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.
Progesterone is used along with estrogen. Taking estrogen without progesterone increases your risk for cancer of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus). During your reproductive years, cells from your endometrium are shed during menstruation.
The hormones most commonly used to treat symptoms of menopause are estrogen and progesterone. (Progesterone and drugs that act like it are called progestins). Often, these 2 hormones are used together, but some women are given estrogen alone.
The first changes you will probably notice are that your skin will become a bit drier and thinner. Your pores will become smaller and there will be less oil production. You may become more prone to bruising or cuts and in the first few weeks you'll notice that the odors of your sweat and urine will change.
Oestrogen gel is an increasingly popular form of HRT. You take it by smoothing it onto your skin once a day. Oestrogen is gradually absorbed into your body. If you have not had a hysterectomy, you must use this gel with a progestogen.
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. The estrogen and progesterone combination has benefits and risks: Decreases risk of osteoporosis, colon cancer and all-cause mortality.
Using estrogen-alone may increase your chances of getting strokes and blood clots. Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women 65 years of age and older. Do not use estrogens with progestogens to prevent heart disease, heart attack, strokes or dementia.
Endometrial (womb) cancer: oestrogen-only HRT increases the risk of womb cancer. This increased risk gets bigger the longer HRT is used, and may stay for some years after HRT is stopped. This is why it is usually only prescribed to people who are not at risk of womb cancer.
Hormone therapy can help ease symptoms of menopause. But it is associated with a lot of serious risks if used over the long term. Although the treatment lowers the risk of bone fractures, it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart and blood vessel problems) and breast cancer.
In postmenopausal women, estrogens, taken with or without a progestin, increase the risk of cancer of the breast/ovaries, stroke, dementia, and serious blood clots. When used along with a progestin, estrogens also increase the risk of heart disease (such as heart attacks).
Why progesterone or progestins are included in hormone replacement therapy. In HRT, the progestin is added to the estrogen to protect against the risk of hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma of the endometrium.
Your body needs estrogen for your reproductive, cardiovascular and bone health. Too much estrogen, though, can cause irregular periods and may worsen conditions that affect your reproductive health.
Is estrogen or progesterone better? Estrogen and progesterone are both equally important for the healthy functions of the body. If they're at proper levels, these two hormones can support your optimal health and wellbeing. The only time this question may be relevant is in regards to hormonal contraception.
Progesterone is an important component of HRT for those users who still have their womb. If you are struggling with menopause symptoms and would like to explore the option of HRT, speak to your doctor or take Stella's free online assessment.
Estrogen promotes the storage of fat for healthy reproductive years. When estrogen is balanced, the right amount of fat helps carry out female reproductive functions. However, when there's too little or too much estrogen, weight gain often results.
If you are healthy, most experts agree that HRT is safe to use at the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time needed. If you're 59 or older, or have been on hormones for 5 years, you should talk to your doctor about quitting.
Some women may stay on hormones for two or three years, while others will need five to seven years, or maybe longer. The goal is to be on the lowest dose that will treat and manage your symptoms in such a way that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Women who took either combined hormone therapy or estrogen alone had an increased risk of stroke, blood clots, and heart attack (1, 2). For women in both groups, however, this risk returned to normal levels after they stopped taking the medication (3, 4).
Estrogen therapy is a form of hormone replacement therapy that is often used to manage and treat menopausal symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms and urogenital atrophy, which is often associated with a significantly decreased quality of life.
Most women are instructed to apply the gel to inner thighs or upper outer arms.
Oestrogel helps relieve the symptoms of the menopause, which are caused by an oestrogen deficiency. It can take up to 3 months to work, though most women will notice a difference sooner than this.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: nausea/vomiting that doesn't stop, mental/mood changes (such as depression, memory loss), breast lumps, unusual vaginal bleeding (such as spotting, breakthrough bleeding, prolonged/recurrent bleeding), increased or new vaginal irritation/ ...