HRT

I have never taken HRT, not for any reason in particular, just that I thought I would go through the menopause naturally. For the first few years I suffered from insomnia. I didn't take any night sedation, and just tried to get on with everyday life. I worked permanent night duty too! I am pleased to say that now, ten years since my last period, my sleeping pattern has more or less returned to normal. The hot flushes are becoming more intermittent, sometimes I go for a week without one. I am hoping that I am nearing the end of all the symptoms.
Have you tried self hypnosis to get to sleep. I imagined myself in my favourite place by the sea, and just sat and watched the water. It worked for me, most of the time.

Not coming off HRT - hot flushes all night every night.

no1 I did this a few years ago stopped my HRT on the advice of a male Dr in our practice. My female Dr was up in arms at my next appointment with her when she saw the result of his advice.
I had to start them up again as the symptoms were as bad as ever. I couldn't function, words failed me I couldn't hold a conversation. I was having tremendous hot flushes, could not sleep and that was only some of the terrible symptoms I was experiencing.
I am 59 now and this year I have weaned myself off HRT.
I am having hot flushes through the night but they are manageable. I am feeling very well in myself.
My Dr said if I required HRT she could continue to prescribe until late 60's as long as I was aware of the risk involved.
But you still experience some of the symptoms of menopause when you come off HRT.
So I just bit the bullet and thankfully it hasn't been as horrendous as I imagined.

Back on H.R.T. couldn't cope with the hot flushes and lack of sleep.One doctor refuses because of my age ,64,but another in the practice is happy for me to take it as long as my blood pressure, weight,exercise and diet are good and I realise the risk. The risk is worth it to have a good quality of life for me.

In my late 40s when I had started the menopause I experienced continued loss of blood (I was having to wear pads all the time) my GP thought taking HRT would sort this problem out.

It did and I took the drug for a number of years until there was a media share about breast cancer and with my GPs advice I came off the drug.

I immediately went into the menopause again, I had no intention of taking the drug again so I just put up with the problems. It took about a year before I felt completely well again.

My thoughts were if I take the drug again and I come off at a later date I could again go into the menopause, it seems to me that taking HRT just delayed the inevitable.

I was forced off HRT after ten years age 55 by my GP (I'd had a hysterectomy in my 40s) and wish I could have stayed on them. He said there were too many risks. I suffered many years of sleepless nights and hot flushes. They gradually wear off but I am sorry to say it takes years. I found taking triple doses of Evening Primrose Oil helps a bit. Friends have said avoiding spicy food and not drinking alcohol helps too.

Thanks girls, my symptoms seem to be very similar to Glassortwo (love your handle) I have decided to carry on with the HRT until the hot flushes & hopefully the sleepless nights disappear. Then I will immediately start reducing the HRT again. I was doing great on two or three a week then I became impatient & stupidly stopped them all. Isn't it just SPITEFUL what a glass of red wine can do to you? haha.

I agree with you Jen, it boils down to quality of life. For me taking small irregular doses of HRT seems the to way to go, at least for now.

I wonder if in years to come, women will continue to take HRT into their 80's. Yes, there are risks but there are also significant quality of life issues. I took it for several years and it certainly seems to have helped with bone density issues.

I was taken off HRT by my Female Doctor at our practice earlier this year and suffered with awful night sweats and feeling just totally useless in general she said it was because of my age and just stopped my prescription,after a couple of months I just had to go back and see the Male Doctor at the practice and after checking my BP and doing blood tests he prescribed a low dose HRT for me and my well being has been restored again thank goodness,I had no energy and could have slept any time of the day but feel fine now I think it just depends on the individual I think and how severe the discomfort is.

When this topic came up - last week, I think, I gave my thoughts as a breast cancer survivor. Can't write it all again, but it is there somewhere.

Yes, Ariadne it has come up again quite recently and I too gave my position. I think so much depends on which HRT you're on. Mine is a very small dose of oestrogen only after I had a complete hysterectomy 15 or so years go. I've been on it ever since except for a couple of times when I tried to come off - once just recently.

It's not just the hot flushes that sent me back to taking it, but the chronic mood swings. I wasn't a nice person at all - in fact DH suggested I take it again!

I know there is a increased chance of breast cancer but this is somewhat counteracted by increased protection against oestioporosis and also apparently dementure - there does seem to be an improvement in my memory now I'm back on full dose. A bonus too is that I've more energy and my skin is better.

I think depends on the individual and the dose so it's best to consult your doctor for advise.

