My mother-in-law has been on HRT for 30 years.  She is 82 years old.  Due to the recent HRT scare her pharmacist suggested she check with her doctor before filling her prescription.  Her doc told her not to have it filled until she came in for a thorough examination in three weeks time.  Since then she has suffered extreme headaches, loss of sleep, fatigue, and neck pain. A trip to the emergency room yesterday found nothing wrong, but was given pain pills and an anti-depressent. So, I'm wondering, since she didn't taper off - since she could't get a refill and has had to quit cold turkey, could these be withdrawal symptoms?  

Sure sounds like it to me!

Zelma

I had a headache for 2 days after going cold turkey.  Any sudden change at that age will probably cause symptoms.  Hopefully, your mom is going for her thorough checku up soon.

Sounds like withdrawal to me, too.  I hope she gets to the doctor soon and feels better soon!

I can't  believe this doctor told her to stop cold turkey before he even seen her.  Of course there is going to be withdrawals after 30 years. And what's with these doctors and anti-depressants? They think it's the cure for everything....like they don't have side effects themselves.  They must get some pretty big perks and kickbacks. Sorry, but this is a real sore spot with me. Doctors are pushing anti-depressants on everyone from the young to the very old......this sickens me.

Gini, I  think i'd call the doctor myself.......or find a different one. Hope everything turns out ok for your mother-in-law.

This is just a guess on my part, but I'd think that there would be even more withdrawal after 30 years.  Her body must have been so dependent on those drugs after all this time.

Anti-depressants sure seem to be the popular drug of today, don't they, Kari?  :(

MaryO and Kari:  About anti-depressants, I so agree.  Drs. are giving them out like candy.  And they do not inform women, as they give them estrogen, about the fact that it postpones your body's withdrawal from the higher dose of estrogen it got when you were younger.  Has anyone ever thought, maybe we are not meant to have all that estrogen in our bodies, especially at 82!  

Then again, (and this is my humble opinion), if this lady made it to 82 years with no problems......why stop the HRT now? I'm having a hell of a time at 50......I sure wouldn't want to go through all of this at 80! It's obvious she is going to have problems, since she's been to the ER already. I think doctors should look at the whole picture (health, quality of life, age) before they make rash changes.

I agree Kari!