Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
There is a slightly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a stroke for women over 60 who take HRT. This is more likely if they started HRT late into the menopause and use combined HRT. The risk can depend on the amount (dose) of HRT and how you take it.
Oestrogen-only and combined HRT patches are available. Skin patches may be a better option than tablets if you find it inconvenient to take a tablet every day. Using patches can also help avoid some side effects of HRT, such as indigestion, and unlike tablets, they do not increase your risk of blood clots.
You might feel a bit sick or nauseous, or experience breast tenderness, bloating or headaches, particularly in the first few days. You can see a full list of side effects of the different hormones in HRT here. Bloating is a common side effect of HRT and can be a result of taking oestrogen or progestogen.
When starting HRT, it's very common to experience some initial side effects or start-up symptoms such as breast tenderness or breast size increase. Some women describe slight nausea, headaches or abdominal bloating. Light erratic bleeding is also quite usual.
It can take your body time to get used to HRT. When you start HRT, you might have side effects. Examples are tender breasts, feeling sick (nausea) and leg cramps. These side effects usually disappear within 6 to 8 weeks.
It may take a few weeks to feel the effects of treatment and there may be some side effects at first. A GP will usually recommend trying treatment for 3 months to see if it helps. If it does not, they may suggest changing your dose, or changing the type of HRT you're taking.
One of the common treatment options for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), supplementing your hormone levels to rebalance your system. However, you may prefer to move through menopause without using hormone treatments. And, women with previous hormone-dependent cancer shouldn't use HRT.
Hormone replacement therapy can help in many ways with your weight loss goals if you're suffering from symptoms of menopause. Several studies have found that menopausal HRT can have a big impact not only on weight loss, but also how much fat your body stores and where.
NHS Inform says although many women believe taking HRT will make them put on weight, there is no evidence that this is the case. And many actually find they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal state. Studies have backed this up too.
Combined HRT can be associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer. The increased risk is related to how long you take HRT, and it falls after you stop taking it. Because of the risk of breast cancer, it's especially important to attend all your breast cancer screening appointments if you're taking HRT.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
bloating. breast tenderness or swelling. swelling in other parts of the body. feeling sick.
So in summary, the safest types of HRT are the oestrogen applied through the skin as a patch, gel or spray with body identical micronised progesterone. Many women also benefit from testosterone, which may help if you're forgetful or having trouble concentrating at work.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) slightly increases the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and sometimes womb cancer. But the risk is small.
Like the now debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism, HRT has been dogged by a bad safety reputation since it was linked to breast cancer in a research study published in 2001.
A recent study of postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 80, found that those who took hormones had significantly lower levels of belly fat than women who did not take hormones.
HRT does not cause weight gain. Side effects of HRT may feel like it but the reality is that bodies change in midlife. In fact, many women lose weight and feel considerably fitter on HRT.
In very real ways, using HRT to address symptoms of hormonal change can help you feel younger. It can give you more energy, elevate mood, and increase sex drive. It can make sex more comfortable and improve sleep in both men and women.
There is no specific age cut-off for starting HRT.
When to stop taking HRT. Most women are able to stop taking HRT after their menopausal symptoms finish, which is usually two to five years after they start (but in some cases this can be longer). Gradually decreasing your HRT dose is usually recommended, rather than stopping suddenly.
And the continued low estrogen levels lead to more serious health concerns. The rate of bone loss speeds up, increasing your risk of low bone density, osteopenia and osteoporosis. You also have a higher chance of having a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related issues.
Symptoms of a high HRT dose: Nausea and vomiting. Breast tenderness and enlargement. Spotting or heavy bleeding.
Benefits of oestrogen gel
Oestrogen gel is equally as effective as other forms of HRT including patches and tablets. Like other forms of transdermal HRT (patches and sprays), oestrogen gel is not thought to come with any increased risk of blood clots. Read more about the risks and benefits of HRT.
When is the best time to start taking HRT? HRT is most effective to start when you are perimenopausal – this is before your official 'menopause' – which is 12 months after your last period. This means you don't have to wait for your periods to stop before starting HRT.