Originally Posted by
Aunt Kelly
The question was about relative risk, as in "Is the risk worth it if I'm just 'experimenting'". As you have observed, no drug is without side effects and adverse events. Adverse events include stroke, heart attack and deep vein thrombosis. While rare, these are potentially lethal complications. Yes, they are relatively rare, but what reasonable person would take on such risk without being fully committed to achieving the desired effects? There is an alarming trend here, which is not only attributing magical properties to HRT, but is also treating it as no more impactful than a course of antibiotics.
No, I am absolutely not trying to be a gatekeeper here. I believe firmly in the "informed consent" model. Being informed means acknowledging the potential benefits, risks, and limitations of the course of therapy in question. Not seeing a lot of that in these threads, and as a former health care provider, I find the trend concerning, at best, and dangerous, at worst.