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[Starproms]

Does anyone know what effect, if any, taking h.r.t has on fibroids attached to the womb or in it?

[Mbrown001]

I think it can make them grow

[Cazikins]

I have fibroids & have been on HRT for years. I was told that HRT "feeds" fibroids, not a very nice description is it?, however for me the positives outweigh the negatives.
My GP knows of my fibroid history & has never questioned me opting to take HRT.

This from the NHS Choices website:
"Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb (uterus).
The growths are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue and vary in size. Many women are unaware they have fibroids because they don't have any symptoms."

Cazi xx

[Kathleen]

Hello  Starproms.

I am 60 now but when I was 49 I was diagnosed with a small fibroid which had caused heavy bleeding. I had my  last period at 54 and began HRT at 57, despite this the fibroid shrunk and there was no sign of it when I had a hysteroscopy about 18 months ago. In  my experience HRT certainly didn't feed the fibroid as it clearly disappeared even while taking extra hormones ( I was using patches at the time). I hope this helps.

Wishing you well.

K.

[nearly50]

Thought the last paragraph in this would help
https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/fibroids-myomata/

What effect would the menopause and HRT have on fibroids?

Fibroids often shrink in size after the menopause as a result of the fall in the levels of oestrogen hormone after the menopause. This reduction is size is likely to be smaller in women receiving HRT as fibroids would be sensitive to the replaced hormones (oestrogen and progesterone). However, this effect is unlikely to be significant as the level of hormones supplied through HRT is less than that in natural cycles and having fibroids would not be a contraindication to receiving or continuing with HRT.

As Cazikins says, it is about weighing up the positives and negatives, as is the case in so much to do with menopause I suppose!

[Starproms]

Thanks for your replies people. Very interesting. I have been off h.r.t for three months now and I've had two urinary tract infections in that time. I want to go back on h.r.t badly but I was concerned in case it makes a fibroid grow. I recently had a scan at the hospital and all is well but they did see a small fibroid.

Suffering!

[Hurdity]

Vagifem will not affect fibroids as the dose is too low. The warnings they give is just copied from the standard warnings for HRT and the research for Vagifem as far as I know has not been done - due to the extremely small dose. it would be a very rare case I imagine that would be affected.

Like Kathleen I had a small fibroid and I've been taing HRT for over 10 years. it was found 4 years ago on a scan but when i was re-scanned a couple of years later it had shrunk even though I am on medium dose long cycle HRT! The situation may well be different for larger fibroids though.

In addition to what nearly50 (great webs9ite that - Women's Health Concern!) has posted there is also some information on this website too:

Fibroids
Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tumours of the uterine (womb) wall and are dependant on estrogen. They tend to shrink after the menopause but shrinkage may not occur, or they may even increase in size with HRT use. Increase is thought to occur in 25% of HRT users and mainly occurs in the first six months of therapy. There is some evidence that transdermal (patch or gel) but not tablet HRT nor tibolone may promote fibroid growth. [ref 24] Fibroid size can be monitored by regular examinations and sometimes by ultrasound scans. There is some evidence that the use of the progestogen releasing intra-uterine system, Mirena may cause fibroids to reduce in size. Mirena is often used in the perimenopause by women who have heavy periods and/or require contraception and can provide the progestogen part of their HRT.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossF

Hurdity x