If you are new to hormone therapy, ask one question before any other: who should not use it?
The list of people who should not use it
medlineplus.gov says you should not use hormone therapy for menopause if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, have unexplained vaginal bleeding, have had certain types of cancer, have had a stroke or heart attack, have had blood clots, or have liver disease. It adds that you should talk with your health care provider about your medical history before starting hormone therapy.
Free reading to go deeper
Reading is the cheapest next step. my.clevelandclinic.org has a general page on menopause, its age, stages, signs and side effects. There is also a page on treatment for menopause and perimenopause. Monash Lens looks at which menopause symptoms therapy can treat.
If pelvic floor symptoms are part of your picture, a committee opinion on hormones in postmenopausal pelvic floor dysfunction is also available to read.
Write down your history, then stop there
The simple step is to write down your own medical history, including any items from the list above. Whether hormone therapy is safe for you is not a do-it-yourself call, and it is not one to make from a web page.
Take your written history to a clinician
Bring your written history to a licensed clinician and ask plainly whether hormone therapy is an option for you. It is a reasonable first question.