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[kenny]

Hi, this will be my 4th attempt at coming off HRT, each time i give in within a week due to unbearable headaches.I am okay whilst i am weaning myself off ie every other day, then every 3rd day but as soon as i am off totally the headaches kick in, they go immediately when i go back on it. This time i am going to give myself longer to wean off . I have now been taking it every other day for 1 month, i am going to wait another 2 weeks before every 3rd day, am i doing the right thing, would love to hear from anybody with the same headache issues, or who could advise on time scales. Thanks Carolyn

[Joyce]

It takes your body a while to adjust.  Do it very gradually. I've been doing it over last 18 months or so.  I was on oestrogen only patches. So went from 37.5 to 25 mg over about 9 months or thereabouts. 25mg to 12.5 over next 9 months.  Now none at all. Still suffering a bit with flushes, but not as bad as I expected. Initially was flushing lots & sweating, but GP gave me Clonidine to help. Of course I may be screaming for HRT again in a few weeks, who knows.

[esspeeuk]

Carolyn, you haven't said why you are trying to come off of HRT.  I personally can't conceive of life without oestrogen.  It sounds to me as though your body is indicating that it needs it so, unless it is contra indicated, why not just continue and get your life back.  Good luck whatever you decide.

[Hurdity]

Hi kenny

What type and dose of HRT are you on and how old are you? As esspeeuk says it may not be necessary to come off, but depending on your age perhpas think about a different mode of delivery - eg if you are taking pills, perhaps change to patches etc?

Coming off slowly will affect the return of symptoms in the short term but not in the long term - there is (albeit limited) research demonstrating this iew if your symotoims are going to come back they will do so no matter how slowly you come off HRT - but it makes the return of symptoms easier to bear (or not!) if you come off slowly.

I would not swap HRT for ADs - what's the point?

Hurdity x

[dazned]

I've been reducing my hrt now over 7weeks ,no noticeable difference yet,early days I know 

[kenny]

Hi, thanks for all your advise.
I am coming off HRT, my choice, I was on 10mgs of Citralopram up till 12 months ago, also 10mgs of Amatriptlene up till 5 month ago, I now want to be totally medication free. I am 57 years old, been on Angelique hrt for 7 years .If i need HRT i will take it but it is something i really want to do for myself. It is more a feeling of me being in control of my body. Was interesting that no matter how long you take to come off, if the symptoms are going to kick in , they will. I have tried this 3 other times now, i get no other symptoms associated with the menopause it is the dreadful headache, it starts as soon as i take my last tablet and stops as soon as i go back on it. Does anybody know what i am lacking in to cause such severe headaches. You could be thinking why bother when you know what is going to happen but it has become a challenge for me now, the gp has said she will help me with the headaches but then that is more tablets.. Am i being a bit silly.

[dazned]

Hi no you are not being silly,it's your body,your choice, all you can do is try and see what symptoms if any you are left with. Then with the help of your gp who sounds supportive plan a way forward,if it isn't as you wanted you can always go back on it. Good luck.

[Dandelion]

My GP asked me how long I wanted to stay on HRT and I said for life, but she said that is not possible.
I said, well, isn't it my choice, what with it being my body, but she said no.
I want to stay on hrt for life, I don't mind changing my patch every 3.5 days and taking utro 12 days each month, for the rest of my life.
I am prepared to run the risk, because hrt gives me quality of life.
I said to my doctor in response to her original question of how long I wanted to stay on hrt, I said, that my life was not worth living without hrt, and she said that she didn't want to make my life bad, but I would have to come off hrt at 55yrs of age.
I read somewhere (sorry I don't have link) that women who  start flushes while still having periods have years of flushing. Dunno if it's true, but I started at 42, and am now 49. Was on femoston for over a year, which did nothing but I was reluctant to go back to GP as she got a bit short with me, and that put me off, I felt a bit embarrassed, not at hrt, but as she was short with me
After a year of being on femoston and still flushing like mad, went up the doses with patches, and am now happy on 100mcg evorel and femoston, but it was hard work getting over the human induced hurdles, except for one good gp.
hrt balanced me out, it gave me the oestrogen that my body had been crying out for, for 4 years without me realising what it was.
I was waking up in a sweat and flushing, but put it down to weaning off valium, which I was doing at the time. I blamed valium withdrawals for 4 years of low moods, flushing, sweating when waking and over sweating on exertion.