I'm 73 years old and have been taking Premarin for about 35 years. A couple of years ago, I decided on my own, mostly because of the expense, to wean myself off...Bad mistake, I thought I was going to cause damage to anyone that came near, lol.....When I told my cardiologist what I had done, he said, my body needs that extra whatever and he then put me on 1/2 a dose...So, I still pay the same for the RX but I take it every other day and it lasts longer, which is a blessing...Every near me is so relieved....I really think you need to talk to the doctor or someone that really knows your body...And what you believe really counts, it's your body.....

Since you're 63, I assume you are postmenopausal. Ask your doctor about a newer drug out called Evista. It's for us older folks and is prescribed for bone and heart protection. Which, by the way would be the only reason to be doing full HRT at that age. I was on premarin for several years post hysterectomy but my rheumatologist took me off when all the reports linking it to breast cancer surfaced. I was on a variety of replacement drugs which had side effects I couldn't handle until Evista. I've been on Evista for almost 3 months and am very happy with the results.

I've never been on HRT, have a family history of breast cancer.

The hot flashes during menopause weren't all that bad really, and I wouldn't have taken HRT for them even if I could.

Gosh, I wouldn't fool with hormones. I went through menopause OK, then 'research' said HRT helped protect your heart. (Remember THAT, and it being de-bunked?) MD put me on it, then took me off when I started to spot. THEN I had the nasties of hot flashes, etc. that I had not had the first go-round.

We aren't designed to have estrogen at these levels all our lives. Actually we were designed to have less throughout our lives; meant to be PG all the time. LOL Yes, it is an adjustment, but women have made that adjustment for centuries.

I'm very leary about using prescribed Vagifem once a week, and that's *localized*.

I didn't want to go on HRT, but after a couple of years of listening to my doctor sing its praises, he finally convinced me. Was on it for a couple of years, then the same doctor demanded that I stop taking it. I told him I should strangle him for harassing me to start taking it, and then make me stop it. He said there were new findings that made it unsafe for me to continue it.

After reviewing the literature, I decided the benefits of HRT did NOT outweigh the risks associated with its use.

I was on Premarin for about a year and I took myself off, that was 17 years ago.

I went through a few years of hot flashes which were not that bad for me, if women went through the change years ago without HRT then I could also.

I've looked into this and consulted with my doctor, and I agree with him that it is not normal or healthy to take these hormones. I agree with Wanda, that the benefits of HRT do not outweigh the risks associated with their use. I will do what women have done for centuries, and put up with some brief discomfort.

I fought my way thru without using them, in fact I used nothing and survived! And so did DH! LOL!! I just thought that it was not worth the risk.

Years ago I took Change of Lite (or Light) which is a herbal supplement and has some Black Cohosh and never had problems. But then my family did not have some of the medical problems that others did. I got it at a real good health store in CA.

No - would never agree to take it - too dangerous, imho!

A little OT, but a related question:

I believe Elizabeth Edwards was assisted to produce her younger two children. Does anyone know if there is a relationship between hormone-assisted pregnancies and cancer? I'd guess there is, although it hasn't been done long enough to see the result among many women twenty years down the road. I'm not certain that I was a DES baby, but it is very likely true. My DM died of leukemia at 72.

The best way to handle menopause is to educate oneself about it and look at it as a natural step in a woman's life.

We tend to over-medicalize everything from the menstrual cycle to childbirth to menopause.

Yes I had hot flashes, yes I was a bit irritable and edgy for the first year but I knew these things were normal and they too would pass and they did. Took nothing. Tried to keep busy,eat healthy and take time for myself.

On the other hand I know women who were put on HRT before they even had one side effect of menopause. It was to "prevent" all the bad stuff they were told they would get. Never bothered to wait to see if they would even have a need for the drug.

Of course there are a relatively small number of women who may need chemical assistance. But most women would be just fine if they didn't buy into the everything a woman does is an illness carp.

Anything "natural" that works is probably doing the same amount of harm that HRT drugs can. Unless it's some snake oil placebo so many are fond of taking. But if you're taking a natural product full of estrogen , it's still estrogen.

The best way to handle menopause is to educate oneself about it and look at it as a natural step in a woman's life.

We tend to over-medicalize everything from the menstrual cycle to childbirth to menopause.

I couldn't agree more. A doctor tried to bully me into HRT years ago, but I refused; I wonder how she feels now that the risks of HRT are known.

It's not only risky, but in the case of Premarin, it's cruel. Premarin is made from the urine of pregnant horses. The mares live in small stalls, are bred frequently, and their foals are usually destroyed. It's a horrible practice--all to produce a prescription drug that puts women at risk for heart attack, stroke, and heaven knows what else.

i have known of a few people that HRT didn't sit well with their body, neither did no therapy at all. They turned to a foam that you can get at a health food store. You put a nickel's worth of foam on the back of your hand and rub it in right before bed time. It's all natural and Seems to have far less side effects, but definitely manages the symptoms of imbalance. Last I knew it cost about a dollar a day for a 15oz container. Good luck. l.marie

I refused to take the HRT, especially when I found out about the horse urine. I don't care if they are now using a synthetic or not, just didn't seem wise to ingest it.
I tell my friends when I have a hot flash at night, I just roll over and let the outtake from DH's Cpap blow in my face to cool me down : )

I found menopause fairly difficult, with lots of hot flashes, mood swings, and night sweats, but nothing I couldn't handle. Hormones scare me. I already have to take replacement thyroid and adrenal hormones; I wouldn't take them for anything else unless it was a life-or-death matter.

I agree with those who say that we weren't made to have the same hormone level throughout our lives. It's supposed to go down.

Good luck with your decision, though. I remember clearly when hormone therapy was being touted as the "fountain of youth," and I can easily understand why so many woman started on it. And it's much easier never to start than to choose to stop.

I took the lowest dose of Prempro for years. My doctor said it was wonderful for heart and just about everything else. A slightly higher risk of breast cancer. I knew it was too good to be true. When the report came out saying it was none of these things, I stopped that month by taking it every other day, then every third day till they were gone. I regret taking them and now I won't take any drugs. Another doctor wants me to take Boniva or a similar bone strengthening drug. I told him a few years from now you'll tell me to stop because it has horrible side effects...Re: Elizabeth Edwards. I thought the very same thing when she first was diagnosed. She had babies at 50 so she must have had hormonal treatments then and was overweight. Might have contributed.

lily316 -- I wasn't sure how old she was, but obviously if she was 50 there was some 'tinkering'. Makes me wonder about in vitro where a woman is given drugs before the ova are 'harvested'. We won't know for a long time, when there's a big enough cohort to make a judgement. Meanwhile, medical 'science' is making a lot of money, giving people what they think they want -- because they can.

Sounds like there are a lot of wise women here. I've never taken anything. I feel the same way that we are meant to change in life and there is nothing wrong with that. Women have been doing it for eons. So, I just wanted to say how nice it is to see so many smart women here!!

HRT is needed by some women. My gosh you shouldn't need it for 20 years! Mom was on premarin since she was 45 and had a hysterectomy. She was mean as a rattlesnake when she was off the meds. In her late 60's she came up with 2 separate breast cancers. Finally, one of the cancer docs told her to get off the estrogen and she never noticed it was gone. By that age - she wouldn't have had that much estrogen if nature had taken it's course.