As long as I'm keeping up with my HRT I'm fine now- my experience was much like Helene's but when I was waking up 3 or 4 times a night and having trouble staying focused at work, I started hormones. I've tried skipping for a few days and as soon as I do, I start waking up feeling warm (never as bad as my peak sweating hot flashes).... and so I've gone back to the pills. I know I need to get off of them eventually...