Hormone Replacement Therapy
As women get older, it is expected that their bodies will undergo many changes – including hormonal changes. Although women may experience fluctuations in their hormones for several reasons, including pregnancy, a hormonal imbalance brought on by age or a woman’s health issue is different in the sense that hormone levels gradually decrease without an end in sight. This can cause several physical and psychological issues.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
If hormonal issues and their resulting health impacts are affecting your quality of life, hormone replacement therapy at Arizona Gynecological Consultants could help you get back to feeling like you.
Learn more about hormone replacement and why it may be a solution for you.
Hormonal Changes Women May Experience
As mentioned, women go through multiple significant hormone fluctuations over their adult lifetimes, revolving around the well known stage: menopause.
Premenopause
The time from the first menstrual cycle until the last menstrual cycle is considered the perimenopausal phase. It is during this time that a woman has the ability to reproduce. At this stage, hormonal balance is key to physical and emotional health, as well as ensuring the proper release of eggs from the ovaries to ensure fertility.
Perimenopause
Once a woman enters her later 30s or early 40s, the next phase of the menstruation cycle takes place. This stage, known as perimenopause, features the transition to menopause and the gradual decline of hormone levels.
Menopause
The ending of the menstrual cycle indicates that menopause has begun. This is when the body lessens its production of estrogen and progesterone, which can cause physical and mental health symptoms, as well as sleep and immunity issues. The ovaries also cease to release eggs, and the woman can no longer reproduce.
Postmenopause
Approximately one year after the last menstrual cycle, the postmenopause phase has begun. For the rest of a woman’s lifetime, in which she no longer has a regular menstrual cycle, she is considered postmenopausal. During each of these stages of life, a woman can undergo many physical issues or physiological issues as changes in hormones occur.
What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment used to replenish hormones as the body decreases their production or stops making one or more hormones altogether. Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is most commonly used to replace estrogen in women who are suffering the uncomfortable effects of menopause, such as hot flashes or vaginal pain. This provides a return to a balance of the hormones that have been depleted due to aging or other issues.
For women who have not had to have a hysterectomy and still have their uterus, you may have several hormones prescribed to you, including estrogen, progesterone, or progestin (a medication that is similar to progesterone). Both or all of these hormones may be needed due to the fact that progesterone is used to offset estrogen.
Without progesterone to stabilize estrogen levels, the uterus’ lining will continue to grow, which can result in endometrial cancer. If you no longer have your uterus, then you may not need to take progesterone or progestin.
At Arizona Gynecological Consultants, we are pleased to offer hormone replacement therapy for menopause support, thyroid issues, post-hysterectomy support, and other hormone deficiencies.
What Are Some Indicators That You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy?
There are several symptoms that may indicate that you need hormone replacement therapy, especially if they are negatively affecting your quality of life.
Some of these symptoms include:
- Hot flashes and night sweats: Experiencing hot flashes and sweating during the night is a very common symptom of menopause and a hormone imbalance. Hormone replacement therapy is a good solution for easing these issues.
- Losing your hair: When you notice that your hair is beginning to thin or fall out, this often indicates a hormonal imbalance.
- Insomnia: If you have difficulty falling asleep, experience trouble staying asleep, or are waking up the next morning feeling just as tired as when you went to bed, then you may benefit from hormonal therapy. Estrogen is closely related to serotonin, a hormone that produces melatonin, which is a hormone necessary for promoting sleep.
- Bone fractures or bone loss: Experiencing bone loss can be a symptom of hormonal imbalance due to menopause.
- Low sex drive: Reduced sex hormones are frequently a cause of low libido.
- Weight gain: If you are gaining more weight or losing more weight than normal, this can be due to an imbalance in hormones. Changes in hormones can affect your appetite, affecting your weight.
- Fluctuating moods: Constantly changing emotions may be an indicator of a hormone imbalance.
- Vaginal issues: Hormone loss can cause itching, dryness, and other vaginal discomfort.
