good to have them to hand - I totally agree Esspee. 56th implant - amazing - so how old are you now and do you have to take a progestin? Always easier to take HRT long term if you no longer have a womb.