Signs you may need hormone replacement therapy
The British Menopause Society and NAMS both recommend HRT as first-line treatment for moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms in healthy women under 60 who are within 10 years of their last period — the so-called "window of opportunity".
Symptoms HRT typically helps
- Hot flushes and night sweats (gold-standard treatment)
- Sleep fragmentation and 3 am wakings
- Mood swings, anxiety and low mood
- Vaginal dryness and painful sex (vaginal oestrogen)
- Joint pain and "frozen shoulder"
- Brain fog and word-finding issues
- Bone density loss
Is HRT safe?
For most women under 60, modern transdermal HRT (patches, gels, sprays) carries very small absolute risks. The 2002 WHI scare used older oral combined HRT in women averaging 63 — the data does not generalise to a 48-year-old on a patch.
When HRT needs a specialist conversation
- Personal history of breast cancer
- Active liver disease
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding
- History of blood clots or stroke (transdermal may still be safe)
Does HRT cause weight gain?
No — randomised trials don't show weight gain on HRT. Many women find weight management easier because sleep, energy and motivation return.
Track symptoms before your HRT consultation.
Lila helps you log symptoms, sleep and mood so you arrive at your appointment with data, not just a hunch.