HRT for the over-60s

I don't know about over 60s, I'm well over 70 and have resumed Vagifem use because of recurrent UTIs due to vaginal dryness.
My doctor agrees it's perhaps better than regular doses of antibiotics, but sends me for annual checks for breast and uterine cancer.
When I restarted the beneficial effects were almost immediate. Also means marital rels are still possible (if you have the inclination. )
As someone wrote on another thread, at over 70 you don't mind so much taking risks.

Have just joined gransnet fab idea! Wondered if anyone knew about going back on HRT have just started again on elleste solo 1 mg but wondered how long it takes to get going again after an 18 month break? Any ideas advice would be helpful thanks LesleyM

Very sorry meant night owl feel worried I will get symptoms coming off hrt now! Been on it for 4 years since our family problems.

Mishap fin that worrying ! I am 59 saw my gynaecologist today who thinks I should reduce dose of hrt ie cut patch in half! My gp thinks I should come off it as have felt unwell high blood pressure and breathlessness Chest xray clear and ECG ok having thyroid blood test fri the back gp next wed on dear.

I agree with Tegan regarding milk. Added hormones may be banned but cows also have hormones. www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/12.07/11-dairy.html

Just putting a different viewpoint Jess. I know nothing about scientific evidence re HRT that I could use to challenge a GP I'm afraid. I have been fortunate enough not to need it, but offer my commiserations to those that do.

Not sure this is helping mishap - I think she is after evidence of a scientific/medical nature that she can use in her conversation with her GP. Or personal experience of taking HRT some years after the menopause.

Lavender oil is a miracle substance. I use it on burns and it heals and soothes. I once used it on very painful operation cuts and they healed with barely a scar. It is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat on the skin. I would always try the simplest treatment first, for anything that wasn't life-threatening.

I think I'd rather have a herb than horse pee. I suffered from heavy premenopausal periods for over 5 years until I read about agnus castus.
My mother had had a hysterectomy, both my sisters had, and I was determined not to. I did not, and was pleased to have broken the family curse.

I'm with mishap in the sceptical camp. I had heavy pre-menopausal periods. i didn't take any herbal things and they went away within the year.
mishap don't let the GP do that "its your age" platitude. My MIL gets this all the time. Instead of saying "Your state of health does not allow us to operate" for instance, they say "It's your age Mrs S" .

I shall try that, thanks Jendurham

My husband was allergic to Aspirin. I am allergic to Ibuprofen. It affects my breathing. If I need a painkiller, I rub lavender oil into my temples. It works. It helps me sleep as well.

Indeed so!

If aspirin was discovered now, it would probably be called alternative medicine. Whoever thought of using willow bark to relieve headaches?

Thank you for the suggestion - I have to admit to being a bit wary of alternative medicine, but I am very grateful for the thought.

By the way, both my sisters had early hysterectomies, but had problems of tiredness and headaches, etc. I told them about agnus castus, and it helped them. They are both younger than me, one ten years younger.

Mishap, have you tried agnus castus, or Agnacast?
It's a hormone regulator rather than HRT.
I think it's made by Gerard House, and it's probably still less than a tenner for 3 months supply.
I am a year younger than you, but in my fifties when I was having really heavy periods as well as lots of other problems, I started taking this, and it worked. I used to have to sit on the toilet overnight rather than go to bed - and that was when I was running a guest house, so I had to be up early to get breakfasts ready.
I was offered arachidonic acid by a gp., but the side effect was that it could cause sight complications, so I declined. Then someone told me about Agnacast, and it worked.
After a couple of years I stopped taking it, but then symptoms came back so I started taking it again. I gave up about four years ago, and have had no problems since.
It must be worth trying for three months to find out if it helps.

Just bumping up this thread as I am sick and tired of feeling grim.

I had a hysterectomy at the age of 42 and I am now 65. From the age of about 50 to 60 or thereabouts, my menopausal symptoms were brilliantly controlled with the tiniest possible dose of oestrogen-only 25 mcg patch. I was then encouraged to stop and gradually withdrew the treatment bit by bit, cutting the patches into halves, as another poster has said.

Ever since I stopped I have had giddiness, migraines, headaches, chronic nausea, tiredness, weakness - and generally feeling seriously c**p for most of the time. I drag myself through each day and try to put a smiling face on it all, but I have really had enough now.

I have a sister who is much younger than me who has had breast cancer.

I really want to go back on the HRT - it is such a tiny dose - but I know that I will have to battle with my GP to get it. I have got to the point where the symptoms outweigh the risks as far as I am concerned. I cannot countenance continuing with this dragging misery that constitutes the majority of my life. Please do not think I am an old misery - these symptoms are truly life-wrecking. I am a positive and person with a sense of humour and do not expect life to be all jollity, but this is really too much, and it is interfering with every aspect of my life. Some days I feel as if life is closing down for me and I want to be out there enjoying myself and being of constructive use to my family, friends and community.

