Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a common treatment for menopausal symptoms, but there are still some things that people may not know about it. In this article, we will discuss five key things you should be aware of when considering HRT for menopause.
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HRT for menopause is suitable for women under 60
Perimenopause and menopause can bring about a set of unpleasant symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT for short, can help alleviate common menopausal symptoms like mood swings, irritability, dry spells, hot flashes, and many more.
Hormone replacement therapy does this by rebalancing the levels of your female sex hormones that are in rapid decline. Actually, the sex hormone testosterone that is often known as a male sex hormone is also part of HRT.
All this is necessary to bring back libido in menopausal women who still want to have a thriving sex life. However, hormone replacement therapy can’t seem to work for just about any woman.
Those who are beyond the age of 60 are not recommended to begin this treatment. This is because the side effects of using hormone replacement therapy could potentially outweigh the positive benefits for women older than 59.
According to the Pharmacy Times, the North American Menopause Society revised its 2012 Hormone Therapy Position Statement in 2017, incorporating new data regarding the balance of benefits and risks. The updated 2017 statement highlighted that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is most beneficial for women under 60 years of age who are within 10 years from the onset of menopause and do not have any contraindications to the treatment.
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HRT for menopause could lead to health problems
Like any other serious treatment, hormone replacement therapy is not without its own set of side effects. Some of these side effects may not even be related to menopause itself.
For instance, using hormone replacement therapy may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. However, this increase is so small and even smaller than the average risk of breast cancer in most women.
There are also some health issues that may develop from using hormone replacement therapy, such as heart disease and DVT or deep vein thrombosis.
This is why hormone replacement therapy is not recommended as an initial treatment for women who are already older than 59.
According to information from the National Library of Medicine, in 2002, the initial outcomes of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) revealed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had a detrimental impact outweighing its advantages for menopausal women. The study highlighted that the utilization of estrogen combined with progesterone hormones post-menopause escalated the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, blood clots, breast cancer, and dementia in women. These concerning discoveries prompted a 46% reduction in the usage of HRT among women in the United States.
The thing about hormone replacement therapy is that the younger you start using it, the lower the risks become even as you grow older.
However, in some women, using this treatment for more than 5 years may also carry some risks.
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HRT for menopause can still make you bleed
The main thing about menopause is that you stop bleeding every month. That is just what menopause is all about. Menopause begins when you shed your last drop of menstrual blood.
However, if you take hormone replacement therapy, you may sometimes find yourself still bleeding from the vagina. This is because the hormones used in the therapy cause your uterus lining to become so thin that there is bleeding.
This bleeding often comes up as spots every now and then. But in some women, the bleeding may also be heavy enough to resemble a regular period. This may be uncomfortable for some women.
According to reports from Practice Nursing, experiencing bleeding while undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is frequently observed. Notably, in the Women's Health Initiative trial conducted by Rossouw et al. in 2002, around 40% of women had to discontinue the trial due to vaginal bleeding. Studies suggest that approximately 38% of women using sequential HRT and 41% of women utilizing continuous combined HRT (CCT) seek medical attention for bleeding, as documented by Hickey et al. in 2009.
They may feel that this is unnatural at their age. If your bleeding concerns you and you experience any kind of discomfort, you should talk to your doctor. When you convey your concerns, you may be prescribed an alternative treatment.
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HRT for menopause comes in a plethora of forms
Hormone replacement therapy is used to treat many health issues in people of all ages. However, when thinking about hormone replacement therapy, most people are more familiar with its use in treating symptoms of menopause.
The treatment itself comes in many different forms. Some people, including health experts, believe that the most effective form of hormone replacement therapy can only be achieved through injections.
A lot of people who can afford to go to the doctor often also typically use injection HRT. However, hormone replacement therapy comes also in pills, patches, and even sprays.
The efficacy may differ amongst all of these alternative forms, and buying the right product may be difficult for those who are just starting.
Therefore, you should always talk to your doctor about the use of hormone replacement therapy. This is done to also prevent unwanted side effects.
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HRT for menopause can have a few unpleasant side effects
On top of its ability to contribute to serious health issues, the use of hormone replacement therapy may also cause some unpleasant side effects.
These may not be serious health issues, but the discomfort they bring may still make people think twice before taking hormone replacement therapy.
Some of the most common side effects of using hormone replacement therapy include, but are not limited to, bloating, a sense of dizziness, tenderness or swelling of the breasts, feeling sick, cramping of the legs, indigestion, and even vaginal bleeding.
All of those sound scary when combined, but most people will typically experience one or two side effects at a time.
Since the use of hormone replacement therapy can bring side effects, it is important to only get this treatment with a doctor's guidance. Whenever you feel like your side effects are so bad, immediately talk to your doctor.
To summarize, five things were discussed that most women do not know while considering HRT for menopause. We are confident that the information regarding HRT we provided can benefit you and help you make better decisions.
Happiness In An Intimate Relationship By Boosting The Libido For Women
The decline in sexual drive is termed as low libido in women. The main culprits are the hormones named testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. Lack of these hormonal secretions lowers the sexual drive of a woman. Boosting the libido for women will lead to happiness in an intimate relationship.
Nowadays life is very hectic as well as sedentary with no physical exercise. It has lead to a number of health problems including libido. Women libido is now not restricted to aging factors or menopause. Many young women have been complaining of low libido conditions. It is only affecting the relationship between young couples.
Present lifestyle is responsible for various hormonal changes. Smoking and drinking habits largely affect the libido for women. Hormonal imbalances have now been a frequent issue with young women as well as leading to low sex drive. Stress at work and home equally lowers the sexual drive of a woman.
Stress often leads to problems like anxiety and depression. Women tend to lose control of their body and develop low libido conditions. Libido for women does not mean the inability to reach orgasm. Many people confuse low sex drive with an inability to reach orgasm. Many women with low sex drive can hit orgasm.
There are many other factors that affect women libido. Menopause creates a lot of hormonal imbalance in the body. Testosterone secretion decreases with age thus affecting the libido. However, there are lots of supplements and enhancers that increase the sexual drive. Some of them are natural products made of herbs whereas others are made of chemicals.
When a woman gets sexually aroused, vaginal fluid is produced for lubrication. The blood flow to the genitals increases. Blood pressure and heart rate increases during arousal. This is how the body of a woman works when she is aroused.
Boosting the libido for women can strengthen the bond between couples. There are many food items that contribute to increasing the libido of women. Almonds and avocados are the best for enhancing sexual drive in both men and women. Bananas and figs are two essential fruits that may increase the sexual drive.
An unhealthy diet can lead to low libido conditions. Proper nutrition combined with a good amount of exercise can increase the hormonal secretion of the body that is responsible for sexual drive. It all depends on the lifestyle you lead.
If you are experiencing low libido conditions and have lost interest in sex, you will need to visit a doctor. Make a list of all your major health problems before you meet the doctor. Try to note down the essential points what is disturbing you and how you are feeling. Doctors can really help to enhance the libido for women.
There are some basic questions that the doctors may ask. They may ask about your lifestyle, eating and sleeping habits, sexual concerns, health problems, menstrual cycle and few other questions relevant to your sexual health.
Women experiencing low libido due to psychological problems may need a counselor. It is always good to speak out each and every issue related to your health and habits. It will only help the doctor and counselor to assist you with the best of libido enhancers.