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[Skylark]

Ladies, I've had enough. I've cut down to one pump of Oestrogel and I'm still sporting but this had all settled since having the Mirena coil last November  - then I restarted HRT. I've had nothing but changes since, with first Oestrogel out of stock, then Sandrena. I've been on 1 pump of Oestrogel for 2 weeks, having cut down from 1mg Sandrena. I'm on leave this week and tempted to just stop.  If I do, how long until the Oestrogel is out of my system? I've been back on HRT for 4 months. I'm 57 and I've had enough. I know I'll probably still have the odd light period as I'm still perimenopausal. But the end must be in sight. Continuous HRT just doesn't seem to suit me!

X

[Nas]

I’m the same. HRT doesn’t suit me either. I’m tempted to stop to see where the body is at too.

The symptoms may come back the same or worse. You won’t know until you stop. Don’t think Oestrogen gets stored in the body. So I would imagine that once you stop, any remaining hormones will disappear quickly.

Best of luck x

[Taz2]

Both times I've stopped (enforced sadly) it's been about three weeks before symptoms began to return and by three months I was back to where I was pre-HRT. I had been on it for years though.

[Gnatty]

Are you sure it's not the mirena that's causing the spotting? I tried it once a few years ago and after nine months of spotting finally had it removed. There are some of us for whom the spotting just never stops. Having said that I have heard of the odd person for whom the spotting stopped after a year or two!!

[Skylark]

Thanks so much ladies.

Gnatty, I'm pretty sure it's not the Mirena as the spotting seemed to have settled when I started HRT.  I guess the only way to find out is stop the Oestrogel  - a shame because I do feel better in myself. X

[ElkWarning]

Purely anecdotal, I stopped HRT after 9 months (went cold turkey on doctor's advice as it had blown up my blood pressure - monitored closely for quite a while beforehand with no issues prior to HRT).  Literally, none of the problems that had sent me to request HRT ever came back - e.g. severe muscle aches, mad hot sweats, extreme fatigue, sandpaper dry vagina.  However, I did go down the herbalism / therapeutic massage route.

[kdee69]

I was on HRT  for about five years ( three on oestrogel). At 56 I figured I’d be through the worst if it so tapered off really slowly over 6 months. For me, the hot flushes came back and if honest, i just felt like I was flat lining. I didn’t seem happy but I also never got sad.
The biggest thing though was I felt I aged overnight. My skin looked shot to pieces. I would look in the mirror and see this old biarch looking back at me. Also the skin on my shins seemed paper thin.
i went back on it three months ago ( and after anxiety going through the roof when I started two pumps) I settled on one pump of gel. My face seems back to normal and I can definitely see the difference on my legs. (weird huh). I also feel like i have emotions again. Every experience is different of course but for me, I just didn’t realise how much HRT gave me a “norm”

[Weeloz]

I have came off hrt 2weeks ago I couldn't cope with the bleeding whilst on it . If I bled my anxiety went through the roof thinking  there was something wrong .I think I am coping ok without it so far

[Floradora]

Hi Skylark. Under the details for pharmacokinetics for estrogel in the Summary of Product Characteristics Leaflet (SMPC) it states that on stopping treatment with estrogel, levels of estradiol return to your own baseline levels within 76 hours. So it will be ‘out of your system’ by then. That of course doesn’t necessarily mean you will have any return to symptoms at that point. It can take a long time for the symptoms of estrogen deficiency to show up and you may not get any noticeable symptoms at all, estrogen will be out of your system within a few days x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

Weeloz - I understand your concern about bleeding so perhaps my recent experience will reassure you.

I have had a lot of bleeding since returning to HRT at the beginning of 2020 and I was becoming increasingly worried about the condition of my uterus etc.  I recently had two scans and a full examination and fortunately my 'lady parts' are in good condition. There were no polyps or fibroids, everything looked good and the lining was only 2mm. The consultant  said that there was  no need for a hysteroscopy but I should consider changing my HRT as the Oestrogen was likely the cause of the bleeding. 

Obviously we are all different but it seems that it is possible to have worrying symptoms and frequent bleeding without any damage being done.

I have since reduced my oestrogen and increased my progesterone and the bleeding has stopped. I still have breast tenderness but hopefully this will soon resolve.

I hope this helps you in some way and I wish you well.

K.


 

[JoJo42]

I’ve done trials without Hrt on a few occasions over the years and all the issues have returned by week three and I’ve ended up back on it. I have V.A and am on Evorel patches and Vagifem so I think I’m destined to be on Hrt longvterm to control it. x

[Weeloz]

Kathleen thank you do much for your advice 😊 which hrt are you on if you don't mind me asking

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Weeloz - At the moment I am using one and a half Sachets of 1mg Sandrena gel and 40 mcg of test (Androfeme) daily. My progesterone is Cyclogest 200mcg pessaries which I was told to cut in half and insert every night.

Until recently I was using two sachets and Cyclogest alternate nights so I have reduced the Oestrogen but increased the progesterone.

The bleeding has now stopped but the breast tenderness continues. My emotional symptoms have stayed about the same, for example I felt quivery and tearful this morning then much calmer and brighter around mid morning but this afternoon the anxiety has appeared. I don't have any other physical symptoms of the meno any more, probably because the HRT is sufficient to control them.

Since starting HRT in 2013 when I was already post meno, I have had many episodes of bleeding so it is extra reassuring to me that through all of that my uterus etc has come through unscathed lol. Now if only my moods would sett down I would be a happy bunny!

I hope all this is helpful to you and I wish you well.

K.