Womanhood comes with a lot of struggles from painful menstrual cramps to strenuous menopause symptoms as hot flashes, regular night sweats, vaginal itching, burning, and dryness among many others. Doctors recommend menopausal hormone therapy as a treatment to these bothersome menopausal symptoms while still addressing long-term biological changes such as bone loss that may deter one’s physical abilities.
What is Hormone Therapy for Menopause?
It is a treatment used to augment the woman’s natural hormone levels either as estrogen-progesterone therapy for women who experience menopause naturally during their 50’s or in the form of estrogen-alone treatment for women who have gone through an earlier surgical menopause procedure.
Estrogen therapy
Doctors recommend a low dose of estrogen for women who have undergone the surgical menopause procedure also known as hysterectomy which is the surgical removal of the uterus. Estrogen may be induced in various forms such as a daily pill, gel, spray, vaginal ring and a patch.
Estrogen pill
Pills are the most popular type of medication for menopausal symptoms. Your doctor will give you instructions on how to follow the dosage. Most tablets are taken once a day way long after you have taken your meals.
Estrogen patch
The patch is stamped on the skin of your abdomen. Your doctor will guide you on how long you should have the patch on before replacing with another one.
Topical estrogen
Creams, sprays, and gels take use of entry into the system through the skin. Similarly to the patch, estrogen is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Depending on the type of topical estrogen the doctor recommends, you will be directed on what part of the body to apply the estrogen treatment.
Vaginal estrogen
Vaginal estrogen is packaged in a vaginal ring, cream or tablets. These treatments are specifically for women struggling with vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse, vaginal itching and burning. Doses should vary depending on the packaging material. For instance, most vaginal rings need replacing after every three months while tablets are used daily for some weeks until changed otherwise.
Progesterone/estrogen/Progestin hormone therapy
It is a combination therapy since it requires both estrogen and progesterone hormones. It is particularly for women who didn’t undergo a hysterectomy. Doctors recommend this treatment for this specific lot of women since progesterone lowers the risk of one contracting cancer of the endometrium. Progesterone is used as a form of birth control but also helps treat menopausal signs such as hot flashes and sweating. Just like the estrogen doses, so does progestin come in various forms.
Oral progestin
These come in pill form. Many doctors prefer treating patients with natural progesterone rather than the synthetic form. Natural progesterone has been scientifically proven to have no adverse effects on lipids and is an excellent option for women with high cholesterol levels.
Contact Fort Worth Center for Pelvic Medicine today to schedule your consultation! We are conveniently located in Fort Worth, TX.
