Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[clio]

Hello ladies, I was put on hrt at 39 and I will be 51 soon, 12 years seems along time and although I was glad of it when I had started all the symptoms I was wondering when I should be coming of it. I know about the higher risk of breast cancer etc so would only want to be on it as long as I need to. My doc put me on it as she was concerned about developing osteoporosis at an early age. Anyone else been on hrt long term?

Clio

[Emerald2017]

Hi! I have the same concerns about the safety and the duration of hrt's use.
I am 42 and I started HRT a year ago.
I asked a lot of gyns and everyone has his own theory. My first gyn was adamant that hrt is poison and it causes cancer. Another said that I can take it only for 5 years and another said that I can take it as long as I want with regular check ups. I chose the last!
I really cannot imagine my life without hrt and I think that I will take it the longest I can.
Nowdays hrt considered safe after all.

[Taz2]

It seems that if you use HRT before the usual Meno age of 51 then those years don't count risk-wise as in those years you are merely replacing what your body should have naturally produced. Some women come off it around the age of 50/51 to see where they are meno-wise and to see what symptoms they have and then restart if necessary.

I started HRT at 53 and I'm still on it eleven years later.

Taz x

[Butterfly22]

I've been on 20 years but I stearted at 25, I've always been told up until I'm 55 I'm not adding someing extra just replacing what I don't produce x

[CLKD]

Where did you read about the apparent risks?

Are you getting benefit?  If so, why change? 

[Dancinggirl]

clio - I believe the slightly increased risk of breast cancer only kicks in after 60 if still on HRT. As others have said, you will get a different story from different gynaes but I think the newest NICE guidelines do not specify a time length for being on HRT and certainly not for any women who have experienced a premature meno - at 51 you are only just at the normal age for menopause anyway, which is when many women start HRT.  I know a lady in her 80s who is still on HRT adn she is amazing!!!
If you are healthy and feel good, then don't consider coming off HRT yet.  Perhaps take a break when you hit 60 to see how you feel? DG x

[CLKD]

Trouble is, if one stops the HRT GPs are loathe to put them back on even if symptoms are awful.  They state age, risks etc.. 

[Emerald2017]

I'm wondering why GPs have this attitude...is it because the fear of cancer?
Are they poor informed? Is it an attitude towards women in general?
I had a really strong argument with a gyn a few weeks ago and he said that my problem is that I don't accept aging and such things! I am only 42. Of course I don't intend to visit him again but I wonder about the whole attitude...I said to him that if I wanted a child they would give me higher doses of hormones and they wouldn't talk about risks at all!!!

[Dancinggirl]

Emerald - I think you make a good point.  If we are expected to keep working till our late 60s, then we do need to fight the ageing process better and, for women, the menopause makes this very difficult - we need better help to cope. There is a general trend now within the medical profession that they must tread so carefully in case things come back to bite them.  The scares around HRT (so unfounded) will make any doctor more wary in case they get blamed for prescribing HRT. However, I believe any doctor who does not prescribe HRT to women under 45 or even 50 who have oestrogen deficiency is being negligent unless there is good medical reason for not giving hormone treatment, as the consequences of oestrogen deficiency can be serious.  They wouldn't not prescribe the necessary treatment for a thyroid condition, so if a women is deficient in a vital hormone(oestrogen) too early this is potentially serious.     Doctors so readily dish out ADs and painkillers which can have awful side effects and long term problems, yet HRT is somehow deemed as ‘poison' by even quite eminent professionals.
I also think you are right about the attitude towards women - and more specifically towards women in their 40s, 50s and 60s.  The trend to simply ‘cosh' them with ADs is endemic and needs to be questioned. The pressures on women when they hit menopause are far greater these days as well; with our children often unable to afford their own homes, so still living at home, and elderly parents living so much longer and needing support. On top of that we need to work, so if we then suffer hot flushes, poor sleep, aching joints, headaches, etc. we need appropriate treatment.

The medical profession still has a long way to go when it comes to women's health and if the cost to society, for not supporting us at this time in our lives, was properly accessed, it would probably give alarming results.  At 62, I can now only work part time - I wish I could be working full time as our finances would be far better and more taxes would be going into the chancellors coffers - so how many other women are similarly not contributing as much as they could because of inadequate medical treatment and not just for the menopause but many other age related health issues?
RANT over. DG x 

[Cassie]

I went onto it at 40 and am still on it in my 50s no intention to stop either, my Gynae has ladies in his 70s on it still, I use the bio identical HRT gel and Utrogestan.

[Emerald2017]

I totally agree with you DancingGirl, I cannot imagine myself working without hrt and I will not waste my time and my energy again asking gyns about their opinions regarding hrt.
I will stay with my gyn who is very pro HRT and will try to handle psychologically my fear about possible future risks mainly for breast cancer.
Thank you for replying! The forum is a treasure for me!

[Rosebush]

I have been on Hrt since I was 60, I will be 69 on Thursday, I tried so hard for nearly 10years to cope with hot sweats, lack of sleep, etc, even gave up my job as just could not cope, in the end I did speak to my GP about Hrt, he telephoned his wife at his other surgery who knew more about it,  asked me lots of questions, explained some risks and gave me Hrt, tried about 3 or 4 but settled for Femseven patch, day sweats stopped, foggy brain eased, night flushes still continue and wake me 3 or 4 times during the night, I never thought menopause would be like this, and still be ongoing after 20years so ladies whatever helps you go for it ..  

[Emerald2017]

Thanks Rosebush! Some women had no symptoms at all and sometimes I wonder what the hell is going on with me! I cannot imagine to go on my life and my career without hrt! Maybe my body doesn't produce any estrogen.
I had a friend, she had her meno at 46, no hrt, she looks great, has a body of 40, few wrinkles and that's it! She is 53 now.

[CLKD]

Despite the info on here etc., etc., etc. the medical profession on the whole have little knowledge of menopause symptoms or appropriate treatments.  They are in general not 'specialists' in this particular field, poorly informed.

Each lady is different during The Change but many have symptoms that interact with others = requiring treatment/s. 


Emerald! that statement about hormone investigations is so true, my Gynae won't do any blood tests for menopausal women but for any of his ladies trying to get pregnant  .............

If it ain't broke, why fix it .......... if one is getting benefit ? 

[Emerald2017]

I absolutely agree CLKD!
They don't hesitate to make a woman pregnant at 50 and they don't talk about risks in this case!
The major factor for blood clots is pregnancy! Because of the money they forget the risks! They remember the risks when we ask hrt for meno!