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Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
Symptoms you may experience if you have a Hormone Imbalance:
Everyone is unique and experiences different symptoms of aging however, the most common hormone imbalance symptoms include:
- Tiredness/Fatigue/Lack of motivation
- Mood swings
- Tension, anxiety
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances (Insomnia)
- Decreased libido
- Decreased mental clarity (fog)
- Memory loss
- Vaginal dryness
- Decreased muscle mass
- Weight gain (Increased belly fat)
- Joint pain
- Memory loss
- Hot Flashes/Night sweats
- Migraine/Menstrual headaches
Lab testing performed at our office can determine if a hormonal imbalance exists and what route we need to use to help you find balance again.
What are the basic types of hormone therapy for women?
Hormone replacement therapy primarily focuses on replacing the estrogen that your body no longer makes after menopause. There are two main types of estrogen therapy:
- Systemic hormone therapy. Systemic estrogen — which comes in pill, skin patch, ring, gel, cream or spray form — typically contains a higher dose of estrogen that is absorbed throughout the body. It can be used to treat any of the common symptoms of menopause.
- Low-dose vaginal products. Low-dose vaginal preparations of estrogen — which come in cream, tablet or ring form — minimize the amount of estrogen absorbed by the body. Because of this, low-dose vaginal preparations are usually only used to treat the vaginal and urinary symptoms of menopause.
Who can benefit from Hormone Replacement Therapy?
- Have moderate to severe hot flashes. Systemic estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for the relief of troublesome menopausal hot flashes and night sweats.
- Have other symptoms of menopause. Estrogen can ease vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, itching, burning and discomfort with intercourse.
- Need to prevent bone loss or fractures. Systemic estrogen helps protect against the bone-thinning disease called osteoporosis. However, doctors usually recommend medications called bisphosphonates to treat osteoporosis. But estrogen therapy may help if you either can't tolerate or aren't benefiting from other treatments.
- Experience early menopause or have estrogen deficiency. If you had your ovaries surgically removed before age 45, stopped having periods before age 45 (premature or early menopause) or lost normal function of your ovaries before age 40 (primary ovarian insufficiency), your body has been exposed to less estrogen than the bodies of women who experience typical menopause. Estrogen therapy can help decrease your risk of certain health conditions, including osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, dementia and mood changes.
How does hormone replacement therapy (HRT) work?
As you approach menopause, your ovaries shrink and stop producing estrogen and progesterone. Not having enough of these hormones in your body is what causes your menopausal symptoms. HRT works by giving you those lost hormones back.
You typically begin with the lowest effective dose, which means the lowest dose that helps your symptoms. People who lose estrogen too early (before age 40) are usually given higher doses to replace what their ovaries would typically produce for their age.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to HRT. Rather, your healthcare provider will work on a treatment plan unique to you, your symptoms and your health history.