HRT - stop it or not?

[Angie]

I have been on HRT (oestrogen) for 4 1/2 years, ever since I had my ovaries removed (I had a hysterectomy two years before that). My GP said I could only stay on it for 5 years, but I was going to try and persuade her to let me carry on; however, the last hrt 'scare' about the risk of strokes has got me worried and now I don't know what to do. I have a poor family history of that sort of thing - my mother had multi-infarct dementia and I am TERRIFIED of ending up like her. On the other hand, I don't know how it would affect my bladder if I stop taking it. Does anyone know whether it would make my IC worse?
Thanks everyone
Love Angie

[darlene]

Angie, I quit HRT on the day the bad reports came out. My IC didn't change, but my vulvodynia is worse. I have estrace cream to help treat the severe vaginal dryness.

[momw/ic]

I wondered the same thing. I, too have had my ovaries removed after a hysterectomy 3 years before that. I take estradiol and prometrium (progesterone) because I am one of the unfortunate ones that had my endometriosis come back even after the uterus and ovaries were removed. My mom and grandma have both had breast cancer so the estrogen thing scares me but without it the hot flashes were more disabling for me than the IC and I just couldn't deal with both. I am coming upon the 2 year mark and have been having the same type of questions. Anyone have insight to this?

Pam

[ICNDonna]

Like every other treatment, we need to weigh the potential benefit against the possible side effects and make our decisions.

I have stopped taking premarin, but switched to estrace cream, since very little of it is absorbed and my problem was primarily dry tissue.

Sending healing thoughts,
Donna

[Katrina]

In addition to what Donna said weigh your vulnerability to things compared to others. People high in weight are more supseptible to cancer but less likely to get ostioporosis......also you could look into how to get it through food and other natural means.

Good luck.

[sue041]

I just wanted to say, I have been taking Premarin since I had my hysterectomy when I was 27 years old. Now I have been taking Premarin one every morning for the past 34years and have felt fine. My doctor told me I would have to take it for the rest of my life. I just turned 63 on the 10th of March.

I cannot see why one would stop taking it,if they did not have any problems. I have read some reports that it causes cancer in some people but that is not true for all.

If anyone can tell me why it is so bad for you, please do so.
Thanks.:baby:

[tasi]

My mom is on the vagifem.It is a hormone pill that you insert in the vagina.Even though I will be 30 in june,my mom is getting on our nerves something awful because the vagifem is just targeting the vaginal and pelivic area to keep her lubricated,But it does nothing for cold or hot flashes!!!:mad: Sooooo my sister and I have tried to talk to her about taking a pill too.Like estradiol.It has less side effects than the premarin.It is in a very low dose.Her doctor prescribed this to her in a 2 mg pill to take once a day.She refuses.She will only use the vagifem and it is even a low dose of estradiol.We get into arguments over the air and the heat.When it is actually cold outside than she wants the air on or NO heat at all.When it is HOT outside than she does not want the air on.Then she is cold.We told her that it is not fair for her to make us suffer because she is going through cold and hot flashes because she refuses to take a pill that would get her body temperature back to normal.Oh she throws it up in our faces.Stating (you are going to be my age one day and you are going to see what it feels like to go through this).My sister and I told her YES we will be going through this one day but the difference is that we are going to take the necessary medicine to keep others in the home from suffering.It is not fair for her to do this.My sister and I are both on birth control.Had to take it due to our cycles not being normal.That is a huge risk.We told our mom,Do you think that we want to take the bc pills.No we do not.Because it has a high risk of cancer but we have no other choice.I just feel that mom is being selfish.She wants to chew her tobacco that can cause cancer but refuses to take a 2mg pill that could help her symptoms.After all there is a 6 year old here in the house too that cannot suffer from the heat and the cold due to her hot and cold flashes.It is a risk that we all take but I would rather take something that would give me some releif rather than make myself and others suffer because you can get cancer from other things besides birth control and hormone pills.Some people leave absolutely healthy lives and get cancer.My uncle and grandmother is proof of that.Ate healthy and everything and now they are gone:( My uncle died of colon cancer and my grandmother died of pelvic cancer and was not on any hormones:( I am sorry for the lengthy post just venting a little and expressing the cancer issue.
God Bless:angel:
Tasi

[momw/ic]

My mom has had breast cancer and so cannot have any estrogen so we go through the hot flash thing with her but she tries to be really considerate of us. I know sometimes she is really hot but knows we are cold so just suffers through with her fan. She has been doing this for 9 years now!

