WEEKS INTO HRT, BEFORE YOUR CHECK-IN
A few weeks in? Start jotting this down
Note any new side effects, how the symptoms you started HRT for are changing, and any spotting or bleeding, then bring it to your next appointment.
TICK OFF WHAT YOU NOTICE
Side effects worth writing down
- Headaches or feeling sick
- Breast pain or tenderness
- Mood changes or leg cramps
- Anything else new since you started
HRT OR MENOPAUSE?
It may not be the HRT
The NHS says some HRT side effects can look like menopause symptoms, so HRT may not be the cause.
WHAT YOU HOPED WOULD EASE
Track the symptoms you started for
- The NHS lists symptoms HRT can relieve, such as:
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Sleep problems, low mood and anxiety caused by menopause
- Vaginal dryness
SPOTTING OR BLEEDING
Keep a simple bleeding log
- Which days it happens, and whether it is light or heavy
- The NHS says irregular bleeding or spotting is common in the first few months
- It says to mention irregular bleeding to a doctor at your first review, after 3 months
WHEN TO GET IT CHECKED
When to get it checked
The NHS says to speak to a doctor about severe side effects, or ones lasting longer than 3 months. Also about irregular bleeding more than 6 months after starting HRT, bleeding that gets heavier, or bleeding after you haven't had periods for a while.
Bring this to your appointment
Questions for your doctor
- Could what I've noted come from HRT or from menopause?
- Is my bleeding pattern what you'd expect at this stage?
- Does what I've tracked mean changing the type or how I take it?
As slides
Sources
- NHS: www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/side-effects-of-h
- NHS: www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/benefits-and-risk
General information, not medical advice.