Hormone replacement therapy?
trackme
Posts: 239 Member
Hi everyone! I'm a 50 y/o who has been in menopause for 1 1/2 years. I am considering HRT. Is anyone on it, and could you give me some advice as to how well it is going for you? I have been told by several doctors it's not widely used because of increased cardiac issues but other docs disagree and say there is a slight increased chance of breast cancer. Thx!
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Discontinued using HRT two years ago but prior to that was on for about 3-4 years. If you have no other risk factors to taking HRT it it is still considered safe but not for long term use. For me, symptoms were make day to day functioning difficult so the decision to take was not difficult. When I got off I went off gradually and although still have occ.symptoms they are very manageable.0
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I have been on and off HRT for over six years now. There is a LOT of misinformation about HRT out there and its safety. There are also lots of different kinds of HRT. I have tried the naturally compounded creams as well as pharm brand HRT. I have had two different rings and am now on the patch and take progesterone pills...
First, I obviously believe in HRT. I don't think as women we should suffer from the effects of menopause. And mine have been pretty severe. That being said, HRT is not forever either. I started with a simple estrogen ring six years ago. It worked great and after six months, I discontinued it. I didn't need anything for well over a year and half after that. All of the methods I have used, have worked. And I have used each of them for a period of time until I felt I didn't need to any longer. Unfortunately, as time has advanced, so have my symptoms.
Find a good practitioner who prescribes and is knowledgeable about HRT. If you are concerned about the safety, find someone (you can google it) who prescribes naturally compounded HRT. Good Luck.0 -
I have been on the estrogen patch and progesterone pills for almost a year - it has improved my life dramatically. Prior to HRT I had severe hot flashes and "other" menopausal issues. For me, HRT has improved the quality of my life dramatically - I have no risk factors and both my GYN and internist feel like I am the perfect candidate for it. I think it keeps you feeling and looking younger - I will stay on it as long as my doctors permit me.
My mother-in-law (78) and sister-in-law (55) have also been on it for years and have no problems - when my mil tried to go off she got severely depressed and needed to go back on....I really don't know if that is common - just what she told me.
I would say you should try it and see how it effects you - I love it
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Oh, never even thought about how long I may be on it...didn't think it wasn't forever. 78 and still on it? OK! I think I heard Suzanne Sommers is 67 and she still does it. I doubt if I could afford the natural stuff, heard it's very expensive.0
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I'm 53. I tried it, but it brought back my periods and cramping. I guess I'm going natural, and just hope the hot flashed ease off soon.0
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Oh, never even thought about how long I may be on it...didn't think it wasn't forever. 78 and still on it? OK! I think I heard Suzanne Sommers is 67 and she still does it. I doubt if I could afford the natural stuff, heard it's very expensive.
Suzanne Sommers is 67? Wow... time flies!
I've been on it (age 47) for life-disrupting hot flashes and sleepless nights... synthetic estrogen/progestin. Six months, so far, and it has dramatically improved my quality of life! Am hoping to go off of it at some point, but so far, when we try scaling back, the symptoms return with a fury.
I'm interesting in knowing how (and when) others have eased off on it. My doctor is not an expert in HRT.0 -
I'm in surgically induced menopause, on HRT, and life is not the same. Honestly, I don't know how I will manage when my doctor decides it's time for me to stop taking hormones. I suppose I'll see an endocrinologist and cry, which will be easy because that's what I do when I don't have progesterone. Initially, I was only taking estrogen replacement, and it was awful.0
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I don't care about the hot flashes. I'd rather die of a heart attack than live the rest of my life with brain fog and memory impairment. I hope that if I stay in shape, it will be considered enough of a risk mitigating factor that they'll let me stay on HRT permanently.0
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I'm 53. I tried it, but it brought back my periods and cramping. I guess I'm going natural, and just hope the hot flashed ease off soon.
Oh no! I had terrible cramps...couldn't go thru that again. Anyone else with that problem?0 -
I don't care about the hot flashes. I'd rather die of a heart attack than live the rest of my life with brain fog and memory impairment. I hope that if I stay in shape, it will be considered enough of a risk mitigating factor that they'll let me stay on HRT permanently.
My Mom will be turning 89 next week and has been on estrogen for 45 YEARS! Yes, years. They tried to take her off of it during the whole HRT scare and she would go just out of the country to buy it. I am not kidding. She has refused to go off of it. And while she has health problems, not a one can be contributed to HRT.
I agree the symptoms are worse than the risks. I have often commented to my friends who are going through the same that menopause is the worse thing that has happened to my health.
As far as going on and off it. It is all trial and error. Fortunately, my NP is letting me drive that bus, so I decide. And if I have symptoms, I don't go off. Frankly, I would not be in a huge hurry, it is a process that for me, took years - I was peri for a good five years. And now post, I think my symptoms have plateaued somewhat.0 -
I'm 53. I tried it, but it brought back my periods and cramping. I guess I'm going natural, and just hope the hot flashed ease off soon.
Oh no! I had terrible cramps...couldn't go thru that again. Anyone else with that problem?
Yeah, it was so disappointing, because the hot flashes were gone too. I don't know what other options to try at this point.0 -
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did anyone who went on HRT notice any other improvements, say in muscularity, skin, etc? i have terrible hot flashes, brain fog, dried out sex organs, and sleeplessness, so i'm consider HRT for that reason, but also did some online reading that maybe it is also good for muscle development, at least in the short term.0 -
I tried it, hated how I felt on it, and decided to change my diet so I wasn't eating hormones from animal foods anymore. That did the trick and I went through 90% of the big M without. I'm post-Menopausal now and have no trouble. Everyone is different, but until I finally got over the "just one _______won't hurt" I would go back into full blown discomfort every-time I would eat some meat or cheese. Now I've learned and I'm doing well.
My best friend who is now 50 and was on HRT for way too many years was visiting and kept reverting back to hot flashes and discomfort...I got her to write up a food diary (like here but without the calories) and she found hers was often from milk and dairy. While she was here she was living it up and eating foods she didn't usually eat at home. Now she's pretty much only eating fish and has switched to plant milks and is fine. She mentioned that it takes effort to watch what she consumes, it was easier to have a patch or take a pill.0 -
I don't care about the hot flashes. I'd rather die of a heart attack than live the rest of my life with brain fog and memory impairment. I hope that if I stay in shape, it will be considered enough of a risk mitigating factor that they'll let me stay on HRT permanently.
I agree completely.0 -
what did you just say? i can't remember. can you repeat that? wait a minute let me think.....
the worst!0 -
So I started HRT last week - so far noticing that breast tenderness. Forgot about that, drat. She put me on premarin low dose. Will monitor response so far seem to be sleeping a little better right out of the gate. Figure it takes a month for the body to readjust.0
