People may want to stop taking HRT if: If people decide to stop taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they should reduce their dosage gradually. Stopping taking it abruptly can cause menopausal symptoms to return, such as hot flashes and sleep interruption. If you've already passed menopause, you may not notice anything at all. Some people think that there is nothing special about stopping HRT and that there are no symptoms.
Weight changes may occur in connection with aging or menopause, but this can happen regardless of whether you are taking hormone replacement therapy. The increased risk from hormone therapy at age 60 is much more significant than it would have been when you were 40. Gradually reducing the dose of hormone replacement therapy, rather than stopping it abruptly, can help prevent withdrawal symptoms. Sudden discontinuation of TRH can cause temporary withdrawal symptoms, in which people will experience menopausal symptoms.
These symptoms depend on the type of hormone therapy you're taking, but may include an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots (including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism). People may experience a temporary return of some menopausal symptoms when they stop taking hormone therapy, although this is less likely to happen if people reduce their dosage in stages. HRT may increase the risk of breast cancer, so experts recommend that people who have breast cancer stop taking it. The amount of time it takes for HRT to leave the body may depend on the type of HRT people are taking and the method they use.
People may want to stop taking hormone therapy if they have been taking it for a long time, if menopausal symptoms decrease as they age, or for other health reasons. The length of treatment will depend on how effective the hormone therapy is for you, the side effects, and your overall health. However, it's common for menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes and night sweats) to return in the months after stopping hormone therapy. The British Menopause Society reports that there is no strict limit to the duration of hormone therapy and that continued treatment depends on your individual circumstances.
In this case, you may consider taking only low-risk vaginal hormone replacement therapy without using whole-body hormones. It is also possible that menopausal symptoms will return to the extent that you want to restart HRT. Usually, health professionals start prescribing hormone replacement therapy with progesterone at their lowest dose and gradually increase it.
