Hormone Therapy and Stopping

“Although not proven by studies, slowly decreasing your
dose of estrogen over several months or even over several
years may reduce the chance that your hot flashes…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy and Stopping Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  • Hormone Therapy (HT)
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  • Stopping Hormone Therapy

Right Time

Is there a right time to stop HT?

On page two in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Stopping Hormone Therapy published July 2022, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) note:


Hormone Therapy and Stopping“There is no “right” time to stop HT. Many women try to stop HT after 4 to 5 years because of concerns about potential increased risk of breast cancer. Other women may lower doses or change to non-pill forms of HT. Hot flashes may or may not return after you stop HT”.2

Right Age

Is there a right age to stop HT?

On page two in the The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement published 07 July 2022, the NAMS explain:

Hormone Therapy and Stopping

  • “Hormone therapy does not need to be routinely discontinued in women aged older than 60 or 65 years and can be considered for continuation beyond age 65 for persistent VMS, quality-of-life issues, or prevention of osteoporosis after appropriate evaluation and counseling of benefits and risks
  • For women with GSM, vaginal estrogen (and systemic if required) or other nonestrogen therapies may be used at any age and for extended duration, if needed”.3

What is VMS?

VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms such as hot flushes or night sweats.

What is GSM?

GSM can be an abbreviation for Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.

On page two in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

  • “The decision whether to take HRT, the dose and duration of its use should be made on an individualised basis after discussing the benefits and risks with each patient. This should be considered in the context of the overall benefits obtained from using HRT including symptom control and improving quality of life as well as considering the bone and cardiovascular benefits associated with HRT use. Discussions with women should also cover aspects such as when to consider stopping HRT and how this can be done (by gradually reducing the dose of HRT). No arbitrary limits should be set on age or duration of HRT intake”.4

Age 65

Is stopping HT routinely at the age of 65 recommended?

No. In Starting and Stopping Hormone Therapy: Risks and Benefits the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) explain:

“There are no arbitrary limits regarding how long MHT can be taken – it can be taken for as long as the woman feels the benefits outweigh the risks for her, and decisions must be made on an individual basis. Stopping routinely at the age of 65 is not recommended”.5

Right Way

Is there a right way to stop HT?

In Starting and Stopping Hormone Therapy: Stopping MHT the EMAS note:

  • “There appears to be no advantage in tapering down or in stopping abruptly”.6

The NAMS explain:

“Although not proven by studies, slowly decreasing your dose of estrogen over several months or even over several years may reduce the chance that your hot flashes will come back. You and your healthcare professional will work together to decide the best time to stop HT”.7

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When To Take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Stopping HRT the (United Kingdom) NHS note:

“Talk to a GP if you’re thinking about stopping HRT.

If you’re over 50 years old and are taking HRT to relieve menopause symptoms, a GP might suggest that you try stopping every 2 to 3 years, to see if you still need it or if your symptoms have improved.

If your menopause symptoms return when you try stopping, and you decide that the benefits of HRT for your symptoms still outweigh the risks, you can keep taking HRT for longer”.8

Who is a GP?

DotS and DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Health Care Provider

What if I unsure about when and how to stop HT?

If you are unsure about when and how to stop HT, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The NAMS explain:

“If very bothersome hot flashes or night sweats return when you stop HT, you will need to reassess your individual risks and benefits to decide whether to continue HT. Because there may be greater risks with longer duration of use and as you age, you and your healthcare professional will work together to decide what is the best option for you”.9

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy and Stopping?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy and Stopping?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. A Pragmatic Approach To the Management of Menopause
  2. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  3. BMS Statement on Testosterone
  4. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  5. BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
  6. Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy
  7. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  8. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  9. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  10. Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
  11. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  12. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  13. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  14. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  15. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimens
  16. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  17. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  18. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When To Take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  19. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  20. Hot Flashes
  21. Hot Flashes
  22. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  23. How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
  24. I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – E9: The Menopause: Can Every Woman That Wants It Have HRT?
  25. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  26. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
  27. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  28. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  29. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  30. Menopause
  31. Menopause
  32. Menopause
  33. Menopause
  34. Menopause & Hormones: Common Questions
  35. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  36. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  37. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  38. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  39. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  40. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  41. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Mindfulness & Wellbeing During the Menopause Transition
  42. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  43. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  44. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  45. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  46. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  47. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment
  48. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Starting and Stopping HRT [NICE Guideline]
  49. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  50. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  51. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  52. Starting and Stopping Hormone Therapy
  53. Starting and Stopping, Duration of Menopause Hormone Therapy Use
  54. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  55. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  56. Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
  57. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  58. Types of Hormone Therapy
  59. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  60. Vaginal Dryness
  61. Vaginal Dryness: What To Do About It
  62. Vaginal Oestrogen
  63. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  64. Video Series-2023: Lifestyle Modification and Prevention of Breast Cancer
  65. Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  66. Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  67. Video Series-2024: Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  68. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  69. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Heart Disease, Risk Factors of Developing Heart Disease, and Can I Take Hormones?
  70. Webinars: Previous – Management of Menopause In Patients With Obesity
  71. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Stopping Hormone Therapy. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  2. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Stopping Hormone Therapy. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  3. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. 07 July 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  4. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayesena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 09 March 2024
  5. Starting and Stopping Hormone Therapy: Stopping MHT. 2022. European Menopause and Andropause Society https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Starting-and-stopping-hormone-therapy.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  6. Starting and Stopping Hormone Therapy: Risks and Benefits. 2022. European Menopause and Andropause Society https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Starting-and-stopping-hormone-therapy.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  7. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Stopping Hormone Therapy. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
  8. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): When To Take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Stopping HRT. Page Last Reviewed: 04 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/when-to-take-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 09 March 2024
  9. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Stopping Hormone Therapy. 2022:2. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 09 March 2024
Topic Last Updated: 09 March 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 09 March 2024

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