However, some women require a little less time, some a little more time. Ideally, you should have your support plan in place before you begin to wean off HRT. How long you need to stay on HRT may depend on your condition and your doctor. Location: bradenton,florida,usa. Prescription drugs often have a “rebound effect,” women may not be taking as good care of themselves as they were before, and once the estrogen receptors have been primed they need to be supported in other ways. If you’re ready to stop HRT, talk to your doctor to determine the best method for you. it's probably caused by a sudden drop in hormones and then, as you say, the body adapts to the lower level and these symptoms go away. When the study first came out, I heard of many women who dumped their hormones down the drain several days, or even weeks, after the report was made public. Posts: 7 Weaning off Inderal. Despite those risks, "for some women there may be definite benefits (of hormone therapy) that have not been realized," lead author Dr. Michelle Warren of Columbia University Medical Center in New York told Reuters Health. A gradual reduction may be more appropriate for you.Some women are surprised at how much worse their symptoms get when they stop HRT – and how much worse these symptoms are than originally, before they ever started HRT. It’s encouraging that the American College of Gynecology has been developing guidance for gynecologists about HRT withdrawal, but a wealth of information already exists. There are copious amounts of well documented research among complementary and functional medicine practitioners that can help you make better health choices for yourself. Since then, millions of women have stopped taking HRT—sometimes suddenly. This article has been viewed 9,749 times. By using our site, you agree to our Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Let’s look at an overview of HRT alternatives and what you can expect when and if you want to transition away from HRT.Many women who decide HRT isn’t for them will just suddenly stop taking it, and this is very stressful for your body. She is the co-author of The Ethical Sellout: Maintaining Your Integrity in the Age of Compromise. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 9,749 times.wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. However, to do this, it needs adequate support from you. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is lifeline for many people, whether they are going through menopause or transitioning gender. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It's been about two months … Hormonal imbalance symptoms indicate that you have the inverted ratio. Your body is a marvelous machine that has the power to create and balance its hormones at every life stage.

The more severe your original symptoms were, the stronger your HRT would have been; the longer you used HRT, the more likely it is that you will have symptoms of HRT withdrawal when you quit. This is the normal and natural order of things, but your body will need time, and your continued support, to develop those sites.There’s more to consider; I believe that the stronger estrogen replacement therapy drugs, such as Premarin and Prempro, actually modify the estrogen receptors in your cells so they only recognize these synthetic hormones. The severity of your hormonal imbalance will determine how much support you need. I have felt a bit better this week, symptoms reduced but not gone. HRT may contain only synthetic estrogen, or estrogen with progestin—a synthetic form of progesterone. Because of the increased risk of cancer or other side effects, however, you may decide to stop HRT. I advise patients to allow 2–4 months, if possible, for the weaning process. While you can technically use hormones indefinitely, many doctors will stop treatment after 2-5 years. Suddenly discontinuing HRT … She earned her PsyD from the California School of Professional Psychology with specialized training in the area of gender and sexual identity. In a strange twist, it’s usually the same doctor who suggested HRT who is now encouraging his or her patient to stop HRT. I went off cold turkey which wasn't wise. Typically, the maintenance phase will require less support.Ideally, you should have your support plan in place before you begin to wean off HRT. This article was co-authored by Inge Hansen, PsyD. Natural HRT can be your body’s own hormone production, bioidentical HRT, or phytotherapy, which uses plant-based hormonal support. I advise patients to allow 2–4 months, if possible, for the weaning process. And while HRT will relieve those symptoms, it won’t do anything to eliminate the underlying causes.