Hormone Replacement Therapy

Medical treatment for menopause and perimenopause symptoms

Appointments available

From £190

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

The primary medical treatment for menopause and perimenopause symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which replaces the hormones that are at low levels. There are other treatments if you cannot, or choose not to, have HRT.

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What is HRT?

HRT is a safe and effective treatment for most people going through menopause and perimenopause. Your doctor will discuss any risks with you. HRT involves using oestrogen to replace your body's own levels around the time of menopause. There are different types and doses of HRT. Using the right dose and type usually means your symptoms improve.

Oestrogen comes as:

  • Skin patches
  • A gel or spray to put on the skin
  • Implants
  • Tablets

If you have a womb (uterus), you also need to take progesterone to protect your womb lining from the effects of oestrogen. Taking oestrogen and progesterone is called combined HRT.

Progesterone comes as:

  • Patches, as part of a combined patch with oestrogen
  • IUS (intrauterine system, or coil)
  • Tablets

If you have low sex drive because of menopause and HRT does not improve it, you may be offered testosterone.

Benefits of HRT

The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopause and perimenopause symptoms, including hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. Hot flushes or night sweats often improve within a few weeks. Other symptoms like mood changes and vaginal dryness can take a few months to improve. HRT can also reduce your risk of hormone-related health problems, including osteoporosis and heart disease.

Risks of HRT

The risks of taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are small and usually outweighed by the benefits. However, it is important to be aware of the potential risks before you start taking HRT.

The main risks of HRT are:

  • Breast cancer
    HRT slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. The risk is higher the longer you take HRT and the older you are. It falls again after you stop taking it.
  • Blood clots
    HRT tablets can increase the risk of blood clots, but the risk is still very low. HRT patches, sprays, and gels do not increase the risk of blood clots.
  • Stroke
    HRT slightly increases the risk of stroke for women over 60. The risk is higher if they start HRT late into menopause and use combined HRT.
  • Other risks
    Other potential risks of HRT include gallbladder disease, liver disease, and endometrial cancer.

Blood Tests

We may recommend specific blood tests to enhance our understanding of your hormones and your health. You can book the blood tests separately or as part of your consultation with a gynaecologist. Typically, blood test results are available within a few days.

Female Hormone Blood Test

Biomarkers: LH, FSH, Prolactin, Oestradiol (17-Beta)

£130

Menopause Blood Test

Biomarkers: FSH, LH, Oestradiol (17-Beta), TSH, FT4

£130

Menopause Check Blood Test

Biomarkers: FSH, LH, Oestradiol (17-Beta), TSH, FT4, Triglycerides, Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, Non-HDL Cholesterol, Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium

£190

Well-Woman Blood Test

Biomarkers: Complete Blood Count, Bilirubin, Alk Phos, AST, ALT, Gamma GT, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate, Urea, Creatinine, eGFR, Iron, Total Iron Binding, Ferritin, ESR, LDH, CK, Calcium, Phosphate, Uric Acid, Triglycerides, Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, Non-HDL Cholesterol, FT4, TSH, HbA1c, Glucose, Vitamin D, LH, FSH, Prolactin, Oestradiol (17-Beta)

£210

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020 3002 7795

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info(@)uniclinic.co.uk

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