Hi and welcome pebbles
Firstly I would recommend you read all the info under the headings to the left of this screen - it really helps to be clued up about the menopause and possible treatments.
To answer your questions:
HRT replaces the hormones that your body is no longer producing and this then reduces the nasty meno symptoms.
Depending on your age you don't necessarily have to come off HRT after 5years - new recommendations come through in the not too distant future. As for delaying the menopause - yes, in a sense you are but once you are in post meno the hormones will not be fluctuating which can be particularly challenging through peri meno ( like you). When it is time to come off HRT you can gradually reduce the hormones you take over time to help the body adjust. You must bare in mind that for some ladies, even if they don't take HRT, the meno symptoms can continue for many years so to have even a few years of symptom relief and therefore better quality of life, HRT can be worth taking.
Every women is different and HRT does bring side effects. You won't necessarily put on weight although many find you can feel a little more 'plumped up' - unfortunately one tends to put on weight around the menopause anyway
It can take time to find the right hormone balance but again I would do some research on this site.
Some GPs are still very reluctant to prescribe HRT as they hark back to 2002 when there were the scares over breast cancer but the research responsible for the scares was flawed so largely discredited.
Taking HRT is a personal choice but I've never found that isoflavoids or any herbs work - I spent a lot of money trying them and as one of our members said "if these things worked they would be prescribed on the NHS." Heathly diet and regular exercise is vital though.
Keep asking questions. DG x
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Topic: can any one explain how HRT works please ? (Read 4091 times)