WHO SHOULD YOU HAVE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?
Many doctors recommend that women should take hormones only if their menopausal symptoms—especially vaginal soreness, hot flashes, and night sweats—are severe enough to cause extreme discomfort. Other doctors believe that most women should take hormones to protect themselves against the effects of osteoporosis, and other benefits (see chapter 10). The therapy is generally not recommended for women who have a history of breast and/or uterine cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism, liver disease, or deep-vein thrombosis.
If you are taking hormones, you should follow your doctor’s instructions exactly—have regular medical checkups, including pelvic examinations; Pap smears; blood pressure checkups; and mammograms. In order to eliminate symptoms such as hot flashes, most women need to continue treatment for at least one year. If a woman stops her treatment abruptly, the symptoms can reappear in just a few months. Hormone replacement as a treatment to prevent osteoporosis may need to continue for five to ten years or longer.
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