When should one take hormonal replacement therapy ( HRT)?

Q: After hysterectomy, inspite of one ovary being retained, I was advised hormone replacement therapy (HRT) specifically 0.625 mg Primarin. Now there are reports of harmful efffects of the above therapy. Please advise.

A:Yes, there is a debate about the use of HRT. But the harmful effects are for long term users. If you have menopausal symptoms - like hot flushes, sweating, irritation, anxiety, palpation etc - then short term HRT is the treatment of choice, but only after full check-up and investigations, and under the supervision of a gynaecologist.