Advice on using HRT please: What are the pros & cons?

I would only do HRT under doctor's control ... in 1994 before my periods even stopped, the Gyn gave me a prescription and told me to start when my periods stopped. I had no problems. So I did and after a year a new gyn found a large growth. I had to do an unltrasound, MRI and finally laporsocopic surgery to confirm it was a fibroid. At the time I had to change doctors and within the 6 year had gone from 6cm to10cm. One doc wanted to do surgery but I said no and I quit the HRT. Within 3 months the thing shrank back to 6cm on the ultrasound. I don't know what kind of HRT I was on at the time...but that is proof that it caused fibroid growth. I still have the fibroid it has not shrunk much more and it obscures the ultrasound.

HRT does wonders for the skin, prevents sagging and just makes you look younger and feel better. I stopped it once and felt like I aged 20 years. I started estradiol after complete hysterectomy at 60 and am now 83. I have no family history of breast cancer but do have strong family history of strokes and cardiovascular problems. I keep my blood pressure under control. The only negative I have is vaginal discharge, just fluid and no itching or blood, and that has gone on for a long time. I will talk to my gyn in my January appt about this.

I had to jump on this conversation also. I started on perimenopause too early with lots of hot flashes and was prescribed Premarin which I took for two years. It just so happens that I did a lot of reading because I wasn’t doing well and my thyroid had gone haywire. So I started on Bio identical hormone replacement therapy and that saved my life. I’m 69 yo, healthy, people say I’m on my forties; athletic, play pickleball and high energy with great sex life. That’s what BIHRT will do to you and it’s so much healthier than synthetic hormone. I do all three hormones but have a hormone panel testing done always to see what my body needs. Do your reading. It helps your heart, skin, bones and quality of life and much more.

Totally agree!! I have done a lot of research on this issue also and have been on BIHRT for over 15 years and love what it does for me!! My body also never made enough hormones since at an early age I had my tubes tied which led to cysts in my ovaries and a lot of complication from there on. I which I had the knowledge then that I have now because I’m living the best life ever now and lost many precious years because of the lack of the right amount of hormones.

This is worth watching. I was told you have to be a member of PBS - Passport , but I don't and was able to watch it. It expires on December 17th so you have a week!
https://www.pbs.org/video/the-m-factor-shredding-the-silence-on-menopause-uwesx6/

Thx for this. Just found it and will be able to watch it before it goes away. I wrote a long comment a few years back. Will be 79 next month and still on oral Estradiol. The physicians I have read about say that the WHI was a huge disservice to women. Now all my friends have osteoporosis and are taking various types of medications.to build up osteoporotic bones. We must be our own doctors and do our own research. To fail to do this means you very well have osteoporotic bones. Fran

@razmus, how old were you when you went on the oral Estradiol? Thanks.

I believe I was about 52 y/o when I started Estradiol after having a total hysterectomy (because of endometriosis). Still on it after almost 28 years. I continue to study the scientific literature re: HRT and it verifies that unless there are any health reasons not to take it, we older women can continue HRT for years to come. HRT improves the collagen in your skin, improves hair quality, obviously improves bone quality and improves the moisture level of the vagina. Several studies have shown that HRT decreases the chances of having cardiovascular disease, improved cognitive function,
improved sexual function,reduced risk of colorectal cancer, vaginal dryness and atrophy. It also reduces the possibility of dental loss. I know I am fortunate to not have negative reactions to HRT . Today's gynecologists openly admit that they did a huge disservice to Baby Boomer women by encouraging them to discontinue HRT. The research indicates that HRT is a true bonus to older women. I strongly encourage every woman to read the 2002 Women's Health Initiative and if you have any knowledge of statistics you will quickly see how flawed the study was. We must be our own physicians. If you don't like your OB/GYN, then find another one who reads reports. Fran

Thats very interesting .. i had my tubes tied in my late 20 and was told i would probably have to have a hysterectomy later in life . I am now 76 and so far so good .
However , i have had back problems and i am now getting steroid shots in my lumbar area and it has caused vaginal bleeding . I started taking estrogen cream but not sure if that is helping or not . Last week i had a uterus biopsy to make sure nothing else is going on there . It was very strange why steroid shots would cause vaginal bleeding for about ten days then it stops . None of the dr seem to know why steroid shots would cause it . My guess it’s hormones..

Here is my bhrt regime.
Went on it at 76. Menopause at 38
Hysterectomy at 68.

Estradiol patch
Testosterone pellet
Progesterone pills
Estradiol vaginal cream

Menopause is the leading cause for osteoporosis.