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 Therapy for Menopause Symptoms: How Can I Reduce Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic explain:

“Typically, side effects resolve on their own within a few months. In most cases, these side effects are mild and don’t require stopping your HRT. If your symptoms bother you, ask your healthcare provider about adjusting either the dosage or the form of the HRT to reduce the side effects. Never make changes to your medication or stop taking it without talking to your provider”.2

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.

Side effects of HRT can be similar to menopause symptoms, so it might not be your HRT that’s causing it.

There are different types of HRT and it can take time to find the right dose and type that works for you.

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”.3

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?

Yes. 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 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”.4

In Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms: Risks/Benefits – What Are the Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic explain:

“The most common side effects of hormone replacement therapy are:

  • Irregular vaginal bleeding
  • Breast tenderness
  • Mood swings

Less common side effects of hormone replacement therapy include:

  • Bloating
  • Headaches
  • Skin discoloration
  • Increased breast density, making mammogram interpretation more difficult
  • Skin irritation under the estrogen patch”.5

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 elaborate on:

“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”.6

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”.7

Vaginal Bleeding

What is the association between vaginal bleeding and HT?

In Side Effects of Hormone Therapy In Women: Vaginal Bleeding the Cancer Research UK explain:

“Some hormone therapies can cause vaginal bleeding. It is most common when you first start hormone therapy, or if you switch from one treatment to another.

You might have:

  • A change to your usual periods
  • Bleeding between your periods
  • Bleeding after you periods have stopped
  • Tell your healthcare team if you have any of these”.8

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”.9

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”.10

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:

“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”.11

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”.12

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)”.13

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. British Menopause Society Statement Published In Response To the BBC One Panorama Programme 30 September 2024
  8. British Menopause Society Statement on HRT Dosages
  9. Can HRT Stop Your Periods?
  10. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  11. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  12. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  13. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Premature and Early Menopause
  14. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause
  15. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  16. Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
  17. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  18. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Impact of Estrogen Deficiency on Quality of Life In Asia and the Role of Continuous Combined MHT In Treatment (EN)
  19. Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
  20. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  21. Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  22. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  23. Guidance on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  24. HRT
  25. HRT & Menopause Extra [Video]
  26. HRT Questions Answered
  27. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  28. HRT: Benefits and Risks – What You Should Know
  29. Hormone Replacement Therapy
  30. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  31. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  32. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Benefits and Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  33. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Continuous Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets, Capsules and Patches – Side Effects of Continuous Combined HRT
  34. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray – Side Effects of Oestrogen Tablets, Patches, Gel and Spray
  35. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Sequential Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Tablets and Patches – Side Effects of Sequential Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  36. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  37. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Tibolone – Side Effects of Tibolone
  38. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Utrogestan (Microsecond Progesterone) – Side Effects of Utrogestan
  39. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Vaginal Oestrogen – Side Effects of Vaginal Estrogen
  40. Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
  41. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  42. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
  43. 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
  44. 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]
  45. Managing Your Symptoms
  46. Menopausal Hormone Therapy
  47. Menopause
  48. Menopause
  49. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (HRT)
  50. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools – Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Hormone Therapy Side Effects
  51. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  52. Menopause and HRT
  53. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  54. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
    Hormone Therapy Side Effects
  55. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
  56. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
  57. Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [2024]
  58. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  59. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  60. Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
  61. Questions To Ask Your GP About Menopause
  62. Shedding Light on the Menopause Experience and Demystifying Treatment
  63. Side Effects of Hormone Therapy In Women
  64. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  65. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
    Hormone Therapy Side Effects
  66. The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
  67. Update on Menopause Hormone Therapy: Current Indications and Unanswered Questions
  68. Updated 2024 NICE Menopause Guidance Summary
  69. Updated BMS Guidelines on Unscheduled Bleeding on HRT
  70. Vaginal Dryness
  71. Vaginal Dryness
  72. Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  73. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  74. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  75. Webinars: Previous – Menopausal Migraines
  76. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  77. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)
  78. World Menopause Day 2024: The IMS White Paper: Menopause and MHT In 2024: Addressing the Key Controversies [Multiply Languages]

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: 09 April 2025
  2. Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms: How Can I Reduce Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)? 12 March 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15245-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 09 April 2025
  3. 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: 09 April 2025
  4. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – Possible Side Effects of MHT: Break Through Bleeding. Last Updated: 03 December 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 09 April 2025
  5. Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms: Risks/Benefits – What Are the Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)? 12 March 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15245-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms#risks-benefits Accessed: 09 April 2025
  6. 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: 09 April 2025
  7. 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: 09 April 2025
  8. Side Effects of Hormone Therapy In Women: Vaginal Bleeding. Last Reviewed: 07 February 2024. Cancer Research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/hormone-therapy/side-effects-women Accessed: 09 April 2025
  9. 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: 09 April 2025
  10. 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: 09 April 2025
  11. Menopause Management Options: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) – How Long Do You Need To Take MHT? Last Updated: 03 December 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 09 April 2025
  12. 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: 09 April 2025
  13. Postmenopausal Bleeding: Living With – When Should I Contact My Doctor? Last Reviewed: 15 January 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21549-postmenopausal-bleeding Accessed: 09 April 2025
Topic Last Updated: 09 April 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 09 April 2025

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