- Other symptoms that you may face when you undergo menopause include feeling achy or tired or having trouble focusing on completing tasks.
What Are the Different Kinds of Hormone Replacement Therapies?
Women’s hormone therapy comes in various forms, but the vast majority focus on replacing estrogen and progesterone lost due to menopause or after a hysterectomy/salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries).
The most commonly used hormonal therapies include:
Oral Hormone Therapy
Estrogen pills are a common type of hormone therapy. You’ll simply take a conjugated version of estrogen once per day, though more often may be necessary depending on the issue.
Topical Hormone Therapy
A variety of gels, creams, and sprays have been developed that deliver estrogen via the skin and into the bloodstream. Depending on the product, you’ll simply apply the topical medication to the inner arm or legs once per day.
Hormone Patch
Depending on whether you need hormone therapy due to menopause or a hysterectomy/salpingo-oophorectomy, you may receive estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin. Patches are topical products worn on the abdominal skin, delivering a dose of hormones into the bloodstream directly through the skin.
Vaginal Hormone Therapy
Vaginal hormones are placed directly in the vaginal canal and are typically used to address hormone issues that cause vaginal dryness and itching. Vaginal rings must be replaced every few months and slowly release hormones, while vaginal creams and tablets may need to be inserted or applied daily, every few days, weekly, or on some other dosing schedule.
What Are the Benefits of Using Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for Menopause?
If you are experiencing a poor quality of life due to the negative effects of menopause, then HRT from Arizona Gynecological Consultants may be beneficial for you.
Some of these benefits include:
Increased Energy
Hormone decline can cause sluggishness that may be reversed by HRT.
Better and More Stable Moods
If you are struggling with mood swings, you may find that after hormone therapy, your mood will improve.
Improved Sleep
With hormone therapy, women (or patients) can typically return to normal melatonin levels, leading to a much more restful sleep that leaves you rejuvenated.
Better and More Stable MoDecreased Risk of Osteoporosis, Stroke, and Dementiaods
Menopause hormone therapy can reverse the reduction in hormones that put you at risk for these critical women’s health issues.
Improved Sexual Desire
Undergoing hormone therapy can improve your sexual drive and your sexual function, helping you achieve a better sex life.
Decreased Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Mild to serious hot flashes and night sweats are uncomfortable symptoms of menopause, making it difficult to get a good night’s sleep or stay comfortable during the day. Once you balance hormones, you can experience fewer hot flashes and night sweats, improving your overall comfort.
Are There Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy?
As with most medical treatments or procedures, hormone replacement therapy can cause side effects. Some of the most commonly experienced are mild and include swollen breasts, headaches, bloating, nausea, changes in moods, and vaginal bleeding. Hormone replacement is not for everyone, especially for those who have a family history of cancer, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, or deep vein thrombosis.
There is a slight risk of serious side effects as well, particularly with estrogen-progestin medication, which can cause a higher risk of stroke, blood clots, heart disease, and breast cancer. Your risk is more likely to increase if you are 60 or older or if you have a family history of osteoporosis, heart disease, blood clots, cancer, or stroke.
To reduce the chances of these risks occurring, it is best to begin HRT before turning 60 years old or within 10 years after menopause has taken place. Risks also decrease if you take progestin while you have a uterus, eat a healthy and balanced diet, get regular exercise, undergo yearly exams with your gynecologist, and get yearly mammograms.
Consult with our HRT team to learn more about what hormone therapy treatment is best for you and how you can further reduce these risks.
Begin Your Hormone Replacement Therapy Journey
Here at Arizona Gynecological Consultants, we firmly believe our purpose is to support women’s health and prioritize your well-being and overall quality of life.
We know that each woman is unique with different hormonal issues, and because of this, we offer personalized treatments that consider your history, the current struggles you are experiencing, and your health goals.
Experience better health with properly balanced hormones; begin your hormone replacement therapy journey by contacting our office to schedule your consultation.
