The consequences of stopping HRT in the long term (Post GRS).

[CollieLass]

When my wonderful, female G.P retired a couple of years ago (she had been the person I first told of my gender identity situation and she helped and supported me for the 37 years that followed)..........I just couldn`t feel comfortable with any of the other G.P`s at that practice (whom seemed most-unfriendly to my needs and medical history), and I felt similarly unwelcome/uncomfortable at the other medical-practice in town.

So, eventually, when I ran out of my stock of Premarin and stopped visiting my {unfriendly/replacement} Doctor`s practice for HRT/meds. prescriptions.....I was thus effectively taking myself off HRT; there followed three years of ever-deepening and abject misery, many negative health issues ensued and I paid a terrible price with regards to my physicality, happiness and {former} peace of mind...........However, as I`m long-time post GRS and ALL of those negative issues took a quite a long time to develop; almost insidiously so. In fact, I had not realised until I suffered an acute endocrine crisis, how badly I`d been affected by being without any HRT/medical support.
Fortunately, I`m now back on an appropriate HRT regimen, as I have since been able to locate a new, wonderfully supportive female G.P, whom is friendly, knowledgeable, has an interest in endocrinology and has proven diligent in her efforts to return me both to to health and keep me there!

I began this thread to just mention how important good/appropriate hormonal balance and supervision can be........Of course, a few days off meds. shouldn`t negatively impact on one permanently, but NEVER consider making major changes to your HRT regimen for any reason, without a full understanding of the consequences to your health and well being.
The simple phrase "taking hormones" is so often used as if they existed in isolation; but it doesn`t speak of the pivotal role our complex and interconnected endocrine system plays in running every aspect of the the body.

Stay well. 
Kind regards,
Deb. 

[AnonyMs]

If you've not seen it you may thread this thread interesting

osteoporosis 5 YEARS after HRT
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=180222.0

[CollieLass]

Yes, indeed I did; thank you for mentioning it, AnonyMs

[Zumbagirl]

Thank you for posting this! Really. I have been taking deep-estradiol (injections) for probably 15, maybe 16, 17 years now. I forget, it's been a long time. I have often wondered to myself if I should ween myself off of estrogen. It's not like I am going to change any more than I have and I just thought I would be alright. I even experimented by stopping my estrogen for a few weeks, with no apparent side effects, and no hot flashes. Maybe I shouldn't complain, after all an injection is 5 minutes out of me week. My endo recommended against it, so in the end I keep the weekly injections, but I can never get rid of that thought in the back of my head that say, just quit taking it.

[mrs izzy]

We still have to maintain a good hormonal balance to live a health life. 

To much thought on the changing effects to remind oneself it is about a health bodybalance that makes the mind calm.

[Muffinheart]

Ty for a very important message CollieLass.
The challenge I find, is that what MY GP and endo prescribe/suggest is met with "they don't know what they're talking about" by others, especially those who self medicate, and those who obtained their M.D. online via Wiki (sarcasm intended).
Only MY doctor and endo know my body, my medical history, and my bloodwork. Only they can interpret those results and administer said levels in my best interest.

I was very happy that my endo reduced my estrogen slightly following GRS, my level was "dangerously" high. I'm not about to question her or my GPs recommendations because they know me better than anyone else.

Well said!

[ImagineKate]

FOr me I take multiple medications anyway so taking one or two extra turquoise blue pills daily isn't a major change to anything.

[Miharu Barbie]

...so in the end I keep the weekly injections...

Hiya Zumbagirl.  For what it's worth, I too have been giving myself injections since 1998.  For the past 6 years, however, and with my physician's approval, I've been giving myself one injection every 4 weeks (on the new moon.)  Obviously everyone's bodily need is different.  I have managed to maintain perfect physical balance, pristine emotional harmony, and all around ideal well being with a one-time-every-four-week shot routine over the years.

Just food for thought. 

(As an aside, this year I switched physicians.  My new doctor is also a long time post op trans woman with 35 years of medical experience.  She agrees that my new moon once every 4 weeks shot routine is working perfectly for me.  I just thought I'd share, as 1 shot instead of 4 shots every month takes a bit of the sting out of continuing HRT into the future... umm, pun intended.  )

[AnonyMs]

Thank you for posting this! Really. I have been taking deep-estradiol (injections) for probably 15, maybe 16, 17 years now. I forget, it's been a long time. I have often wondered to myself if I should ween myself off of estrogen. It's not like I am going to change any more than I have and I just thought I would be alright. I even experimented by stopping my estrogen for a few weeks, with no apparent side effects, and no hot flashes. Maybe I shouldn't complain, after all an injection is 5 minutes out of me week. My endo recommended against it, so in the end I keep the weekly injections, but I can never get rid of that thought in the back of my head that say, just quit taking it.

I'm using implants and they might be perfect for you. There's a number of posts about them in the forums, but the key thing here is you only need to get new ones every 6 to 12 months. In the meantime you just forget about it all. I love it.

[KayXo]

Great thread and post.