So sorry to hear everyone's woes and problems with HRT.
Honeybun - if you were still having night sweats then to me that indicates the oestrogen level is not high enough. The thing is from what you say, you started HRT when you were still peri - and probably the dose was sufficient as you still had some your own oestrogen. Approx two years from the date of your last real period (ie true menopause - many of us don't know when that is because we go onto HRT before this time) your oestrogen (estradiol) drops to its lowest and remains there from what I understand.
After this it could well be that you need a slightly higher dose for a while as symptoms begin to kick in again. My feeling is that you could try a slightly higher dose eg 75 mcg. After all you are still young. I only started HRT just before I was 54.
I am sorry to hear that your anxiety hasn't improved with the change in HRT - so maybe the progestogen wasn't the problem - or at least not the only problem? However as others have said - going cold turkey re HRT can be tricky. For me the symtpoms started to come back probably around 6 weeks - 2 months and they were much worse in that I had symptoms I never experienced before - but I can understand your frustration.
I would not want to be without it though, while there are no medical reasons for me not to be on it.
Various of you in this thread have mentioned cut off times and what the doctors have siad.
littleminnie - I am appalled at what they have said to you!
I really do think that it is up to us as women to decide how long we want to stay on HRT - and make sure we are not dictated to by the medical profession - particularly as many are not as informed as they could be.
From what I have read the most up to date current thinking (including Dr Currie who started this site) is that, provided we are told the risks (well the "official" risks - which come from the Womens Health Initiative Study etc - and which are on all the packs of HRT/oestrogen that you can buy) - then it is up to us to decide whether or not to accept those risks.
Please - if you want to stay on HRT, and there is no medical reason why you shouldn't stay on it, and you are happy on it - then make sure you speak out. I think it is important to be clued up and state where your opinion comes from.
The latest statement from the British Menopause Society/Women's Health Concern (2013) by Nick Panay et al had this to say:
The HRT dosage, regimen and duration should be individualised, with annual evaluation of pros and cons.......
If HRT is to be used in women over 60 years of age, lower doses should be started, preferably with a transdermal route of administration.
These statements have been made taking into account the latest research findings.
Yes you do have a say, but it does take courage to speak out - and it is disgraceful that women who are at a vulnerable stage in their lives are put in the position where they have to argue their case.
Those who are being asked to come off because of the published risks (from the WHI and MWS) please get referred to a meno clinic if you can and speak to a gynae doctor and quote the latest info.
It is your right!
Hurdity x
