HRT update

I will take my chances. Been on HRT for the past ten years and each time I stop I am miserable! I am slim, exercise and have no family history of breast cancer. Just had another clear mammogram. Can’t see a reason to stop especially if the risks last for another ten years. Am happy and healthy on HRT and fully intend to take it as long as possible.

I have taken HRT following a hysterectomy and oopherectomy at 38. If I’d just had the hysterectomy I probably wouldn’t have needed to take it. I attempted to gradually stop about 4 years ago but the symptoms were awful, so bad DH begged me to go back to see my GP. Fortunately she’s very pro HRT. The concerns are about the combined HRT not so much the combined.

Am I right in thinking the Vagifem pessary is not included in this ?

Long past the menopause.My doc had refused my request for HRT being I was informed due to my history of 'lumps'
None of which when given the needle 'ouch' had found to be of concern.

I always have my doubts about doctors but the prescribing of HRT is one of the things I have always found troubling. Why would you medicate against a natural process? Can you imagine if someone said "Oh adolescent boys are a bit of a nuisance, let's find someting which calms them down and stops them going through adolescence till they are a bit older?" There would be a huge outcry. When I went through the menopause HRT was still manufactured from the urine of pregnant horses and having read what was happening there was no way I was going to use it. In any case you have to come off HRT eventually and will probably have symptoms then. Why not get it over with at a younger age? But it is choice women have to make I'm just not sure that male doctors or very young women doctors are the right people to give advice. When I was younger I remember there were quite a few women who made sudden unexpected changes to their lives and were excused by my mother and her friends because they were "going through the change". I'm never sure medication isn't just to keep us on the straight and narrow.

My mother started HRT at 51 - she’s fit healthy and very very youthful - here’s her at 87 - and still on it.
I’m going on it ASAP.

Hellsbelles, I was told by my GP that Vagifem distributes oestrogen only in a very localised area so would not affect the breasts, my sister having died of breast cancer.

I took it for 15 years, I had an early menopause and was in a right state, heavy periods, memory fog, etc and I started on HRT which I have never regretted.

It seems strange that all this hype has come at a time of shortage, call me cynical but would not be surprised if we hear more drugs are bad for you just to help with the shortage.

i'm another one who's going to stay on it for as long as i can. started with hrt in 1995 and still taking it. gp and i talked it over and i've got it on repeat prescription which i'll just renew. gp and pharmacist both aware of my decision.

Every now and then there is a scare about something. I never took HRT because luckily I've never needed to but as with everything else, the good thing is that we are aware of the pros and cons and with our GP's advice we can make an informed choice.

I suffered going red and sweating all over while teaching classes for ten years but my French gynaecologist refused to give HRT because he said there where not enough long term tests. Thank you doctor.

Sorry seem to have posted twice by accident thought he first one hadn't gone

Hellsbelles Vagifem isn’t included. I also use the pessaries along with Premarin

I decided not to take HRT when I went through the menopause but I developed breast cancer 3 years ago . Life is a funny old game.

Everything we do in life carries risks. One is more at risk of getting run over whilst crossing the road to the chemist to get their prescription of HRT than having serious adverse effects to it??

Vagifem is such a very very low dose

Hellsbelles i know it is claimed that Vagifem doesn't get into your system as it is only a small amount,but i don't believe that,on the Vagifem website and patient information,it says can cause breast pain and hair loss,i have stopped mine, as several women on Menopause matters say even if only on Vagifem and no other HRT they are suffering hair loss as i am, although i did take other HRT too
Also if other meds or anything you put on your skin can cause side effects why not Vagifem

It's nothing to do with HRT Tigertooth I'm an active 73 and never taken it. My mum died aged 94. She never took it. Here she is at her 90th party. It's to do with lifestyle, genes, attitude and luck. Incidently she was the last to leave the party.

