The benefits of hormone therapy may be greater than the risk if you are healthy and you:
Has medium to severe hot flash. Systemic Estrogen Replacement Therapy remains the most effective treatment for removing the troublesome hot flash of menopause and night sweat.
Has other symptoms of menopause. Estrogen can relieve the symptoms of vaginal menopause, such as drought, itching, burning and uncomfortable with sexual intercourse.
Need to prevent bone loss or fracture. Systemic estrogen helps protect against bone diluent called osteoporosis. However, doctors usually recommend a drug called biphosphonate to treat osteoporosis. But estrogen therapy can help if you cannot tolerate or do not benefit from other treatments.
Experiencing early menopause or experiencing lack of estrogen. If your ovaries are lifted with surgery before the age of 45, stop experiencing menstruation before the age of 45 (early menopause or early) or loss of your normal ovarian function before the age of 40 (primary ovarian insufficiency), your body has been exposed to estrogen that is less than the body -body the woman who has a typical menopause. Estrogen therapy can help reduce the risk of certain health conditions, including osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, dementia and mood changes.
If you use hormone therapy, how can you reduce risk?
Talk to your doctor about this strategy:
Find the best product and shipping methods for you. You can take estrogen in the form of pills, patches, gels, vaginal creams, or suppositories or slow release rings that you place in your vagina. If you only experience vaginal symptoms associated with menopause, estrogen in low -dose vaginal creams, tablets or rings are usually better choices than oral pills or skin patches.
Minimize the number of drugs you are taking. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time needed to treat your symptoms. If you are younger than the age of 45, you need enough estrogen to provide protection against the long -term health effects of estrogen deficiency. If you have symptoms of abadi menopause that significantly interferes with the quality of your life, your doctor can recommend long -term care.
Look for routine follow -up maintenance. Meet your doctor regularly to ensure that the benefits of hormone therapy continue to be greater than risk, and for playback such as mammograms and pelvic examinations.
Make a healthy lifestyle choice. Include physical activity and exercise in your daily routine, eat healthy foods, maintain healthy weight, not smoke, limit alcohol, manage stress, and manage chronic health conditions, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
If you haven't undergone a hysterectomy and use systemic estrogen therapy, you will also need progestin. Your doctor can help you find the shipping method that offers the most benefits and comfort with the least risk and cost.
What can you do if you can't take hormone therapy?
You might be able to manage hot flash menopause with a healthy lifestyle approach such as staying cold, limiting caffeinated and alcohol drinks, and practicing casual breathing or other relaxation techniques. There are also some non -hormone prescription drugs that can help relieve hot flash.
For vaginal problems such as drought or painful sexual relations, vaginal moisturizers or lubricants can provide assistance. You might also ask your doctor about Ospemifene (Osphena) prescription drugs, which can help with painful sexual intercourse episodes.
The point: Hormone therapy is not all good or all bad
To determine whether hormone therapy is a good treatment choice for you, talk with your doctor about your personal symptoms and your health risks. Make sure to keep the conversation continue throughout your menopause.
When researchers learn more about hormone therapy and other menopause treatments, recommendations can change. If you continue to experience disturbing symptoms of menopause, review the choice of treatment with your doctor regularly.
