It’s Time to Rethink Hormone Therapy for Women in Plano/Wylie, TX
Menopause is a stage in a woman’s life when the ovaries stop producing eggs. Every woman will experience menopause at some point as they grow older. During menopause, a woman loses 90% of her estrogen hormone. This significant loss of estrogen hormone is responsible for many of the unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment used to improve or reverse symptoms of menopause. It is a treatment used to increase or balance low hormonal levels in women experiencing symptoms of menopause.
One of the most common symptoms is hot flashes, which are seen in about 75% of menopausal women. Other symptoms include low sex drive, vaginal dryness, night sweats, emotional changes, etc.
HRT can be used to replace low levels of female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. It boosts and balances these hormones in women who are experiencing symptoms of menopause to relieve or reverse symptoms of menopause.
If you’re a woman and you’re experiencing symptoms of menopause, it is time to rethink about getting hormone replacement therapy. The treatment can help you find quick relief and improve your symptoms.
How do I know I’m going through menopause?
You don’t necessarily need to experience all the symptoms of menopause. Once you begin to notice a few of the symptoms, then you should know that you may be going through menopause.
Below are signs and symptoms that suggest you may be going through menopause or experiencing early signs of menopause:
- Hot flashes (sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over your body)
- Night sweats and/or cold flashes
- Vaginal dryness
- Urinary urgency
- Insomnia
- Worsening of premenstrual syndrome
- Emotional changes such as irritability, mood swings or mild depression.
- Dry skin
- Dry eyes
- Dry mouth
- Breast tenderness
- Irregular periods
- Racing heart (Palpitations)
- Headaches.
- Joint and muscle aches and pains.
- Changes in libido
- Difficulty concentrating or memory lapses
- Weight gain
- Hair loss or thinning
How does hormone replacement therapy treat menopause symptoms?
Hormone replacement therapy relieves symptoms of menopause by:
Boosting estrogen levels
HRT replaces estrogen, alleviating hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings.
Regulating menstrual cycles
HRT also helps establish a regular menstrual cycle, minimizing irregular bleeding and spotting.
Relieving vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness is a common symptom of menopause. Estrogen in HRT plays a major role in vaginal lubrication and elasticity, improving sexual comfort.
Reducing mood swings
HRT stabilizes hormone levels, and this goes a long way in alleviating anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
Preventing bone loss
HRT helps maintain bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures in menopausal women.
Improving sleep
HRT regulates hormones, promoting better sleep and reducing insomnia.
Enhancing sexual function
HRT improves libido and sexual satisfaction in women.
Which menopause symptoms do hormone therapy help with most?
Hormone therapy is often used to relieve common menopausal symptoms. Hormone therapy has proven to help the most with hot flashes and vaginal discomfort. The treatment has also proven effective in preventing bone loss and reducing bone fractures in postmenopausal women.
It’s essential to consult a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms and how HRT can help you alleviate them.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Menopause Benefits
HRT helps to relieve or reverse signs and symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, low libido, mood changes, and more.
The primary purpose of HRT is to boost your hormonal levels to relieve and reverse symptoms of menopause. It replaces the hormones that your body stopped producing. Once your hormonal levels rise, you will experience relief and improvements in your symptoms.
HRT also prevents osteoporosis and boosts muscle strength. Osteoporosis is the thinning of the bones commonly seen in women during menopause due to a significant decline in the level of estrogen. Osteoporosis increases the likelihood of experiencing bone fracture. HRT helps to prevent osteoporosis by increasing your level of estrogen.
It is expected to observe a decline in muscle strength during menopause. HRT can also help improve your muscle strength.
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Weight Loss
One of the symptoms of menopause is weight gain. Most women who are in their menopausal stages usually experience weight gain. HRT can help facilitate weight loss in women who are in their menopausal stages.
Certain studies show that the tendency to accumulate fat is reduced by hormone replacement therapy. Women on HRT have less fat in their bodies and gain less weight than women not taking the treatment. Though HRT may not help you look slimmer, it reduces weight gain during menopause and may help with fat redistribution.
Combine a healthy, balanced diet and exercise with your HRT treatment to achieve better weight loss results. Exercise and eating healthy also help keep your bones healthy and strong.
When to Consider Hormone Therapy for Menopause in Plano/Wylie, TX
You can consider hormone replacement therapy if you’re experiencing symptoms of menopause. This could be in your perimenopausal or menopausal stage.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is when estrogen and progesterone levels start to decline in your 40s. Menstruation may still continue for some time during this period, but it becomes less regular. Some menopause symptoms may start to occur at this stage, but it is still possible to get pregnant. However, the chances of getting pregnant reduce with time.
Perimenopause usually lasts for about 7 years in most women, but it can last for up to 14 years in some women.
Menopause
Menopause usually occurs in most women at the age of 52 but can begin much earlier in some women. During menopause, a woman stops menstruating, and she can no longer get pregnant naturally.
Women in their menopausal stage usually experience various symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, vaginal dryness, low libido, depression, and memory loss.
You can consider getting HRT when you start experiencing one or more symptoms of menopause, regardless of your age. Deciding the exact time to get started with HRT requires professional guidance. Consult your healthcare provider.
What happens to your hormones when you enter menopause?
Hormonal changes are an integral component of the physiological changes that occur in the body when you enter menopause. The ovaries, the female reproductive organs responsible for storing and releasing eggs, produce estrogen and progesterone. These two sex hormones play significant roles in the normal physiological functioning of the body.
Estrogen and progesterone are essential in regulating gene expression, maintaining reproductive health and promoting good health and well-being. As you age, the ovaries gradually stop producing eggs, leading to menopause.
Menopause usually starts after 12 months of your last menstrual cycle. During this period, the production of the two hormones is reduced. Progesterone levels fluctuate, and estrogen levels decline. The imbalances or fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels can impact female health, including reproductive function, mood, and overall well-being.
How Hormone Replacement Therapy Relieves Menopause Symptoms
HRT involves administering synthetic estrogen and progestogen to replenish one’s depleting hormone levels, thus alleviating menopausal symptoms. The primary method by which HRT helps relieve the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause is by directly increasing the level of depleted hormones responsible for menopausal symptoms.
HRT works by replacing hormones the body is no longer producing or producing at lower levels. It helps relieve menopausal symptoms and improves vaginal health and sexual function.
Suppose you’re experiencing early menopause or have estrogen deficiency. In that case, you can take advantage of HRT to minimize your risk of certain health conditions, including osteoporosis, heart disease, mood changes, stroke, and dementia.
How should I decide whether to take hormone therapy for Menopause?
Hormone replacement therapy contains female hormones. HRT is most often used to treat menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal discomfort. Deciding whether to take hormone therapy or not depends on various factors such as health status, symptoms, and personal preferences.
Consider the outlined steps to help make your decision easier:
Consult your healthcare provider
Discuss your symptoms and medical history with your healthcare provider or a menopause specialist.
Evaluate your symptoms
Consider the severity of your menopausal symptoms and the impact of the symptoms on your quality of life.
Assess your health risks.
Discuss your risk factors for heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and blood clots with your doctor. HRT is associated with certain risks, such as blood clots, breast cancer, and stroke.
Explore potential benefits and risks.
Weigh the potential benefits of hormonal replacement therapy against the possible risks for you to know if it’s right for you or not.
Personal preferences
Consider your comfort level with taking hormones and any concerns you may have.
Adequate research
Research various hormone replacement options and check through review sites to know what people currently on it or previously had it have to say about the treatment before making your own decision.