The overall increased risk of serious adverse effects, such as breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary embolism, with long-term hormone replacement therapy. Many of the effects of hormone therapy are reversible if you stop taking them. The degree to which they can be reversed depends on how long it has been taking them. Some of the breast growth and possibly the decline or absence of fertility are not reversible. The overall increased risk of serious adverse effects, such as breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary embolism, with long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) outweighs the potential benefits in preventing the disease, warns a review of major trials published last week. If your symptoms bother you, ask your healthcare provider if you can adjust the dosage or form of hormone replacement therapy to reduce side effects.
The results showed that users of hormone replacement therapy experienced a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary embolism; a significantly lower incidence of colorectal cancer and femoral neck fractures; but there were no significant changes in terms of endometrial cancer or coronary heart disease. Even if hormone replacement therapy isn't right for you, your healthcare provider can recommend other treatment options to help treat symptoms of menopause. The Medical Research Council is reviewing all HRT trials and will soon make a recommendation as to whether WISDOM trials should continue. Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy, different forms of hormone replacement therapy, and alternative options.
It's important that your provider helps you understand the advantages and disadvantages of hormonal hormone therapy and how they apply to your particular situation. Because early estrogen loss increases the risk of many conditions, including cardiovascular disease, people who lose estrogen before age 40 are at risk of heart disease if they don't use hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If HRT doesn't work for you or your provider thinks you won't benefit from HRT, there are alternative options that can ease your symptoms. If you develop a new medical condition while taking hormone replacement therapy, check with your provider to discuss whether it's still safe to continue taking it.
If your provider doesn't think HRT is the right treatment for you, discuss alternative options with them. On the other hand, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) generally means that hormones are replacing natural hormones that the body no longer produces, especially for people in their 30s and 40s. It's important to know that they're not against HRT because they want you to feel uncomfortable. They noted that existing trials were too small to reliably evaluate the effect of hormone therapy on mortality from specific causes, and that they did not provide information on estrogen or progestogen preparations other than those already tested. However, there's no fixed period and it can vary depending on the severity of your symptoms, the type of hormone therapy you're taking, and your preferences.
Hormone replacement therapy can also help with bone loss (osteoporosis and osteopenia), a common condition in people who are assigned female at birth (AFAB) who don't have enough estrogen.
