Quitting HRT????

[Teri]

I had a hystorectomy (sp :yikes: ) 11 years ago and have been on estratest ever since. I want OFF!!!! Has anyone stopped HRT after a long period of time? What symptoms might I expect???

Thanks~

[Kathi]

I was only on it for 9 months & it bothered me, so I went off. Too many "maybe's" for me. Hugs, Kathi

[ICNDonna]

I stopped taking it after taking it for about twenty years. I didn't have any problem stopping it, but I did have to get some cream to keep tissues from drying out.

Donna

[sunshine_77us]

I took Premarin for 5 years and quit. I did have vaginal dryness so I use Estring now. I have to change it every 3 months and it works great.

[Judith56]

I took HRT for a year, then had to go off it because of a med I now take. I immeadiatly got hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms ( I had a total hysterectomy). I now take black cohosh and soy pills. They both help a lot but do take time for them to "kick in". Good luck, Judith

[lindy lou]

I was on HRT, Premphase and then Premarin, for 7 years and then stopped last summer after all the cancer links were discovered. I had some hot flashes but not too bad. I was just dx with IC 6 weeks ago and wonder if there is a connection. Anyone else out there with a similar experience?

Linda

[Annie2]

Lindy Lou,

I was on Premarin for over 15 years and quit because of the new warnings. No problems quitting and no symptoms as I went through a very early menopause so I was post-menopausal when I quit. A few months after I quit, I came down with a nasty UTI. Shortly after that, I developed IC. It is known estrogen helps maintain healthy bladder and urethral tissue. I had a few infections over the years but they always cleared very quickly after beginning antibiiotics. Other than those few documented infections, I never had a problem with my bladder. I truly believe giving up the HRT left me susceptable and the bad infection may have triggered the IC.

Annie

[lindy lou]

The whole estrogen connection makes sense to me also. I was flat-line estrogen at age 44 and started on the HRT 8 years ago. My understanding is that the HRT actually gives you back the estrogen so you are no longer "post-menopausal". The menopause comes when you go off the HRT, for me last summer. At least that was my case. The symptoms were fairly mild so I didn't even go the herbal route. But just as you experienced Annie, I started with a UTI, in April, treated with antibiotics and then the IC dx late July. Makes me wonder if all the women who were on HRT and then stopped within the last 2 years are an IC epidemic waiting to happen. I will be part of the University of Maryland study to look at events that preceed interstitial cystitis(EPIC Study) so others will know risk factors for IC sometime in the future. Someday we may know the answer.

Linda

[khatinger]

I had a hysterectomy 13 years ago, I was on a high dose of premarin and they lower my dose when I go in, I am now on a low dose, my doctor tells me that the studies are not on people who have had a complete hyster. I will not go completely off of it, because when they lower my dose I go in a flare. Its not worth it, I do however have a physical yearly and a mamogram yearly just to be safe.

Kelly

[anne4295]

Does anyone go in to a flare when they take estrogen? It seems to irritate my bladder. I had my ovaries out 4 months ago and when the estrogen shot wore off I felt better. The surgery was to remove scar tissue and my IC got much worse but it is better now.

I am so different than others with IC in many ways. I do not get flares from any foods but popcorn and coffee. I drink caffeine free coke sometimes and tea sometimes and do not get flares. But if I sit down for just a few minutes at the computer the next day I will be in a flare all day. It is so wierd.
I also have sore muscles up in the back of my vagina that when I hurt I massage them and my ic pain is gone-usually. This was from a rectocele surgery-and this is when the ic started too.