Hi Dalhousie
There is a lot of info on this site about the risks - if you look at the green menu on the left under Hormone Replacement Therapy there are sub tabs on risks and benefits and balancing these.
There is a back article about breast cancer on this site here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-breast-cancer.phpand the latest information about the risks and benefits of HRT here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-hrt-risks-and-benefits.phpThese articles are written and/or endorsed by Heather Currie who runs this site and is a leading gynaecologist so this is the information to go on. The data quoted - including the 5 year riks is based on the flawed Women's Health Initiative trials, the data for which have now been re-examined. The study did not use bio-identical HRT, but horse oestrogens and a synthetic progestogen.
Bio-identical HRT is not a drug - you are replacing missing hormones. Femoston conti contains bio-identical oestrogen. The progestogen is a synthetic one but is the closest available in pill form to natural progesterone which is only available in licensed form as Utrogestan. Of the tablet HRT this one is the one that is best tolerated.
If you are suffering from symptoms that are affecting your quality of life then there is no need to suffer. It is up to you, not your doctor, whether you take HRT and which type you choose.
Also - many women find that continuous combined HRT doesn't suit them - if they are progesterone intolerant - and are better off on a cyclical HRT - which does give a regular bleed. Takes some nerve after you've stopped bleeding though but you soon get used to it again!
From a safety point of view - if you were going to go onto HRT eventually then it's better to start sooner than later in terms of risk. I can't remember how old you are?
Also - estrogen levels fall for 2-3 years following the last period until they reach an all-time low. For many women, the worst symptoms do not begin until this point or they begin to get worse not better. It depends on the individual. Longer term health effects like bladder problems and vaginal atrophy do not often kick in until later anyway so whatever you decide I would urge you to start some form of local oestrogen before VA sets in ( which happens in many women).
There's a back article about it here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-vaginal-atrophy.phpHope this helps!
Hurdity x