Question
I'm 57, postmenopausal, and have been on HRT for a few years. My OB/GYN took me off hormones a couple months ago. My hot flashes are through the roof and making life miserable. I'm also having a lot of depression and feel like crying all the time. Help!
Answer
Clinical studies have shown that about half of women who try to go off hormones are so symptomatic that they need to go back on. Many can take a lower dose than they were on before, and then gradually taper off slowly over the next few years.
If you have no urgent medical problem and no contraindications, you should talk to your clinician about your symptoms and whether you should go back on hormone therapy. Your quality of life is important and needs to be discussed when one looks at the benefit/risk of hormone therapy (HT).
If you really do not want to return to hormone therapy, you can consider off-label use of other medications, such as antidepressants and a seizure medication called gabapentin, which can sometimes control menopausal symptoms, but not as effectively as estrogen.