I am not depressed (fed up - but not clinically depressed) or anaemic and my thyroid function is normal.

I need some weapons in my armoury to tackle the GP.

Sorry to hear that Nfk it sounds awful. And sorry to hear you're an orphan too, its a horrible feeling of loss isn't it? I just wanted to make sure people were aware of how Premarin is produced and that there are alternatives. We all have to do what we have to do when it comes to health

Nightowl I'm on Premarin. I've tried several synthetic alternatives like Climoval but they had awful side effects and didn't work for me. So reluctantly I went back to Premarin.

I'm now trying to cut down slowly, very very slowly, as the main reason for needing it was trying to cope with the needs of elderly parents - and I'm now an orphan. When this thread started I said I wasn't nice to know when I didn't take it, but I'd stopped quickly. Then my inner bitch had taken over, I had horrendous flushes, cold turns, dizzy fainting and terrible headaches, burst into tears. Couldn't cope. So far I've cut down by about a third and the only difference this time is my skin is looking a lot older - but that may be because I am (older!)

After recent reports that breast cancer risk is reduced by up to 55% in people who walk at least an hour a day (which I do - and also do a one hour workout) and that just 20 minutes a day can reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease, my daughter has pointed out that if I were to come off HRT there could well be a possibility that my energy levels would be reduced and I would no longer want or be able to exercise as much as I do now. Well, that's a conundrum then, isn't it? Is it possible that by coming off HRT and, by dint of that, having less energy, I could actually become more exposed to the very diseases my doctor thinks I am at risk of from being ON HRT!? Oyvay!!

Thanks for that info nightowl - I'd never thought about the source of some of these HRT drugs. Just another example of the way animals are treated as "products" rather than living things. I actually saw a documentary a few years ago where a factory farmer referred to his animals as "the product".

I was fortunate enough not to have the hot flushes, headaches, etc., that many women experience, though I did have period-type, dull pain in back and legs almost constantly for about ten years. Perhaps HRT would have helped with that, and I understand how women would want to be free of horrible symptoms.

Surely around the age of 60, though, HRT should not be necessary, may be dangerous and therefore it's advisable to gradually come off it? I don't think it's good to take a drug indefinitely unless it's absolutely necessary to alleviate pain or very distressing symptoms.

I sympathise with anyone who needs to take HRT and recognise that it must feel like a lifesaver for those who have experienced severe effects following the menopause. But please, please can people consider the type of HRT they are prescribed carefully and avoid those such as Premarin which are produced from pregnant mares' urine. These mares suffer greatly to produce this, the conditions in which they are kept are inhumane and the collection methods are painful. The foals are often sent for slaughter and the mares themselves don't last many years in these conditions. I believe there are other synthetic forms of HRT which make this completely unnecessary.

I was on hrt following a hysterectomy my early 40's. there was such a hullabaloo about 6 years ago around heart attack/stroke I came off it. At the time I had a terrible G.P so weaned my self off it slowly, and I mean slowly. Took me about 6-9 months. Now that might sound as if the misery is extended. But it was the best way for me my symptoms were really severe. 100 ml then 75 then 50 then 25. Then at the end I cut the patch into 4 used 3/4 then 1/2 then 1/4 then. At the very end I only changed the 1/4 every week rather than twice a week. Now at the end it may have been so little it was the placebo affect but it worked for me. I'm sure you could do the same sort of thing with tablets. What ever happens I wish her the best. It's awful but it does stop. But I hope you don't mind me saying this she has a wonderful empathetic daughter and that must make things easier. Good luck

I'm 66 and been on HRT for about 20 years. It's my intention to stay on it forever, but of course my doctor's now trying to get me off it. Personally, I believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Some of this thread has revealed absolute horror stories when coming off it and that is a risk I'm just not prepared to take. I'm full of energy, I'm still working, I don't have many aches and pains, I keep fit, am a healthy weight, my skin is good, my hair is shiny and the only time I see my doctor is for my annual HRT MOT, when she suggests I come off and I say I won't! Why on earth do I want to depress myself by getting hot flushes, putting on weight, getting migraines, a sore fanny and all the other miseries?! Surely, if you're not high risk e.g. no breast familial breast cancer etc. it should be OK. I just feel that medics think you shouldn't want to be firing on all cylinders after a certain age (of their choosing!) and therefore you should just put up with it, roll over and grow old. I'm all for the grans who buy it on the internet and, if I'm really pushed, I shall do that! I also, by the way, have suspicions that the word has gone out to get women over 60 off it because we cost the NHS too much with our free scrips - but then, how much more might we cost if we come off it?!