For many women HRT was the drug that not only diminished the unpleasant symptoms of the menopause, it also gave them back a sense of youthful vitality. It was not uncommon for women to be on HRT for many years. However a series of worrying studies – linking HRT to breast cancer, heart disease and strokes – have led to a significant drop both in the duration of time that women are staying on HRT and the number of women taking HRT. But among medical practitioners is there any agreement on how long is too long for a woman to be on HRT?
Miriam O’Reilly talks to Eileen Marshall who is now 80 and was on HRT for 28 years. Miriam also hears from Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chairman of Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and discusses how long women should be prescribed HRT with Professor John Studd, Chairman of the British Menopause Society and Mr Peter Bowen-Simpkins, Consultant and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
