Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Right for You?
What is hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment that uses female hormones (namely progesterone and estrogen) to treat the most common and unpleasant symptoms of menopause. When women reach menopause, their body stops producing enough hormones; that’s when the menopausal symptoms start: hot flashes, vaginal dryness and discomfort and even osteoporosis. In order to replace the hormones you’re no longer producing, your doctor can prescribe estrogen, progesterone or both.
Dr. Fefelova has extensive experience in hormone replacement therapy counseling and treatment in Barrie, Ontario. Feel free to reach out if you need to see a specialist in this field!
Main types of hormone replacement therapy and their benefits
There are several HRT treatments. Your doctor is the one that decides the therapy that suits you best, according to the benefits you need to reap:
- Systemic hormone therapy: systemic estrogen typically comes in the shape of pills, skins patches, spray or cream and it is considered the most effective in treating hot flashes and night sweats. Plus, it can also increase your sexual gratification by relieving vaginal discomfort, dryness, burning or itching.
- Vaginal products in low dose: these can come in ring, cream or tablet form and are ideal for milder symptoms. They can effectively treat vaginal and urinary symptoms and minimize the absorption of the active ingredients in your body, thus reducing the risks associated with HRT. However, they cannot help you with night sweats or hot flashes.
- Estrogen therapy: typically recommended for women who have had a hysterectomy, estrogen can come in the shape of pills, vaginal rings, spray, gel or patch.
- Combination therapy: this type of treatment combines doses of estrogen and progestin (the synthetic form of progesterone) and is designed for women who still have their uterus, but are going through menopause.
Even if you’re suffering from one or more of the symptoms above, you shouldn’t take it upon yourself to choose the type of HRT that you need. Let a specialist in HRT, like Dr. Fefelova in Barrie, Ontario, do that for you.
Who shouldn’t undergo hormone replacement therapy?
If you suffer from one or more of these conditions, it is advisable to avoid HRT:
- Blood clotting
- Breast, endometrial or uterine cancer
- Heart disease
- Liver diseases
- Pregnancy
- Heart attack or stroke
Before starting HRT, you should always consult a specialist you can trust. Dr. Fefelova in Barrie, Ontario has over a decade of experience in hormone replacement therapy and can help you with counseling or with prescribing the right treatment for you.
