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[jasmine5]

Hi -  A few weeks ago I (stupidly) decided to reduce and then hopefully stop using my Femseven 50 patches as I had been on Hrt for about five years and thought it might be time to give it a go.  As I was also using Vagifem twice weekly I thought the extra Oestrogen in that might make stopping a little easier.  Anyway suffice to say things were fine for two weeks then it all went t*** up as the horrific night/day sweats returned!  I was actually on holiday at the time where the nights were particularly warm and the sweat just seemed to pour out from my face and strangely from behind my knees!  I suffered with this until I returned home and and decided I couldn't stand it any longer so started back on the patches, this was almost four weeks ago.

The problem now is that I am still suffering with the night sweats and the itching down below, for which I take Vagifem, has returned (this was previously under control) along with dry, itchy eyes.  I thought things would have returned to normal by now as I just can't function like this and I'm seriously thinking of taking a sickie from work as I feel so awful!  I'm wondering if I should give it more time to settle down or should I ask my Gp for a higher dose patch or can I just put another half a patch on until the symptoms subside? 

Jas x

[esspeeuk]

Why stop?

[Taz2]

Hi Jasmine - it can take a while to build up your oestrogen level again so I would persevere with the patches. I've tried to come off it twice (I started at 53 and am 61 now) and the symptoms have returned within a couple of months. Have you any medical reason for needing to come off HRT?

Taz x

[Hurdity]

Sorry to hear about this Jasmine!

I too have either stopped completely or reduced my dose of oestrogen in the past and symptoms have always returned. However going back to the original dose (50 mcg patch) always eliminated and controlled my symptoms (for the last 8 + years), and hopefully will for you too. As Taz says give it a while longer at that dose.

By the way very little oestrogen is absorbed into the body from Vagifem so continuing with this would have no effect on your general symptoms of flushes and sweats.

How old are you by the way? It is a pity that women have been told to try to stop after 5 years because this can cause untold problems. The new NICE guidelines say nothing about having to stop - only that women need to be told about the known long term risks.

Hurdity x

[jasmine5]

I'm 57 and I've also tried to come off before but same thing happened.

I decided to stop this time as one of the nurses in my surgery decided to tell me in graphic detail about a poor woman who was on Hrt and had to have a lumpectomy and was certain it was the Hrt that caused it!  As you can guess she frightened the c*** out of me!!

I've no medical problems to stop me its just that sometimes I worry that its not natural and what the long-term side effects may be.  I also worry about the time when I will have to stop - will I be suffering sweats into old age?  Having said that at the moment I feel great and my skin is good for my age, on the downside I carry some weight around my tum and  I am a bit achy in the morning.  Is this the same for everyone?

Jas x

[Hurdity]

The nurse should not have told you this! It is very sad to hear about anyone getting breast cnacer but you can never say what the cause is and in fact the extra risk so far is minute. Ehat is known of course is that any cancer that occurs for another reason will grow quicker with oestrogen if it is an oestrogen receptive breast cancer. Alcohol and being overweight are also risk factors - more so tahn current evidence for HRT. There is more information here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/risks.php
and an article here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-breast-cancer.php which probably gives much the same information.

Here is the information which says that for women yunder 60 with symptoms the benefits of HRT generally exceed the risks and between 60 and 70 they are balanced:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.php

It may not be "natural" but if you are using bio-identcial HRT then it is as natural as you can get. That being the case you might want to think about having Utrogestan instead of the combi patch since the progestogen is synthetic - but seriously at your age I wouldn't worry and if it works again (the HRT you are on) then carry on as long as you feel you need it.

Remember many women may spend more than a third of their lives in post-menopause and quality of life has to be considered as well as possible declining health and mobility due to being in a prolonged oestrogen deficient state.

Yes weight re-distribution is normal in menopause even when on low/medium dose HRT. Targeted exercise helps keeps the muscles strong. Morning aches are also quite normal! They could well be far worse off HRT! if you are going to suffer sweats when you come off then far better to put this off for as long as possible - there was a survey carried out recently which showed some women have sweats for 14 years! I am 62 and hope to stay on HRT for a few years longer - until I can't put up with the progesterone and bleeds any more, and certainly after I've stopped working (for many women this will be 66 due to changes to pension rules).

Hope this helps and you feel back to normal ( for you) soon!

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Why stop if something eases symptoms  - that proverbial bus might be along in the morning!  I had HRT a few years before a breast lump was removed and found to have changes on the margins = treatment but I wouldn't have altered anything up to that point.

If HRT helped symptoms should I have suffered during recent years I would have opted for it regardless of my breast history.  Quality, Girls, Quality!

What do you plan to do?  It is possible that HRT could cause cancer however ……… it is NOT up to your Nurse to tell such stories 

It is NATURAL to have menopause but we are lucky to have replacement therapy for what our bodies have supplied for years.  Why suffer symptoms  . 

Do you carry 'weight' or is it usual middle aged spread, i.e. laxity of muscles due to a drop off of oestrogen  .  Earlier this year my belly began go sag but I don't weigh any more than 12 months ago.

[peegeetip]

"I decided to stop this time as one of the nurses in my surgery decided to tell me in graphic detail about a poor woman who was on Hrt and had to have a lumpectomy and was certain it was the Hrt that caused it!  As you can guess she frightened the c*** out of me!!"

This is terrible nonsense. How on earth can she be certain!!
So sorry it spoiled your holiday

To be honest she should not discuss other patients with you as even a small piece of the wrong information and you might guess who the patient was.

Please remember that unfortunately our risk of this is increased whether we take it or not once we get above 50 (4/5s)
Our lifestyle is more likely to cause this than HRT. This is what the doc/health workers do not take on board.
Drinking alcohol being top of the list of no no's as its damaging to our bodies, especially our breast tissue.
Even whether this patient had children or other lifestyle choices then this can affect chances.

So the nurse spouting forth on a particular patient that had taken HRT is nothing less than useless in determining whether or not you should be taking HRT to keep you healthy.

Don't delay and get back to normal and where you were. I really wish they'd stop this sort of "science experiment" type healthcare. If they want to do that with their own HRT but if a patient is happy, healthy and nothings broke ----- then leave well alone!!!

Hope your feeling better asap on your old dosage.

 

[CLKD]

Can you tell that we are cross with the Nurse 

What did you decide for yourself?

[peegeetip]

I'm not cross.
I'm not surprised. 

Its very disappointing that we have supposed professionals entering into continued misinformation and hear say.

They need to stop interfering where its not warranted or needed.