Hormone Replacement: How to Make Smart Decisions about the Therapy
In the therapy of hormone replacement, women receive medications that contain female hormones. This external supply of hormones takes the place of ones that the body
stops making after menopause. Also, the same medications may be used in the treatment of common symptoms of menopause such as vaginal discomfort and hot flashes.
There are a number of factors you should consider when choosing hormone replacement therapy. The success and risks of this therapy depend on the medical condition of
a patient. The benefits must overpower the risks for the therapy to be successful.
Benefits of getting hormone therapy
The benefits of this therapy depend widely on the method applied.
1. Systematic hormone replacement
With systematic estrogen, women receive effective treatment for night sweats and hot flashes related to menopause. The medications come in the form of gel, pill, spray and
skin patch as well. This additional supply of estrogen also helps to ease various menopausal vaginal symptoms like burning, dryness, itching, and difficulty during intercourse.
When estrogen is combined with progesterone, the therapy reduces the chances of getting colon cancer. Also, there are some data suggesting the effectiveness of estrogen
against heart disease if taken during the initial postmenopausal years.
Systematic estrogen also protects you from the risks of osteoporosis, which is a bone-thinning condition. However, in most cases, osteoporosis is treated with bisphosphonates.
2. Vaginal products in low doses
The lower doses of vaginal products come in tablet, ring and cream form. These estrogen-containing products help to treat several urinary and vaginal conditions. However,
these doses are not effective in reducing night sweats, hot flashes or osteoporosis prevention.
Who should choose hormone therapy?
Used with proper evaluation, HRT is considered one of the best ways to treat menopausal symptoms. These are the conditions when women should consider HRT:
- Women who experience menopausal symptoms like hot flashes on a moderate or severe level.
- Women who have lost bone mass.
- Women who can’t handle or not benefiting from existing medications.
- Women who stop having periods prematurely before the age of 40.
- Women who lose normal ovary functions before the age of 40.
When women experience premature menopause, especially after getting the ovaries removed, have increased chances of:
- Heart disease
- Osteoporosis
- Earlier death
- Depression or anxiety
- Parkinson’s-like conditions
Hence, such women need to attain HRT before reaching the age of 45.
The risks and benefits of this therapy depend on your menopausal condition type, time and age. This is why every patient needs a personal consultation with a doctor to realize
the best scenarios.
What is the best way to acquire HRT?
Consult a doctor regarding these strategies:
1. Finding the best-suited product and method of delivery.
Talk to an expert regarding the pill, gel, patch, vaginal cream and other types of estrogen products. Also, understand the right method of estrogen delivery suitable for your case.
2. Choose the minimal medication amount.
If you are older than the age of 45, consider choosing the minimum required quantity of medication for a short period of time.
3. Seek follow-up care regularly.
You should regularly see a doctor in order to keep the consistency of HRT benefits in check.
4.Live a healthy lifestyle.
Indulge in physical activity; maintain a fitness level with a proper diet. Avoid alcohol, smoking and manage your cholesterol, stress and chronic conditions.
Now, you are ready to consult your doctor regarding HRT.
