Hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is a common indication for people who have reached menopause and are struggling with associated symptoms. Menopause is a period when a woman transitions from one stage in their life to another due to physiological factors. On average, this milestone usually occurs between the age of forty and fifty years. At this point, the person may begin to experience hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Menopause may, however, come much earlier for women whose ovaries have been removed for one reason or another. There are a number of things on hormone replacement therapy St Petersburg FL women need to understand if considering this treatment.
Menopause is said to have occurred when the ovaries no longer produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which play a vital role in the human female body. Oestrogen is responsible for growth and development of the breasts, one of the secondary sexual characteristics in women. Working together with progesterone, it is responsible for preparing the body for pregnancy. Menstruation takes place monthly if pregnancy fails to occur.
Hormone replacement therapy can come in form of progesterone or estrogen only formulations or in combination. The formulations are synthetic but work in a similar manner as the natural forms in the body. The route of administration is usually oral but they can also be administered through the vagina in form of gels, creams or rings. They can also be given as skin patches.
Patients are advised against getting these pills over the counter without a prescription from the doctor. This is because they been known to increase the susceptibility of getting breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. They have also been linked to deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, these diseases have to be ruled out through a thorough evaluation before they are considered safe for an individual.
Just like any other treatment, hormone replacement has its own side effects. The patient may note that they are gaining weight without necessarily eating too much. They may also develop an alternate change in mood. Other side effects include breakthrough vaginal bleeding, fluid retention and bloating.
Some of the side effects can be addressed by changing the mode of administration. For instance, some patients may report disturbing headaches when using the oral medication. This can be relieved by switching to skin patches. If there is too much irritation with patches, other alternatives are available. The patient needs to be made aware that most of these symptoms are minor and tend to disappear with time.
Menopausal symptoms usually subside once the patient starts taking the drugs. The route of administration depends on the dominant symptoms. For instance, vaginal creams are better if the main complaint is vaginal dryness and pain during sex. Generally, one begins to see a difference within one to three months of using medication. They will begin to notice that their skin and hair has improved in appearance. Also, susceptibility to bone pain and fractures will be greatly reduced.
All in all, one needs to weigh the benefits against the risks before choosing to use hormone replacement therapy. When you have chosen to use HRT, it is advisable to use the lowest possible dose and the shortest duration of time necessary to provide relief of symptoms.
Menopause is said to have occurred when the ovaries no longer produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which play a vital role in the human female body. Oestrogen is responsible for growth and development of the breasts, one of the secondary sexual characteristics in women. Working together with progesterone, it is responsible for preparing the body for pregnancy. Menstruation takes place monthly if pregnancy fails to occur.
Hormone replacement therapy can come in form of progesterone or estrogen only formulations or in combination. The formulations are synthetic but work in a similar manner as the natural forms in the body. The route of administration is usually oral but they can also be administered through the vagina in form of gels, creams or rings. They can also be given as skin patches.
Patients are advised against getting these pills over the counter without a prescription from the doctor. This is because they been known to increase the susceptibility of getting breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. They have also been linked to deep vein thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, these diseases have to be ruled out through a thorough evaluation before they are considered safe for an individual.
Just like any other treatment, hormone replacement has its own side effects. The patient may note that they are gaining weight without necessarily eating too much. They may also develop an alternate change in mood. Other side effects include breakthrough vaginal bleeding, fluid retention and bloating.
Some of the side effects can be addressed by changing the mode of administration. For instance, some patients may report disturbing headaches when using the oral medication. This can be relieved by switching to skin patches. If there is too much irritation with patches, other alternatives are available. The patient needs to be made aware that most of these symptoms are minor and tend to disappear with time.
Menopausal symptoms usually subside once the patient starts taking the drugs. The route of administration depends on the dominant symptoms. For instance, vaginal creams are better if the main complaint is vaginal dryness and pain during sex. Generally, one begins to see a difference within one to three months of using medication. They will begin to notice that their skin and hair has improved in appearance. Also, susceptibility to bone pain and fractures will be greatly reduced.
All in all, one needs to weigh the benefits against the risks before choosing to use hormone replacement therapy. When you have chosen to use HRT, it is advisable to use the lowest possible dose and the shortest duration of time necessary to provide relief of symptoms.
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