Healthcare professionals suggest that women should taper off ERT or HRT because during the time you have been taking the hormone supplements, your body has become accustomed to the very high levels of hormone supplementation and quitting "cold turkey" could cause a continuation of symptoms.
It’s recommended that you go from one estrogen (Premarin) tablet a day to one every other day for a month, then twice weekly for another month, and then, once a week for 2-3 weeks before stopping.
Progestins (Provera) can be stopped immediately without effect... supplement with a Progesterone and Estriol Cream immediately.
With Prempro, (estrogen and progestins), weaning and tapering off is also best done gradually and these women usually do best taking a natural progesterone as well as a natural Estriol cream.
To taper off the combo estrogen-progestin or estrogen patch, it’s recommended that you cut the patches in half, tape the edges and continue using it that way for a month, then cut patches into quarters for another month, and even eighths if symptoms warrant. (Hold patches on with tape at the edges.)
Begin natural hormone creams even before you begin to taper off health care provider's order HRT drugs.
If you do not feel like you are having symptoms as you taper off the hormones, you can speed up the process by accelerating your schedule. No symptoms mean you can even stop abruptly. Listen to your body; it’s your best advocate.
Some women do well with isoflavones and estrogenic herbal plants, like soy, black cohosh, licorice, red clover, dong quai, etc. Some women seem to get more symptoms. Again, it’s important to listen to your body.
Give yourself time. This gradual weaning process should help prevent the menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness, to reoccur. However, hot flashes sometimes do reoccur. Do not give up. Menopause is a normal process of life. More women have died from the treatment of menopause than from hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Synthetic hormones, on the other hand, can cause a variety of life-threatening conditions.
If you are still in menopause, your symptoms may begin again. If you are past menopause, you may experience hot flashes, night sweats, or mood changes. If they arise, do not taper your regimen any further until they subside.
Vaginal dryness may return within two to three months. Women should use an Estriol Cream vaginally and this should stop the dryness.
Natural hormone cream supplementations of Estriol and Progesterone Creams speeds up the process and some have been able to totally discontinue the use of HRT drugs in as few as 2-3 weeks.
Megan Mathews, Research and Content, March 2,
2006
http://www.bioidenticalmedicaldictionary.com Source:
Dr
Hamilton Evans, Mayo Clinic.
http://www.hormoneprofile.com/Library/replacehrt.htm. Feb.24, 2006.
