Hello ladies
I thought I would post another update as I have now been off HRT for ten months. My experiences so far may be of interest to other ladies who are considering stopping HRT and I apologise if I am repeating myself.
The biggest difference is that my VA is much better despite no HRT and only using Yes vaginal moisturiser twice daily. I realise that this could change and that I still have VA but I am now wearing tight jeans without any difficulty. I am also wearing pyjamas at night and even though they ride up, they are not making me sore in any way. My VA problems only really started two weeks after finishing Oestrogel when I developed the burning and itching that so many ladies suffer.
I continue to wake once a night to use the bathroom but usually get back to sleep. I also have some nights where I sleep through but some where I struggle to get to sleep. I have not had any night sweats for ages but sleeping and night time heat were never my biggest problem.
I have so far escaped UTIs and muscle aches. I am doing more exercise during the Lockdown and noticing some muscle stiffness and wonder if that would be less of a problem if I were still on HRT.
Just last week I noticed some daytime flushes creeping back in. At present they are mild but obviously I hope they don't become more intense.
Unfortunately I still have episodes of irritability and tearfulness, which I hate. They can occur quite randomly and I haven't yet found a way to manage them. There are also times when the horrible feelings just stop suddenly and I feel normal and well, calm even. This can continue for hours and believe me I treasure those times! I am not sure if this qualifies as a mood swing or if for some reason my body manages to balance my hormones for a brief while.
Also troubling are my jittery sensations which are located in my stomach/abdomen area. They come and go through most of the day but often disappear completely by the evening. I had these symptoms before and during HRT and they are milder than they were but I still need to find a way of coping with them. Thankfully the palpitations and headaches are a thing of the past.
I am 63 and ten years post meno so going back on HRT may not be an option if things get worse. Recently a GP assured me that it does get better eventually, even without HRT but time will tell.
As I've said before, I am no worse without HRT but ideally I would like to feel normal most, if not all of the time lol. Whether this is possible without any HRT at all is debatable of course.
Hope this is helpful to some of you ladies and I wish you all well.
K.
