I had an early hysterectomy and I've been on HRT patches for 12 years. I turned 60 last month and decided to try without them again. I have tried many times but the hot sweats are so severe that the doctor agreed that it was okay for me to stay on. I really want to stop as the effect of HRT has such a negative impact on my life. Any suggestions?

If you wish to come off HRT it is really important to do it very very slowly, at least over 6 months.

Coming off HRT mimics a menopause but if you come off too quickly then your stress system crashes (you are suddenly without all these extra hormones which have been shoring up your body) and you can end up getting menopause-like symptoms all over again which you have obviously experienced!

When you decide to come off, I would suggest starting a female multi-vitamin with high levels of B vits and a separate magnesium supplement to help support your system generally.

Acupuncture can be really effective for balancing whilst coming off HRT so it is worth looking into.

Avoid foods that can stress the nervous system such as caffeine, high salt and sugar foods, and processed foods. Try to drink plenty of plain water every day.

Daily relaxation is really important for this as it helps to strengthen the nervous system and the stronger this is, the less likely you are to get symptoms.

You may also find taking Menopause Support helpful at this time as it is known to gently raise and balance oestrogen and can help the body to adapt without the HRT.

Eileen Durward