This therapy is used for the treatment of early menopause.
Menopause in women not only supposes the end of their reproductive capacity but also brings a series of biological changes as a result of the reduction of the levels of natural hormones, called estrogen and progesterone, which happens in the female body during and after of menopause. This lower level of hormones during the climacteric can cause a sudden sensation of heat (hot flashes), dryness of the vaginal tissue and brittle bones. To alleviate these problems, some women opt for this menopause treatment.
A hormone replacement therapy that doctors can recommend to relieve common symptoms. Like other medicines presents risks and benefits, and is not suitable in all cases of menopause.
If you suffer from one of your uncomfortable symptoms or your menopause is approaching and you are worried about how to deal with the changes that you carry, we give you a broader view of hormone replacement therapy, in case you could get benefit from it.
What is hormone replacement therapy?
Menopause is a stage in a woman's life, in which her ovaries stop ovulating and produce female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone so that the woman stops having menstrual cycles for the rest of her life. During the months or years that culminate with the natural menopause, the menstruations can become less frequent and more irregular.
In general, the symptoms of menopause are related to a low level of estrogen. Some women may not have any symptoms, but most will have one of these: night sweats and sweating, dryness and thinning of the vaginal tissues, sleeping problems, tiredness, mood swings, and thinning of bones others.
| Replacement hormone therapy is especially used in menopausal cases |
Hormone replacement therapy works by replacing the hormones that the body no longer manufactures. This therapy usually involves treatment with estrogen alone, a combination of estrogen and progesterone, or estrogen and progestin, which is a synthetic hormone with effects similar to those of progesterone. The hormones used are synthetic, or what is the same, created in a laboratory, and therefore are not produced by the body, but once they are inside act as if they were natural hormones.
When to use and who should not receive hormone therapy?
This treatment is especially indicated in women suffering from a natural precocious menopause. They are women who begin to experience common symptoms of menopause before the age of 40-45 years. In these cases in which the appearance of the symptomatology is not due to any medical cause, it is considered natural. However, early menopause may also appear for surgical reasons, in women undergoing a hysterectomy (excision by operation of the uterus). These women often resort to this therapy, because when menopausal symptoms begin at an earlier age they often tend to be stronger and the women who suffer from them have a harder climacteric, with greater consequences for their health. In any case, every woman with menopausal symptoms can access this therapy.
In contrast, there are women who should not be treated with hormone replacement therapy, as their use would be more harmful. Women who think they may be pregnant, have problems with vaginal bleeding or have had certain types of cancers (such as breast and uterine cancer ). And also the women who have had a stroke or a heart attack, have liver disease or blood clots should use this treatment.
| The treatment can be given in pills, injections, etc. |
What kind of hormones are used for the hormone replacement therapy?
The hormones used in menopause therapy come from different plants and animals or can be manufactured in a laboratory. In any case, they are synthetic. There are some drugs that claim to be "natural hormones," the same as those produced by the human body, the chemical structure of these hormones is similar, though not identical. With them is intended to supply a deficit of human hormones, and once inside the woman, perform the same functions, but will always be medicines.
The commonly prescribed hormones are estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen reduces the sensation of warmth in the upper body (hot flashes), and vaginal symptoms (pruritus itching, burning, and dryness), but it does not relieve other symptoms of menopause such as nervousness or depression. Estrogen also prevents the loss of bone mass in the bones (osteoporosis) in menopausal women.
Progesterone is added to estrogen in hormone replacement therapy to reduce the risk of uterine cancer in women who still conserve the uterus. Therefore, these two hormones are often used together. We talk about combined hormone therapy, but some women get estrogen alone. It is important to know the hormones being considered when assessing the risks.
How are hormones given in hormone replacement therapy?
Drugs can be found in the form of:Pills: The hormones that are administered in this way enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. These hormones can be taken in the form of pills, usually once a day. It is advised to take it at the same time each day. Do not stop taking the medicine without first talking to a doctor.
Patches: Through them, the hormones are absorbed through the skin. This is the best form for the administration of estradiol since it does not produce the side effects on the liver associated with the oral administration. The only drawback is that it can cause skin irritation where they are placed.
Injections: Some forms of estrogen and progesterone can be given by injection (intramuscularly or subcutaneously), but they are often not used to treat the symptoms of menopause.
Vaginal ring: The vaginal ring administers an important dose of estrogens to the whole body. The hoop administers a much larger dose than administration in creams.
Ointments: This method is considered topical administration, ie the hormones are placed in or near the place that requires treatment. Topical estrogens are mainly used in the vaginal area to relieve dryness or thinning of the tissues. These problems often get improved with very small doses of estrogen that are placed inside the vagina in the form of creams.
| Replacement therapy relieves symptoms of menopause when they are strong. |
Hormone Replacement Therapy Guidelines
Before starting hormone replacement therapy the doctor should know:
- If the woman is allergic to any medication.
- About other medications.
- Know the medical history, especially if the patient has or has had epilepsy, depression, migraines, liver disease, heart disease, asthma or has undergone a hysterectomy.
- If you smoke, tobacco may increase the risk of serious side effects such as blood clots and strokes, and reduce the effectiveness of the therapy.
After treating all of these issues, the woman will undergo a complete physical examination, which includes taking blood pressure, breast-examination and pelvic examination and a cytology. This complete examination will be repeated at least once a year while continuing the treatment. In addition, every 3 to 6 months your gynecologist will review your case, and decide if you need to readjust the dose of hormones you are taking.
It is advised that any woman considering the use of hormone therapy should talk to her doctor and be informed of the risks and benefits of the hormone replacement therapy as well as the follow-up care that will be required if this therapy is used. Taking this information into account, the woman and her doctor must decide what hormones are or are not needed for a given time to relieve symptoms of the climacteric. As menopause changes become fainter, most of the symptoms begin to fade and the dose will be reduced until its final withdrawal.
Benefits and Side Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy to help women overcome a difficult climacteric presents, like any medical treatment, not only benefits but also consequences, in the form of more or less serious side effects, both short and long-term.
On the plus side, hormone therapy can help relieve hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, or dyspareunia (pain with sexual activity). Hormones can reduce the chance that bones will weaken and fracture easily (osteoporosis). However, in some women, hormone treatment can increase the chance of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and gallbladder disease. For women with a uterus, estrogen increases the chance of getting endometrial cancer (cancer of the tissue that covers the uterus). The combined use of estrogen and progesterone decreases such risk.
The risks and benefits of hormone products that are used for menopause may be the same, even if they are administered in the form of pills, patches, vaginal creams, gel ointments, vaginal rings.
