HRT and incontinence

[echt]

I used HRT to control night-time hot flushes which were wrecking my sleep. I am mid-50s and have normal weight and BMI.

Worked very well, but stress incontinence was markedly increased, but I thought it was just me.

My doctor advised occasional breaks from HRT to see if I still really needed it, and after a year, I took a break, found my symptoms manageable, and stopped taking it.

My stress incontinence tailed off and has stopped completely now.

By chance I read a Ben Goldacre article which mentioned this and started to Google. Was very pissed off to see that this effect is widely-known, yet it wasn't listed as side -effect of HRT, nor did my doctor mention it.

Anyone else had this?

Good grief. I've just googled that and, as you say, there are loads of hits. I was fortunate that my menopausal symptoms were bearable enough that I didn't need HRT. But when I had asked my GP for advice on how to prepare for the menopause he had no clue and suggested I talked to the practice nurse. All she could do was hand me leaflets produced by pharmaceutical companies. I know I read all of them and I don't recall any mention of incontinence as a side-effect (in fact, I don't recall any mention of side-effects at all).

There does need to be much more research into the menopause and possible natural ways to combat the symptoms, e.g. diet. But there's no money to be made out of that.

I do sympathise - the menopause can be bad enough but to have to cope with incontinence as well is just depressing.

I hope Mumsnet will be around long enough to produce the Mumsnet Guide to the Menopause - at least there'd be good facts and advice, rather than lies by omission and ignorance.

If you want to r ead a good book on the meno try the one written by my gynae specialist- Your change, your choice.
it's 50.50 traditional treatment including all the pros and cons of HRT, plus complementary approaches including herbs, diet, yoga, etc etc.

he does mention that HRT can cause problems with the bladder but that it can also help. I had a very tetchy bladder pre HRT, but it seems to help a bit. I take a 3-monthly cycle of HRT which means the progesterone part is 10 days every 3 months. My dr says latest research shows it's the progesterone that causes breast cancer not oestrogen so it's best to keep inake to a minimum. Most HRT is 14 days progesterone every month, or every day. I find my bladder goes a bit tetchy on those days.

Maybe you need to see a specialist on HRT and try other sorts. I use gel on my arms which is supposedly safer and has fewer side effects than pills.

Thanks for the suggested reading purplepeony, but as my symptoms are manageable, I'm staying away from the drugs.

I am 52 of normal BMI, I have been pri-menapausal from the age of 44, I reluctantly started on HRT 4 years ago after suffering from excessively heavy bleeding every two weeks, apart from gaining half a stone in weight it has suited me well. After giving birth to two largeish babies in my 20s I have suffered from stress incontinance which since starting the HRT has increasing become worse and is impacting on my life, prompting me to ask my GP for a referal to a Gynaecolagist to discuss a possible bladder sling, I had always thought this was just another problem that goes with the change, I am at presant on my second break to see where I am in the menopause naturally, I have noticed an improvement with the incontinance over the last 8 weeks since stopping the HRT this time, which left me wondering if the HRT could be causing it, I have today Googled it and am absolutely gobsmacked to discover that this is a side effect of taking HRT and to think I am considering going under the knife to improve it and my GP doesn't know about this, it will be interesting to see what the Gynacolegist has to say about it!!

I've been avoiding HRT for various reasons but this is new to me and I'm very glad to have found out. I have had stress incontinence since having my second large baby at 39.
I also started with very heavy periods in my early 40s but they were sorted out with a mirena coil.
I also saw a specialist physio who was very helpful. We all think we know how to do pelvic floor excercise s but many people don't do them correctly, I wasn't.

Hi all On the hrt chat, has anyone tried the patches? Are they sticking for you? I’m having terrible problems with them 😕 also def seen a difference with bladder not being as strong.