by Melanie Remy | May 5, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Uncategorized
Estrogen replacement therapy can redistribute fat and help you feel well enough to exercise regularly.
Estrogen replacement therapy helps reduce many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. However, it may offer another benefit. During menopause, you may notice that you seem to accumulate more fat in your abdominal area. Studies show that estrogen replacement therapy may help you avoid this issue. Learn more about how hormone therapy can help you reduce your belly fat during menopause.
Menopause and Abdominal Fat
The hormonal changes we experience during menopause can affect how our bodies store fat. While age-related weight gain happens for both men and women, menopausal women specifically may start to notice more fat in their abdominal area. Estrogen levels help control how your body distributes fat. Declining estrogen levels during menopause can lead to accumulating fat in your belly. This not only affects many women’s self-esteem but is also a risk factor for serious health complications such as diabetes and heart disease.
Your hormone doctor may recommend estrogen replacement therapy to help reduce your symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood changes, and difficulty sleeping. In addition to helping with these disruptive symptoms, it may also help with belly fat during menopause.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause
Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area. However, estrogen replacement therapy can help your body redistribute this fat to different areas on your body, rather than your abdominal area. This is a key benefit of estrogen therapy, as belly fat specifically increases your risk for many negative health consequences.
In addition to fat redistribution, estrogen replacement therapy may help add to a healthy exercise regimen. Researchers have found that menopausal hormone replacement therapy may help the effects of exercise on body fat. Additionally, estrogen replacement therapy can help you feel well enough to exercise regularly. Therefore, if you have symptoms of menopause that interfere with your life and also notice you’re gaining more belly fat than you used to, talk to your hormone doctor about your options. In many cases, hormone replacement therapy can help you feel better and improve your overall health.
At HerKare, we provide personalized healthcare for women. Our clinic is owned and operated by women for women, and we understand the unique concerns that you may have. We want to help you feel great and help you discover the source of your symptoms. Book an appointment online with one of our warm and welcoming women’s health clinics today to start your path toward better wellness. We are here to listen and to help you feel better again.
by Melanie Remy | Apr 20, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
Low estrogen during menopause can cause many changes in your life. It may even affect the appearance of your breasts.
Hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness – low estrogen during menopause can cause a lot of uncomfortable changes. Most of us know about these common symptoms of menopause. However, low estrogen may also cause our breasts to change as well. Learn about some common breast changes during menopause and how your hormone doctor may be able to help.
How Low Estrogen Can Change Your Breasts
Low estrogen levels can decrease the amount of fat and tissue in your breasts, leaving them smaller and less full than they used to be. Additionally, mammary gland tissue typically shrinks during menopause, which also may leave your breasts looking different. Your breasts may also begin to sag as your estrogen levels plummet, as the connective tissues in your breasts start to become dehydrated and lose elasticity.
In addition, low estrogen may cause changes in your nipples and areolae. During menopause, you may notice that your nipples start to turn slightly inward. Your nipples and areolae may also start to shrink. However, some studies suggest that hormone replacement treatment may help prevent these changes.
The Role of Hormone Replacement Treatment In Breast Appearance
In 2012, a group of researchers set out to find how some environmental factors can influence breast aging, including hormone therapy. To do so, they studied 161 pairs of identical twins and assessed several different metrics of their breast appearance. The study found that the women who received hormone therapy after menopause had higher scores in many different elements of breast appearance. Some areas where these women scored higher included:
- Breast shape
- Breast size
- Areola shape
- Areola size
- Breast projection
- Fullness in the upper part of the breast
- Patches of discoloration on breast skin
The results of this study suggest that hormone therapy for menopausal women may play a role in how your breasts change. While low estrogen levels can cause many unwanted symptoms during menopause, your hormone doctor helps bring your hormones back into balance. This may help reduce breast changes during menopause. However, as Johns Hopkins notes, estrogen replacement treatment won’t improve breast ptosis if they were saggy before menopause.
At HerKare, we take time to understand who you are as an individual to help develop a personalized treatment plan for your symptoms. We understand how menopause can make you feel. Therefore, we offer advanced treatments to reduce your symptoms and help you feel better. Our women’s health clinic is owned and operated by women for women, as our goal is to provide healthcare that helps women address their symptoms and feel better. Schedule an appointment at one of our clinics online to start feeling well again. At HerKare, we listen, we understand, and we help you feel like yourself again.
by Melanie Remy | Apr 3, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
Menopause may increase your risk for recurring UTIs, which are uncomfortable and sometimes painful. Women’s hormone care may help reduce negative symptoms of menopause.
Many women notice that they start to get recurring urinary tract infections during menopause. Declining estrogen levels during menopause may cause changes in your bladder that make you more susceptible to urinary tract infections. However, women’s hormone care may help with recurring UTIs during menopause. Women’s hormone care helps reduce symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances that many women experience during menopause, and there may be a link between estrogen and bladder changes as we age.
