HRT

[windywillow]

Please can anyone tell me the benefits and pitfalls of taking hormone replacement therapy?

TIA. x

[Sqad]

Windy, I was hoping that someone else may answer, but it looks as though you are stuck with me!!

Benefits:

HRT help relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, sleep problems, and vaginal dryness. Estrogen can also prevent bone loss that leads to thin, weak bones (osteoporosis). HRT may help prevent other diseases such as colon cancer and macular degeneration (age-related vision loss), and may help delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Pitfalls:

Increased risk of endometrial cancer in women with a uterus if estrogen is taken without progesterone or a progestin
Slightly increased risk of breast cancer after 4 or more years of HRT, as shown in the WHI study that used continuous combined oral estrogen and progestin. Estrogen alone or other HRT regimens may not raise the risk of breast cancer significantly.
Increased breast density, making mammograms more difficult to interpret and possibly increasing breast cancer risk. This appears to be an effect primarily associated with taking oral progestin continuously with estrogen.
Slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer
Slightly increased risk of blood clots, associated primarily with oral estrogens such as Premarin*
Increased risk of gallbladder disease, associated primarily with oral estrogens such as Premarin*
Slightly increased risk of heart attack or stroke, both in women with cardiovascular disease and in healthy women. This effect may be associated primarily with HRT using continuous combined oral estrogen and progestin or the daily use of an oral progestin such as Provera with estrogen.
Breast pain (often a temporary problem)
Nausea, associated primarily with oral estrogens.
Bloating and fluid retention, primarily associated with progestins,
These side effects seem to be associated with oral estrogen and not with transdermal estrogen.

HRT is usually not

[Sqad]

.HRT is usually not recommended for women who have:

Vaginal bleeding for no known reason
A history of breast cancer
A history of cancer of the uterus
Liver disease
Blood clots in the veins or legs, or in the lungs. This includes women who have had blood clots during pregnancy or when taking birth control pills.
Cardiovascular disease (diseases of the heart and blood vessels)

My opinion only......see your GP for other opinions.

[windywillow]

Thanks very much Sqad - very kind of you to type all that. My sister reckons I should be taking it - I'm edging towards thinking it's not for me. I'll mention it this afternoon at the docs, and see what she says.

[Sqad]

No problem windy.....I just couldn't stand by and see you alone.......;-)

[windywillow]

You're too kind Sqad. Can't understand why anyone could doubt your bedside manner! ;o)

[Sqad]

windy...........LOl LOL LOl......"Lord forgive them, for they know not what they say"....LOL