Hi cheerfull, I have been on and off HRT forever it seems. And I wind up needing a strength increase after a while. Once, I went off for 4 years and had a hot flash every 1 1/2 hours, day and night. Now, I'm back on estrogen and I want off! I'm 62, surely these hot flashes won't last forever? I'm taking an OTC called remifemin-- it's supposed to help after 3 months. I have been taking it 1 1/2 months, along w estrogen. I will cut the estrogen back in 3 weeks and taper off. There are several things to try, just start them before you are out of your HRT, because it takes them a while to work. Just google alternatives to HRT. Let us know!

I plan on starting the weaning off on December 1.

If I wean off the HRT too quickly, I get a migraine. I can skip one day, initially, but if I skip two days in a row, headache! Let me know how you're doing.

How are you doing with weaning off estrogen ? I saw the doc,he said cut the .5 in half and take for a week, then skip to every other day, then every third day. So it's 2 days of half the .5 and so far, no headache.
I thought I would be able to deal with hot flashes in the winter months. I'm still taking the remiferin, but I saw where some women take much bigger doses, so I am taking 4 a day. That makes only 80 mg a day. I already have them, so why not. They weren't working when I took two a day, even w the .5 estrogen I was still flashing some.
The only thing I don't like is the anxiety. I have tried SamE, and it didn't do a thing for me. I also have St John's Wort. I can't tell the difference there either, and I took it for 2 months. Maybe that wasn't long enough?
I don't want to take an SSRI or Xanax.
I'll see a neurologist soon and I hope to be back to walking for exercise soon. That seems to help.

I've had some wicked headaches over the past week. Don't know if it's related to the weaning, or my sinuses. Saturday night I was eating Extra Strength Bayer like they were candy.

I had anxiety before the weaning, so I'm sure that's going to get worse. Have to find out what I can take for that.

Hot flashes are starting to come back. I also have a lot less patience towards things. Headaches are still there.

Cheerful, I took black cohosh for almost 4 months. Still having hot flashes all day. I did get off the HRT; and I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin.
I'm trying soy milk, only used it 3 days so far. And I'm still flashing away.
The worst thing is the anxiety. I might give up and ask for an SSRI. I did try Effexor several months ago-- it made my stomach hurt and then I threw it up. Maybe celexa? It doesn't have the research results Effexor has, but I think it's supposed to help. This anxiety is worse than hot flashes!