How do I know if I need HRT?

You can usually begin HRT as soon as you start experiencing menopausal symptoms and will not usually need to have any tests first. However, a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you're aged 40 to 45.

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What are the symptoms of needing HRT?

What Are the Signs that You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy?
  • Low sex drive. The lack of estrogen can cause changes in your libido, and some women may find it more difficult to become sexually aroused. ...
  • Chronic Vaginal Itching and Burning. ...
  • Night Sweats. ...
  • Mood Swings. ...
  • Chronic Insomnia. ...
  • Hot Flashes. ...
  • Hair Loss. ...
  • Urinary Problems.

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What are the symptoms of low estrogen?

Symptoms of low estrogen can include:
  • Hot flashes, flushes, and night sweats are the most common symptoms of low estrogen. At times, blood rushes to your skin's surface. ...
  • Mood swings are another effect of low estrogen. You may feel sad, anxious, or frustrated. ...
  • Thinning tissues may cause discomfort.

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Is it better to go through menopause without HRT?

One of the common treatment options for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), supplementing your hormone levels to rebalance your system. However, you may prefer to move through menopause without using hormone treatments. And, women with previous hormone-dependent cancer shouldn't use HRT.

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What is a good age for HRT?

An endocrinologist, gynecologist, or fertility specialist is a good choice. Typically, these doctors prescribe HRT to women in the 50s or 60s when menopause symptoms start to become more intense.

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When to start HRT for menopause with Dr B

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Do you look younger on HRT?

By supplementing your body's natural hormone levels, HRT can help you maintain a more youthful body composition. While this effect is particularly evident in men, research suggests that women can also benefit. HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look.

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What age is too late for estrogen?

The International Menopause Society guidelines recommend that if menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is prescribed, it be commenced before the age of 60, or within 10 years of menopause.

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How can I increase my estrogen levels without HRT?

Top 7 foods and remedies to boost estrogen
  1. Soy and other legumes. Soybeans and soy products are a rich source of isoflavones, one of the most important groups of phytoestrogens. ...
  2. Flaxseeds. ...
  3. Dark chocolate. ...
  4. Garlic oil supplements. ...
  5. Red clover. ...
  6. Vitamin D. ...
  7. DHEA.

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What is the downside of HRT for menopause?

Combined HRT can be associated with a small increase in the risk of breast cancer. The increased risk is related to how long you take HRT, and it falls after you stop taking it. Because of the risk of breast cancer, it's especially important to attend all your breast cancer screening appointments if you're taking HRT.

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Can you still be healthy without HRT?

So, although we do not need the levels of hormones that we had in our fertile life, replacing hormones appropriately for an individual woman can help maintain her health and prevent disease. Genetic factors, diet and lifestyle all also have a role to play towards our health.

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How do I know if I need estrogen or progesterone?

Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen. Estrogen without progesterone increases the risk of uterine cancer.

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What happens if low estrogen goes untreated?

Depletion of estrogen can increase the risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart attacks, strokes, or other heart-related problems. Other issues can interfere with organ function, skin, urinary, bone and reproductive organs, and may cause serious problems if left untreated.

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Why are doctors hesitant to prescribe HRT?

'Too old', 'too young', 'you have migraines', 'you've had a clot' – these are just some of the reason women are given by their doctor as justification for not prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause symptoms.

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When is it too late to start HRT?

There is no specific age cut-off for starting HRT.

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What happens when you first start HRT?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.

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Does HRT make you gain weight?

Many women believe that taking HRT will make them put on weight, but there's no evidence to support this claim. You may gain some weight during the menopause, but this often happens regardless of whether you take HRT. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet should help you to lose any unwanted weight.

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At what stage of menopause can you take HRT?

You can usually begin HRT as soon as you start experiencing menopausal symptoms and will not usually need to have any tests first. However, a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you're aged 40 to 45.

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Who should not take HRT?

HRT is not recommended for women who have: History of prior heart attack or stroke and/or increased risk for vascular disease. Unexplained vaginal bleeding. Active or past breast cancer.

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How can I replace my estrogen naturally?

How can I increase my estrogen levels naturally?
  1. Soy products – Soy products are well known for their high concentrations of phytoestrogens. ...
  2. Legumes – Legumes are another source of phytoestrogens. ...
  3. Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds can also be a source of phytoestrogens.

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Does vitamin D increase estrogen?

A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.

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Do you age faster without estrogen?

Menopause has long been known to reduce estrogen levels in women. This hormone is important for keeping your skin hydrated and elastic. So, when your body stops producing estrogen, your skin will lose its thickness, become dry, and develop wrinkles, which leads to making you appear older.

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Can you start HRT 5 years after menopause?

However, most women who are otherwise fit and well do still gain benefits from taking HRT even if it has been more than 10 years since their menopause. You may decide to start HRT now because your symptoms have worsened, or you were expecting them to have gone by now but they haven't.

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Does lack of estrogen make you age?

During menopause, lower levels of estrogen have a big impact on your skin. Less estrogen makes you prone to thinning, sagging, and wrinkling. Fortunately, you can relieve some of the skin-related effects of aging by taking care of your specific skin care needs.

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