HRT Alternative for Menopause to Avoid HRT Side Effects Several side effects are associated with the use of Hormone Replacement Therapies: Nausea Fluid Retention Vaginal discharge. Headaches Breast Tenderness Deep venous thrombosis Pulmonary emboli Headaches Darkening or spotting of skin, especially in facial area. In rare instances there can also be increased growth of already existing uterine fibroids or a possible worsening of existing endometriosis. Studies have shown that some of these side effects may lessen or completely go away after a few weeks of the treatment. It should also be pointed out that the estrogen patch may result in some irritation of the skin where the patch is placed. However, to avoid these side effects, many people are looking for an HRT alternative for menopause. Another commonly used tool is called an estrogen ring. These rings must be replaced every 3 months. Sometimes these rings can fall out: if this happens, simple rinse the ring in water (lukewarm) then reinsert the ring. Another HRT alternative for menopause is a vaginal cream. This may be used by women suffering from either gall bladder or liver disease. What to Think About The most recent studies are saying that it is best to use estrogen/progestin treatments only for a short periods of time for treating menopausal symptoms. More studies are still underway to fully determine the risks of these treatments. Simply replacing estrogen levels has been shown to lead to a possible increase in endometrial cancer. However, estrogen taken in conjunction with progestin seems not to increase this risk. Women who have had their uterus removed (a hysterectomy) do not have an increased risk for uterine cancer. One HRT alternative for menopause to women who cannot handle the progestin contained in Hormonal Replacement Therapy may look to estrogen only replacement as an option. However, testing must be done first to show there are no abnormalities in the endometrium, which could possibly see an increased risk of cancer. There will also follow very close observation in order to look for precancerous signs in the endometrium. At the current time, there are no studies which have been done showing differences in the sorts of estrogens used in estrogen replacement therapy. Some women, however, prefer to use estrogens that are not derived from animals or animal products for various reasons.