I had great aunts that both lived to be 99 that took massive doses of HRT because that was the fashion for a while. My mother also took three times as much as I took when I reached menopause. Neither of my aunts had heart disease or breast cancer but my mother did at age 80. I have always thought the skill and expertise of getting the right dose was probably the difference but if excess is expelled perhaps not.

Ummm, complete hysterctomy & oophectomy at age 29. VERY happy there was estrogen available!
Oh, and i had to wait 6 weeks after surgery to start it, and it doesn't kick in right away either...more like in 4+ weeks. Can you say Major hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings for that entire time? A Damn rough time!