Content
Hormone Replacement Therapy or Hormone Replacement Therapy, is a type of treatment that allows to relieve typical menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, excessive tiredness, vaginal dryness or hair loss, for example.
For this, this type of therapy uses medications that help restore estrogen and progesterone levels, which are decreased during menopause, as the ovaries stop producing them when the woman enters the climacteric and menopause around 50 years of age. .
Hormone replacement can be done in the form of pills or skin patches and the duration of treatment can vary between 2 to 5 years, depending on woman to woman. Learn to correctly identify the symptoms of menopause.
Main medicines used
There are two main types of therapies that can be indicated by the obstetrician to perform hormone replacement:
- Estrogen therapy: this therapy uses drugs containing only estrogens such as estradiol, estrone or mestranol, for example, being especially indicated for women who have removed the uterus.
- Estrogen and progesterone therapy: in this case, drugs containing natural progesterone or a synthetic form of progesterone combined with an estrogen are used. This therapy is especially indicated for women with a uterus.
The total treatment time should not exceed 5 years, as this treatment is related to the increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
When to avoid therapy
Hormone replacement therapy is contraindicated in some situations, which include:
- Breast cancer;
- Endometrial cancer;
- Porphyria;
- Systemic lupus erythematosus;
- Having had a heart attack or stroke - stroke;
- Deep vein thrombosis;
- Blood clotting disorders;
- Genital bleeding of unknown cause.
Learn more about the contraindications of hormone replacement therapy.
This therapy should always be indicated and monitored by the gynecologist, as there is a need for regular monitoring and doses should be adjusted over time.
In addition, hormone replacement can also increase the risk of heart disease, and should be done only when necessary, in low doses and for a short period of time.
Natural treatment
During this phase of life, it is possible to make a natural treatment, using foods with phytoestrogens, which are natural substances similar to estrogen, and which are present in foods such as soy, flaxseed, yam or blackberry, for example . These foods are not a substitute for hormone replacement, but they can help to alleviate the characteristic symptoms of menopause.
Cranberry tea for menopause
Cranberry tea is a great homemade option to reduce menopausal symptoms, because it helps to regulate hormone levels naturally. In addition, this tea also contains calcium, so it can help prevent common menopause osteoporosis.
Ingredients
- 500 ml of boiling water
- 5 chopped blackberry leaves
Preparation mode
Place the leaves in the boiling water, cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain and drink 2 to 3 times a day.
In addition, the use of some medicinal plants such as St. Christopher's Herb, Chastity Tree, Lion's Foot or Salva also help to combat the symptoms of menopause, and may be indicated by the doctor to complement the treatment. Find out more about natural menopause hormone replacement treatment.
For more tips on what you can do to relieve menopausal discomfort naturally watch the video:
Hormone replacement therapy is fattening?
Hormone replacement does not make you fat because synthetic or natural hormones are used, similar to those produced by a woman's body.
However, due to the natural aging of the body, with increasing age it is normal to have a greater tendency to gain weight, as well as there may also be an increase in fat in the abdominal region.