What to Track Before an HRT Conversation
Before discussing menopausal hormone therapy, track the symptoms that matter, your contraindication history, and what “success” would look like for you.
Verified against Clinical Guidelines
This article was developed and verified against current clinical standards from NAMS, BMS, and the STRAW+10 staging framework.
HRT decisions are personal and medical. Good prescribing depends on your symptom burden, health history, and preferences. Tracking removes guesswork from both sides of the conversation.
Track symptom frequency, not vibes
- Hot flashes/night sweats: episodes per day or night awakenings.
- Sleep: time to fall asleep, awakenings, non-restorative mornings.
- Mood, brain fog, and migraine if they fluctuate across the month.
- Genitourinary symptoms if they affect daily comfort or intimacy.
Know your history cold
Be ready to discuss pregnancy status, migraine with aura, personal or family clotting history, hypertension, breast cancer risk factors, and prior reactions to hormones or contraception. Your clinician will interpret these—not the internet.
Related on Periwell
Next step
Compare evidence on routes and formulations
Use the HRT Research Hub for patch, gel, and oral options—then discuss candidacy with your prescriber.
Open HRT research →Keep reading
- Hot Flashes in Perimenopause and Menopause: Causes, Relief, and When to See a Doctor
Experiencing hot flashes during the menopause transition? Understand how hormones may contribute, evidence-based self-care, red flags, and how to prepare for a clinician visit.
- Night Sweats in Perimenopause and Menopause: Causes, Relief, and When to See a Doctor
Experiencing night sweats during the menopause transition? Understand how hormones may contribute, evidence-based self-care, red flags, and how to prepare for a clinician visit.
- Heart Palpitations in Perimenopause and Menopause: Causes, Relief, and When to See a Doctor
Experiencing heart palpitations during the menopause transition? Understand how hormones may contribute, evidence-based self-care, red flags, and how to prepare for a clinician visit.