I have been refused HRT by 3 GP's in my practise, 2 of whom I believe are just backing up the first one to refuse. Their basis for refusal is that my mum (not their patient) was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 59. My (younger) sister who is with a different practise does take HRT despite the fact that she has not menopausal symptoms at all (she just asked for it and hey presto). I am so fed up I am serioulsy considering changing my GP practise as it is apparent that all of the doctors are just backing each other up. None have actuially sat down with me and talked through the pros and cons. None of them have weighed up my symptoms versus the risks. I am at the end of my tether and can't go on like this for much longer.

gilly as you're feeling so bad, I think you should ask for a referral to a female gynaecologist - blood tests will be done to ascertain hormone levels and then if you need HRT and the risks are acceptable it could be prescribed.

I know you lead a very busy and stressful life so that may be contributing to how ill you feel but if it's established that indeed you are menopausal and suffering it can be treated.

Phew Just gone back on mine after not taking them for 3 months what a relief when I say puddles I mean puddles of sweat it's horrendous but had to be done for an operation I was having don't think I will ever do without them has this is the third time I've gone through this for operations.

I was chatting to someone at the gym today who said she'd been suffering from hot flushes and had been having a bath each night to which she added three drops of tea tree oil and three drops of lavender [she started using 6 drops of each] and hasn't had a hot flush since. I know it sounds implausible, but it might be worth trying.

I had a hysterectomy at 39, 27 years ago. Was not offered HRT and have never had it. When I was about 48 I had one horrendous hot flush whilst sitting in the chiropodist chair and had to get up and go to the door for air....bare feet and all. I was so naive.....asked chiropodist could she not feel the heat?? It was only when I got back to my office that I realised what had happened. However I do have osteoarthritis and sometimes wonder if HRT would have made a differenc in this regard.

My first post was 19th June, I had been taking HRT again for 4 days. That's less than a month ago. I am feeling SOOOO much better, the hot flushes have gone but better still I am sleeping again, what a pleasure! I can function once more & of course have more energy. It all boils down to quality of life doesn't it?
In a few days time I will start again to reduce the HRT, I will be sensible and do it slowly until I'm down to 3 tablets a week, I may try to go to 2 tablets a week and stay on that dose till death do us part, haha.
As all you lovely ladies say "we are all individuals with individual life styles & possible health problems" I'm lucky there's no history of cancer in my family so the benefits, for me defiantly out weigh the risks.
XXX Gogo by the way, gogo is Zulu for Grandmother (I live in South Africa, emigrated here from Co. Durham in 1981) Wish I could have met you ladies.

Glad to hear you're back to normal Gogo. I hope you'll stay with us even if not in the flesh!

Hi Dumpling, I'm defiantly going to stay with you all, I have just found this site and LOVE it.

I hope people on this thread will read the draft NICE guidelines above. Wish they had been there fifteen years ago!

Hi. I am 62 and had been on HRT for 5 years. I was advised by my GP to wean myself off it slowly dropping one tablet every four weeks. This I did and finally after 7 months I stopped taking it altogether. I thought I had done so well as I didn't seem to get many hot flushes to speak of and I felt generally well apart from overwhelming tiredness and poor sleep. However now 4 months later I am in constant pain with thumb and finger joints and neck. My thumbs are particularly bad and I am finding it increasingly difficult to perform everyday tasks. It's difficult to squeeze shampoo bottles, press aerosols, hold a hairdryer, remove lids and pack my supermarket shopping. I have just had a full range of bloods done but everything is normal. My GP has now told me it is likely to be the decreasing levels of oestrogen having come off HRT. I had no idea that stopping HRT could bring on such symptoms. I am about to retire in 2 months time and am worried that My quality of life is going to be affected. I have been looking at natural health supplements both tablets and foods. I'd be interested to know if anybody can recommend anything. I have read that soya is good.

I am so glad to read about the positive experiences of HRT but can't help but feel sad/disappointed that I am not able to enjoy the benefits. I am still seriously considering changing my GP but don't want to go through the hassle if it doesn't make any difference. I am seeing a consultant in September (for something entirely different, or is it?) and am going to raise the subject with a faint hope that they might just sympathize.

Still having the most horrendous time. In fact just when I think it can't get any worse it gets worse. Having virtually no quality sleep any more and looking and feeling like a zombie at work. Pains in my ankles, feet and wrists, awful night sweats and hot flushes during the day, hair falling out in clumps, continuous water infections and feeling generally miserable.

Trying to look after children, grandma, mam and dad plus working full time is becoming almost impossible. I am 53 and feel ancient. DH is 63 (soon to be 64) and says he feels 45. I can only see trouble ahead.

Have you tried crying Gilly? I worked for me when I'd taken a break from my HRT and couldn't cope. I disolved into a blubbering heap in front of the doctor. He wordlessly handed me a box of tissues and wrote out the prescription. (I don't do attractive pretty weepy!)