Doctors are yet to determine all the hormone replacement therapy side effects with absolute certainty as this is a relatively new procedure and the long-term risks associated with it can be ascertained only after conducting long-standing clinical trials, which are yet to take place. In order to assess various hormone replacement therapy side effects and benefits, the National Institute of Health kicked off the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in the year 1993. Prior to this, there was little knowledge about the dangers associated with HRT.
In order to provide a comprehensive data about hormone replacement therapy side effects and its benefits, the study undertook the examination of subjects that were taking only estrogen replacement therapy as well as a combination estrogen and progestin therapy. While half of the women were given a placebo, the remaining half was given a combination of progestin and estrogen HRT for a comparative study. However, the study was discontinued in the year 2002 due to extremely unpleasant hormone replacement therapy side effects that distressed the women under study on a frequent basis.
Some of those hormone replacement therapy side effects are listed in the following paragraphs.
Hormone replacement therapy side effects include heightened risk of developing endometrial cancer in women who are taking only estrogen replacement therapy without any supplementation of progesterone or a progestin.
Hormone replacement therapy side effects also include the increased risk of ovarian cancer, blood clots and gallbladder diseases.
The last two medical conditions are associated with the intake of oral estrogens like Premarin.
Some other common hormone replacement therapy side effects include the temporary problem of breast pain along with the more alarming problem of breast cancer that may be diagnosed after 4 years of taking a combination of progestin or prempro and estrogen. However, this adverse effect of the therapy can be averted if the subject is taking only estrogen. That apart, increased density of the breasts that interferes with interpretation of mammograms, particularly when it comes to assessing the risk of breast cancer is also one of the common hormone replacement therapy side effects. This problem is more frequent among women who take oral progestin continuously along with estrogen.
According to the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, hormone replacement therapy side effects caused by its prolonged use include pulmonary embolism, increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The last one even puts women taking a combination of oral estrogen and progestin on a daily basis at an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Some other hormone replacement therapy side effects associated with prolonged use of oral estrogens and progestins such as medroxyprogesterone are nausea, headache, cramped or bloated stomach, anxiety, acne breakouts and swelling of hands and feet due to fluid retention. Mood swings, irregularities in the menstrual cycle, diarrhea, tenderness of the breasts, discoloration of skin in patches, irritation in the eye, altered sex life, tenderness of the breasts and yo-yoing weight are some other common hormone replacement therapy side effects.
A small percentage of women who were being examined as a part of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study also complained about severe pain in the abdomen, double vision, depression, lack of appetite, unexplained vaginal bleeding and extreme fatigue. These along with jaundice and fever are some uncommon hormone replacement therapy side effects that are equally severe as the more common ones.
Women who have a history of breast cancer, uterine fibroids, gallstones, venous thrombosis and coronary diseases should not opt for hormone replacement therapy as it can worsen their medical condition.
In addition to that, pregnant women or those suffering from undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, liver diseases and severe headaches should also give this therapy a miss.
Many women are now opting for bioidentical hormones because bioidentical hormones side effects have so far shown to be less severe than the synthetic hormones.
In fact, given the severity of various hormone replacement therapy side effects, even a completely healthy woman should not opt for this therapy unless left with no choice.
Even in that case, taking oral or transdermal estrogen should be restricted to a few weeks at the most and the dosage taken should be extremely low to avoid severe hormone replacement therapy side effects.
