Finding The Perfect Menopause TreatmentHormone therapy is one of the few menopause treatments that have been duly recognized and approved by the government. The said therapy is proven to be good in treating cases of difficult hot flashes. However, not everybody is advised to resort to this treatment as it could also pose possible risks. A physician is the best person to determine if it is safe for a patient to undertake this therapy or not. Most of the time, doctors only prescribe the lowest dose of hormone replacement therapy and for the shortest possible time. Studies show that short-term hormone therapy is not a contributory factor to certain diseases like breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer. However, long-term hormone therapy is being questioned because it can trigger the onset of breast cancer. This treatment is not recommended to those who:
Hormone therapy makes use of estrogen or estrogen with progestin (which may be taken in many forms like) pills, gels, or through the intrauterine device. It may also be in the form of patches that directly feed hormones into the bloodstream. These skin patches are placed on the upper arm or buttocks. This is usually prescribed to women who are concerned about the side effects of taking in estrogen orally. Taking estrogen or progestin in the pill form can result in gallbladder, liver and blood clotting problems. One of the most often used estrogen patch products is Vivelle-Dot which has the same size of a postage stamp. A woman is advised to take the .05 milligram per day dose which delivers the primary estrogen called Estradiol into the bloodstream. It is believed to provide relief from hot flashes and other symptoms of an estrogen crash. This treatment has been used for decades - the reason why medical experts recommend this therapy to qualified patients. Another option for the hormone replacement therapy treatment is to have the estrogen implanted. The treatment involves some surgery that implants estrogen under the skin. Estrogen levels were found to have risen by two to three times as a cumulative effect. This alone should make doctors vigilant of the estrogen levels of the patient every now and then. Another medically suggested treatment for menopause is the intake of a low-dose antidepressant like Venlafaxine. Studies showed that antidepressants which belong to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can decrease hot flashes. Other options for this treatment are flouxetine, paroxetine, and sertaline. One who undergoes this treatment must expect possible side effects like nausea and dizziness. One other treatment option is the so called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like rolixifene which acts as an estrogen that is good for the bone density of postmenstrual women. Women who have some history of blood clotting are advised not to consider this option. One of the most common symptoms of menopause is vaginal dryness. In such cases, medical experts advise or recommend the use of vaginal estrogen through a vaginal tablet, ring, or cream. This therapy allows for a small application of estrogen on the vaginal tissue which was proven to treat vaginal dryness, difficulty with intercourse, and urinary problems. However, this should not be considered without advice or prescription from a doctor because it can pose some risks to certain women. |