Hi Claudia
i am on EvorelConti combined patch 3.2 estradiol 11.2 norethisterone .i have been on half a patch for 12 years and I am 62 .I originally went on it as I was having lots of UTI and read HRT could help.What I noticed that I felt like myself again and hot flushes etc went away.
i have had 2 goes at coming off but each time I've had problems with low mood and not sleeping and loss of sexual desire but that might also be age related ?
i am really not sure if one is better on HRT or not?Unlike smoking one really doesn't know how good or bad it is for you?I am just trimming a tiny bit of the patch because I would like to be drug free but if one has to take loads of supplements or other drugs maybe better to stick to HRT which after 12 years I think my body thinks is normal!
i have never taken hrt and have dealt with the menopause on my own, i have hot flushes mainly at night but now i am in my midfifties they are getting less, periods have gone, hooray, hair loss as been a bit of a pain my hormones were rioting a few days ago but have calmed down now. i still have breast cysts, but they are gradually diminishing.
i im looking to see wot help there is for woman who was on hrt i was 32 when i started takin it and my doctor took me of it this week after 12yrs im 44 now n im strugglin to cope with the sweats n mood swings i just sit n cry for no reason im stressed n snappin for no reason
I tried going off HRT cold turkey and it was a nightmare. Ask for a low dose of Zoloft or something for the mood swings and I was taking something called Evista for the hot flashes. Ask your doc about them. I've just started HRT after 1 year and am still crazy with the doses but it's getting better. Had no libido without HRT
Glad to hear your successes. I've been on for a year and it's been a roller coaster. You must have doctor that is willing to have repeated conversations and feedback which has been hard to find. The night sweats and feeling like I'm going to jump out of my skin are the worst.
I hear you about being desperate. If you don't use the HRT you are depressed hot and have no libido. When you start with the patches and pretest around then things really get topsy-turvy until you find the right dose
I am getting close. I use the 0.5 patch twice a week of estrogen and I trimmed it to three quarters. I think it's the progesterone that makes me feel crazy so I am been trying to cut that down I am taking 25 mg a night and this seems much better. I sleep mostly through the night but have been waking up earlier
I agree Julie - my doc says you have wean off of it ever so slowly. Feel like a morphine addict!
A low dose of Zoloft helped me. I did that for 5 years but my husband didn't like my even tempernant - says it's not the girl he married plus I lost my libido. Geez. Fun being a girl huh
Now I've started HRT
my doctor wont give me anything said i been on it way to long n that was only to make sure my bones diden't get weak but i cant cope without my hrt it like ive lost something n i think b4 long my husband goin go mental with the way i am at the minute lol
I hate to tell you this but I am 77 and was taken off HRT 3yrs ago and have suffered the menopausal symtoms all over again with horrendous hot flushes.`i had a hysterectomy at 46 and have MS.Whilst on HRT I felt fantastic.`but since coming off ...rubbish. What the doc doesn't tell you is that you will go through the menopause when you stop HRT.I would love to go back on it and feell like me again
update ive stopped takin my hrt for over week now n my mood swings seem to be gettin worse went bk to see my docto told him i could cope with the sweats but not the moods im avin n not sleeping he said he could put me bk on them but he not comfortable with the idea as i was on it for 12 yrs so suggested i try n cope for another few weeks he says it should only be bout 10 week period for me with me already goin through it at early age well we see but at the minute im feelin so depressed im normally happy go lucky as they say
Hi Nancy,
I am 67 and have been taking HRT since 38 years of age. I also had a full hysterectomy 9 yrs ago. Up until recently, I was working full time in a fantastic job, but was made redundant. I have been job hunting since then and turning up for interviews soaking wet and flustered. As I live in Malta, the weather is hot in summer and I mistook this to be the reason. After reading these ladies comments, it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks. Due to working full time (my choice) and not having much free time, I didnt bother to renew my HRT SCRIPT.I also felt it was time to stop taking it. Over time, I noticed pins and needles in my fingers, hot flushes , weight gain, lack of confidence and the miseries. My skin is dry and wrinkly. These symptoms appeared about 6 months after stopping HRT and I somehow missed all the signs. My next move is visit to GP very soon. My best wishes go out to you.
