The consequences of estrogen loss include hot flashes, mood changes, weight gain, vaginal irritation, and risk to bone and cardiovascular health. In the past, hormone therapy was routinely used to treat menopausal symptoms and protect long-term health. Later, large clinical trials showed health risks. What does this mean for you?For people who can't or choose not to take a hormone replacement, there are non-hormonal options to treat many of the symptoms of menopause.
Below are the most common non-hormonal approaches used to treat some of the symptoms of menopause. Some women take hormone therapy for a few years to help improve the worst symptoms of menopause. Some women find that when they stop taking hormone therapy after a few years, they no longer have symptoms. Other women have symptoms returning when they stop taking HRT. There is no set amount of time for which you should take hormone replacement therapy; it's an individual decision between you and your doctor or nurse.
This fact sheet includes information to help you decide if now is the right time to start or stop taking hormone therapy, even if menopause occurred several years ago. The benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) often overcome risks. Recent evidence indicates that the risks of serious side effects of hormone replacement therapy are very low. It's important to know that they're not against HRT because they want you to feel uncomfortable.
Hormone replacement therapy can also help with bone loss (osteoporosis and osteopenia), a common condition in women who don't have enough estrogen. It's particularly important to take hormone replacement therapy to help prevent osteoporosis if menstrual periods stop before age 45 (early or premature menopause). That said, there are times when healthcare providers don't recommend HRT after evaluating your situation. The risks of any serious side effect are usually very low and depend on the type of hormone replacement therapy you're taking, how long you take it, and your own health risks.
More research is being done to find out how hormone replacement therapy affects other conditions, such as dementia and diabetes.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT
) helps treat menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes. If your regular doctor doesn't consider hormone replacement therapy for you, you may want to find a doctor or nurse who has a special interest in menopause. You can lower your risk of breast cancer if you don't take hormone therapy for longer than necessary to control symptoms.It's important that your provider helps you understand the advantages and disadvantages of hormonal hormone therapy and how they apply to your particular situation. If your symptoms come back when you stop taking HRT, it's not because you've been taking hormones, but because you would still have menopausal symptoms at the time, even if you had never taken it. If you're at risk of blood clots, you'll usually be advised to use patches, sprays, or gels for HRT instead of tablets. You may have been very concerned about the safety of HRT or that other health professionals have advised you not to take it.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy, different forms of hormone replacement therapy, and alternative options. If you're under 60, have menopausal symptoms and aren't at high risk of breast cancer or blood clots, the benefits of hormone therapy are likely to outweigh the risks. Discuss what foods should be included or excluded from the diet for women who are not receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
