If, however, you are being bothered by hot flushes, night sweats, and the various early signs of the menopause, then you might want to start HRT as soon as these signs start having a negative effect on your life. This may well be while you are still having periods, but you can still start HRT, although it may be difficult to get the level of treatment exactly right.

Although you may accept all this, some women find the higher rate of side-effects and the irregular bleeds put them off HRT completely and they are then reluctant to consider it again in a few years’ time when different symptoms occur.

If you have been put off HRT for this reason, you may find that, in the meantime, new forms of HRT have become available that would reduce the problem. Again, talk to your doctor about this.

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