Menopause Increases Your Risk for Urinary Tract Infections
During menopause, your bladder’s volume and elasticity decline. This makes your bladder less able to hold the urine in your bladder. Therefore, you may notice that you need to use the restroom more frequently after menopause. Paired with thinning vaginal walls and a thinning urethra, this may increase the likelihood for UTIs. In fact, your risk for urinary tract infections increases within four to five years after your final period. However, women’s hormone care works to help reduce the symptoms of menopause and may also help keep your urinary tract bacteria-free.
How Women’s Hormone Care May Help
Decreasing estrogen levels during menopause may contribute to recurring UTIs. Your bladder contains many estrogen receptors, which may be affected during menopause. Researchers conducted a study to determine how estrogen replacement therapy affects urinary tract infections during menopause and found some positive results. The group who received women’s hormone care for menopause symptoms also reduced the number of urinary tract infections they experienced. The researchers also compared the estrogen replacement therapy group to a group who took low dose preventative antibiotics that are often prescribed for recurring UTIs. Therefore, hormone therapy may help with frequent UTIs during menopause.
Women’s Hormone Care May Help Improve Your Vaginal Microbiome
One theory proposes that women’s hormone care helps prevent UTIs because it improves the vaginal microbiome. Your vagina has its own ecosystem of bacteria that may help protect your urethra from harmful bacteria such as E. coli. A common type of bacteria found in the vagina, Lactobacillus, produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide which can help prevent pathogens from traveling toward the urethra. However, declining estrogen levels during menopause may also decrease the amount of Lactobacillus in your vagina, leaving your urinary tract more vulnerable during menopause. However, hormone therapy may help restore your vaginal microbiome and help fight off bacteria that could cause UTIs.
At HerKare, we provide comprehensive healthcare for women. Our providers help you find the women’s hormone care options that work for you and help you feel better. If menopause has you feeling poorly, our goal is to help you feel like yourself again. We take your individual needs into account when developing a treatment plan to help address your symptoms. Our team is with you every step of the way, even after you’ve started your treatment plan. We stay up to date with your progress and help you adjust your treatment plan as needed. At HerKare, there is no one-size-fits-all care. Schedule your appointment online today to learn how we can help you feel better. We are here to help.
by Melanie Remy | Feb 20, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Sleep
Sleep better and find more energy during menopause with hormone replacement treatment.
Many women experience insomnia during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to help insomnia symptoms during menopause. Poor sleep quality affects you in many ways, including your mood, ability to focus, and overall wellbeing. Feeling well-rested helps you tackle your tasks effectively and enjoy your daily activities. Anyone who has experienced a bad night of sleep knows how awful it feels and how difficult it is to function on little to no sleep. Therefore, if you are experiencing insomnia during menopause, talk to your physician about how you can feel better. Your doctor may recommend hormone replacement to balance your hormones and help with your symptoms.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that can manifest in a variety of different ways. Those experiencing insomnia during menopause may experience one or more insomnia signs, including:
- Taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep
- Waking up frequently during the night
- Rising early in the morning
- Feeling unrested even after a full night’s sleep
A good indication that you are suffering from insomnia is that you get less than six hours of sleep three or more nights per week. However, even if you get more sleep than this, you could still have insomnia. If you are feeling daytime fatigue during menopause, talk to your doctor about possible causes. Your physician may recommend hormone replacement treatment to help with insomnia and your other menopause symptoms.
The Link Between Menopause and Insomnia
Insomnia is common among women in menopause. In fact, as you age, it becomes more likely that you will experience this sleep condition:
- 16-42% of pre-menopausal women experience insomnia
- 39-47% of peri-menopausal women suffer from insomnia
- 35-60% of post-menopausal women are affected by insomnia
Therefore, menopause can increase your risk for insomnia. There are a few factors that may cause insomnia in menopausal women. For example, declining estrogen levels during menopause can cause mood disturbances and vasomotor symptoms, also known as hot flashes. Both of these symptoms can disturb your sleep quality. Therefore, hormone replacement therapy may be able to help these symptoms that disrupt your rest and help you feel more refreshed.
How Hormone Replacement Can Help Menopausal Insomnia
Luckily, hormone imbalance treatment may be able to help your insomnia symptoms during menopause. Estrogen hormone replacement during peri- and post-menopause can help ease common symptoms that affect sleep quality, like hot flashes and mood changes. Studies show that hormone replacement treatment helps menopausal women fall asleep faster, wake up fewer times during the night, strengthen their sleep cycle, and boost their REM sleep. Therefore, if you are experiencing poor sleep quality, as well as other adverse symptoms of menopause, talk to your doctor. Your physician may recommend hormone replacement therapy. This menopause treatment may be able to help you sleep better, feel more energetic, and improve your overall quality of life.
Menopause symptoms don’t have to interfere with your lifestyle. Hot flashes, insomnia, mood changes, and other common signs of low estrogen levels can prevent you from feeling your best. A physician at HerKare may be able to help you get back on track and feel better again. Contact us today if you are struggling with symptoms related to menopause. Our team of medical professionals work with you to find a personalized treatment plan for your symptoms and help you get the most out of life.
by Melanie Remy | Feb 5, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
Estrogen replacement therapy can help you feel great during menopause.
