Paisley, I recently went off for a few weeks but I had my annual GYN exam last week, and my practitioner advised me to not go off at this time because of the extreme heat we've been having. She said waiting until fall would be much wiser and make the transition more manageable. I'm only very low dose - the 0.037 patch which is just slightly higher than the micro 0.025 patch.
I turn 51 soon and have been mostly
on HRT for the past 2 years (a few times going off for several weeks here and there). I have always had a love/hate with using HRT. I honestly don't feel that much better on it than off of it. It's the progesterone part that sticks in my craw. I have used it 10 days/month but those are frustrating and physically yucky days. I feel bloated, cravings, lethargic, digestion slows to a crawl, I feel little motivation and get sluggish. I sleep great on progesterone (the one benefit!)
The idea of adding exogenous hormones to my body has never felt like a wise idea to me. The body's hormonal system and its way of regulating it is very sophisticated and fine tuned.
It can be argued that the HRT we use is bioidentical, but our bodies do not produce a steady stream of the same dose, day in and day out. Naturally levels would change day to day, hour to hour. And we have not only estradiol, but estrone and estriol in the mix that our bodies naturally regulate throughout the life cycle. When it starts to becomes like a science experiment in the body, it just feels doesn't feel right to me.
That is just my opinion only!
I am fortunate that the flushes I get are manageable and very mild. Maybe they will become worse (as I go deeper into meno), I don't know. I did feel less energy and poorer sleep on the times I've gone off. But I never waited it out long enough to see how that may have corrected itself. My anxiety is not better on or off HRT, but I've only ever used lower doses.
Tempest, I have many times heard that estrogen is stimulant. Some women apparently feel great on high doses but many do not.
We all have got to believe there is hope on the other side.
Even if this process takes longer than we imagined, with good self care, good nutrition, proper exercise and rest, we can prevail. I deeply believe that. It cannot be an accident that we see many active, healthy and vital women in their 60's and beyond around us. Of course everyone has to do whatever it is that makes them feel their best (HRT or no HRT). We each can only do what we feel works for our own bodies and minds! A hug and a squeeze to all!