OMG the great HRT debate ! I don’t know what to do either . I recently saw a specialist.. very good one who knew his stuff we don’t get too much help from Docter’s in our 10 minute appointment do we .I’m 61 have been on hrt for 8 years tryed to come off it many times by dropping a tablet a week or taking every other day going on a lower dose etc etc . The thing is I feel great on I . Everybody comments how young I look, I exercise daily because I have boundless enery , sleep like s baby , happy , horny , no sweats or aching bones , no soreness down there etc . Well 6 weeks ago the shortage stopped my supply . I was briefly put on something completely different that I stopped as I was bloated and depressed . Luckily I had already made an appointment to see specialist as I was so confused about all the conflicting health reports . He said I should still take it as so many benefits . More risks from drinking wine , smoking and being overweight. I have had nothing for 6 weeks and have been ugly and moody , had water infections , not sweats can’t sleep anxiety etc etc . I feel like an insufficient old lady ! Hoping it will settle . But still can’t decide with this latest news

In my late 50s I began to take HRT, a tablet where I continued to have my monthly periods. Later the tablet was changed to one where I didn't have to experience periods.
I began to have the occasional migraine. (I used to have bad migraines in my teens and twenties but they stopped in my thirties after my three children were born). I wasn't unduly worried but, following instructions on the leaflet that comes with the tablets, I mentioned the return of my migraines to a locum at the surgery and he reassured me.
The occasional migraine continued and nine months later I had a mini-stroke.
The HRT was stopped immediately and the migraines stopped.
I am now 82 and OK. A friend of 80 who had the same experience is also fine.

I chose not to take HRT but to just get the menopause over with. Did not fancy postponing any menopausal symptoms until I was 60 or 70 when possibly in less good shape to deal with them.

As it happens I'm now 76 and feel no different to my health 20 years ago. (Fingers crossed).

I feel it's important to remember that correlation does not equal causation. If you develop breast cancer and are on HRT you cannot say whether it was a factor in your case or not or think you would not have got the disease if you had not taken HRT. You may have, or may not have. The association is statistical and says nothing about the individual. It is important to look at the absolute risk and not just the relative risk and then factor in all other known "risks" that may apply to you when making a decision.

HRT literally gave me my life back, have had no problems and GP is happy for me to take it. Will always be scaremongering reports, I choose to assess the risks and benefits and agree with everything allsaints55 said. Just hope supplies will even out.

Yes and not to forget 100 years ago women had their babies and their life span was around 50 . So all these issues just kept the human race going and then didn’t matter as they died .Hopefully now we can live to 100 but without the hormones that keep us vital women we are just managing though . Why not feel great for the next 50 years after 50 . It is great to hear of the women who never took it and feel ok . But is life to short to just feel ok . ?? Decisions decisions. ??

It's like playing Russian roulette with your body.

I'm like yourself purplepatch, at nearly 79 I feel, in myself, the same as I did at 59.
No HRT, though weathered an horrendous storm of constant migraines after never having had a headache in my life. I had also lost a lovely friend through a bleed on the brain just after her 50th Birthday, but nothing tempted me to take HRT, just packet after packet of paracetamol and migraleve.
I suffered for 10 years and how I came out of it unscathed I'll never know,even working through it and also looking after a sick husband as well as a long-haul flight. Good job I was in a haze ! Of whisky and paracetamol.

I was asked if I wanted the therapy and the GP also asked about family history of cancer, which on mum's side there was none but thrombosis/blood problems did feature so the GP immediately changed his mind on that one.

Both daughters haven't suffered at all thank goodness.

Bit judgey there, Trisha, I feel. Also a few others here too. Why? Does anyone get sneery about people wearing a bandage for a cut? Or taking something for a headache? And a couple of things - you don't have to take the ones made from horse pee. There are synthetic versions of HRT (one, Tibolone, is what I take) and another thing is that you don't actually have to come off it so you really can put off symptoms for as long as you want. To all those who've been on it for 20, 30years - I hope to be on it long-term as well. It keeps me bouncy and jolly and fully functioning in all departments as opposed to being the miserable menopausal cow I was just before I started, about 13 years ago. If I stopped every time there was a scare in the papers, I'd be off and on it like a kid on the park roundabout. Even this morning I notice they're back-tracking a bit on the scare-mongering.