Anyway, I take the estradiol only a 1mg pill and I take 1/2 once daily and it stops my hot flashes so it doesn't take much! Maybe knowing that would help your mom.

It is a very personal choice and only being able to see into the future would help us all to do better. My mom's tumor was estrogen fed and her doctor believes it is the premarin that triggered the growth in her body. Some people's bodies are just like that! My sister and I do need to be careful because of the family risk. It can be very controvesial to say the least.

Pam

[tasi]

Thanks Pam for your response.I will see if I can get mom to read your response.Maybe she will change her mind :) Hopefully!!
God Bless
Tasi:angel:

[Zanni2]

How about getting your mom a portable fan for herself when she's hot and a portable heater when she's cold? Lately, I've been using my little fan at home since no one needs the air conditioner right now. It's good enough for me.

Zanni2 :angel:

[valleygal]

:hi: I too was very concerned about taking horomones I recently had hysterectomy and it threw me into early menopause it took a while to get me regulated but finally low estratest whihas estrogen and progestoren,has helped me.The hot flashes were nothing compared to the serious Migrane Headaches,I had a woman on another site break me into tears about me taking hormones,You know what Quality of life not Quanity,is the most important to me.We are each different individuals and have to try what works for us.Good Luck,these ladies are wonderful in here.Hugs to u and all the other women in here!:) Coleen Sunshine

[sunshine_77us]

I was on Premarin for 5 years for the vaginal dryness. I kept getting bladder infections because I was so dry. After all the information came out about it, the doctor wanted me off it and now I use estring. Esting is a vaginal ring you insert every 3 months. It is only 2 mg of estrogen. Last for 3 months and it takes care of the dryness. I've been using it over a year and it works great.:)
Pam

[Reba in Arkansas]

Hey Angie.
I use to live in Sheffield. I was there on a work/study program for college.
Anyway, I am 35 and had a radical hysterectomy they even took my appendix. Endometriosis was everywhere. I have been on Premarin at a dosage of 10mg a day for several years now. I was also prescribed a vaginal cream that I was to use once or twice a week, which I don't. (Too much trouble!) The weird thing about the hormones was that my body didn't absorb the hormones at 1 pill a day. I have to take 4 tablets of Premarin 2.5, or I would still wake up from hot flashes at night. Everyone is different. I have talked to my gyno dr. several times and he doesn't seem very concerned. I still am. I wonder if we are all at risk more than we are aware. I tried patches- didn't work. I also had to have surgery for adhesions after my hysteretomy. I also had to have a small cyst removed from my breast and have had several other lumps checked. I wonder if there is any correlation between adhesions and other types of cysts, etc. and taking HRT.
Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge regarding this?
thanks:hi:

[sue041]

Hi I am the one who has been on Premarin for 36 years now, I don't think I mentioned that I am on high risk for cancer, not because of the hormone pill, but because my mother had breast cancer and had her breast removed then it went into her bones and eventually killed her at the age of 57. Now since I am her first born daughter the doctors say I am almost certain to get breast cancer, but so far the lord has spared me. I will continue to take the hormone until my doctor tells me to stop. I do not think he will do that for the simple fact I am so use to getting that every morning, probably stopping the premarin would kill me faster than the cancer since it has been in my system so long.
Good Luck to all no matter what your decision or your doctors decision is. We are all here by the grace of God.
Wishing you all freedom from all diseases and the cure for IC is just around the corner.
Sue:angel:

[cathyada]

Hi--I started on premarin--0.45 mg (very low) in fact so low--it just came out 6 mo ago--this dose anyways--most pharmacies have to order it for me cause its so low--I found out Sept- 12 through a sono of the bladder--and when the sono lady turned the probe on the side to get a side view of the bladder--there was a huge tumor--bigger than a newborn babies head in me--2 weeks to the day of finding out--I had a total abd hysterectomy--Sept 26th--today is 6 months for me and I am blessed--no cancer--I have recently been put on the premarin vaginal cream also due to thinning walls and dryness--I am obese and worry--I dont think I will be on the pill form long--maybe another 6 mo's. I can just say--that I feel blessed by God for not having cancer--thanks --Cathy :angel: