You don't need to be afraid of hormone therapy, whilst it may seem like an unknown to you, those same hormones have been coursing through your body for many decades, and it is lack of them that can cause problems, not putting them back.
By the way you mentioned patches and cream - just make sure that if you have a uterus you are on some form of progestogen. Micronised progesterone in a cream (if that's what you have) is not suitable for endometrial protection.