Menopause

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT is the use of hormones to replace those that are no longer being made by the body. It has been thought that replacing these hormones helps reduce the severity of the symptoms of menopause. HRT is usually recommended to be taken for up to several years. This will help get you through the worst of the symptoms and into menopause.

HRT has several benefits. First and foremost, it helps to manage the symptoms of menopause that can be debilitating to many women. The increase of hormones to pre-menopause levels eliminates many of the symptoms because the body is still maintaining high enough levels of them. Most women report that their symptoms had decreased drastically when taking HRT.

HRT is known to help the body fight heart disease. Estrogen in the body helps protect the heart and other muscles by controlling cholesterol. With decreased levels of estrogen in the body the heart is at a much greater risk for heart attack. Of course, other factors always need to be taken into consideration such as obesity, smoking and general physical condition.

HRT also helps prevent osteoporosis. Estrogen levels in the body are a natural protector for the bones. With a lower level of estrogen comes an increased risk of getting osteoporosis. With women living longer than ever, the risk is high because of the length of time a woman will live after menopause. Osteoporosis can be treated with various prescription medications, however, the best preventative measure a woman can take is to build up their bones as much as possible in earlier years.

HRT brings possible risks as well. It is now known that HRT can increase the risk of uterine and breast cancers. Again, these risks must be considered along with other risk factors including genetics. If someone in your family had or currently has cancer you are at a slightly higher risk for getting it yourself.

HRT can be hard to dose properly. Because hormone loss is a very individual thing it may take many months of trial and error to get the dosage set to a proper level for you. In the meantime, there are some side effects to HRT. These may be more noticeable when the dosage is not exactly correct. The most common side effects of HRT are fatigue, bloating or weight gain, and headaches. If you are prone to migraines, HRT may bring them on.

When considering HRT it is important to weigh all the facts and get input from your doctor. He can recommend whether HRT is right for you. Blood tests can be done to determine the cholesterol levels. There are other ways to treat symptoms that are not debilitating and these can be further explored with your doctor. There is no right answer for anyone. Each individual needs to weigh the facts along with their personal risk factors to determine the best course of action.

Potential Benefits Of HRT |