HRT and Menopause: Understanding Your Treatment Options
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HRT and Menopause: Understanding Your Treatment Options

Menopause symptoms — hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, low mood, brain fog and more — can have a real impact on daily life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment for many women. HRT is a prescription treatment, so it is started with your GP, but our pharmacists are here to support you with your prescription and any questions along the way.

What is HRT?

HRT replaces the hormones — mainly oestrogen, usually with a progestogen — that your body makes less of around menopause. Replacing them eases symptoms.

The main types

  • Oestrogen-only HRT — usually for women who have had their womb removed (hysterectomy).
  • Combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen) — for women who still have their womb. This can be cyclical (if you are still having periods) or continuous (once periods have stopped).

It comes in several forms

HRT is not just tablets. It also comes as skin patches, gels and sprays, and as vaginal tablets, pessaries and creams for local symptoms. Patches and gels (absorbed through the skin) are often preferred as they carry a lower risk of blood clots than tablets. Your doctor will help you find the type and dose that suits you.

Benefits and risks

For most women under 60, or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits of HRT outweigh the risks, and modern evidence suggests the risk of serious side effects is low. HRT relieves symptoms and helps protect against osteoporosis (bone thinning). There are some risks to weigh up, which vary with the type of HRT, how it is taken and when it is started — which is why it is tailored to you by your GP.

Not keen on HRT?

There are non-hormonal options and lifestyle steps that can help too. Your GP and our pharmacists can talk you through the alternatives.

How we can help

Once you have a prescription, we will dispense it, explain how to use patches or gels correctly, and answer questions about side effects or interactions. Just ask.

References

General information only and not a substitute for medical advice. HRT is a prescription-only treatment; speak to your GP. Reviewed by the pharmacy team at Laois Pharmacy.

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