Hi rhinogirl
You can't do better than read the information and advice on this site. Have you seen the menu on the left? The green writing - there is a section on Hormone Replacement Therapy and the sub menu gives lots of info about risks and benefits and particuarly balancing these:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/balance.phpYou will see that your GP was right - at age 50 - 60 the benefits generally outweigh the risks especially if you are having symptoms. The HRT you took up to approx age 50 (well should be 51 now I think) does not count re risk as this is the natural average age of menopause so you were only replacing what your body could have produced anyway. I didn't start HRT until your age - just before age 54, and still having it at 60.
I use Estradot 50 mcg patch and the 200 mg progesterone capsules (Utrogestan - which I use vaginally) on a 6 week cycle. Yes it is generally recommended to take the progesterone continuously if you are post-menopausal. I think the 25 days out of 28 is just to check there has been no build up of uterus lining. If there had been, then reduction in the dose of prog (ie the 3 days off) should cause a slight bleed and would be an indication maybe that the prog dose needed increasing (not sure if this is ever done?). The disadvantage of stopping is that you might get pmt for a few days because of the sudden decrease in prog, although 100 mg orally is not a high dose.
By the way these are not really medications in the sense that they are hormones that are bio-identical to the hormone compounds in your body - and patches (or gel) especially are the most natural way to replace the deficient oestrogen, as the hormone does not have to go through the liver.
What have you got to lose?
Hope this helps!
Hurdity x
