How long will I feel bad after HRT?

I have been on HRT for around 14 yrs. I like my doctor alright but when I asked advice about going on/coming off HRT he just said it could knock 10 yrs off my life but did I want to live for 20 good years or 30 bad years!!! Thing is about 3 years ago I came off for 7 months, flushes etc returned which I could bear but the anxiety state got me to the stage I was ready to lash out at everyone around, hence I went back on it. It was this anxiety/depression that made me start HRT in the first place. I also suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and have to take low dose (50 mg per day Anafranil) antidepressant ongoing. I was on this last time I came off too. Therefore was going on the HRT just delaying the process of going through the Menopause and you still must go through it? I have read conflicting reports about this. Can anyone help?

As everyone else has said, its different for everyone.
I have had to take HRT now for 8 years, i suffered and early menopause due to cancer treatment killing my ovaries.
It took 2 years for me to realise i had to do something after the cancer treatment finished. The docs kept putting me off saying my periods may return etc. and not to intervene yet with the hormone replacemnet, but what i couldn-t explain to them was the way i was feeling.
I had severe depression, which i was told was the cancer and the shock etc. And suffered severe hot flushes constanly throughout the day. I couldn-t go out, while all my friends were working, going out and getting on with thier lives, which sent me into a deeper depression.
My mum finally demended that they did something to help. I was prescribed a low dose of HRT, and honestly after 2 months i was a different person. I was happier in my mind, my skin, hair and general well being had improved dramatically in the following months. Now 8 years on i look back and think that I could of actually killed myself, i felt that deprssed. it eats away at you, and you 'can-t snap out of it' as people might say to you.
Do what feels right for you. There are more benefits in taking HRT for me than not to at all, mainly because of my age and circumstances, i am 26.
Come off them slowly and only when you feel ready. Its good if you have good support from friends and family, and you have to let them know how you are feeling, so they can help you.
Good luck with whatever you decide, heres to HRT!

i was on hrt for 8 years. my blood pressure went up in the last year so taking docs advice, came off it. i get sweats hot but not soaking like they were at the start, before i started hrt.. my blood pressure is still high, and doc wants me to take water pills, so i did. nochange , now doc wants me to take something stronger tomorrow, if my bp hasnt gone down. where does it end? the more tablets you take, the more side-effects they have. dont know. everyone is different. hope i stop having sweats before i am 70 as they are not nice.

Follow your doctor's advice. Keep in mind you've been on HRT longer than recommended (5 years) for statistical relief of breast cancer. You need to be monitored on a regular basis and also need to keep your OB/GYN in that loop as well.

I was on HRT for 11 years and they took me off about 3 years ago. My blood pressure was high along with my cholesterol levels. Since I quit taking them they are much lower now. I feel better without them. My doctor was going to take me off cold turkey and I talked him into dosing me down instead of taking them away from me completely all at once. So for two months he went down to the next dosage, then the next month took me down another dosage until I was off of them completely. This gave my body a chance to get used to the fact that my estrogen was being lowered. Maybe you should try that instead of getting off all at once.

I came off Hrt after being on it for 6 years on my doctors advice,
I tried everything and spent a lot of money on other so called remedies .
The symptoms were so bad i asked to go back on it
I have been back on it for two years now and I'm a different person . I cant offer you advice because each person is different
I'm hoping one day soon i will be able to come off it again

the best way to come off HRT is VERY slowly. You can do this by either reducing the dosage gradually over several months until you stop taking them or you just take your required dose every other day for a couple of weeks and then every three days for a couple of weeks etc.....If you find that some of the symptoms are returning add soya to your diet (I used supplements )
Its been proven that eastern women don't have symptoms anywhere as severe as western women because of a diet higher in soya and I found it particularly helpful.
I think you'll have some symptoms for a while after stopping the HRT as your body adjusts but it should get easier. GOOD LUCK