Your HRT questions, answered.

Not usually. If you are over 45 and have menopausal symptoms, NICE guidance says perimenopause and menopause can be diagnosed from your symptoms, without a hormone blood test. Hormone levels swing from day to day in perimenopause, so a single test can be misleading. Blood tests are more useful if you are under 45, if testosterone is being considered, or if your doctor wants to rule out other causes.

Women and people who menstruate who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms and want a doctor to review their options. If you are under 40 and your periods have stopped or become irregular, we will usually recommend blood tests and may refer you, as this needs a different approach.

For most women under 60, the benefits of HRT for symptom relief outweigh the risks. The risks depend on your age, health history, and the type of HRT. For example, oestrogen through the skin (patches, gel or spray) does not raise the risk of blood clots in the way tablets can. Your doctor will go through your personal risks and benefits so you can decide together.

With your consent, we share a summary with your GP so your medical record stays complete. This is good practice and helps keep your care safe.

Often yes. Many women are prescribed oestrogen and progesterone but never offered testosterone, usually because there is no product licensed for women in the UK and prescribing it takes confidence and monitoring. We assess it properly and prescribe where it is appropriate, with blood tests to keep your levels in the normal female range. Read more about testosterone for women.

Yes. See our switch HRT clinic page. A doctor will review your current treatment and history, then take over your care if it is safe to do so.

There is no fixed limit. Many women take HRT for several years, and some for longer. Your doctor reviews your treatment regularly and talks through whether it is still right for you.

Yes, you can cancel at any time. If you are taking prescribed treatment, please speak to your doctor first so you have a safe plan for stopping or continuing care elsewhere.

£99 for your initial consultation (currently reduced from £150). If you and your doctor decide to start treatment, it is then £69 a month, covering four scheduled reviews a year with your doctor and access to the clinical team in between. Medication is not included and is pay as you go, at what it costs us plus a small margin. A full female hormone blood test, where you need one, is £110. See pricing for the detail.