by SXHH Marketing | Nov 20, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
We often hear about the link between menopause and low estrogen levels. However, many HRT methods use estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy.There are many benefits to using both estrogen and progesterone in hormone replacement therapy. Yet, a lot of conversations about HRT focus on estrogen. So, what is progesterone and why would you need it during menopause?
What does Progesterone Do?
Both estrogen and progesterone are essential hormones. The levels of these hormones can affect you in many ways, like your energy and mood. One of progesterone’s jobs is to help control the lining of your uterus. Therefore, progesterone replacement therapy is often used to stop your uterus from becoming too thick when receiving estrogen injections. Low progesterone levels can also impact your quality of life in major ways. Some signs of low progesterone are:
- Migraines or headaches
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
Since these symptoms can negatively affect you, if you are dealing with these things, you might consider hormone replacement therapy to help you stay comfortable and happy.
Progesterone Replacement During Menopause
So, what role does progesterone play for menopause treatment? During this stage in your life, both estrogen and progesterone levels drop considerably. Progesterone is often used with estrogen to help with your symptoms and protect your uterus from thickening. Therefore, it is typically added to treatments for menopausal women who still have a uterus. Estrogen and progesterone replacement can help lessen your uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating symptoms caused by menopause.
If you are struggling with the symptoms of menopause, hormone replacement therapy may be a good option for you. Combined estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy has many benefits and can help you feel like yourself again. If you think low hormone levels are causing you to feel poorly, don’t put off getting checked out. You should never be too busy to take care of yourself.
A physician at HerKare may be able to help you relieve the effects of menopause and start feeling great. Our treatment professionals will listen to all of your concerns, help you determine if HRT is right for you, and help you develop a personalized treatment plan for you.
by SXHH Marketing | Nov 5, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Wellness
Low estrogen levels can leave you feeling poorly. Yet, before you are diagnosed, the confusion about why you’re suffering can be worse than dealing with your symptoms. Signs of low estrogen are often very similar to those of menopause. However, what many don’t realize is that you can be affected by low estrogen well before you enter perimenopause. Even women in their 20s and 30s may require hormone replacement therapy for many different reasons. If you suspect that you may have low estrogen levels, it’s important to see a doctor. A women’s health care provider can test your hormone levels and determine the best course of action to help you feel better.
What to look out for
Oftentimes, you may notice your mood changing before you have any physical symptoms. A few things to watch out for are unexplained irritability, depression, and mood swings. You might find that you just can’t seem to get out of bed, or even the smallest things get to you more easily than they used to. Feeling constantly tired and not being able to sleep are also clues that something isn’t quite right.
Some or all of these are typically paired with physical changes. Another sign that something is wrong is that your period becomes lighter or less frequent. Though your period may not be the most enjoyable experience, you should definitely question changes like lighter flow or irregular menstruation. Finally, you’re likely familiar with the next symptoms: hot flashes and night sweats.
Having even one of these symptoms can make life difficult. The bottom line is, if you are seeing sudden changes in your mood or body, you should visit your women’s health clinic. If you do have low estrogen, a doctor can help you find a solution to start feeling great again.
Causes
As we age, our estrogen production naturally slows down. However, in younger women, it is often caused by something else. Here are a few things that could cause low estrogen in younger women:
- Over-exercising
- Thyroid conditions
- Malnutrition
- Autoimmune conditions
Each of these issues is cause for concern on its own, so it is important that you visit a women’s health clinic if you think you are suffering from low estrogen. If you are, we can help you get the care you need, such as progesterone and estrogen replacement therapy. We will listen to everything you’re experiencing and take into account your symptoms, lifestyle, and goals to create a treatment plan for you. At the end of the day, both you and your doctor want you to feel your best.
If you are going through any of these symptoms, no matter what age you are, you should see a doctor. You shouldn’t have to give into your symptoms, and getting answers is a step toward feeling better. A physician at HerKare may be able to determine if you have a hormone imbalance and help you organize a treatment plan to keep you happy and healthy.
by SXHH Marketing | Oct 31, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Sleep
You might be familiar with some of the symptoms related to menopause, such as hot flashes and fatigue, but did you know that a hormone imbalance can also affect your sleep? Many women may not even realize that their fatigue is related to various types of sleep disturbances that can be treated, assuming that it must be result of menopause in general. There are a few reasons that menopause may cause women to lose sleep.
Hot Flashes
Also known as night sweats, hot flashes can disturb your sleep. During menopause, your estrogen levels drop. This can lead to sudden bouts of feeling overheated and copious sweating. Although women may perceive that they are being awakened by these night sweats, some studies show that women actually wake up just before a hot flash occurs. This indicates that there could be brain activity that causes women to wake up along with the discomfort of being too hot. Wearing loose-fitting clothing to bed and keeping a glass of water nearby to sip can help. Hormone therapy can also treat night sweats to make sleep more comfortable.
