Saying goodbye to my awful menopause symptoms with hormone therapy

It’s no secret that menopause comes with a whole host of not-so-fun symptoms, and I’ve been through them all. I’m talking about hot flushes, sweating and erratic sleep patterns.

But about a year ago I said goodbye to all this. How? My gynaecologist, Dr Jennifer Dew, removed my last IUD and put me on a prescription of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Since then, I have the energy and enthusiasm of a 15-year-old and my skin is sparkling â€" and not just because I am a beauty director and regularly road-test treatments.

“HRT reduces hot flushes and night sweats, and can also help reduce sleep disturbances, boost energy levels, relieve brain fog and improve joint aches.”Credit:Stocksy

Like many women, I’d heard mixed reports on using HRT, so naturally had quite a few questions for Dr Dew. First, she gave me a rundown of the positives. “HRT reduces hot flushes and night sweats, and can also help reduce sleep disturbances, boost energy levels, relieve brain fog and improve joint aches,” she explained.

Also, natural progesterone is used if you have a uterus (tick) and that gives endometrial protection against pre-cancer and cancer. According to the Victorian Better Health Channel (BHC) website, taking HRT around the time of menopause also helps to reduce the risk of developing diabetes, prevents further loss of bone density, slightly reduces the risk of bowel cancer and reduces cardiovascular disease markers.

The progesterone portion of HRT will not make you gain weight, and it may even help you lose weight as long as you are physically active and follow a healthy diet. (Note to self: do this!)

But, like many treatments, there are also potential risks. Dr Dew explained that one of these is a possible elevated risk of developing breast cancer.

“The increased risk is probably linked to higher doses and prolonged usage of oestrogens and the use of some synthetic progestins,” she said. “Conversely, current regimens using lower doses of natural oestrogen and natural progesterone have not been shown to increase breast cancer risk [at least with five years’ use].”

According to the BHC site, women with a history of breast cancer should avoid HRT. The only exception is when other treatments are ineffective and the woman’s quality of life is made intolerable by menopausal symptoms. “In these circumstances, HRT should only be prescribed in consultation with the woman’s breast surgeon or oncologist,” it advises.

Dr Dew notes there are other women who may need to avoid HRT: those with a past history of thromboembolism (blood clots) or other increased risk of clotting, a history of heart disease or heart attack, an oestrogen-dependent cancer like breast cancer, untreated hypertension or liver disease, or undiagnosed vaginal bleeding. As always, women are encouraged to consult their doctor for advice based on their individual circumstances.

Thankfully, none of these conditions applied to me, so I could start the routine â€" and it couldn’t be easier. Each evening before bed, I take a prescribed natural progesterone tablet. I then apply an oestrogen gel sachet, which I rub on four rotational spots, including my upper thighs and my groin. (It is recommended that you take the medication at night because the progesterone component can make you feel drowsy.)

The most complex thing is trying to remember which spot I rubbed the gel on the previous night, before falling into a deep slumber. As they say, it’s no sweat!

This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale August 1. To read more from Sunday Life, visit The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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Sunday Life's beauty director.

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