Hormone Therapy Side Effects

“Any side effects usually improve over time,
so it’s a good idea to carry on with your treatment
for at least 3 months if possible”.1

Umbrella
What may the Hormone Therapy Side Effects Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Estrogen
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Side Effects
  • Hormone Therapy (HT) Side Effects
  • Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) Side Effects
  • Oestrogen
  • Progestin/Progestogen

Side Effects or Not

Can hormone therapy (HT) have side effects?

Yes. In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the (United Kingdom) NHS elaborate on:

“Like any medicine, the hormones used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can cause side effects. But it’s common to have no side effects or only mild ones.

Any side effects usually improve over time, so it’s a good idea to carry on with your treatment for at least 3 months if possible.

To help with side effects, a GP might suggest changing your dose, the type of HRT you take or how you take it. For example, switching from tablets to patches”.2

Who is a GP?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Different Differences

Can the side effects of oestrogen differ from the side effects of progestogen?

Hormone Therapy Side EffectsHormone Therapy Side EffectsYes. In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) the NHS include the “Side Effects of Oestrogen” and the “Side Effects of Progestogen”.

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray the NHS include information about Brand names: Oestrogel, Evorel, Sandrena, Lenzetto, Estradot, Progynova.

Side Effects

What can are HT side effects include?

In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Possible Side Effects of MHT the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) note:

“Everyone responds differently to MHT. Some women may not experience any side effects, while others may have:

  • Nausea
  • Fluid retention
  • Bloating
  • Breast enlargement and discomfort
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Weight gain.

Most symptoms settle within the first three months”.3

Side Effects of Oestrogen

What can side effects of oestrogen include?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Oestrogen the NHS explain

“Side effects of taking oestrogen can include:

  • Headaches
  • Breast pain or tenderness
  • Unexpected vaginal bleeding or spotting
  • Feeling sick (nausea)
  • Mood changes, including low mood or depression
  • Leg cramps
  • Mild rash or itching
  • Diarrhoea
  • Hair loss

They will often go away after a few weeks”.4

Side Effects of Progestogen

What can side effects of progestogen include?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Progestogen the NHS explain

“Side effects of taking progestogen can include:

  • Changes in your periods, including spotting or bleeding between periods
  • Headaches
  • Breast pain or tenderness
  • Feeling sick (nausea)
  • Diarrhoea
  • Feeling tired or dizzy
  • Mood changes, including low mood or depression
  • Mild rash or itchy skin
  • Acne

As with side effects of oestrogen, these will usually go away after a few weeks. There are things you can do to help cope with them”.5

Weight Gain

Is there an association between weight gain and HT?

In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects – Weight Gain and HRT the NHS note:

“There’s little evidence that most types of HRT make you put on weight.

You may gain some weight during the menopause and as you get older, but this often happens whether you take HRT or not.

Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet should help you to lose any unwanted weight”.6

Temporary or Not

Are HT side effects temporary?

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Effectiveness: Managing Clinical Side Effects of MHT Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors explain:

“Initiating treatment with low-dose MHT will minimize the likelihood of adverse effects. Common adverse effects of estrogen include nausea (mostly limited to oral therapy) and breast tenderness. Breakthrough bleeding is not unexpected in the first 3 months of continuous-combined estrogen–progestogen therapy, and occasionally heavy bleeding can occur. Progestogen therapy may cause low mood or irritability. When this occurs either the dose needs to be reduced or another progestogen tried. Micronized progesterone may improve sleep and sometimes causes somnolence, and so should be taken at bedtime. Changing from one regimen to another in many cases will alleviate adverse effects.

Potential adverse effects of tibolone include fluid retention, mild weight gain and initial vaginal bleeding or spotting”.7

Health Care Provider

What if I need help with my HT side effects?

If you need help with your HT side effects, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): How Long Do You Need To Take MHT? the JH elaborate on:

Hormone Therapy Side effects“It can take around six months to find the right MHT. Once you’ve found an MHT that works for you, it’s important to review it with your doctor each year”.8

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Effectiveness: Managing Clinical Side Effects of MHT Therapy the authors elaborate on:

“Optimally, women using systemic MHT should have a medical review at 3 months to assess symptom relief and side effects. This is also an opportunity to discuss any patient concerns and ensure correct use of the prescribed therapy”.9

In Postmenopausal Bleeding: Living With – When Should I Contact My Doctor? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic also note:

“Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any vaginal bleeding:

  • More than a year after your last menstrual period
  • More than a year after starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT)”.10

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hormone Therapy Side Effects?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

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Links

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New or Updated

  1. 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
  2. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  3. BMS TV: HRT and Bleeding
  4. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  5. BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
  6. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  7. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  8. Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
  9. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  10. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  11. Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
  12. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  13. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  14. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  15. Guidance on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  16. HRT
  17. HRT & Menopause Extra [Video]
  18. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  19. HRT: Benefits and Risks – What You Should Know
  20. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  21. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  22. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) With Dr Nicky Peel & Prof. David Armstrong [Video]
  23. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  24. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  25. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Continuous Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets, Capsules and Patches – Side Effects of Continuous Combined HRT
  26. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray – Side Effects of Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray
  27. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Sequential Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets and Patches – Side Effects of Sequential Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  28. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  29. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Tibolone – Side Effects of Tibolone
  30. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Utrogestan (Microsecond Progesterone) – Side Effects of Utrogestan
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen – Side Effects of Vaginal Estrogen
  32. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  33. I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – E9: The Menopause: Can Every Woman That Wants It Have HRT?
  34. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  35. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?] [Other Languages and Formats]
  36. Managing Your Symptoms
  37. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  38. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
  39. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
  40. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
  41. Menopause
  42. Menopause
  43. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT)
  44. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools – Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Hormone Therapy Side Effects
  45. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  46. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  47. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  48. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  49. Menopause and HRT
  50. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  51. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  52. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT [NICE Guideline]
  53. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  54. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
  55. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  56. Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
  57. Questions To Ask Your GP About Menopause
  58. Side Effects of Hormone Therapy In Women
  59. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  60. The Lancet: Series From the Lancet Journals – Menopause 2024
  61. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
  62. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  63. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice
  64. Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
  65. Updated BMS Guidelines on Unscheduled Bleeding on HRT
  66. Vaginal Dryness
  67. Vaginal Dryness
  68. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  69. Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  70. Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  71. Video Series-2023: Premature and Early Menopause
  72. Video Series-2024: Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  73. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  74. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  75. What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Menopause? And Which Can Hormone Therapy Treat?
  76. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 04 April 2024
  2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 04 April 2024
  3. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Possible Side Effects of MHT: Break Through Bleeding. Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 04 April 2024
  4. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy – Side Effects of Oestrogen. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 04 April 2024
  5. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy – Side Effects of Progestogen. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/ Accessed: 04 April 2024
  6. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects – Weight Gain and HRT. Page Last Reviewed: 03 January 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects/ Accessed: 04 April 2024
  7. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Effectiveness: Managing Clinical Side Effects of MHT Therapy. First Published Online 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 04 April 2024
  8. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – How Long Do You Need To Take MHT? Last Updated: 19 December 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 04 April 2024
  9. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Effectiveness: Managing Clinical Side Effects of MHT Therapy. First Published Online 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 04 April 2024
  10. Postmenopausal Bleeding: Living With – When Should I Contact My Doctor? Last Reviewed: 26 May 2021. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21549-postmenopausal-bleeding Accessed: 04 April 2024
Topic Last Updated: 19 May 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 04 April 2024

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