Using patches can also help avoid some side effects of HRT, such as indigestion, and unlike tablets, they don't increase the risk of blood clots. If you still have a uterus, your healthcare professional will likely prescribe estrogen along with a progestogen, which is a group of drugs similar to progesterone. This is because taking estrogen without a progestin can thicken the lining of the uterus, which can increase the risk of endometrial cancer. If your uterus has been removed, you may not need to take a progestogen together with estrogens.
Talk to your healthcare professional about these risks when deciding if menopausal hormone therapy might be an option for you. If you still have a uterus and are taking estrogen, you'll also need to take a progestogen. Your healthcare professional can help you choose the best way to take these hormones based on what works for you and has the least side effects. For vaginal problems, such as dryness or pain when having sex, a vaginal moisturizer or lubricant may help.
You can also ask your healthcare professional about the prescription medication ospemifene (Osphena) or prasterone (Intrarosa). These medications can help ease pain during sexual intercourse and other vaginal and bladder symptoms typical of menopause. To find out if menopausal hormone therapy is a good option for you, talk to your health professional about your symptoms and health risks. You can also ask your healthcare professional to help you find a certified menopause expert. Or consult a professional organization such as The Menopause Society.
Be sure to keep the conversation going during menopause. As researchers learn more about menopausal hormone therapy and other menopausal treatments, recommendations may change. However, if you have menopausal symptoms that interrupt your sleep or interfere with your daily life, it's worth talking to your healthcare professional about treatment options. If you're already taking menopausal hormone therapy, check with your healthcare professional regularly to re-evaluate your need for treatment. The risks of this type of estrogen therapy have been widely publicized.
On its own, estrogen causes a slight increase in the risk of strokes, blood clots and other problems. When combined with the hormone progestin, they can also increase the risks of breast cancer and heart attack. Oral estrogen, like any estrogen therapy, can also cause side effects. These include breast pain and swelling, vaginal discharge, headache, and nausea.
While some experts believe that estrogen patches may be safer than oral estrogen in other ways, it's too early to know. For now, let's assume that estrogen patches pose most of the same risks: a very small increase in the risk of serious problems, such as cancer and stroke. They also have many similar, though perhaps milder, side effects. The patch itself may irritate the skin where it is applied.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT
) isn't a single treatment for all treatments; the type and dose given will vary depending on your needs.There are many different combinations available, which can be taken in a variety of ways: oral tablets, skin patches (such as band-aids), gels, or aerosols. The optimal type of HRT is HRT identical to that of the body: the hormones are the same as the hormones that occur naturally in the body. There are many different types of hormone replacement therapy available. This means that the dose and type of hormone replacement therapy can be modified to fit your individual health needs and risk factors for other conditions, for example, if you have had a blood clot in the past or if you have high blood pressure.
Many women want to take “natural” products for menopause, but how do you define the term “natural”? There are many plant-derived drugs available, so they are “natural”, but they are often not safe and have been shown to be harmful to the body. For example, while black cohosh has been shown to have some benefit in treating hot flashes, some types of black cohosh have been shown to be associated with liver toxicity. The optimal estrogen in hormonal hormone therapy is a type of estrogen called “17 beta estradiol”. It is an estrogen identical to the body and has the same molecular structure as estrogen, which decreases in the body during menopause. Estrogens are safer to administer in the form of a patch, gel, or spray, as they are absorbed directly through the skin and have fewer side effects and risks.
These types of estrogens can be given safely to women with migraines and those who have a higher risk of clot formation, since there is no increased risk of clot formation with these types of estrogens. It's also natural because it's derived from a plant chemical that's extracted from yam plants. Some types of older hormone therapy contain a mix of different types of estrogen and are made from the urine of pregnant mares. This type of hormone therapy could be described as “natural”, but it is not identical to the rest of the body, since it contains many types of estrogens that the body does not need it.
At present, doctors rarely prescribe this type of hormone replacement therapy. There are many different types of progestins (synthetic progesterone) available to women. If you still have a womb (uterus), it's important to be prescribed a progestogen along with estrogen for HRT. When you take estrogen, the lining of the uterus can build up, which can increase the risk of cancer.
However, taking progestogen or progesterone prevents this build-up, meaning there's no increased risk of cancer when taking hormone replacement therapy. The other hormone that many women find it beneficial to replace is testosterone, which the ovaries produce in greater quantity than estrogen before menopause. Testosterone can improve mood, energy, stamina, motivation, and also libido. It is usually given as a gel or cream and is also identical to the body.
In short, the safest types of hormone replacement therapy are estrogens that are applied through the skin in the form of a patch, gel, or spray with micronized progesterone identical to that of the body. Many women also benefit from testosterone, which can help if you're forgetful or have trouble focusing at work. If you want to take hormone replacement therapy and you think it would benefit you to take it, you should ask at your first appointment to be prescribed hormone replacement therapy. Most women benefit from hormone therapy, and women can start taking it during perimenopause.
In general, no woman is too old to start taking HRT, and even if it's been many years since menopause, she should still be able to take HRT. Try to leave the room with as many questions answered as possible, ask your doctor if he has any brochures or information he can share with you, and see if you need a follow-up visit. NICE guidelines recommend a review three months after your first visit, but you should request an earlier review if you have side effects or if the treatment doesn't seem to be working. Like any medication, the hormones used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can cause side effects.
However, it's common for it to have no side effects or to have only mild effects. According to the UK-based organization The Menopause Charity, micronized progesterone tends to cause fewer side effects than other types of progestins. After prophylactic mastectomy or in patients with triple negative breast cancers who have not been successful with other treatments, the possibility of using hormone therapy on an individualized basis based on the risk-benefit ratio may be considered. Keep in mind that HRT gels are also used for vaginal HRT, although these are different products and are not interchangeable with the gels used for HRT systemic (for the whole body).
It's useful to remember that, in addition to improving symptoms, HRT reduces the future risk of developing diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, type II diabetes and dementia. Currently, the UK's National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) only recommends using testosterone to reduce sexual desire, and only if standard hormone replacement therapy doesn't help. The risk of breast cancer associated with hormone therapy is a matter of great concern for many patients, but placing this risk in the context of lifestyle factors can be beneficial. If you take combined hormone replacement therapy on an ongoing basis, it's common to have irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting in the first 4 to 6 months of take it.
Unfortunately, some doctors and health professionals still believe that outdated reports indicate that HRT is linked to cancer, blood clots and heart problems, so they may be reluctant to prescribe HRT. The side effects of hormone therapy can be similar to symptoms of menopause, so it's possible that hormone therapy isn't causing it. To reduce the risks of hormone therapy, it is recommended to start at the lowest effective dose with adjustments to balance efficacy to minimize risks and side effects. Improving patient-centered care, outcomes, safety and team performance in menopausal HRT requires a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach.
Tibolone (brand name Livial) is a prescription medication that is similar to the combined administration of HRT (estrogen and progestogen), but it also has an effect on testosterone. Anyone who experiences side effects while taking hormone replacement therapy should schedule a consultation with a doctor to discuss their options. Pharmacists contribute by ensuring the accurate dispensing of medications, managing drug interactions and advising patients on compliance with their hormonal hormonal therapy regimen.
