Hormone therapy refers to either estrogen or combination estrogen /progesterone treatment. It is the most highly useful formula medication for treating menopause symptoms. In light of recent studies, it is still dependable and efficient for many women when applied for fewer than five years.
Estrogen therapy overcomes several symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, disturbed sleep appearing from hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. The use of hormone therapy without progesterone (progestin), may be responsible for an increase in the risk of uterine cancer (endometrial cancer, cancer of the lining of the uterus). People who use oral hormone therapy for more than five years are at a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke than are nonusers.
Who should take hormone therapy?
- Women with hot flashes, especially when they are causing sleep disturbance, can consider this therapy:-
- Women with vaginal dryness or itching due to menopause can consider Therapy. Oral pills, skin patches, gel, or vaginal modes of estrogen can be adopted.
- Women who solely have vaginal menopause symptoms and are not encountering hot flashes should pick a vaginal form of estrogen. But, women with both hot flashes and vaginal symptoms can use any mode of Hormonal Therapy.
- Sometimes, if a female has both hot flashes and vaginal symptoms and signs.
Women who do choose to take this therapy should take the lowest effective dose for the shortest time period possible. Mostly for women reaching or already attained MENOPAUSE.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when menstruation halts and she can no more bear offsprings. During menopause, the body generates more limited female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone. After menopause, the lower hormone levels prompt the monthly menstrual periods to end and gradually exclude the possibility of growing pregnant.
These changes in hormone levels can also provoke disturbing symptoms, such as hot flashes (a sudden feeling of warmth, sometimes connected with flushing, and often accompanied by sweating) and sleep disruption. Sometimes women endure other symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and mood shifts.
What are the side effects of Hormone Therapy? What are the dangers of this Therapy?
Women can experience side effects during hormone therapy. The secondary side effects are more common than the severe side effects. Generally, women perceive these side effects as “annoying.” These symptoms include:-
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Breast pain
Women who take commonly prescribed doses for this therapy are no more likely to gain weight than women not taking hormone therapy. This is probably because menopause or aging itself has a link with weight gain, regardless of whether or not a woman takes hormone therapy.
How is This Therapy prescribed?
Doctors may appoint different schedules for taking hormone therapy. Every woman’s therapy treatment and schedule needs individualizing based on her particular situation. Some of the standard forms of this therapy are:-
- Pills (Oral Therapy)
- Patches and spray mists (Transdermal Therapy)
- Vaginal Tablets rings, and Creams
- Bioidentical hormone therapy
This therapy should not be opted by:-
- Women with unusual vaginal bleeding should have an evaluation prior to starting the therapy. Hormone therapy to exclude the presence of cancer of the uterus.
- Women should not be taking this therapy if they already have been diagnosed with. Coronary artery disease (such as past heart attack), as hormone
Menopause Patch therapy may increase the risk of heart attacks.
- Also, women with a personal history of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the veins) should avoid this therapy.
- Women with phospholipid antibodies, including cardiolipin antibodies or lupus anticoagulant, should not take Hormone Therapy. Why? There is an added risk of blood clotting and thrombosis.
