AH, peri-menopause--that hot-flashing, night-sweating, oh-so-special time of life...
I've been on HRT for...(hmmmm, let's see...apparently memory enhancement is not one of the beneficial side effects...) 5 years. I started out with Prempro, which took care of those cursed symptoms almost immediately, like...magic! It was a double-edged sword, however...I was having a period only about every three or four months before I started taking it and they quickly became a regular monthly thing again.
The downside to taking Prempro (at that time; this may have changed by now) was the medication schedule...I took a pill for 20 days and then nothing for 10 days. I've always had an serious aversion to counting things properly, so this tended to be a slight management problem for me.
SO, my doc switched me to Premphase, which is a take-a-pill-every-day option, and it works beautifully.
An interesting aside: my peri-menopausal symptoms disappeared so completely during the time I've been on HRT that a couple of years ago, I figured I didn't need it anymore and stopped taking it--but only for about 6 weeks. The symptoms returned with a vengeance, so back to the doc I went. HOT FLASHES ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!!
I'm probably not well enough informed about the potential health risks of HRT, but I do know how it has helped me--IMMENSELY!! I notice no negative side effects from taking the medication and appreciate the many, many benefits. I figure the comfort and predictability in the short term balances what might possibly happen in the long term...So good luck! I hope your experience with HRT is as positive as mine has been.