Hi, I am 58 years old and have been taking HRT for nearly 10 years. I am absolutely petrified to stop taking it. Although i have been unwell of late with a suspected DVT, which turned out to be problem with veins, I had surgery last Friday for that. I also have aching body and neck problems. I became very active three years ago when I started running and then doing triathlons. I cannot train at the moment, but hope to be back to it soon. I cannot help think the moment I stop taking HRT, everything will stop and I will get hot flushes and get old and won't be able to train. I have to say that I'm on low dose HRT so do not get the full benefits of sex drive etc, which is very disappointing as I have a much younger husband. But frankly, although I'm a bit of a sick dog at present, I cannot see any point in not taking HRT and living a miserable life.
Your absolutely right, my earlier post described me working full time in a great job, decided to come off HRT 6 months ago (it was time to stop I decided), didnt join up dots when I was boiling hot (I live in Malta so put it down to hot summers), miseries, bone shattering tiredness, pins and needles - then I was made redundant and was turning up for interviews soaking wet and frightened. I came upon this website by chance and bingo!! I have now been back on HRT one week - whats the point in a long miserable life to be endured? If there was a time limit on the symptoms then maybe it would be worth sitting it out. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best
Hi I read your entry - sorry to hear about the DVT; surely you had to stop taking the HRT before the surgery?
I have had breaks from my patch during the 14 years i've been using it and each time cut them starting with a small corner then 1/2 and so on - the weaning took 10 weeks or so. I don't recall gettin flushes or anything very unpleasant but i did feel different and they do provide 'moisture' to the body so have used them agin for over year but mainly for my bone density with having osteoporosis. (can't tolerate the meds for that). I should think if you have been training you are quite fit and you can ease again slowly once feeling better which will keep you young!
Take care xxx
Hello Julie, I am 58 and have also been on HRT for about the same amount of time. I have started to wean off 3 months ago, I skip taking one on Sunday initially and now 3 months later just stopped taking another one on Saturday, I will wait another 3 months to see how I am doing, and then skip Wednesday..... I am following the directions of Dr. Love on the internet. How are you making out? Please keep in touch.
Hello Jsjue, I am 58 and have also been on HRT for about the same amount of time. I have started to wean off 3 months ago, I skip taking one on Sunday initially and now 3 months later just stopped taking another one on Saturday, I will wait another 3 months to see how I am doing, and then skip Wednesday..... I am following the directions of Dr. Love on the internet. How are you making out? Please keep in touch.
Hi all, I started HRT about 2 years ago but had to have the one which would give me a monthly bleed as I had not gone for a full year without a period, I am now nearly 59 by the way. I was desperate to try HRT as I felt rubbish, but was not having any hot flushes, just got very hot, especially at night when I would wake up with my back feeling like it was on fire. I only stuck with them for about 2 months however as I suddenly thought, what am I doing going back to having a period every month?, plus they made me feel very PMTish.. headaches, heartburn and stomach cramps.. (for years after my first daughter was born, I suffered from migraines), but as soon as I stopped, I started having quite severe hot flushes. My GP said it couldn't be anything to do with the HRT, but I find it a strange coincidence that my hot flushes only started afterwards. Now two years or so on, I have been free of periods since, but thought I'd like to try HRT again to try and avoid the hot flushes. I was given a low dose tablet, Elleste Duet combi, as I have family history of heart attack on my father's side, and strokes on my mother's side. After about 6 weeks of taking them I have suddenly had two very worrying dizzy spells, which, admittedly were both when I was in bed lying down but I felt as if someone had picked me up and spun me round. I don't think I ever felt that bad even when I was drunk!! I just think what could happen if this had manifested itself when I had been driving, so have decided to give HRT the heave ho as I don't like the idea of what it could be doing to me. Also, I have read so many times that all it does is postpone the hot flushes etc. so figure I may as well just put up with it and try and lose a bit of weight in the hope that it will relieve the symptoms a bit. I am not tremendously overweight, but think that anything which could make a difference is worth a try. 
Did you gradually wean off your HRT or did you just stop abruptly? I am weaning off very slowly, 3 months no HRT on Sunday, then 3 months later, no HRT on Sunday, which is where I am at now, leaving me to take the HRT M-F. So far I am fine, hoping the slow process helps the symptoms of coming off them will be minimal and I will be able to deal with them. I find it interesting you have pins and needles after stopping them, I would experience that throughout the duration of taking them every so often.??? How long have you been off the HRT?
That dizziness is frightening isn't it? If i get it it's after a sweaty NIGHT possibly due to dehydration, so unlikely to happen in the day.
There are several ways of dealing with these hormaonal issues so don't suffer unduly - you could try oestrogen patch and progest tab. Pester your GP or try an endocrinologist...
Take care.