Tablets. Tablets are 1 of the most common forms of HRT. They are usually taken once a day. Both oestrogen-only and combined HRT are available as tablets.
What is the gold standard HRT treatment for menopausal symptoms? Oestrogen therapy is considered the gold standard treatment, effective in 90% of women with hot flushes.
Oestrogen-only HRT has the lowest risk, but can only be taken by women who have had a hysterectomy.
Systemic estrogen therapy (with or without progestin) has been shown to be the best treatment for hot flashes and night sweats. Both systemic and local estrogen therapy relieve vaginal dryness. Systemic estrogen protects against the bone loss that occurs early in menopause. This can help prevent osteoporosis.
Oral medications
Oral HRT is available as: Estrogen-only pill (Cenestin, Enjuvia, Estrace, Femtrace, Menest, Ogen, Ortho-Est, Premarin) Progestin-only pill (Prometrium, Provera, Aygestin) Combination estrogen/progestin pill (Activella, Angeliq, Femhrt, Prefest, Prempro, Jinteli, Bijuva)
'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.
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.
It may take a few weeks to feel the effects of treatment and there may be some side effects at first. A GP will usually recommend trying treatment for 3 months to see if it helps. If it does not, they may suggest changing your dose, or changing the type of HRT you're taking.
Certain HRT products can help to treat female pattern hair loss. The hair- friendly ones are Premique and Indivina (both of these products contain the anti- androgen medroxyprogesterone acetate) and Angeliq (containing drospirenone).
Antidepressants — Antidepressant medications are recommended as a first-line treatment for hot flashes in people who cannot take estrogen. SSRIs – The selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs) are the class of antidepressants used most commonly for treating hot flashes.
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.
Dr Newson says “Many women are concerned that they will put on weight when they begin taking HRT. However, having oestrogen through the skin as a gel or patch with micronised progesterone does not usually lead to weight gain.
Medicare covers medically necessary hormone therapy.
Medicare also covers medically necessary hormone therapy for transgender people. These medications are part of Medicare Part D lists of covered medications and should be covered when prescribed.
Continuous combined HRT is usually recommended for women who are postmenopausal. A woman is usually said to be postmenopausal if she has not had a period for 1 year. Continuous combined HRT involves taking oestrogen and progestogen every day without a break.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself.
Menopause-related hair loss can occur in other parts of the body as well. Many women notice hair growth slows or stops on their legs, arms, and armpits. Pubic hair can also begin to thin leaving bald spots. Even your eyelashes and eyebrows may thin out during menopause.
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.
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopause and perimenopause symptoms, including hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness.
Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state. Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention which can mimic weight gain, but there are alterations that can be made to the regime to minimise this impact.
You may experience some breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding or spotting, or some abdominal bloating in the first few weeks after starting estrogen and progesterone treatments. If taking progesterone, you may also notice a dip or change in your mood initially.
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.
There is no specific age cut-off for starting HRT.
Skin health, sexual and bladder function will all be impacted by lack of estrogen. The skin will become drier and so will the lining of the vagina. The impaired blood supply in these tissues of the vagina, for example, impacts on cell repair, nutrition and sexual response.