Menopause is a natural phase in your life, but it can also leave you with uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms. Estrogen replacement therapy may help you feel better, reduce your symptoms, and make your transition into menopause more comfortable. In addition to the physical symptoms of menopause, estrogen replacement therapy may also help menopausal depression symptoms. Declining estrogen levels can impact your mental health and cause you to experience mood changes. Therefore, it’s important to talk to your physician about how you can feel better during menopause, both physically and emotionally.
Low Estrogen and Depressive Symptoms
One in four women will experience depression symptoms during their lifetime. Symptoms of depression include irritability, feelings of sadness, mood swings, and restless sleep. Menopausal women in particular are two to four times more likely to develop depressive symptoms. This is likely due to low estrogen levels, which can affect your mood. During menopause, your ovaries slow their estrogen production, leading to undesirable physical and emotional health issues that can damage your quality of life. Additionally, menopausal women who have a history of severe PMS, post-partum depression, or clinical depression may be more likely to experience mood swings and depressive symptoms during perimenopause.
Mood changes can be quite common during menopause, but they can have devastating effects. For example, menopausal depression can cause you to lose interest in activities you typically enjoy, isolate yourself from friends and family, and have difficulty concentrating on your daily tasks. If you are experiencing these issues, your physician may be able to alleviate your symptoms and get you feeling better again. One treatment option that may help is hormone replacement therapy.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help
Research suggest that estrogen replacement therapy may be able to help with symptoms of depression during menopause. In a randomized study of women, researchers noticed that one year of ERT reduced the risk of menopausal depression symptoms from 32% of participants to 17%. That is nearly half of the women in the study who experienced depression symptom reduction. This was especially true for women early on in their menopause transition.
Menopause also causes other symptoms that may exacerbate feelings of depression. For example, low estrogen levels can cause insomnia, physical tension, and hot flashes. These physical symptoms can all contribute to emotional distress. However, therapy that utilizes bioidentical hormones may help with these unwanted effects, including menopausal depression.
Therefore, estrogen replacement therapy may be able to help with both physical and emotional symptoms of menopause. Your women’s healthcare provider may prescribe estrogen replacement therapy if you have mild to moderate depressive symptoms, experience physical menopause symptoms, and haven’t experienced depression before.
You aren’t alone during menopause. If you’re experiencing physical and emotional symptoms, quality care can help you feel better again and comfortably transition into this new phase of your life. Our professionals at HerKare will listen to your experiences and help you create a treatment plan that is tailored to you. Make an appointment with us today to discuss your menopause treatment options. Together, you and the HerKare team can help improve your wellbeing.
by Melanie Remy | Jan 20, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
Though we often associate testosterone with men, low testosterone levels can impact women as well. In these cases, testosterone hormone replacement treatment may be able to help relieve your symptoms. Many pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women suffer from low testosterone and other hormone imbalances. The symptoms of these hormone issues can be difficult to bear. Therefore, some women undergo testosterone hormone replacement to help them feel like themselves again.
What Testosterone Does in the Female Body
Many of us have been taught that testosterone is the “male hormone.” However, the testosterone hormone isn’t only found in men. Women’s bodies also produce testosterone, just to a lesser degree than men. In women, testosterone plays some vital roles in our physiology. Ovaries, adrenal glands, and peripheral tissues all produce testosterone. This hormone helps with blood cell production and bone health maintenance. Therefore, testosterone is a necessary component in women’s bodies and testosterone replacement can help improve women’s health.
Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency in Women
During menopause, our ovaries decrease production of sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen, which can lead to some life-altering symptoms. Some of these symptoms include:
- Mood changes
- Breast pain
- Incontinence
- Hot flashes
Unfortunately, these symptoms can be mistaken for other conditions, which means that testosterone deficiency in women is often misdiagnosed. However, if you suspect you are suffering from low testosterone, a simple blood panel can test your hormone levels and help your physician diagnose you with low testosterone. Hormone replacement treatment may be able to help you relieve your symptoms and feel better again if you are suffering from a hormone imbalance. After diagnosis, you and your doctor will create a comprehensive treatment plan to help your hormones get back on track and within normal ranges. Many patients feel a lot better after they begin HRT, so your doctor may recommend hormone therapy as part of your treatment plan.
How Testosterone Hormone Replacement Treatment Can Help
Hormone replacement treatment is often used to treat undesirable symptoms in menopausal women caused by hormone imbalances. For example, many female patients with low testosterone experience muscle weakness, depression, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can disrupt your life and well-being and leave you feeling poorly. If you have low testosterone, your doctor may recommend testosterone hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement treatment was designed to help balance your levels so you can enjoy your quality of life. Therefore, bioidentical hormone therapy, or injecting hormones that are identical on a molecular level to what your body naturally produces, can help you feel more like yourself again and alleviate your symptoms.
At HerKare, our physicians are here to provide you with the care you need to feel better. We can help you address your symptoms if you are suffering from the effects of hormone imbalances. Our medical professionals can help diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan that fits you as an individual. We can help you find the answers you have been searching for and help you improve your quality of life.