Insomnia
The hormonal imbalance that accompanies menopause can cause a number of mental and emotional changes, such as depression and anxiety. This in turn can lead to insomnia. Hormone imbalance treatment can help even out your emotions so you can get a good night’s sleep again.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which people stop breathing throughout the night, either because of a blocked airway or because their brain is not sending the right signals. Menopause significantly increases the likelihood of developing sleep apnea. It is unclear why this happens although in some women, it could be related to weight gain, which is also more likely when there is a hormonal imbalance. People often associate sleep apnea with snoring, but this is not always a symptom, and women in particular may have sleep apnea even if they do not snore. Furthermore, women may not remember waking up frequently throughout the night. Menopause treatment can include being treated for sleep apnea.
Menopause is a natural time of life, but it can also cause discomfort, and health problems can result from not getting enough sleep. If you are suffering from insomnia or simply feel fatigued all the time, make an appointment with us today at HerKare. We can check your hormone levels, test you for sleep apnea and help get to the bottom of what’s making you feel bad.
by SXHH Marketing | Oct 11, 2019 | Hormone Replacement Therapy
Some women may experience few menopause-related symptoms, but many others may find that it can be a challenging time both physically and emotionally. If you feel tired, are gaining weight or are suffering from hot flashes or night sweats, these might be because of menopause. Some women also report what is often called “brain fog,” which is the feeling that you just aren’t as focused or sharp as you are used to being. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help relieve all of these symptoms.
What Is a Hormone Imbalance?
Hormones are substances that move through your blood and affect many systems throughout your body. There are several different conditions that can lead to an imbalance, but in menopause, your hormone levels start to fluctuate significantly, and your estrogen and progesterone levels drop. Because hormones affect so many systems in the body, this fluctuation can lead to a number of physical, mental and psychological symptoms that may affect your health and quality of life. Fortunately, hormone imbalance treatment can significantly help treat your symptoms and get your hormones back in a healthy range.
How Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Help?
HRT, which may include progesterone and estrogen replacement therapy, can help keep your hormone levels consistent. Your body treats the hormones you receive through hormone replacement therapy the same way it would hormones that it produces on its own. Hormone replacement therapy can help improve your cognitive function, help you sleep better and can address a number of other symptoms associated with menopause, including night sweats, low libido and vaginal dryness.
Hormone replacement therapy does more than just improve your quality of life. Many women experience thinning bones as a result of menopause, which means they are more susceptible to breaks. HRT can help reduce osteoporosis and strengthen your bones.
What Can Women Expect With HRT?
Every woman’s body is different, and a medical professional will determine what kind of hormones are needed in what amount based on your needs. Estrogen replacement therapy is for women who have had a hysterectomy. For women who still have their uterus, progesterone will be prescribed along with estrogen. Hormone replacement therapy can be administered in a number of different ways, including injections, which allow greater control of dosage and ongoing monitoring of hormone levels.
If you are struggling with symptoms that may be related to menopause, contact us today at HerKare. We can test your hormone levels, check your overall health and determine what treatment is appropriate to help you start feeling like yourself again.
by SXHH Marketing | Jan 25, 2019 | Wellness
I will literally never forget the crash of hormones that follows the birth of a child – the Baby Blues, they say. It was day 4. My child was exactly 4 days old, and I could feel the hormones beginning to fall like a wave about to crest over me and smash me down onto the sand underneath. Only…there was nothing I could do to stop them. I couldn’t move out of the way or side step the hormones. I couldn’t take a special pill or eat a special diet to keep it from happening. That crash was coming, ready or not. And ready I was definitely not.
A hormonal imbalance and crash after the birth of a child is completely normal. Your hormones have been soaring for a solid 9 months, and even though there were some ups and downs, they mostly stayed fairly high. After the baby arrives, your body takes a few days, and then a signal is sent that tells your body to shut it down. No baby means no more high levels of hormones. The only problem is that your body doesn’t do this gradually. The hormones fall drastically, giving many women the sensation known as the baby blues.
The baby blues is the slight depression that follows the birth of a child. It’s not full on, hard core depression, but rather a negative or down feeling. Most women suffer through for a week or 2, and then the hormones begin to level out. The baby blues start to subside, and women begin to feel normal again. The important thing to remember with the baby blues is that it is normal, and for most women, it passes fairly quickly.
But, what happens when it doesn’t pass? What happens when the baby blues turn into the long term blues? When this happens, you can almost be certain that hormonal imbalances are at play. When the hormones are not in balance, it can cause a wide array of symptoms, one of which is a feeling of the blues or even full on depression. If your baby blues seem to be turning into long term depression, then your hormones are likely still imbalanced. They are not returning to normal levels as quickly as they should, and it is causing your body and mind to experience the blues.
If you find this happening to you, get help right away. The right treatment can turn hormonal depression around and stop it in its tracks. At HerKare, a treatment professional may be able to test your hormones, determine whether an imbalance is present, and get you an appropriate treatment plan. When your baby blues turn into depression, or you suspect a hormonal imbalance for any other reason, get to HerKare to let a physician help you today.
