Hormone Therapy Side Effects

“Any side effects usually improve over time,
so it’s a good idea to persevere with 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 the (United Kingdom) NHS elaborate on:

“Like any medicine, the hormones used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can cause side effects.

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

Speak to a GP if you have severe side effects or they continue for longer than 3 months”.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

Hormone Therapy Side EffectsHormone Therapy Side EffectsCan the side effects of oestrogen differ from the side effects of progestogen?

Yes. In Menopause: Medicines To Help You the (United States) Food and Drug Administration include side effects.

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

Side Effects

What are some HT side effects?

In Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Are there any side effects from hormone therapy? the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) explain:

“A. Sometimes women have side effects from hormone therapy. If any of these symptoms occurs, discuss them with a healthcare provider:

  • Uterine bleeding
  • Nausea
  • Breast tenderness or pain
  • Abdominal bloating
  • Fluid retention in arms or legs
  • Blurry vision
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Mood change”.3

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”.4

Breakthrough Bleeding

Is there an association between breakthrough bleeding and HT?

In Bleeding – Perimenopausal, Postmenopausal and Breakthrough Bleeding on MHT/HRT the Australasian Menopause Society explain some different types of Bleeding In A Women Taking MHT.

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:

“Many women believe that taking HRT will make them put on weight, but there’s no evidence to support this claim.

You may gain some weight during the menopause, but this often happens regardless of whether you take HRT.

Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet should help you to lose any unwanted weight”.5

Temporary or Not

Are HT side effects temporary?

In Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Are there any side effects from hormone therapy? the NAMS note:

“Many side effects are temporary, so unless they are severe or include bleeding, give hormone therapy 3 months to see whether the discomfort resolves. Lowering the dose or switching to another type of estrogen or progestogen may help reduce side effects”.6

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”.7

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 vaginal bleeding:

  • More than a year after your last menstrual period
  • More than a year after starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT)”.8

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Hormone Therapy Side Effects?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

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New or Updated

  1. 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
  2. 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  3. BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women
  4. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  5. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  6. Bleeding – Perimenopausal, Postmenopausal and Breakthrough Bleeding on MHT/HRT
  7. British Menopause Society Update on HRT Supply
  8. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  9. Combined Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  10. Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  11. Complementary and Alternative Therapies Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  12. Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
  13. Consumer Health: Menopause, Hormone Replacement Therapy and Heart Health
  14. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  15. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  16. Dr Gail Busby – I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – Episode 9 The Menopause
  17. EMAS Menopause Essentials
  18. EMAS Replay [Webinars]
  19. Early Menopause: Experiences and Perspectives of Women and Health Practitioners – Women’s Profiles
  20. Estrogen & Hormones: Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy
  21. Estrogen and Progestin (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
  22. Estrogen, Hormone Therapy and Menopause
  23. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  24. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  25. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  26. HRT
  27. HRT and Alternatives
  28. HRT and Bleeding Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  29. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  30. HRT: Benefits and Risks – What You Should Know
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  33. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  34. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives
  35. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks
  36. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  37. Hot Flashes
  38. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  39. How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
  40. Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
  41. 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
  42. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
  43. Lifestyle and Behaviour Changes for Menopausal Symptoms
  44. Lifestyle and Behavioural Modifications for Menopausal Symptoms
  45. MHT Still Maligned & Misunderstood: Expert
  46. Maintaining Your Weight and Health During and After Menopause
  47. Making Choices At Menopause
  48. Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
  49. Managing Your Symptoms
  50. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
  51. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  52. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  53. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk
  54. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism
  55. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Women’s Health: An Umbrella Review
  56. Menopausal Hormone Therapy – Fact Sheet
  57. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Heart Disease and Stroke
  58. Menopause
  59. Menopause
  60. Menopause
  61. Menopause
  62. Menopause Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  63. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Are there any side effects from hormone therapy?
  64. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT)
  65. Menopause Management – Fact Sheet
  66. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools – Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Hormone Therapy Side Effects
  67. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  68. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  69. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
  70. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  71. Menopause Patient Information: 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  72. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  73. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  74. Menopause – Oestrogen Only Therapy
  75. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  76. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Benefits and Risks of HRT [NICE Guideline]
  77. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  78. Menopause: Medicines To Help You
  79. Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
  80. Menopause: Treatment
  81. Midlife Weight Gain: What’s Really Going On
  82. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth
  83. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  84. Non-Hormonal Treatment Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  85. NonHormonal Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  86. Oestrogen Only Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  87. Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
  88. Preventing Weight Gain In Women At Midlife
  89. Questions To Ask Your GP About Menopause
  90. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  91. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
  92. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  93. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  94. Vaginal Dryness
  95. Vaginal Dryness
  96. Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
  97. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  98. Webinars: Previous – Abnormal Uterine Bleeding In Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women
  99. Webinars: Previous – The Early Menopausal Patient
  100. Weight Gain In Women At Midlife: Unique Issues In Management and the Role of Menopausal Hormone Therapy

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects/ Accessed: 22 January 2023
  2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects/ Accessed: 22 January 2023
  3. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Are there any side effects from hormone therapy? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 22 January 2023
  4. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Possible Side Effects of MHT: Break Through Bleeding. Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 22 January 2023
  5. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects – Weight Gain and HRT. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects/ Accessed: 22 January 2023
  6. Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. Are there any side effects from hormone therapy? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 22 January 2023
  7. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – How Long Do You Need To Take MHT? Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 22 January 2023
  8. 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: 22 January 2023
Topic Last Updated: 22 January 2023 – Topic Last Reviewed: 22 January 2023

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