This is the first posting that I have made in this conference, or any conference for that matter.  I am finding all of the info to be really  great resource.

I have just gone through about a year of hormonal hell, and I am post menopausal at 50. I tried to control my symptoms with natural sources, such as vitamins and wild yam progesterone cream. Nothing worked and the quality of my life was deteriorating significantly.

I have just started Estrogel and will be adding Prometrium. I am feeling better already, but feel so guilty for "giving in" and taking HRT. Anyone else feel that way?

Also, I am concerned about quitting HRT after about 2 years, like my dr. says I should. Will I go through the horrible symptoms again? Is there anyone out there taking the same combination, who has any advice?

I just found this site, and am getting the feeling that it is not pro hrt.  I was on Premphase for 3 years, then my Dr. stopped me cold turkey in July...I called him last week and asked to refill my Rx. again for it...have been on it for 4 days now...could not stand the way i felt. Why feel guilty?

No one should feel guilty for doing what they believe is the right thing for them. What I have discovered on this site is that we're all unique and our experiences may have similarities but ultimately will be uniquely ours. No "one size fits all" solutions to the "change".  It's a very large site...keep reading all they have to offer. Some of it may help, some may not.  I believe that what we want for each other is to pass thru this stage of life in the healthiest way possible.  But when it comes to your personal decisions about what is best for you and what works for you, it's just that...personal. Hope you feel better.

My GYN just raised my dose of estradiol/progesterone to see if this will help with these unrelenting symptoms. You don't have to feel guilty about using anything to get through this trying time in your life. I'm using estrogen, progesterone, vitamins, Xanax, relaxation, excercise, and i'd eat mud if I knew it would make me feel better.

"I just found this site, and am getting the feeling that it is not pro hrt.  I was on Premphase for 3 years, then my Dr. stopped me cold turkey in July...I called him last week and asked to refill my Rx. again for it...have been on it for 4 days now...could not stand the way i felt. Why feel guilty?"

This site isn't anti-HRT, it's just anti synthetic hormones, progestins instead of progesterone,  Premarin, Prempro and Premphase for the obvious reasons of the estrogen being obtained from the urine of pregnant mares. Women are not horses. There's information all over these boards and the rest of the site about "natural" hormones, aka NHRT.  

As for your doctor having you stop your Premphase cold turkey, that's not the way you stop taking hormones. You're supposed to wean off them slowly, or it can be a shock to the body. However, knowing that the largest study ever done, the Women's Health Initiative Study on women and HRT, was abruptly halted because it yielded results proving that women had a greater chance of developing heart problems (something they didn't anticipate), cancer and numerous other problems, I'm not sure I understand the logic of any woman wanting to go back on  Premphase, or any of the Premarin family of HRT when there are so many optional forms of HRT that could provide the same benefits without the same risk.

Have you ever considered using natural hormones?

Dearest