Is Hormone Replacement Therapy A Good Option?

hormone replacement therapy in Plano is employed when a patient cannot produce a specific hormone naturally or the hormone level is relatively lower than the required amount. However, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is mainly used in women after menopause, as the level of hormones drops and females start to develop postmenopausal symptoms.

HRT prevents bone loss in women after menopause. Still, HRT has some risk factors, and these depend upon the type of therapy, the dosage, duration of medication, and health status of the individual.

In this post, we will be discussing HRT for estrogen and how women can benefit from HRT.

Types of hormone therapy

The therapy focuses on replacing the estrogen, as, after menopause, the body no longer produces estrogen. Estrogen can be administered in two ways:

1. Systemic hormone therapy: this form of therapy focuses on treating all symptoms of menopause. The medication comes in pills or skin patches, and the medication gets absorbed throughout the body.

2. Low dose vaginal products: this medication comes in the form of gel or cream and is mainly used to treat vaginal symptoms due to low estrogen levels.

Risks associated with HRT.

The most commonly reported complications include:

• Heart diseases
• Brain stroke
• Breast cancer
• Blood clot formation

These complications depend upon the following:

1. Age: women who opt for HRT after the age of 60 or 10 years after menopause have higher chances of getting these complications.

2. Type of therapy: complications also depend on the drug and dosage; if only

estrogen is given, it can lead to endometrial tissue formation and increase the chances of endometrial cancer. Therefore, progesterone is given along with it.

3. Medical history: if a patient has a medical history of blood clots, heart attacks, or diabetes. Then HRT may not be the right option for them.

Who can benefit from HRT?

1. Women having hot flashes: Patients having moderate to severe hot flashes after menopause can opt for HRT.

2. Patients have postmenopausal symptoms: Vaginal dryness, itching, burning, low libido, and more. These symptoms can be treated with an HRT.

3. Women having low bone density: Usually, women after menopause face low bone density and can opt for an HRT to prevent loss of bone and fractures.

4. Patients who have a deficiency of estrogen or low levels: HRT can also be used for women dealing with low estrogen levels.

5. Ovarian insufficiency: If the ovaries have been removed surgically due to cancer or any other reasons, HRT can be used to supplement estrogen in such cases.