Hrt which one

It is written specifically for women wishing to know about HRT. Our medical advisory panel strongly recommends that you should discuss with your doctor both the benefits and the risks of HRT on an individual basis. The types of HRT available are listed below. HRT was first available in the s but became more widely used in the s, creating a revolution in the management of the menopause. HRT was prescribed commonly to menopausal women for the relief of their symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, psychological and genito-urinary problems — urinary frequency and vaginal dryness — and for the prevention of osteoporosis.

The published results of these two studies during and raised concerns regarding the safety of HRT. These safety concerns revolved around two main issues: 1 that the extended use of HRT may increase the risk of breast cancer and 2 that the use of HRT may increase the risk of heart disease.

The results of the studies received wide publicity, creating panic amongst some users and new guidance for doctors on prescribing. After the results were published, the UK regulatory authorities issued an urgent safety restriction about HRT, recommending that doctors should prescribe the lowest effective dose for symptom relief, should use it only as a second line treatment for the prevention of osteoporosis, and advised against its use in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.

There remains widespread confusion and uncertainty amongst both doctors and HRT users. Many doctors stopped prescribing HRT and many women abandoned HRT immediately, with a return of their menopausal symptoms. The women studied in the WHI were North American women in their mid-sixties, often overweight and thus totally unrepresentative of women in the UK for whom HRT might be considered suitable.

These would usually be around the age of the menopause, namely years. It should also be appreciated that, in a surprising turnabout, subsequent publication of the full WHI results showed the apparent increased risk for breast cancer was only found in those who had taken HRT before entering the study. The WHI long-term randomised clinical trials published in showed a significant reduction in breast cancer diagnosis and mortality in women using estrogen only HRT.

Like the NICE guideline conclusions, they found that women on combined estrogen and progestogen containing HRT had an increased risk of breast cancer diagnosis but no significant increase in mortality. The Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in breast cancer reported that obesity attenuated the absolute and the relative excess breast cancer risk associated with both estrogen only and combined HRT.

Large observational trial data suggest that micronized progesterone and dydrogesterone are likely to be associated with a lower risk of breast cancer compared to that seen with other progestogens. If you're unable to take HRT or decide not to, you may want to consider alternative ways of controlling your menopausal symptoms.

Several remedies such as bioidentical hormones are claimed to help with menopausal symptoms, but these are not recommended because it's not clear how safe and effective they are. Bioidentical hormones are not the same as body identical hormones.

Body identical hormones, or micronised progesterone, can be prescribed to treat menopausal symptoms. Read more about alternatives to HRT. Page last reviewed: 09 September Next review due: 09 September Benefits of HRT The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most of the menopausal symptoms , such as: hot flushes night sweats mood swings vaginal dryness reduced sex drive Many of these symptoms pass after a few years, but they can be unpleasant and taking HRT can offer relief for many women.

But HRT may not be suitable if you: have a history of breast cancer , ovarian cancer or womb cancer have a history of blood clots have untreated high blood pressure — your blood pressure will need to be controlled before you can start HRT have liver disease are pregnant — it's still possible to get pregnant while taking HRT, so you should use contraception until 2 years after your last period if you're under 50, or for 1 year after the age of 50 In these circumstances, alternatives to HRT may be recommended instead.

There are different: HRT hormones — most women take a combination of the hormones oestrogen and progestogen, although women who do not have a womb can take oestrogen on its own ways of taking HRT — including tablets, skin patches, gels and vaginal creams, pessaries or rings HRT treatment plans — HRT medicine may be taken without stopping, or used in cycles where you take oestrogen without stopping but only take progestogen every few weeks A GP can give you advice to help you choose which type is best for you.

When you decide to stop, you can choose to do so suddenly or gradually. Common side effects include: breast tenderness headaches feeling sick indigestion abdominal tummy pain vaginal bleeding Alternatives to HRT If you're unable to take HRT or decide not to, you may want to consider alternative ways of controlling your menopausal symptoms.

Alternatives to HRT include: lifestyle measures. You and your health care provider need to discuss the risks and benefits for you.

If you do decide to take HRT, it should be the lowest dose that helps and for the shortest time needed. You should check if you still need to take HRT every months. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.

Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Learn More Related Issues Specifics. See, Play and Learn No links available. Resources Find an Expert. For You Patient Handouts. HRT is not for everyone. You should not use HRT if you Think that you are pregnant Have problems with vaginal bleeding Have had certain kinds of cancers Have had a stroke or heart attack Have had blood clots Have liver disease There are different types of HRT.

Food and Drug Administration.