Dr Bond’s Common Questions #1 – HRT Alternatives

I am menopausal and I have tender breasts, bloating, weight gain and mood swings. My GP suggested I try HRT but this has made it worse. What can I do?

Dame Dr Shirley Bond

March 14, 2010 | 3 comments

Advice

The symptoms you describe are known to be due to oestrogen. Although your oestrogen levels are probably lower than they were before the menopause you are no longer ovulating and the oestrogen is not being balanced by the hormone progesterone.

HRT would make the problems worse because you will be taking extra oestrogen and HRT does not contain natural progesterone but a chemical progestogen that does not balance these unwanted effects. I suggest that you try some natural progesterone cream and I am sure that you will feel an improvement in your symptoms.

Related Topics: Advice, Hot Flushes, HRT, Menopause, Treatments

Tags: estrogen, HRT, Menopause, oestrogen, progesterone, progestogen

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Dr Shirley A Bond | 2:10 pm, April 26th, 2010

The symptoms you describe are most unlikely to be due to your use of progesterone. You do not say why you decided to use the cream or what your original problems were.

It may be that you have a problem that needs other treatment. Self diagnosis and prescribing is not a good idea and it is often better to take advice from a practitioner who is familiar with the use of bio-identical hormones.

betty egan | 1:43 am, April 26th, 2010

I used bioidentical progesterone for thre weeks but have stopped. my stomach felt like it was going to burst also i had fatigue could not keep my eyes open i was using quarter of recommended what advice can you offer please

Elizabeth Ackroyd | 1:55 pm, April 14th, 2010

Hi can any one tell me what i can take for hot flushes . liz